Category: Experience

I have been a shy kid all my life. Ever since I was a child, I always preferred to keep things to myself and avoid social contact as much as possible. It was easier to do so back then when I could just be with myself and enjoy not having many people around. But for the last decade, I have been working at an MNC in Delhi and have been struggling with the pressure of social interactions.

The deadlines for completing projects and submitting due tasks have made things worse for me as I feel really anxious almost all the time now. I am always thinking about what I have to do next, what I might have missed. In the last couple of years, the feeling of being anxious has often escalated to panic attacks at work and sometimes at home as well. But the stress keeps on piling up and pushing me down.

I consulted a physician to sort medical help for my situation and see if it can bring any peace and calm to my life. But medications could only do so much. I slept longer after medicating but did not feel relaxed or stress-free when I woke up. Then I started researching about what I can do to make my situation better.

Across many scientific journals, it has been proposed that staying close to nature has often helped people stay calm and relaxed. I myself am a nature lover. But the only whiff of nature I can manage to get in my hectic schedule was the little kitchen garden that I had nurtured as a hobby.
I felt that this could be the solution that I was looking for.

After talking to a couple of friends and family members, I made up my mind that this was exactly what I wanted to have in my life. I started researching options that were available in a price bracket that was not too steep and I came across flats in Solan (Chester hills). Based in the beautiful Solan hills, Chester Hills was the perfect destination for my staycations and even workations some of the times. I consulted one of their sales executives and was presented with payment options that included easy EMIs for easy payments. I booked my unit immediately and received the possession for the same before the committed time.

Ever since I have started coming here, my stress levels have been seriously brought down. Even when I am not able to go outside in the greens due to busy schedule, just having the luxury of seeing green landscapes outside my window and whiffs of fresh air coming in from the entrances have immensely helped me calm my anxieties down. And thus live a happier and calmer life. That’s my Chester Hills story. What’s yours?

Covid pandemic has been an eye-opener in so many ways to so many people. For some, it was that financially, making everyone aware of the importance of having savings and multiple sources of income. For some, it was a lesson learning experience in physical fitness. People understood how important it was to eat healthy and stay fit as health issues that seemed very distant stood right there in everyone’s face.

But something thankfully caught everyone’s attention as well. And thankfully because if it was not for this pandemic, it would have taken a long time for everyone to see the importance of it. Yes, it’s mental health that’s being talked about here. Being locked down in homes and not being able to move freely did something that mental health researchers and activists have been trying to do for so long which is making everyone aware of how scary a health issue is bad mental health.

A taboo subject once in many circles, mental health is now being discussed on many public forums, and rightfully so. And this has never been more evident than now as doctors have started prescribing activities like a walk in a park instead of conventional medicine that you would expect from doctors.

Yes, that is right. Doctors around the world have been prescribing getting out in the great outdoors and interacting with natural elements as a solution to some of the serious health issues as well like diabetes, hypertension and lungs and breathing-related diseases. Exploring nature firsthand has been proven by researchers to have improved sleeping cycles, increase feelings of joy and happiness and cut stress to extremely low levels. Not just that, activities like hiking, trekking, or just a walk in the park have proven to help boost creativity and ability to provide continuous attention to important tasks. Scientists have proven that the value of such outdoorsy activities goes just beyond the psychological impacts. Interacting with natural elements have been proven to increase our immunity and general fitness against general health problems related to lungs, gut, and overall body.

What better time to move to hills than right now? Reach out to Chester Hills to know more about the best available option to move to hills.

During the summer last year, I along with a group of friends decided to take a trip somewhere in the hills for a long weekend. All of the people in the group agreed almost immediately because Delhi’s heat was getting unbearable by that time.

Even the decision on where to go was taken almost spontaneously. Solan, it was as a couple of friends had been there before and had all the good things to say about it. We had other commercial well-known hill stations like Shimla, Manali in mind but we did not want any hustle or bustle during the weekend.

We left in the dark of the late-night hours and reached Kalka by the time the sun was about to rise. As soon as we saw the golden sunshine shining through the distant blue and white mountains, we knew we wanted to reach the destination as quickly as possible so that we could soak in as many of the amazing views as possible.

For our stay, we had rented a 1 BHK apartment in Solan from a popular online stay booking website. It was an independently owned apartment that the owner had curated pretty well to young travelers’ taste. And finally before noon struck, we reached our destination. We knew we had made a good decision as soon as we entered the housing complex where the apartment was located.

