I woke up with huge relief!! No visits to the loo last night, yay!! Thank you Shreelatha, thank you allopathy! I felt I could do the walk.
Looked out of the window, it was a drizzly, dull day. Pilgrims had already began their walk.
7am: A quick breakfast (I had not got an appetite, and was also too excited to eat much ), and we were all set. Well all except Vattsala who had not had a good night, and said she would follow later.
I put on an old poncho type raincoat - it was what twenty years old - in order to keep myself and my backpack dry.
The others had gone down last evening to the Govindghat bazaar and picked up Rs 20 plastic poncho raincoats and those sticks for walking.
Bhagat Palace is on the upper road, and so we had to walk down into town, cross the river, before starting the walk. With cheery good luck from Abhimanyu and a rousing Sat sri akal from Sonya, we set out in the steady drizzle.
As I reached the market, I knew something was wrong, I felt completely soaked and wet despite the rain poncho. After all these years, the plastic had become porous!!
Thankfully, I discovered this when we were still in the market, and so I also picked up another plastic poncho. And so it was that Gapi, Raji and me along with our trusted helper Prem fell behind within the first ten minutes of starting!
The start of the walk. It was raining, and this picture I took on the way down
The first feeling of satisfaction! Gapi mentioned, "See how much we have climbed!" We could see Govindghat down in the distance. So pleased and cheerful were we, little knowing what lay ahead!!
The first few kms, it is a steady climb, and I walked slowly, trying to keep my heart rate down, so that I did not need to take too many breaks.
The path is basically the pilgrim route to Hemkund, and so most of our fellow trekkers were Sikhs going to Hemkund.
There are little villages and small shops all along the first half of the walk, and the views are breathtaking, and we dawdled, especially once the rain stopped, and we could take our cameras out.
By around 10am, we were past the village of Bhyundar, and we saw some cultivated fields too.
We all had to watch out for the mules and horses though. They are a law unto themselves, moving in a well, mulish fashion, singlemindeldy, and never mind that you are in the way!
After getting a couple of knocks, (one of which almost knocked down my camera), I learnt to listen for the bells that jangled on them, and step out of the way with great alacrity!!
At certain points I felt like Capt Haddock in Tintin in Tibet where the monks keep telling him keep to the left as he goes tumbling down the mountain! Everyone says, keep to the mountainside and let the mules pass. But the mules also do not want to go to the edge and want the mountainside!!
So I figured out a way - search for a stone jutting out, and go seek refuge behind it!!
Govindghat is at 1,800m or so, and our destination was Ghangaria, which is at 3,000m. And so, we have to generally keep climbing, and the walk is supposedly 14kms.
Given the state of my stomach, I did not taste any of the aloo parathas, maggi noodles, lime juice or even chai as I walked. But I kept buying lovely little local apples (Rs 10 each), especially the green ones. They were juicy and thirst quenching and Shreelatha had mentioned that they are also good for the stomach.
But it was one of those rare days, when I did not miss the food!! So wonderful was the feast for the eyes!
And so we walked and talked and laughed and huffed and puffed our way on.
Groups of Sikhs would pass us either way with a cheery Wahe Guru!
Abhimnayu, our guide and "coach", had advised us not to sit down as the muscles will go cold and cramp, and I followed his advice literally. I did not sit all through the walk, resting while standing with one leg up on a rock!!
There were these blue butterflies which teased me all along the lower bits of the trek. Never sitting still, and refusing to let me get a picture! They were a visual treat, and somehow so mood uplifting.
Yellow Impatiens dotted the hillsides, and our flower quest had begun!
These purples were higher up on the hillside, and I don't know what they are. I wonder if Vidya, our group's plant expert knows.
The wonders along the way
A Common Sailer suns itself. After about 2,800 m, there were no butterflies!
Vidya said this was a wild orchid, very excitedly!
Polygnum flowers
At about 11.30, we were down by the Lakshman Ganga.
There were parts of the river where some of the stone bed was exposed, and several of the younger pilgrims were standing there and taking photos. I thought this was a rather dangerous activity - what if there was a flash flood?
The river gurgled in some places and roared in others, as it made its way downhill.
A white-capped water redstart hopped along, among the stones, taking off with great speed now and then. Raji and I spotted it, and watched its aerial acrobatics for a while. I did not know what it was until I returned, checked this picture and my bird book!
You cannot tire of the views. Click on any of the pictures and enjoy them full size.
The rains had rendered everything so green
and we walked on....2pm and where was the end?! We learnt later that Sonya had arrived at base camp Ghangria by 1pm!! And here we were, some 4 sttep kms away still!!
As we climbed, the river raged more fiercely, the pathe got more treacherous, and of course I got more tired.
I had removed my raincoat when the rains had stopped, but now the rains threatened again, it was misty and cold.
And it was here that I think I made a mistake. I bought another raincoat - (since the first one tore - and then, before putting it on, put my waist purse, which had my camera and binocs, into the backpack. And wore the raincoat on top of that.
So, I had no access to my water, any snack, and my backpack was heavier, and I was tiring and I reached the dreaded last 2 kms. (My friend Usha who had been earlier warned me about the last bit.) By this time, Gapi was ahead, Raji was behind and we were all treading our lonely ways, so mcuh for our good cheer of a while ago.
I think Gapi (who had a fear for heights, which by the way has been all cured through this trip!!), had Abhimanyu for a while helping her up the path and Raji had Prem, as she was bringing up the rear!
And the river now was a torrent.
The last push!
These pictures were taken on our walk down actually, because on the way up, I had no camera - it was in my backpack - and I was tired, and the drizzle had recommenced!
But this is the views and the path over those last bits. My good cheer had gone by now, I was wet, tired, and keeping my focus on the stones. I relaised that one false, tired step, and I could at the very least twist an ankle, and at the worst go tumbling down those jagged stones.
The mules suddenly seemed to be everywhere and the caravans seemed ever so frequent, the smell of dung all-pervasive.
I kept up a rhythm, counting ten steps and another ten if possible, stopping for ten breaths and then moving on. I tried not to stop for more than ten breaths.
I had no energy at this point to enjoy these views. Also, it had misted over, and the visibility was down to some 100m.
On the way down, the legs were fresh and the sun was out, and I was exhilirated to see the craggy peaks and brilliant blue skies.
At this point I decided that it was not wise to be alone and I waited so that Raji was within viewing distance. I gave away my backpack to Prem, to make myself lighter, and that really helped. The pictures below are the last km or so before we reach Ghangaria.
4 pm - And then suddenly, there was a level path.......
...and tents, I almost cried with joy!! I stood, soaking in the view, catching my breath and waiting for Raji to join me. We were so relieved that we had made it!!
But which ones were ours? Abhminayu had said, "Head for the white tents", but these were blue!
So we walked on with renewed vigour and then some multicoloured ones showed up......
and finally the Whites of camp Sarovar!! All the others were sitting on chairs outside the tents and we two received a rousing welcome, like some heroes returning from battle - I certainly felt that way!! We hobbled down into the camp, my tired thighs protesting at this last effort!
This is the view from Gapi's and my tent, looking back to the path.
I went in to the tent, and there was a joyous reunion with Gapi as well!! Abhimanyu meanwhile was moving around barking instructions to all of us - "Please change into dry clothes, wear your caps, please wear warm clothes. No baths please!"
All the others had already done so, and I followed suit, and felt so much better immediately. Some hot tea and maggi noodles, and I was actually feeling quite alright once again!!
Pilgrims continued to come up the path, and I counted our blessings that we were at the edge of town! Next morning when we set out for the Valley, I relaised that if we were living in town, we would have had to climb another like 100m, I'm sure!!
