Temperature inversion, inverse air-currents, smog, smoke, dust, moisture and anything in between is the perfect recipe for Nature’s glorious spectacle: The Winterline.
As another wintry evening descends upon Mussoorie, what is missing this time of the year is the Winterline. Up until last year, in October, no matter which direction you headed in the hill-station, you would definitely walk into plenty of brave-hearts braving the winter chill, facing the sunset with a smart phone in hand ready to entrap Mussoorie’s winterline in all its glory.
Author-historian Ganesh Saili says: “While all over the world, at the end of the day, the sun ends its journey behind a fixed geographical feature. This maybe a mound, a hillock, or the sea but up here in Mussoorie, it’s different. The sun ends its journey behind an aerial line to form a perfect Winter line.”
Greek mythology has it that the Goddess Venus, wore a magical hand crafted belt called the Girdle of Venus. It was made of gold filigree crafted by her husband, the not-so-handsome Smith-God Vulcan, who was in awe of his wife’s beauty. Besotted, he carved her this priceless gift. It is this girdle or belt or kamaar-bandh, call it what you will that is known as the Winterline.
Literally making hay while the sunsets, most hotels in town cash in on this natural phenomenon. Get to that balcony, sit-out point, or decks to get an uninterrupted view of this awe-inspiring phenomenon. You will find the sky aflame with hues of pink, yellow, orange, blue and mauve light up the horizon, with the silhouette of the hills, trees, buildings highlighting the winter line even further.
This year, the magic is late in the coming. Maybe it is so on account of the unprecedented cold or overcast sky. No one knows for certain.
Every evening, residents stare into the horizon, hoping to catch a glimpse of that elusive delight, in a place where no two evenings are ever the same.
Come join in the prayers of the residents to the weather-gods for respite. Let them give back to our hills the winterline. May it continue to spin its magic and have us hooked for life.
