Being an army brat, I had a special relationship with the hills, especially those of Himachal Pradesh since my childhood. Most of my childhood, I lived in cities like Shimla, Solan, Mandi and have been fortunate enough to have been brought up in the most pristine of landscapes anyone can possibly imagine.

I saw people running towards hill stations in the summer vacations and used to think about the reason for their craze. As they say, you only know the true worth of something once you lose the possession of it. I moved to Delhi for my graduation. The first few months I found it really difficult to adjust there as my mind and body was not able to fathom the stark difference between what I had back at my home versus what I had in college and hostel.

Once I graduated, I was hired by a Delhi based IT firm. My first job was a dream one and I started enjoying the city life too as I had now adjusted perfectly to the urban jungle that I was living in. However, while everything seemed cheery and fine at the surface, deep down I was getting physically affected by the polluted environment. My body has always enjoyed the best of the air, water, and food that you can get in terms of being unadulterated. But the sudden downshift in the quality of all of those basic necessities had long-lasting effects on my health.

The worst hit was my skin and hair. I started losing hair about two years into my job and I could not stop it even after opting for all possible natural and artificial solutions. I became prone to seasonal skin allergies, the likes of which I had never experienced in the past. After consulting multiple dermatologists, the root cause of the problem was identified as the pollutants in air and the diet intake. I was stuck in a catch 22 situation. I had to choose between my health and the city lifestyle I enjoyed so much.

While I was in this dilemma, one of my school friends invited me to their home in Chester Hills, Solan. While having dinner, I told him about my health situation and he proposed that I stay in Chester Hills for a couple of days and experience the housing community for myself. They were offering free stay for people to experience hill life. And before I even knew, my dilemma was resolved. I found an option where I could enjoy what I was lacking for without sacrificing the luxuries I had in the city. I opted for an easy EMI plan that they offered and purchased a 2 BHK flat in Solan. And ever since I have moved in, my health has been so much better and I am able to focus on my work life as well. Hills. Amenities. Easy payment plans. What more can anyone ask for?

That’s my Chester Hills story, what’s yours?