Many of the ladies had a "maalish" , and everyone was in good spirits, and to our add to our feelings of achievement was Abhimany stating that this was the fastest (even our 9 hours) than the other groups, and most of them had not walked the whole way in the past, resorting to mules halfway!!
Dinner by kerosene lanterns, war stories exchanged, and we were off to bed by 9 I think. All through the evening I couldn't help thinking of and mentally thanking Shreelatha who set my stomach right, Usha, whose quick dry rain pants were a complete blessing, and ofcourse Sekar's sensible and calm advice to walk slow.
Hats off to Abhimanyu for keeping the spirits of the laggards up, and the wonderful group who walked in a completely non-competitive fashion. And of course Prem, our saviour at various points over the next few days.
Nine hours for 1,200 m (approx 4,000 ft) over 13 kms of stony and uneven path at 2000 m elevation for middle-aged me who is active and exercises regularly but not in any planned fashion. Not bad given that I had a bad stomach, what say?
Coming down was no joke either...at the end of it, I felt my toes had fallen off (they hadn't thankfully!)
We set off for Badrinath, and then Govind Ghat after breakfast. I was fatigued, weak, and not hungry at all. Decided that plain toast and black tea was the wisest solution. All the others were feasting on aloo paratha, poha, buttered toast, and Archana was freaking out with cheese toast as well!!
I took an Avomin someone gave me - Damayanti I thnk - and was knocked out for most of the trip!! In between, everytime I opened my eyes, there was the Alakananda gushing away!
The Alakananda. We followed it faithfully.
The hillsides were green after the July rains.
There seem to be many hydel projects, coming up. These mountains, this water, so precious to the whole country. We cannot afford to kill this golden goose. How disastrous would that be.
Arrived at Badrinath!
Around 2.30, we rolled to a halt at Badrinath, and the air was clrisp and clean, and it was such a relief to tumble out of our Tempo Traveller.
What a tough life in these hills, and even for people like our driver Manmohan life is on the edge, I thought.
One mistake, and we could have been in several of the ravines we climbed over.
It was lunch and the temple was closed, so we went to an eatery with this wonderful view of the temple. 3,300m or so we were at. Roughly the height of our base camp at Ghangria then!
I ate - guess what - idlies!! I was eyeing Sonya's makki rotis with sarson ka saag!! Others had Gujarathi thalis, and other such goodies. Abhimnayu warned us off the lassi, and Vattsala was most unhappy at this!!
Post lunch we set off across the river, headed for the temple. At this point I decided to walk ever so slowly. First of all I had no energy and secondly wth the altitude at 3000m+, I decided it was not going to be very comfy doing anything briskly!!
On the bridge across the Alakananda
Looking upstream...
...And downstream....
...and the captivating peaks and clouds
At the foot of the temple!
Sulphur springs - the ladies' pool
So different from our south Indian ones and thankfully no rush. I actually did two "darshans"! I went in, saw the Vishnu in the padmasana pose, admired the large Kuber and Garuda on either side, marvelled at the lack of pushing and shoving and the unrushed atmosphere, came out, did a pradakshina, and then met up with the others.
For some reason, I had the urge to go back in, and I did. I did not have a special prayer on my lips nor was I filled with any feelings of religiosity, but I marvelled at Adi Shankara having travelled all the way up here, and in some wierd sense I was filled with an undescribable awe.
The temple is open only for six months in the year. This year it opened on April 29th, and as I write this, landslides, flash floods and heavy rain have led to thousands of pilgrims being stranded at the Badrinath temple, and the Char dham yatra (to Badri, Kedar, Yamunotri and Gangotri) has been suspended, currently.
But there we were, enjoying beautiful weather, dipping our feet in the taptakund - it was hot!! So, feezing cold waters of Alakananda and scalding hot waters in the taptkund! Quite amazing! Badri Vishal ki Jai indeed!
We walked back to the Tempo traveller, and I further drank in the views, relieved that my stomach seemed to be settling.
