To the source of the Ganga

I had wanted to go to Gaumukh/Tapovan ever since I heard the experiences of a few office friends who had been there. They had the most wonderful stories to tell about the place. How the Bhagirathi emerges from the mouth of the Gaumukh glacier, how they trekked over the glacier to reach Tapovan, about the Babaji who stays at Tapovan all year round, how they had khichdi at Tapovan that seemed to be cooked in kerosene oil. Most of all they were mesmerized by the beauty of the place and used the word 'heaven' a lot in their description.

We finally made up a plan for Gangotri/Gaumukh/Tapovan in June 2006. I was joined by two colleagues from office - Satish and Deepak Rath. We worked out a rough itinerary and booked a taxi. Our plan was...

Day 0 - Leave Delhi around 10pm - overnight to Rishikesh - 226 km drive on NH-58
Day 1 - Rishikesh to Gangotri(3048m) - 253 km drive via Uttarkashi
Day 2 - Gangotri to Bhojbasa(3792m) - 14km trek via Chirbasa(3350m)
Day3 - Bhojbasa to Tapovan(4463m) via Gaumukh(4000m) - trek 4 + 4 km - back to Bhojbasa
Day4 - Bhojbasa to Gangotri, drive back to Delhi


Day 0 - Leaving Delhi

We stumbled into our first road-block even before we started. I had booked a cab from the local taxi stand. The cab was supposed to pick me up at 10 pm after which we would pick up Satti and Rath from the office (Noida). At 9:30 pm, I called up the taxi stand to confirm the status. To my dismay, I was told that the driver who was supposed to come with us had fallen sick. I urged the person to arrange another cab from somewhere. After a while, he called back to tell me that an Indica is supposed to arrive from Agra around 11 pm and he has agreed to go to Gangotri. We waited anxiously for the Indica to arrive. By 12 am, we were really frustrated and no longer sure if we would be able to leave. To my great relief, the car finally arrived at 1 am. However, the driver was very reluctant to go on this route. He was concerned about the bad roads. He was also afraid that the Uttaranchal police was being very strict on cabs operating without commercial license. He was convinced that the other taxi-wala was just faking sickness. I assured him that nothing would happen and also offered him some extra trip. We picked up Satti and Rath, and started toward Rishikesh, nearly 3 hours late from our plan.

Luckily, we didn't run into much traffic and made swift progress. The driver cribbed for a while but soon settled in a holiday mood with us. Midway, we stopped for a cup of tea and had aaloo paranthas that I had got from home. On the way, we enjoyed a beautiful sunrise. Neither of us are used to waking up early so this was indeed a rare sight for us. We reached Rishikesh around 6 am and continued towards Uttarkashi.


Day 1 - Rishikesh to Gangotri

Right after Rishikesh, the hilly route starts. The mountain surroundings provide a spectacular view. Rishikesh to Gangotri is roughly 256 km and approximately 11-12 hour drive. The route goes via Narendranagar, Chamba, Dharasu, Uttarkashi, Maneri and Hasil. Uttarkashi is 155 km from Rishikesh, on the bank of Bhagirathi. Bhagirathi emerges from the Gaumukh glacier and joins Alaknanda at Deoprayag to form the Holy Ganges. Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (NIM) is also located at Uttarkashi. We stopped at Uttarkashi for lunch. After lunch, I caught up with the night's lost sleep as we drove on from Uttarkashi. After Hasil, our driver realized that due to the climb the car was burning more diesel than he expected, and we wouldn't have enough to come back. There were no petrol pumps from now on. We tried to buy some diesel from shops but without any luck. With no alternative we decided to keep going till Gangotri. In the worst case, one of us would have to hitch a ride to get some diesel in a can. The condition of the road deteriorated rapidly as we approached Gangotri. Some sections of the road were completely broken. We managed to reach Gangotri before dark.

As the source of the Ganges, Gangotri is one of the holiest places in India. According to Hindu mythology, King Bhagiratha persuaded the Goddess Ganga to come down from heaven so that he could release the tormented souls of his ancestors. It is at Gangotri that Lord Shiva received the Ganga in his matted locks to break the impact of her fall. Hundreds of years back, the entire stretch of land from Gaumukh to Gangotri was actually covered with Glaciers and Ganga did emerge from this place. Since then the glacier has receded more than 14 km.

Gangotri is crowded with dharamshalas, hotels and lodges. We found a cheap room in a lodge (300 Rs for the night). After unloading our luggage, we walked to the river through a narrow crowded market. On the bank of the river is the holy temple of Ganga originally constructed by Gorkha Commander Amar Singh Thapa of Nepal. Deciding that it was too late for the temple, we crossed the bridge to get to the other side of the river. We remained along the river bank enjoying the surroundings till it got dark. After that we came back to the lodge. The lodge owner introduced us to a guide and insisted that a guide was must if we wanted to go till Tapovan. We settled at a rate of Rs 300 per day with food and lodging extra. Looking back, hiring a guide proved to be a total waste. There is a clear trek till Gaumukh and the further trail to Tapovan is usually marked with little piles of stone. So we ended up spending about 1200 Rs just for walking with him. After dinner we went to bed planning to start real early the next day.

Day 2 - Gangotri to Bhojbasa

I woke up in the morning to find it was drizzling outside. I went to the balcony. It was a wonderful view with the small drops falling against a background of huge mountains. But I knew rain was not good for our plan. I have always believed that rains make for the most difficult trekking conditions. Fortunately it was not raining that hard right now. We had a cup of tea and got ready. For the next hour we waited for our guide to show up. The rain only got heavier and we were feeling a little anxious by now. Our guide showed up at 8:30 am. Apparently he was waiting for the rain to stop. By now we had accepted the fact that we would be trekking in rain. We bought large polythene raincoats to cover ourselves and started the trek.


The trek starts through a preserved forest area. We paid for the forest permits at a small counter. A sign-board put up there said no polythene allowed but I don't think it acted as much deterrent. Later on we spotted a number of discarded polythene bags and wrappers through out the trek and at Bhojbasa there was a plastic dump. I wish more is done to spread awareness and punish the offenders. All of us must take care not to leave behind non-disposable wastes at such places.

The forest soon thinned into a landscape of brown and grey, with framed views of the mountains in front. The trek is fairly well maintained and hugs the river in most parts. The rain stopped after we had trekked for an hour. On the way we came across a stream falling down the side of the hill and flowing right across the trek into the Bhagirathi below. A rudimentary bridge was constructed over the stream by keeping two wooden logs side by side. We crossed plenty such bridges till Bhojbasa and everytime it was a mini adventure. At couple of intermediate stops, there were small chai-shops inside small plastic tents.

8 km of trekking brings you to Chirbasa. The place derives its name from the pine (chir) trees that grows there. There is a forest bungalow and few dhabas at Chirbasa. Few chairs were laid out in a beautiful location in front of a dhaba. We sat down for a rest and ordered tea and maggi.

Above Chirbasa, the valley widens, and offers views of snow-clad peaks in the south. It is a gentle walk to Bhojbasa (3792m). We reached Bhojbasa around 2pm. Bhojbasa is named so after the silver birch trees. Growing to about 15ft, the silver birch is a very attractive tree. The bark of the tree is a fine, slightly brittle material, and tends to curl. Before paper came to India, manuscripts were written on this bark called the 'bhojpatra'. Although we didn't really see too many trees at Bhojbasa.

Bhojbasa is the widest point in the upper valley with a wonderful view of the Bhagirathi peaks. Almost everyone coming to Gaumukh or Tapovan, plans a stopover at Bhojbasa. There is a GMVN guesthouse and Lal Baba's Ashram for accommodation. Few tent like structures were constructed along the trek by putting thick plastic covers over stone walls and wooden frames. The front of each tent had an oven and acted as a dhaba with chairs spread out in open. The back of the tent had beddings laid out in two rows that acted as a small 20 people dormitory at Rs 80 per head.


We occupied the chairs in front of the first tent. We had a lunch of aaloo paranthas with pickle and a cup of tea. During lunch we met an elderly couple that had come from Haryana for the Gangotri/Gaumukh pilgrimage. Both of them were in their late fifties. We were really surprised to find out that they had planned to cover the entire Gangotri - Gaumukh trek and back to Gangotri in a single day. They had left Gangotri with sunrise and were now already on their way back from Gaumukh. Everyone at Gangotri had told them that it would be impossible to do the return trip of 36 km in a day, specially at their slow pace. I admit it did look a daunting task even for us. But they believed in themselves and were about to prove that nothing is impossible once you set your mind to it. After lunch we discussed the idea of going to Tapovan the same day. We were a little tired but felt we had enough time to do another 8 km to Tapovan. Satti and I were really tempted by the idea of spending the night there. Even though we were not carrying tents, we knew that we would be able to stay at one of the ashrams. However, our guide was convinced that it was too late. He maintained that it would be a big risk to start for Tapovan with tired legs and it would be too cold at Tapovan to spend the night. Satti and I didn't agree with him and we even thought about hiring another guide to take us. But Rath declared that he was really tired and not going anywhere. So it was decided to spend the night at Bhojbasa. We were initially reluctant at the idea of staying in a tent packed with 20 people. But the guest-house was full and the available rooms in the Ashram were really small and unclean.

Rath went to sleep but Satti and I were feeling fresh after the lunch and decided to explore the surroundings. We figured that Gaumukh is probably too far at 4km. Instead we decided to go to the base of the snow peaks in front of us. What we didn't realize at the moment was that what looked like only a couple of kilometers was infact a lot further away. As it turned out we ended up reaching Gaumukh without getting any nearer to the peaks. Both of us left Bhojbasa around 3pm.

It was a nice gentle trek and we were walking at a leisurely pace soaking in the wonderful scenery. After a couple of kms we realized our folly that the snow peaks were actually the Bhagirathi peaks and very far away. We changed plans to go till Gaumukh. Somewhere before Gaumukh we had our first glimpse of the snow covered Shivaling peak.A kilometer before Gaumukh the trail ends abruptly and is replaced by a rocky terrain. One has to pick his way through rocks and boulders. Just before Gaumukh there is a small shrine of Lord Shiva.

As we approached the origin of the river, we were a little confused. It appeared that the Bhagirathi was flowing out of the mouth of a small mountain. Where was the glacier, the river of ice, we wondered. We drew closer to the U shaped mouth of the river, making our way forward along the river bank. We noticed that most pilgrims had stopped near the shrine but we wanted to get as close as possible to the mouth. We were warned to be careful of the falling stones.

We continued inching closer, climbing over small rocks and boulders along the edge of the slope. Slowly we began detecting flecks of white under the mud and rocks. It was then the reality hit us like a lighting. The small mountain that surrounded us from three sides was solid ice covered with mud and rubble. In front of us, Bhagirithi was flowing out of a solid cross-section of 200 feet of ice. Huge chunks of compacted ice were falling off the face of the glacier into the river. At the very top of the glacier, like a crust of crunchy chocolate on a vanilla bar, was a 30 to 50 foot layer of mud and rock, the debris dragged down the mountains by the flow of glacial ice. We were amazed at the enormity of the scene. It was unlike anything either of us had seen before.

Totally mesmerized by the surroundings, we walked till the very edge of the glacial wall. We photographed each other against the background of ice. Stepping carefully over a few large stones positioned across the path of the river, got us a third of the way towards the opposite bank. We sat down on the last stone and put our legs in the freezing water. There we were alone, surrounded by the glacier, at the origin of the Ganges, with the river flowing beneath us. Both of us were two awed to speak much. We just sat there for a long time.

I wouldn't say I felt very peaceful there. On the contrary, I was a bit nervous, aware of a strong force around us. Nature was at its dynamic best here. Ganges was flowing down with a fury around us. Chunks of ice were falling off the glacier into the river and being carried downstream by the flow. Small stones and pebbles were rolling down the slope near us. I knew that the glacier, that once existed till Gangotri, is receding rapidly each year.

The realization of this powerful and dynamic force, brought contradictory emotions inside me. On one hand, I realized that it was probably not very safe to be sitting so close to the glacier and we should go back. On the other hand, I wanted to surrender myself to the intoxicating force and be there for all eternity. Lost in the confusing emotions, I was brought to my senses by a most remarkable incident that I would remember all my life. Suddenly there was a loud thunderous sound, and even before realizing what had happened, the sixth sense was alerting me to some danger. I looked up to see a huge chunk of ice, the size of a big car or a bus, cracking from the face of the glacier and falling down into the opposite end of the river. The chunk displaced a huge wave in the river that traveled straight towards us, threatening to sweep us away. I clearly remember feeling that it was all going to end here. Within a moment adrenalin kicked in and we were on our feet in a flash. Satti shouted 'Bhaag' (run) but before we could flee the wave broke across our bodies drenching us.

Looking back at the incident, I realize that in the moment of panic, our shocked mind had greatly exaggerated the danger that the wave presented to us. It was a big wave but it died before it reached us. In the end it was like getting soaked by a big wave at Marine Drive. We were never in any real danger, but the emotions that ran through us were as real as it gets. We were visibly shaken and drenched. The whole incident would not have lasted more than a couple of seconds. But things seemed to happen in slow motion and even after a year I still remember everything clearly. Thinking about it still gets adrenalin flowing to my veins and it will remain one of the most memorable moments of my life. Afterwards, we shared a loud nervous laughter. We decided to get the hell out of there before another of those big chunks fall over us this time. I still tease Satti about how he had panicked and shouted 'Bhaag' at the top of his voice. But he realizes that I had panicked as much as he had.

Back at the Shrine, we refocused our thoughts and headed towards Bhojbasa. Instead of following the trek that curves away, we decided to walk along the river. A little further we came across a tent belonging to a couple of researchers. They were staying at Gaumukh to study the rate at which the glacier was receding and the factors responsible. The glacier which forms a mass of ice about 18 miles long, is retreating at a rate of more than 100 feet a year. While the glacier has been retreating since measurements began in 1842, the rate of retreat, which was around 62 feet per year between 1935 and 1971, has almost doubled. Global warming is mainly responsible for this drastic change. At such a rapid retreat, a gradual increase in droughts, flash floods, and landslides are really something to be worried about.

We were feeling a little lost, when we came across an army camp. We walked into the camp and had a chat with some of the army men. They were posted at Gaumukh to learn mountaineering skills on the glacier. The next day, we actually saw them in action on the vertical ice cliffs with their ice axes and crampons. After a quick chat, we asked for the directions and rejoined the trek.

The light was fading fast and we increased our pace to make sure we made it back to Bhojbasa before dark. We stopped at the ashram to deliver a message that someone at Gaumukh had sent for his fellow travelers. We reached our tent to find Rath safely tucked under the blankets. Soon we got rid of our shoes and joined him. The dinner was again aaloo paranthas.

A lot of other people came back from Gaumukh and started filling the tent. I observed that almost 80% of the people around me were Bengalis. I have continued to notice a similar trend in almost all of my treks. Bengalis have an insatiable desire for travel that makes them pack their bags and leave for an adventure at the first opportunity.Around 9 pm, I learned that a group in the tent was still waiting for a couple of people to come back from Gaumukh. I was surprised and wondered how they would be able to make their way back in the night. Going outside the tent, I got my answer. An almost full moon was filling the entire valley with a milky white light. Those who haven't been to the hills on a full moon night, would probably never realize how bright the moonlight can be. I felt we could easily trek till Tapovan in this light. This made me regret our decision, to not go to Tapovan, even more.

I dragged Satti out of the tent for a walk. It was a wonderful experience to walk in the soft moonlight. Since that night, I have always wanted to do a longer trek under full moon. After following the trail to Gaumukh for a while, we descended down the valley towards the river. We reached the bank and sat down on a rock. It was wonderfully peaceful this time round. I have known Satti for a long time. He is an unusually quiet guy and its difficult to drag him into a conversation. He doesn't hold strong opinions about most things except cricket and football. I am not a very talkative person myself. So we were mostly quite sitting there along the river under full moon. But sometimes quite moments goes a long way in cementing bonds of friendship and I felt this was one such moment.

By the time we got back to the tent, everyone was gearing up for sleep. All of us tucked ourselves under blankets. It had been a long day. We had walked about 25 km, that was the most I had done in a day till then. I was hoping for a refreshing sleep but had no such luck. I heard someone snoring loudly. The disease seemed contagious , for soon I could hear atleast 3 more snoring sounds. Two of them were coming from Satti and Rath who were asleep on my either side, giving me a complete surround sound experience. I tried to go to sleep but without any success. I was so frustrated I wanted to kill both of them. I tried shaking them but that only turned off the music for a short while. I wondered how the others were able to sleep. The whole night passed in complete agony for me. I was able to get only brief moments of sleep throughout the night. Not a good ending to an otherwise wonderful day...

Day 3 - Bhojbasa to Tapovan via Gaumukh - back to Bhojbasa

We woke up to a beautiful sunny morning. After a cup of tea, it was time for the morning routines. I asked the tent owner about the toilets. He handed me a bottle and pointed towards the rocks. It took some time for the cruel reality to sink in, before I started walking gingerly towards the pointed direction. Like so many other firsts on the trek, this was also a new experience for me. I made sure I got as far as possible and sat behind a rock to do the needful.

After breakfast we started for the day's journey. The walk till Gaumukh was already familiar to us. Instead of going to the mouth of the glacier this time, we climbed over the northern side. The holy trail ends at Gaumukh and the path becomes dodgy after that. We climbed to the top of the glacier snaking through loose debris and hopping over a few boulders. The route here changes frequently due to the movement of the glacier. We were a bit disoriented at first and relied on our guide for directions. However, pretty soon we realized that piles of stones were kept on the higher rocks to mark the way.

After reaching level, we turned south to cross the glacier. Huge crevasses in the path reminded us that we were actually on a huge glacier. Few accidents have been known to happen where a person got trapped inside after falling through one of these gaps. We could hear water trickling underneath.

Going higher, we spotted a team from the Indian army, practicing mountaineering techniques on the glacier. Few members were climbing a vertical wall of ice. They were laboriously making their way up with the help of ice-axes and crampons, while their team members held the rope for them. Similar exercise was going on another 75 degree ice slope. We were told that a team would later be attempting to summit one of the Bhagirathi peaks.

Our walk had become pretty laborious itself. We were beginning to feel the effect of steep climb and high altitude. The bad path was not making things any easier. We were panting for breath and stopping frequently for a rest.

We ran into a Sadhu on the way. He was dressed in a vest, light jacket and lungi. He had a big beard and his long braided hair was wrapped around his head with a turban. He had sat down for a rest. As we approached him, he asked us if we would like to have some Charas. We were intrigued by this offer but declined politely. Then he proceeded to take out a 'chilam' from his pockets and lighted it up. He exclaimed that he was badly in need of some energy before the final climb.

Sadhu Baba had set off on the 'char-dham' yaatra from Rishikesh on foot. He had already been to Badrinath and Kedarnath. A devotee of Lord Shiva, Babaji wandered in the mountains in his rubber slippers and light clothing. He was without any provisions, money or spare clothing. He used to eat whatever other devotees offered him. Most of the time he was high on charas. Although I didn't approve of his chosen lifestyle, I took an immediate liking to the Baba. He was lost in a world of his own. Unlike usual Sadhus, he never preached or tried to coerce any money from us.

Babaji joined us for the rest of the journey. Soon we were standing beneath a nearly vertical wall of stones and debris around 1000 feet high. We looked for a way around it. When our guide told us that the way is straight up, we thought he was joking.The climb was both exhausting and dangerous. We had to stop for breath after every 10 steps. The debris didn't allow for a good footing. One slip and there was nothing to break the fall for a long way. Few slippery corners found us on all fours clinging to the slope.

As we climbed, we got a wonderful view of the snow covered Bhagirathi. Bhagirathi are the group of three high peaks namely Bhagirathi - I,II,III with the height of 6856, 6512, 6454 meters.

A little more effort took us to the top that opened into a large meadow at the base of Shivaling. This was Tapovan named so because several Sadhus choose this spot for extended meditations (tap). To be honest, I was a bit disappointed. The place was beautiful but I had expected something much more remarkable after my friends' description. There was no carpet of grass and no blooming flowers. The place was a vast field of stones and dried grass. Perhaps it wasn't the best time to be there or perhaps going there with a preconceived image was an even bigger mistake. However, the journey to Tapovan was most memorable and the backdrop of Bhagirathi and Shivaling peaks made for a splendid view. Totally exhausted by the climb we lied down on the grass for a long time.


There are a couple of ashrams at Tapovan.Both offer places to stay, food to eat, tea. My office friends had stayed at the Shimla Baba's ashram where they had kerosene khichdi. Our guide led us to the ashram of Bengali Mata. The ashram was built around a small cave under a huge boulder. Bengali Mata had been staying at Tapovan throughout the year for a long time. She was dressed in normal clothes.

All of us sat down on mats laid out in front of the ashram. We were immediately offered some tea. Our own Sadhu Baba joined us a little later with another companion. The person belonged to Calcutta and worked for Ramakrishna Trust. A pronounced bachelor he was extremely fond of traveling. There was another interesting fellow from Delhi. A businessman who had been coming to Tapovan for a full month for the last 8 years. I told him if I had that much time I would go and see all the other places. There is certainly no shortage of places in Himalayas. But he insisted he felt a peace there unlike he had ever felt anywhere else.

Sadhu Baba lit another 'chilam' and started getting high. He shared the chilam with a group of porters that had brought provisions for Bengali Mata. The gentleman from Delhi started talking about spirituality and stuff. He had a huge problem with the Sadhu Baba and his way of living. Rath also was making fun of Baba. He commented that Sadhu Baba must have seen Lord Shiva a lot of times. Sadhu Baba didn't take the slightest offense. Infact I doubt if he ever paid any real attention to the conversation. He lived in a different world of his own.

Bengali Mata invited us into the cave for the lunch. It was a neat little cave. She actually had gas stove for cooking. The food was unexpectedly delicious considering the circumstances. I have read about the bad experiences some other people have had at the ashrams at Tapovan. They complained that the Baba's are just running unlicensed hotels in the name of religion. They are greedy and overcharge for food. I must say that I never got that feeling. Although I never thought about Bengali Mata as a saint, she certainly appeared as a kind and generous person. She was affectionate in serving us food and tea. She never demanded any money from us. While leaving, our guide told us to give 100 Rs. I assumed he was talking 100 Rs per person, but it was just 100 Rs for the four of us. I don't think that was excessive at all for tea and lunch for 4 people at that height.

By the time we started back, the sun had gone behind clouds, and chilly air was starting to blow. I felt a light headache, no doubt the combined effect of altitude, cold air and sleepless night. Unfortunately, I didn't have any woolen cap with me. The descent was even trickier than the ascent. We were struggling for footholds due to all the debris and small stones on the path. One look down the slope reminded us that any lack in concentration could prove costly. Carefully we got down till Gaumukh. We spent some time at the glacier, though we didn't go as close as the last time. My headache was killing me by now. We started back for Bhojbasa. Those 4 kms proved to be the longest journey of our trek so far. My head ached with each step. It appeared to me as if Bhojbasa had receded till Gangotri. I remembered how we had just strolled to Gaumukh and back, the previous day. But now it took all my strength and will power to go on. The sight of our tents restored some energy and I raced to the destination. Once inside, i swallowed a Dispirin and went to sleep. When I woke up a couple of hours later, my headache was gone but I didn't feel too energetic. So I had my dinner and went right back to sleep...

Day 4 - Bhojbasa to Gangotri - back to Delhi

Next day we left for Bhojbasa early morning. It took us only a couple of hours to get down to Gangotri. At Gangotri we were amazed to see so many people and vehicles. Things had seemed so normal when we had left but now it was crazy. We struggled to find our car. Our driver told us that it was Ganga Dusshera that day, and was considered very auspicious for a holy dip. Therefore so many devotees had flocked the place and more were coming in. We told him that we are going to the temple and would be back quickly. The small market before the temple was jammed with people. We made our way through the sea of bodies towards the temple, only to find an impossibly long queue there. It seemed unlikely that we would be able to get out before a couple of hours so we dropped the plan. We bought small cans from the market and went to the banks of the Ganga. Some people were bathing in the freezing cold water but we weren't in a brave mood. So we just washed our face and limbs, and filled the cans with the Holy water. Around 11 am we left for Delhi. But the huge inflow of vehicles on the narrow road created a massive jam. It took more than an hour for the jam to clear. Once we were on our way, we only took a couple of stops for lunch and dinner for the whole journey. We were back in Delhi by 4 am, just in time for a brief nap before another day at Office.

Trek pics

Pindari - Day 6/7

Day 6 - Dwali to Dhakuri

It was the 6th day of the trek now and we were on our way back. There wasn't the usual excitement of arriving at some place for the first time. Perhaps, it was this fact that helped me relax. Perhaps it was the wonderful start of the day or perhaps it was the music I listened to. Or it was all these things combined. For I don't know how else to explain the wonderful sensation that swept over me. I felt happy and not in a normal way. It was as if for a few moments happiness had filled every pore of my body. I felt blissful and free. I could find nothing wrong with the world around me...

The day started with our morning fairy knocking on the doors. It was Tiwariji trying to wake us up at 4:30 am. There had been some huge misunderstanding between us. We were under the impression, that with only the return journey left, we don't need to lose our morning sleep anymore. Our forest guardians though wanted us to start even earlier as the weather was not holding very well. Tiwariji voiced his concern about the rainfall. I told him it seems impossible to wake up Diggu and others early today. After this brief interruption, I tried to get back to sleep but could not. So i decided to enjoy the sunrise.

It was still dark outside. The hills on the opposite side were appearing dark silver in the twilight glow of the sky. I could hear the Pindar flowing across the valley below. The air was a bit chilly so I immediately went inside and got a jacket for me. I joined Tiwariji and others who were sitting around a fire inside the kitchen. I shared a cup of tea with them. Then I went outside and seated myself on a wooden bench. I sat there enjoying the early morning views of the surrounding peaks. The sky turned from dark grey to silver, then took some shade of red and finally started turning blue as the light started to fill in. It was a beautiful sight and the whole surrounding felt real peaceful.

As the day broke in, I saw a herd of sheep sleeping in the valley beside the river. They were all huddled together in a big circle keeping each other warm. I got out a camera and decided to go down for a shot. The herd was accompanied by a group of four locals. They told me that the sheep belonged to villagers from Khati and they were going to drop them at Pindari for grazing where they would remain for the summers. They offered me some tea but I told them I just had one. I took their photograph and got mine taken with them and the sheep. We had a great time sitting around a fire and listening to each others stories. When I went back to the rest-house Chote was already standing outside. Together we woke up the rest of the group. I got myself ready and sat down to read Mr Burton's philosophy again. Chote wanted me to listen to a song on his Ipod. The lyrics are totally unmentionable here but the song was great. I started going through the other songs and was soon lost in music.

Everybody was taking his time today and no amount of coercing from Tiwariji could get us to leave before 8am. The DDA team had left hours before us. We descended down to the river, crossed the bridge and headed back to Dhakuri. Most of the way between Dwali and Dhakuri goes through a thick forest. I dropped back from the group till I felt I was walking alone through the forest. For the first time I was walking without a bag on my shoulders and I felt wonderfully light. Pindari was flowing along to the left. The weather was a bit cloudy giving the whole surroundings a slightly romantic touch. There I was walking alone amidst beautiful tree covered hills. Suddenly a feeling of profound happiness overwhelmed me. I realized there was no thought, no worry, no hatred, no love in my mind. I felt totally free. Free from traffic, free from rules, free from work, free from responsibilities, free from relations, free from misunderstandings. I put on my favorite song at full volume. Soon I was actually dancing to the beats as I got more and more drunk on my own happiness.

The surge of happiness lasted only a short while but the effects remained much longer. I continued to walk till I caught up with the rest of the group as they waited for me near the river. We sat near the edge listening to water forcing its way through the rocks. After the usual round of photographs, we continued along the up and down path through the forest.

We would have been walking for a couple of hours when we reached the tea-shop at which we had taken shelter from rain while coming. It was a strange coincidence that as soon as we got there, it started to rain again. We had maggi with a cup of tea while waiting for the rain to stop. Realizing that the weather gods were not going to relent anytime soon, we got our raincoats out. I have always loved rains. I was actually enjoying the light drizzle falling across my face as we made our way forward. However, with more than 13 km still left, the rain was slowing us down considerably, as we stepped carefully over the slippery stones avoiding water holes and muddy paths. We also had the last 3 km to Dhakuri in mind. While coming it was a swift descent but now we would be faced with a steep climb up-hill. Dwali and Dhakuri are almost on the same altitude and the 18km trek goes up and down, at times descending into the valley only to climb up the opposite hill. We realized that we were in for a long day.

The rain in hills is very different from that in the plains. It comes without much warning. The sun would be shining one moment, and within minutes clouds would fill in quickly and it would start raining before you had a chance to take cover. Fortunately, in most cases it does not pour down heavily. Its mostly a persistent drizzle that may go on for hours and when you would have resigned yourself to it, it would stop just as suddenly, and within minutes you would have the sun shining again. The rest of our journey continued between this hide and seek between the rain and the sun. It rained continuously for an hour, stopped suddenly, and just when we had taken off our raincoats, it started raining again. The last few kms to Khati was a climb. We caught up with the DDA team on this stretch. It had stopped raining by now but the path was very slippery. It got even worse around the landslide area near Khati. The original path had been taken away by the landslide. The new dirt trail that ran around the landslide had turned into a river of slippery mud. We had a hard time going forward. As the trail crossed over the landslide it had become a real risky affair. Imagine our delight and relief when we finally reached Khati.

At Khati we sat down near a chai-shop. We asked the owner if he had anything to eat. We half expected the reply to be maggi when he said that he can also prepare Aaloo Paranthas but it would take 10 minutes. The wait was well worth it because the Paranthas tasted out of this world with a slice of butter and green chilly pickle. A shameless attack on the paranthas followed as they were brought one by one only to be grabbed in a second. A casual observer might have inferred that we hadn't had anything to eat for days. The final count of paranthas came down to 20 but I am sure the owner had missed a few. Kailash was so impressed with the paranthas that he wanted to stay at Khati for the day. I too was having a relaxing time as I sat down with my book.

The rest and the paranthas did wonders to our battered souls and we were ready for the second leg of the day's journey. I looked back at the small beautiful village for the last time. Just outside the village, a herd of sheep blocked our path. I was pushed into the side of the hill as I tried to find my way forward. My attention was on the sheep and I failed to notice the 'Bichhu' plant as my legs brushed against it. 'Bichhu' plant is named so because it actually stings pretty badly if you are unfortunate enough to come in contact. The leaves are covered with small thorns that injects a chemical and the effect lasts for hours. There is another plant whose leaves are supposedly the cure. I tried to look for this plant but without much luck. Meanwhile I continued enjoying the stinging sensation. After half an hour it started raining again. We continued to make slow progress in the rain. As much as I enjoy the rains, we have had enough by now and we couldn't wait for it to stop.




Rain finally relented after a couple of hours. We stopped at a chai-shop in a small village. The village was in a valley surrounded by small peaks. There was an extra-ordinary stillness in the surroundings after the rain. Not even a single leaf was moving. All the clouds were rooted to their location. I stared at the hills, the clouds and the valley in front of me. It was as if I was staring at a huge wallpaper. After the valley, we started the ascent to Dhakuri. The weather was better by now but we were really tired. The steep climb was taking its toll now. The trek was skirting round the face of a hill. Dhakuri lied midway on this hill. Losing their patience, Diggu and Kailash started climbing directly up the hill. My experience is that taking such shortcuts usually drains much more out of you. So if you are tired its better to stick to the trek. It took all our reserves to climb up to our destination of the day. It seemed like a great achievement at the time.

Once at Dhakuri we left our shoes and socks for drying. Clouds were clearing by now and fading sun was spreading its rays around us. All of us sat outside enjoying the warmth of the sun after a wet day. After a while, we had a wonderful view of the Maktoli and other snow peaks near Sunderdunga glaciers. We had missed this view during the whole of our earlier stay at Dhakuri because of cloudy sky. We managed to get a few shots before the peaks disappeared again. Vikas wanted to spend the night in a tent. He had never slept in a tent before and had contemplated the idea every night of the trek. Each time the fear of cold and leopards had deterred him from going ahead with the plan. We used to joke that Vikas is waiting to get back to his home where he would pitch the tent on his roof. Realizing that this was indeed his last opportunity, Vikas started to pitch the tent. He implored everyone to help but all of us were feeling too lazy by this time. Kailash finally offered his help and soon both their ladies also joined in the action. It was getting cold outside so the rest of us moved back to the room. