At the Doorsteps of Heaven : Har Ki Doon

Snow Caped Mountains

It’s a new day.  Every day is a brand new day in Himalaya. The glittering mountains are bathing in Sunshine. They look freshly washed and covered with the coats of snow.  They are gigantic yet elegant. They are cold yet welcoming. They are our mates for the few days to come. I wake and peep out of my tent. I am unable to capture and absorb the beauty with my own eyes.  We quickly get ready and eat breakfast. We are told that we will have rice in lunch today. It will be carried by Devendra and will be served on the way at some place. We are happy. Less weight on our backs. We quickly pickup our bags and start following Chaacha. We are going to see a flour mill today. 

flour mill

After a climb of 10 minutes we reach a small stone structure. The water is flowing down with a force. The flour mill is run on the hydro power.  Extremely natural process and very simple indeed. The owner gets 1 portion of the flour every time he grinds it. Barter system of the ancient times operates even today. As we see the flour mill, chacha tells us to proceed further. The pines are leaving our company now. The thick forest is vanishing slowly and we are now under the open sky and in the company of blazing Sun. But wait. Do not start enjoying or hating anything. The unpredictable weather keeps on changing the seen every minute. 

We keep walking while admiring the nature.  Huge snow caped mountains keep us a company all the time.  There is a steep climb soon after crossing the bridge. This climb reminds us of Sahyadri. We reach the top after much effort. We rest for a while as some others also join us.  The trek is getting more and more difficult yet interesting. We open our dry snacks here. Bakar-Wadi from Pune is the most  favorite. We tell chacha and Arnav about it with much pride and they munch it with lot of interest. The entire team is together now. We are quite surprised at our speed and we want to keep up our good work. 

We are now on a plateau.  It is twelve noon already. It has started drizzling and we are now deliberating if we should have our lunch. There is another group coming back from Har Ki Doon. They look happy and say that it is a very beautiful place on the top. We are excited and want to reach our destination fast. After much discussion we decide that we want to have lunch after reaching the camp site. Our stuff is being carried on the pony. We decide to wait for a while and then go ahead. Sangita wants us to fall in line for a photograph. She tries to give us instructions.  But to her dismay none of us follow her and she mutters, children in her school are more disciplined. Finally after much chaos we finally come together for a photograph and the teacher is satisfied indeed.  

We need to climb a mountain and then we need to cross the entire valley and go on the other side of the mountain. My excitement is on the rise.  I am wondering how it will really be like on the other side. Prerana’s knee is  paining today. However the smile on her face does not fade away.  Her husband Anup helps her with wearing a knee cap and she is back on her feet. This lady never loses heart. In pain or no pain she keeps moving ahead with her morale high. 

As we climb higher and higher the greenery is thinning and the snow on the mountains is thickening.  We literally walk alongside the mountain to go on the other side. The route is very beautiful and interesting.

We suddenly come to the end of the mountain and turn on the other side. A breathtaking valley is ahead of us. It is a blissful place. We still have to walk for another 15 minute and we reach our camp site. It is amazing indeed. The view is spectacular. It is surrounded by black mountains wearing white caps of snow. It simply looks amazing. We cannot take our eyes off the nature.  As we occupy our tents, Virendraji makes arrangements for our lunch. The rice is delicious. We are also served much needed tea. It starts raining and we settle down in our tents. We realize that the camp site is not levelled. Hence we are sleeping on a slant surface. It feels as if we are sleeping on a slide. We manage to catch some sleep but soon all of us realise that it is a futile effort. All of us gather in the dining tent. We start chatting, singing and discussing.  Ashok has brought a miniature equipment to check our oxygen level. All of us fight to grab this magical equipment with the energy of school children fighting for sweets. He confirms that all of us are in pink of our health. We are happy to know it and our chattering increases many folds. We finish our dinner yet the rain has not finished its quota. We decide to go back to our tents. 

As we settle down it stops raining. The staff has made arrangements for camp fire. Sachin is now full of energy. He comes to our tent pleading that we should come out. Chandan already knows what is in store and pulls his legs close to him. Before I am able to comprehend anything Sachin pulls chandan out. But chandan is much more stubborn and keeps himself tucked in to the sleeping bag. I breakout laughing and come out from the tent. Some of them have already gathered in front of the fire. We sit there for a long time chatting with chacha and others. We gather lot of information about their lives and their society. It was worth coming out indeed. We also listen to some Garhwali songs. They are melodious because the hearts that are signing are pure. 

