Post 9- FINALLY!!

What a winter and spring these have been. Two months of consistent rain, snow and slush beyond the normal period and we were jacked up quite high. Work remained stuck and nothing appeared to be moving!!
We received our first booking for 03 May 2019 but as on 03 April 2019, things looked dismal and weather nasty and unpredictable. We, however, had no choice and we pushed and pushed and pushed our limits. On 03 May 2019, a few hours before arrival of the first guests, we had six rooms (the first block) up and functional and what a sigh of relief it was for all of us!
Our first gang was from Mumbai- Karate students and their coach and we all had a ball of a time!

The rear lit up by a setting sun as dark clouds engulf mountains in front

Block No 1- got ready JIT

Some basic training beyond Karate

A shared happiness

Our guest with the team that made it possible

The first floor rooms

All washrooms are attached

You will see mud plaster everywhere

View from the middle floor

 Bigger rooms and best view''''...top floor

Yours truly!!

Dining area 

Views served with food

A small business meet

       While the work is in progress, we have become operational in a true military way. It was a long, hard race and all that I can say is that HE has been kind!

Post 8- Elephant's tail

             If 2018 had an unpredictable weather profile, 2019 started with a point to prove. We have not had such a snow fall for years and snow-rain profile till now has been anything but funny. We also got a fair share of the blessings from top. As a result, the work that had been kept up despite all the hurdles, came to standstill at a time when we were almost there. Yes, it was like fabled elephant's tail getting stuck in the eye of a needle even after whole of elephant has somehow managed to pass through the same hole.

                 Despite all the logistical hurdles and unpredictable weather, we were able to push on...

 The first block had its roof readied and walls mud-plastered even while it rained around us; rainy season dragged on like never before

As the first block was getting readied and an adhoc rain harvesting contraption was put in place, the work on the upper floor of the second block began by the time it was early autumn

Upper floor of Block No 2 (two storeyed) was constructed after onset of winters

Cafe-cum-Kitchen had its roof completed despite numerous issues with voltage and huge amount spent on hiring, lugging and running a gen set

 The cottage block, constructed in a traditional wood-stone /kath-kuni way (duly modified though) took lot of time to come up. Work started on its roof after cafe roof was finished

What started as a snow shower,.....

 ......ended up as a three feet deep white cover and.....

......many times over!!

The complete main structure has a 1.5 storeyed building, a double storeyed and a three storeyed one

                    Two months of work was lost and that too at a stage when external structure was almost ready and internal work had just about begun...

One of the washrooms

The pseudo stones (tiles) in shower area

              For a casual observer, the time being taken is much on higher side. But the ground reality is that remoteness of the place means no outside labour (only five locals have been employed as labourers- by design -and none from outside- by compulsion since no one wants to walk up daily to work when work is available elsewhere too). Then one mason, one team of welders-cum-roof makers and such like skill holders and that's why all this delay.

         All the tiring effort, slogging and hard work as well as frustration gets forgotten when one climbs a flight of stairs and finds such views from windows and ventilators.........

Hanuman ji Tibba greets us on 24x7 basis

Post No 7 - The Final Phase About to Begin!!

                    2018 has been an year of erratic weather conditions. Firstly, the much anticipated snow never came after initial onslaughts. Then rains followed no pattern and HP was adversely hit with many roads getting washed away and slopes tumbling down due to flash floods and cloud bursts. Barring peak summer months, work could not progress too well due to unforeseen interruptions every fortnight or so. Slowly and steadily, we kept at it and despite whatever nature threw at us, we remained pro-active most of the times. Some pictorial references.....

As the work on the first block was going on and its third level was raised, we could squeeze in enough time to start the work on the second block. We froze the plan to have three floors (each with two rooms) in the first block and two floors (each with two rooms) in the second block. The third structure, kitchen and cafe, would have one single storey with another floor only on one side. The whole layout was visualised as three steps kind of an elevation with one storey of the third block, two storeys of second block and three storeys of the first block- all echeloned in a sequential progression.

An idea to use local mud plaster (earth+pine needles+ cow dung) on the outside was tried and it looked pretty good. Such a plaster, in addition to adding rustic touch to the settings, shall also act as a good insulator of temperature.

Chamba Slates (with distinct bluish grey hue) arrived and were stacked up as we went around hunting for a suitable generator set since the available power supply didn't have sufficient voltage required to run the welding set smoothly.

With slab on the ground floor of the second block laid and compulsory wait of three weeks enforced, we started bringing up the third block that would have a covered verandah, a dining area and a kitchen. Staff quarters shall come up on top of kitchen area. The facade of this block towards approach path has been constructed using local stones.

The third block is now set to take on roof work. Far left is kitchen on the ground floor and staff room on top; middle is an internally raised roof to accommodate 1.5 levels of seating and to the right is the covered verandah (single storey height).

Concurrently, work on the roof of the first block was happening (we were proactive, after all!) This is how the roof looks like from inside. Each slate gets anchored to the steel frame (or wood as the case may be) through a nail that is welded to the frame and driven through a hole in the slate. Each slate has an overlap of 4 inches and nail gets hidden under the overlap. It is a thing of beauty but is demanding and a labour intensive job.

