Visit to World’s Highest Cricket Ground Chail

This week’s Thursday challenge theme is ‘Outdoors’, so here is a post on playgrounds for the theme.

This playground is no ordinary one; it is the World’s highest cricket ground Chail in Himachal Pradesh. The statistics is amazing, Chail’s cricket ground is at an altitude of 2,444m!

Imagine a hill being slashed, its top flattened out… that is how the ground was made. It was done under the instructions of the Maharaja of Patiala Bhupinder Singh. Later, after independence, the Maharaja donated it to the military school there.

Wiki mentions: In 1891, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala incurred the rage of Lord Kitchener. It led to the restriction of his entry in the Indian summer capital, Shimla. This incensed the Maharaja and he vowed to build a new summer retreat for himself. So he rebuilt the place (Chail) as per his requirements.

World's highest cricket ground Chail

Chail is 47kms from Kufri in Himachal Pradesh. We bloggers made a day trip to the place. The day we visited the place, it was Sunday. All the gates were shut and we could view the ground only through the grills of the gate. It was disappointing. There are basket ball and football courts in the same ground. During school vacations this ground is used to play polo.

At one corner of World’s highest cricket ground Chail, there stands a historic tree on which is a tree house. Pity couldn’t get access to it that day.

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On our way to Chail, Himachal Pradesh.

This picture is for Thursday Challenge: Peaceful (Landscape). Each time I try to take a good landscape shot I am conscious of this quote:

“Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer – and often the supreme disappointment.” by Ansel Adam (American Photographer, 1902-1984)

This picture was taken on our way to Chail, Himachal Pradesh from Kufri at Koti. The valley looked calm and peaceful, the floating clouds added magic. The picture takes me back to that moment.

on our way to Chail, Himachal Pradesh
Everyday Battle with Stray Cattle on Bangalore Roads
Seeking Blessings from the Temple Elephant

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