Himachal is it worth calling "Dev Bhoomi"

Himachal Pradesh is the most sought after destination amongst the tourists, trekkers and the honeymooners. People crowd this place from all the corners of the world to appreciate and taste the scenic beauty of this place. They are welcomed by the beauty of nature and the winding roads. One more thing welcomes them over here the touts, agents, shopkeepers, hotel owners and of course the common man who is all the more eager to squeeze out every rupee which is present in your pocket. You must now get ready to pay a very hefty price to appreciate nature. It is just the beginning. Once when you land over here, most probably by bus you would come to know that you have been encircled by a group of people who are hell bent to squeeze out every rupee and nothing else. They come with a smiling face which more often than not conceals their inner desire to make money by charging exorbitant prices for whatever is being offered as service.
First and foremost thing which strikes you is the cost of hiring a private vehicle. More often than not you are forced to hire a Taxi from the local Taxi Union. Taxi Unions are rampant in this region and they charge you anything upwards from Rs. 20.0 per kilometer of travel for a non air conditioned vehicle. The most surprising part is you simply have no other option but to accept these exorbitant rates which are charged by the Taxi Union. It surprises you more because you are not allowed to hire a vehicle from outside. You have to hire a vehicle from that area only.
For example for a distance of 250 kms by private taxi (non air conditioned) you may end up paying at least Rs. 5,000/- in Himachal Pradesh which otherwise you may not pay more than Rs. 2,500/-
The next surprise comes when you stay in hotels either private or HPTDC. Private hotels are absolutely useless and charge you based on their whims and fancies and you can bargain to any possible extent. Be on the look out for hidden camera installed in hotels as I have heard that it is very rampant. HPTDC hotels are far better as they have fixed rates for rooms and rates are non negotiable. That is the only solace for a traveler who does not feel cheated because of this. But what is surprising that HPTDC hotels also have varied rates for rooms with identical facilities. The facilities are identical in all the rooms but they are charged separately and the difference in prices varies from Rs. 800 to Rs 4000. You may be shocked at this price difference. When you enquire you would be surprised at the reason quoted by the Manager “We charge separately for the VIEW which is offered from the room” A price difference of Rs. 4000 per day for the VIEW is simply too much.
The worst part over here is food which is absolutely costly and tasteless. You may end up paying more that Rs 700 per person per day for a average quality of food in restaurants. I am not talking about star hotels. I am talking about ordinary Hotels and Restaurants which charge you so exorbitantly for food which starts and ends with "Rajmah Chaval". There is absolutely no variety available over here.
One more thing which I have observed over here is the mentality of local people who strongly disapprove of any outsider (means non himachali) who has plans to settle down in their land. They strongly detest any such attempt and make sure that life is made miserable for people who plan to stay in their land for a longer period other than for purpose of tourism. You would be charged differentially for your daily chores and needs. This differential treatment is quite evident if you plan to stay in Himachal for a longer period. Local People in Himachal want others to visit their land as tourists only but do not want anybody to settle in their land. Moreover the local people do not have a mindset of indulging in physical labour to earn money they simply want to earn money at the costs of the touring people by charging them exorbitantly for boarding & lodging, travelling and fooding.
One more thing of which you need to be beware is the Kullu Shawl market which sells every shawl under the brand name of "Kullu Shawl”. The prices quoted by the local people are never to be trusted and it is always safe to by from the "Bhuttico" showrooms which sell at a fixed price. Else majority of the woolen clothing is of poor quality sold to vulnerable honeymooners who are high on ecstasy and take time to settle to real life challenges.
At the end of the travel period you make sure that you would never return to this land which has "Dev Boomi" displayed prominently on all its Public Transport Buses. Your success in business is measured by the "Repeat Orders" which you get from your customers. I doubt if there are any "Repeat Customers" in any of the hotels in Himachal Pradesh, unless of course you are travelling at the expense of your company.
This is the last place to do business. But more details of this in my next blog.