A waterfall gushed down a cliff
We did not go to Manas, the last Indian village before Tibet, as it was getting late. The upper fork leads there.
Snows, electricity lines and a guest house too!
Water everywhere
The hotel
So we wound our way down to Govindghat and the Bhagat palace hotel, by 5.30 in the evening. Our resting place for the night, and the start of our trek next morning!!
All the rooms look out into the valley of the Lakshman Ganga river, and we could see pilgrims and mules returning from their pilgrimages!
All of us were nervous, edgy and excited.
The view
Night came, and Abhimany gave us directions as to what to carry in our backpacks - keep them as light as possible. The mules would carry our luggage up. Some stuff that we did not need over the next few days, we left behind with Manmohan in the tempo.
Post-dinner, and disaster in the form of more loosies struck me. Thankfully, Gapi went across to Shreelatha our doc, and came back with orders from the doc that I was to take two tablets of something she gave me - I've forgotten the name!! She lectured me on how I should have taken them in the morning itself, chided me for not telling her (though I did think that everyone knew!) and instructing me to keep myself hydrated. I was very obedient, took the tabs, had a glass of electrolyte and went to bed, wondering wondering whether I be able to walk the next morning or would I have to stay back, or would I need to take the mule to Ganghria.
9am - and we set out from Haridwar to begin our climb into the Shivaliks. Destination Rudraprayag. 900m and about 165 kms from Haridwar.
Cheerful Manmohan was all set, WOW badge and all!
Met up with our guide for the trip, Abhimanyu. He runs Happy Holidays at Dehra Dun, and was thorough, professional and highly recommended to anyone who wants to travel in Garwhal.
About halfway between Haridwar and Rudraprayag is Devprayag. The confluence of Bagirathi and Alakananda, to form the Ganga. Bagirathi is on the left and is a little less ferocious than the Alakananda. About 800m elevation.
At the viewpoint where the confuence picture was taken I saw a pair of Himalayan bulbuls! My frst sighting of this bird!
It was still blazing hot. Check out the yellow vent, white cheeks and black crest.
4:30 in the evening, and we arrived at Monal resorts. On the banks of the Alakananda
Exploring the Koteshwar temple
The grand cliffs towering over the Alakananda gorge
The suspension bridge over the gorge
The river thundered below
Steps leading down to the riverfront. On our return, the water levels had risen above these steps!
The temple is inside the cave, and is made up of natural rock formations. Now, some idols have been installed before the steps coming down.
Reptiles and roots!
This dog was having fun in the water!
Ferns growing out of the crevice!
Abhimanyu had brought Dasehri mangoes for dinner and (according to my dear friend Raji), I ate one piece too many. Result - an uncomfortable night with constant visits to the toilet. By the morning, I had purged everything out, and feeling weak and tired.
The others had gone down last evening to the Govindghat bazaar and picked up Rs 20 plastic poncho raincoats and those sticks for walking.
The first few kms, it is a steady climb, and I walked slowly, trying to keep my heart rate down, so that I did not need to take too many breaks.
At certain points I felt like Capt Haddock in Tintin in Tibet where the monks keep telling him keep to the left as he goes tumbling down the mountain! Everyone says, keep to the mountainside and let the mules pass. But the mules also do not want to go to the edge and want the mountainside!!
But it was one of those rare days, when I did not miss the food!! So wonderful was the feast for the eyes!
As we climbed, the river raged more fiercely, the pathe got more treacherous, and of course I got more tired.
So we walked on with renewed vigour and then some multicoloured ones showed up......
At certain points I felt like Capt Haddock in Tintin in Tibet where the monks keep telling him keep to the left as he goes tumbling down the mountain! Everyone says, keep to the mountainside and let the mules pass. But the mules also do not want to go to the edge and want the mountainside!!
As we climbed, the river raged more fiercely, the pathe got more treacherous, and of course I got more tired.