As soon as we checked into our rooms, we were welcomed with an amazing panoramic view of the hills that reflected the shining sunlight even more beautifully. There was a cold breeze that hugged us just as we were entering the balcony area. After resting for a little, we went out for a hike that turned out to be just spectacular. It felt like nature had given us space in its lap and we were comfortably moving in there. The views of peaks in the distance added to the awe factor of all of it. In short, this was a great decision for someone who was used to seeing concrete jungle amidst a layer of smog everyday. No honking noises of traffic, no construction noises. Just serene and pristine nature as our companion.

We stayed there for just 3 days but it felt like the place gave us a lifetime of an experience. I enquired if I could get an apartment in the same building complex and the manager there said that I actually could. They had all the luxury amenities one could require in a second home like this one and a very convenient payment plan to offer to me.

And that’s how I became a member of the Chester Hills family. What’s your story?

The time COVID first struck was a really bad one for everyone. Uncertaining loomed over everyone’s survival and seemed like something really bad was going to happen all the time. And in a way, it actually did with me.

I was hospitalized with Coronavirus infection during the first wave for 16 days. Probably the most dire 16 days of my entire life till date. After the first week, I left all hopes of going back home as there were casualties around us all the time. It seemed like someone picked me up from my life and placed me in hell. These 16 days drained me of my physical health and my family of our savings. But I was fortunate enough to see the other side of the dark tunnel and returned back home after recovery.

Little did I know that back home another health hazard was waiting for me. Summers were at peak and it was the perfect weather for mosquitoes to breed. Since the parks were not being maintained due to ongoing lockdown, mosquitoes started wreaking havoc in residential areas. And I became infected with dengue as a result of one such mosquito bite. It seemed like I had some evil eye on me that was putting me through all of this. However, with care and support of the family members and amazing health professionals, I recovered from that as well.

I started looking for places that were less prone to insects and bugs like mosquitoes and general diseases and could be resided in to make sure what happened this time does not happen again. I came to know that in hilly areas, due to lower temperatures, it’s hard for mosquitoes to breed. Not just that, even the general fitness level of those living in hills are much better than those in metro cities.

I came across Chester Hills as a good option to have a flat in Solan. However, they were offering possession later than I wanted to have. However, the offerings they had for me were unparalleled and I could not find a better option than Chester Hills. I decided to wait for the construction of my apartment to complete and got it just last month. And I am proud to say that I have no regrets. It was worth the wait.

This is my Chester Hills story. What’s yours?

The last two years have been dreadful for many. The pandemic uprooted lives, destroyed livelihoods and left an impact that would take possibly years for some to recover from. I was no different. During these very days in 2020, many of the employers realized that the lockdown situation was going to last for longer. Some fought valiantly to retain their employees by managing to pay their salaries. Many could not sustain the costs of retaining their employees due to complete shutdown of businesses.

I was amongst the unfortunate ones who lost their livelihood during the pandemic. I was working as an employee at a local industrial setup and was let go to minimize losses. The world seemed to come to a halt. I was barely able to survive the couple of months that followed burning through my savings.

Once things started opening back up and people started returning back to their places of work, I decided to rent one of the two rooms that I had under my possession in Panchkula on one of the famous B&B websites. It soon started to generate rental income for me, and I started saving what I was getting from it. But I was still looking for work because I thought that is the only mainstream income that I can seriously depend upon. And luckily I got one near to where I lived.

After almost a year, I came to know about Chester Hills flats through a newspaper advertisement. It struck as an amazing investment opportunity to me as I had experienced what a good property can generate in terms of rental. I got in touch with their sales representatives and got a pretty good deal for 2 units. Having made the down payment with my savings, I applied for a home loan for both units which again was sanctioned very quickly and conveniently as the project was pre-approved by almost all major banks.

The ROI that I was now able to generate of the said two units is really nice. After paying the installments, I was still able to save and earn for myself. This is when I decided to quit my job and make this my permanent occupation. And I can proudly say that I have not looked back.

At Chester Hills, it’s not just another Flats in Solan with an amazing view. Turns out, the ROI is even better! That’s my story. What’s yours?

I was diagnosed with mild asthma when I was 8 years old. At the time, it seemed the symptoms were easier to manage and this was not that big a deal. Yes I had problems breathing comfortably sometimes but it was pretty rare that such situations were encountered. Cut to 2021 and the problem seemed to be exaggerated much more over the years. The build-up of pollutants in the air has made the whole ‘mild’ condition really serious and severe over the years.

I live in Zirakpur which is still much better than many of the metro cities in the country. But for someone with a health condition like mine, ‘much better’ does not cut it. Anytime I go out, I encounter the same issues again and the situation has only gotten worse over the years.

