The change in scenery was instantaneous. We drove down the valley under the shade of lofty trees and views of the snow-covered mountains and traditional villages.

The city of Rampur is connected to major trading routes that join Indian markets with those of Central Asia and Tibet. I was told that the place is buzzing in November when the Lavi Fair comes to town: It is the largest trading event in the north Himalayas, and attracts traders from Kashmir, Ladakh, Yarkand in China and other parts of India. Here, you’ll find all manner of things for sale: dried fruits, raw wool, pashminas, even stallions. (We traveled in the spring, before India revoked the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir and imposed tight restrictions on communications and movement there, devastating the region’s economy.)

After a quick lunch of rajma chawal — a hearty kidney bean curry with rice — we headed out in search of the Bhimakali Temple, said to be 800 years old and dedicated to the ruling deity of the Bushahr region.

At an altitude of 6,900 feet, it’s not a journey for the fainthearted.

The place is steeped in mystery and intrigue: One legend claims that the entire building tilted after an earthquake in 1905, and righted itself with a subsequent tremor. Other stories tell of secret tunnels hidden within, used in centuries gone by for priests to travel to the nearby village of Ranwin.

While the better-known temples in India are packed full of tourists, pushing and shoving, Bhimakali was genuinely peaceful. The priest told us of an intriguing spiritual walk in the nearby Himalayas, a dangerous path that is only open for two to three weeks a year.

He gave us his blessing, and we departed, deciding to take tea at one of the food stalls by Rampur’s Bir Bahadur Palace before continuing our journey. While the others were mostly staffed by men, two women smiled at us from this stall. It was clear that the younger woman was a newlywed: her red and white chula bangles, plus her bindi and lipstick — which are only worn in public when married — revealed her status.