This frame gives out the whole picture. The first wall (facade) towards approach path/future parking is made of stone and a few bricks (as replacement for wood in a typical Kath-kuni construction methodology). It shields staff quarter on top and kitchen below. Joined to this structure (as part of third block itself) are dining area on 1.5 levels and an open verandah. After the gap, is the second block with slab on the ground floor (scaffolding /shuttering seen). Another gap and we have three floors of the first block!

With roof work on first and third blocks now complete, things have started to look more orderly. While the blocks are coming up well, what can't be overlooked or ignored is the natural beauty of the place. It is green on all sides and once clouds clear off, we get an amazing view of the mountains across Barot/Uhl valley below.

Small niches here and there are being used for future storage and so on.

       We are already into October (3rd week) of 2018. As I key in these words, first floor walls of the second block are being raised. Once that has been done, roof shall be set on top. However, concurrently, work on interiors has commenced. Six washrooms are ready sans fittings and panelling work in six rooms is on. More about that in the next post!

Post 6 : Slow and Steady but race is far from over

             The slog continued through the rains and the mist and the fog. Some showers were not only untimely (so common these days) but pretty heavy too. Being where it is, sandwiched between two valleys from where strong winds rise every now and then, every second spell of rain had a look and a feel of a small thunderstorm. And when it pours, one feels as if a small cloud burst has occurred. All such acts of nature would be fascinating once we are safely indoors and are watching the fun from the safer side of a 10 mm thick glass screen. But the package becomes horrifying when you have construction work on.

                    I was once again absent when the slab of the ground floor roof was being laid. The team, however, carried on. Weather was kind and the phase went through without a hitch...

               
        Issue, however, became a bit debatable as we reached the slab stage of the first floor roof. We were already into winters and while snow was holding on and was yet to come tumbling down from the skies, the night temperature was already into negatives. In the areas like Kasol where the sun changes its track and doesn't cover many areas, no slab work is undertaken during such a season since water freezes before the cement has been set and the result is invariably a disaster. Here, at FRD, however, sun shines bright throughout the year (akin to what happens in Ladkah....sharp, bright sun that needs 50 plus SPF protection (unless you are like me!) and as per the locals, such an issue doesn't come into play here. The local knowledge is based on the fact that if a slab gets about a few hours of strong sunshine, water won't freeze well into the night and cement gets set in time. With some apprehensions and some doubts and with prayers on lips, we went for it. The second slab was laid and there was no sign of snow yet!

             We were lucky enough to have more than a fortnight of uninterrupted fair weather with sun coming down heavily on the structure and helping it get firmed up!  And at a time and moment as decided by HIM, the fun began. Winters of 2017-18, have not brought in too much of snow and yet the height and location of FRD meant a good white cover.

              

             There were a few such spells of snow and work on interiors carried on while it remained more or less white outside. The snow that came later, didn't stay for long. During the break between laying of the slab and snow, we were able to erect pillars of the second block.

        As per the revised plan, we were to have two similar blocks of three floors each with each floor having two rooms (12 in all). Now, it was revised again and the second block was now earmarked to have two floors (10 rooms in all). The third building, our cafe, was to be a single storeyed structure. Such an arrangement is likely to give a look of stepped up construction and is likely to look nice.

Two specialists were brought in after the snow to check on the slab and they passed it as OK!

continues....

Post 5- The Slog Phase

           Rains proved to be only one of the major issues for the next quarter of a year or so. The last two Kms of road is not metalled nor does it have any drainage. As a result, it caved in at places and had to be repaired and maintained regularly. Then there were issues with electricity supply and voltage (there is a low voltage, single-phase connection running through the village). Very strong winds during rains also add to the degree of difficulty since their force jolts the supports and fixtures. It was a tough slog but we kept going!!

One of the fascinations, besides killing views of Hiamlayas and weather, is a dreamy mist that rises up daily from the valley below during monsoons as well as winters. It is mystic and it is beautiful

Hardy mountain mules did what machines of various horse-powers could not do. They kept our supply lines opened and never let us down.

Slowly and steadily, tangibles began to appear on what was just a green field a few weeks ago

As part of the agreement with Roshan, locals were employed for the construction work. With the project likely to take more than an year, such an arrangement provided them with an assured income for most part of the year

Even though I kept making trips to the site regularly, I had not been present when the brick work started. They, however, kept a door frame installation pending for me to come and do it. Finally, having hung the Uniform in September 2017, I did the ritual. Seen here is our daughter, Czia.

October month was pretty sunny and though chill had set in, we were making some noticeable progress. 

           As expected, the cost was turning out to be pretty high. Almost every thing that reached the site, had to undergo at least two and , at times, three shipments. Mountain markets are not too competitive and prices are pretty steep too. Money was flowing out of our accounts at an amazing speed though the progress on the ground looked just about crawling. But these are the harsh realities of working in such areas. I, however, have a different take on this- Paradise doesn't come cheap!

                                                                     Continues!