During one of my visits to my physician, who is from Himachal, we started talking about how the air quality is so much better in hills than in the cities down in the plains. The lack of densely coagulated population, abundance of greenery is the reason why air in hills has fewer allergens and is thus better for people with breathing issues. He told me that he goes back home every weekend just to get out of the pollution bubble of city life. He recommended that following the same habit can help me with my health issues as well. I told him he was lucky as he had Flats in Solan that he could go back to and enjoy the gifts of nature. I unfortunately, being a non-Himachali, could not have the same. Or at least that’s what I thought.

I came across a radio jingle of Chester Hills which was focussed on the fact that even non-Himachalis can own this amazing property situated in the beautiful hills of Solan. I immediately searched more about this project online and scheduled a visit on a weekend. I fell in love with this place at first glance and got a unit booked here. Ever since then, I have been visiting Solan (which is easily reachable and a short drive from Chandigarh) every weekend and I can actually feel my asthma getting better since then. The reports approve the same as well.

I never thought something that seems so meager can have such significant consequences. Chester Hills has been an unexpected boon for me and I could not be more thankful. That’s my story. What’s yours?

I was born and brought up in Delhi. After completing my school education in Delhi, I moved to the U.S. for higher studies. I wanted to be a medical practitioner and so I did. I have been practicing medicine for the last 42 years in the U.S.A. and life has been a bliss. I married 35 years ago and have two amazing kids with my wife (have grandkids as well). I have lived in multiple cities over the years and have adapted completely to my life here.

My marriage was arranged by my family, as mostly all of the marriages did at that time. My wife belonged to Solan and was completing her Post Graduation in Delhi at the time of our wedding. She loved to talk about her life and home in Solan. That was the icebreaker conversation actually, the first we met in Delhi. She told how much she adored her cute Solan home. How good the neighbors were, the cattle farm they had.

We moved to the U.S. soon after she completed her post-graduation. The transition of moving to a new country was especially difficult for her. She started her medical practice alongside me and we soon got sufficiently busy in our lives and moved on with our respective roles, professionally and personally. Family and jobs took all of our time and we could not be happier.

But as years passed by, my wife’s longing for her home back in India and the whole environment back in Solan started increasing. She loved to talk about all the stuff that happened during her time in Solan. Any reference to Solan would bring a light in her eyes I did not see otherwise. It was like she was still deeply connected with her hometown.

One day last year, while we were returning back from work, she said something that shook me from inside. She said if someone asked her last wish, it would be to go back to Solan one last time and reconcile with her roots and memories. That whole night I could not stop thinking about what she said. And that’s when I decided it was time to do something about it. I booked a flight for both of us back home and went to Solan to look for a house that would be our second home. And on my way there, I saw a hoarding with Chester Hills’ advertisement. First visit, first sight and I just loved the view and everything Chester Hills had to offer.

And that’s how we purchased our retirement home-cum-second home in the hills of Solan. What’s your story?

– S.K. Verma

I live in a metro city since last 10 years. Being in merchant navy, I stay with my family for a limited time. And I love to cherish every moment of it when I am home.

Last month while I was at home, I was having a quiet evening drink with my father. He started talking about his childhood and his parents. How life was calm, peaceful back then. How everything seemed pure and healthy. Everyone seemed at an arm’s distance ready to help or just talk. How he used to go for a stroll with my grandfather to the woods every morning with birds chirping and amazing sounds from a small waterfall nearby. I know how it seems so magical and filmy and honestly, a bit untrue.

And I would probably be skeptical too had I not spent my childhood in the same home. Solan seemed like the perfect place to live. And exactly like my father describes it. Even after so many years since he was a child and lived there. While I was growing up there, not everything was the same though. There has been a significant increase in quality of education and urban lifestyle that you can get there now. But the true essence of the hills has been the same all through these years.

I left Solan when I got into Merchant Navy. Moved to a high-rise apartment in Mumbai. It was a huge shift from the life I had in Solan but the move was worth it since the job I got was really good. Life moved on and I got used to the urban lifestyle of one of the most exciting cities in the world, where everything seemed in motion at all times. And I fell in love with it. The whole package.

But one thing I couldn’t get used to was feeling the lack of peace, the joy of feeling cool breeze of pure air on my face, sounds of birds chirping, and going out for a peaceful walk whenever I wanted to. Something always felt missing. Those childhood days, those evening games with my friends with the backdrop of hills, bonfires at night. All of that left a void in my heart that did not fill up even after years had passed.

And that’s when I started exploring options for a second home in Solan. And Chester Hills seemed like the obvious choice. The perfect combination of what I loved in the hills as a child and what I loved in the urban life as an adult. And so I purchase a beautiful 2 BHK as a second home in Chester Hills and you know what, my family loves it more than I do.

That’s my story. What’s yours?

– Rajesh Sharma