Next morning is very exciting. We see the mountain peaks with golden shine. The weather has changed for the better. We are eager to reach har ki dun as soon as possible. Today is not a heavy day indeed. The climb will not be more than three hours. We certainly want to keep up to the schedule. We leave at around 8.00 am. As we start climbing the beauty of the nature gives treat to the eyes.  There is a small Maggie point. All of us take a break. We come to know that the tiger attacked a goat last night. Looks like it could not finish the goat at once. As we are leaving I notice a shepherd putting the half eaten goat into a bag. He is carrying the remaining meat home. The guy is lucky. He got a free lunch today. He simply puts the head of the goat inside his bag as if it is a pumpkin.

Our pace has increased now. Anup is not in the best of his spirits today. He is not eating well. Some of us keep going ahead thinking that others will follow. Chacha is pushing rest of the people ahead. We meet a few people on their way back. They describe their stay. Our excitement is rising. We are very close to our destination. 

We now pass a waterfall and take a slight climb. Arnab says we are almost there. We keep walking along the mountain for another 15 minutes or so. River Supin suddenly starts flowing besides us. The familiar sound of flowing water is soothing.  We are now surrounded by the peaks and here we are at our destination Har Ki Dun. 

Most of us simply collapse on the ground. Shining Sun and blowing wind are competing with each other to bestow their love on us.  It is very cold out there. The tents are not erected yet. Some of us start munching what we have in the backpacks. I am now lying down on my back. The sky is clear. Blue skies meet with the blue mountains.  Supin River is flowing besides us. We are very peaceful at the moment. Very contended. 

Arnab, Mayuresh and Vishal have gone out exploring the surroundings. The wind is blowing very fast. Before I realize its impact is evident on my nose.  It  is red and inflated. Looks like Har ki Doon has gifted a new nose to me. A plastic nose, red in colour. 

River Race

Kalyani and I go near the river to wash our faces. I dip my foot in the water and a cold wave passes through me. But then I realize it is very soothing at the end. Sachin and Arnav take Kalyani’s challenge to cross the river bare foot. They go on the other side of the river and jump into the water. The flow is normal and it is only toe deep. We enjoy their shouting while they put their feet in the super cold water.  It is amazing to see the energy after much exertion.  

All of us are back for lunch. The rain god sends us back to our tents. It is really unfair to be trapped inside the tents in such beautiful surroundings. Chandan is already inside. I decide to catch some sleep for a while since there is nothing else to do. After a while I wake up to the sound of people. As I peep out from the tent I see a spectacular view in front of me. On one side the Har Ki Doon peek is standing still. On the other side Swarg Rohini is peeping out from the clouds. I am amused.

Swarg Rohini

What more do I expect from life. I am sitting here in the god’s valley ( har ki doon). The door to heaven is in front of me. The clouds have encircled swarg rohini ( door to the heven). What else to expect. In fact I have just visualized something unexpected. I am on the top of the world at the doorsteps of heaven.

 

We are Sixteen Going on Seventeen? No Eighteen

Har ki Doon

Sixteen of us have known each other for several months now. Some of us may be for several years. Hence there is a natural flow of communication we have developed among us. It is 5.00 am. Chandan and I wake up to the chirping of birds. The morning sunlight is trying to enter through our tents. We have never been woken up by the morning Sun rays in the past two years. Yellow tube light had the sole privilege of dimming our eyes every morning. 

We have slept on the hard surface but not once have we missed our soft cozy beds.  We have no blankets but the sleeping bags are very warm. And more than anything, we have had a wonderful sleep in the lap of the Himalaya.

As we come out of the tent, Supin River is sparkling in front of us. Many of us go to the stream nearby. Our bathing prince Vishal is set to take a dip in spite of us warning him not to do so. We are ready with our backpacks at 7.30 am to head to our first day trekking. Our guide is Chacha and Arnab is going to back us up too. Arnab is a young engineer from NIT and has courageously quit his job to join Himalaya Shelter. He says he loves trekking and hence does not want to continue his mundane work at a reputed software company.  I am amused and really have developed lot of respect towards his courage by now. Mr. Rana gives us some routine instructions and sees us off. 

Bahttar singh chacha is our leader now. We say 'Ganpati Bappa Moraya' and proceed on our route. We are told that today is a long day. We would be walking and climbing a distance of around 16 kms.  The rough estimated arrival time is 3.00 pm.

All of us are very cheerful and are talking continuously. We walk through the beautiful forest. Most of the route today is going to have a green cover. It is amazingly beautiful. The climbs are gentle and fully protected by huge pines. The birds chirp and River Supin makes its presence felt all the time. It is continuously by our side.

Pranav and Kalyani

Most of us have handed over our bags to the porter. Kalyani and Pranav have refused to do so and hence they are carrying their heavy sacks on their backs. We walk and talk and talk and walk.  Chacha gives us some information in bits and pieces. He is a resident of Osala.  On knowing this we tell him that we would like to visit his place.

After a walk of about one hour we reach the place called Taluka. It is a tiny village however very important in the region since there are some satellite phones there. There is a school,  neatly constructed forest quarters and Garhwal Nigam Rest House as well. Some villagers have also constructed home stay facilities.  We pass though this village. It is a quite yet beautiful village. 

We have to cross a tiny bridge over the Supin River after which there is a slight climb.  At the end of the climb there is a small Maggie point.

 Himalaya has provided patronage to this mega brand “Maggie” for years together. I wonder if Maggie could realize it and give some royalty to Himalaya for its conservation.

The Goat Man

I suddenly see a man sitting along with his goat. I request him to pose for a photograph. He happily poses along with his goat. As I click the photo he asks me to show it to him. He nods in approval  and says, “Send a copy to me”. I ask him, “Where do I send it?” And he gives his postal address. As I note it down, I  promise him to send the photo copy.  His face glitters with joy. For the first time in my life I realise, happiness is so very inexpensive yet hard to find. Small things can give you greater joy and greater things draw  you away from it.

On the Supin Bridge

We proceed further in thick forest now. However the river is flowing beside us at a lower level now. I am able to notice the height we are gaining as I look down towards the river. After a while we notice a wooden bridge. Sushant and Suhani, the father and daughter duo are just ahead of us. They want to click the photographs on the bridge. The sweet sixteen nature erupts out of us and everyone is fighting to climb the bridge to click a snap. Chacha warns us that the bridge can take only 8 to 10  people at a time. So we contemplate and take turns to go on the bridge. Suhani is a sweet girl. She gives us way and all of us do the modelling. Anup and Arnab volunteer to click photographs. 

We keep walking for another two hours or so. Chacha tells us that there is nice place to sit where we can have our packed lunch. We reach a nice home stay cum restaurant. Sitting on a table to eat is a luxury. We grab our lunch consisting of sandwiches and juice.  Our stomach is not full but we anyway want it that way because we still have to walk for another hour or so.

Arnab And Sachin Sighting Crows

As we proceed further the nature shows us more of its beauty. We are surrounded by lush green mountains.  Supin river is always by our side and pines and oaks are overlooking us. It is getting more and more interesting and suddenly we see our tents by the side of the river. They are welcoming and we too are too eager to rest. As we occupy our tents we realise it is going to rain. We are captured inside our tents for a while. Chandan and I have nothing to do hence we make a list of places we want to visit all over the world. Human nature indeed. We are  not sure of what is going to happen in the next hour and we simply start planning for thousands of hours to come.

Mr. Click Anoop Keluskar

It stops raining and we come out to see the surroundings in the clear day light. Vishal goes for his n^th  bath of the day. Some of them are drying the clothes and others are watching the beautiful river flowing besides us. Anoop grabs his camera and Mayur his binoculars. We too get a chance to use his binoculars. It looks beautiful. I am unable to absorb everything and hence keep clicking the pictures of snow capped mountains. Anoop sights some birds and tells Arnab to capture them in the camera. Poor Arnab has to delight his customer and hence goes on shooting at the birds with his camera. According to Sachin they were all crows. 😃😃

We get back to the dining tent now since it is dark and it has started raining again. Hot Maggie, a bowl of soup and then dinner. The time simply passes by. As we start chattering in Marathi, Arnav looks at us and wonders what are we speaking.  But somehow he seems to enjoy the conversation. He mostly keeps shifting his gaze from one another. We take up the job of interpretation in rotation. He now feels one amongst us. Chacha also joins us on and off. We are gelling,  we are exploring and hence at the end of the day, we are sixteen going on eighteen. 

To be continued..........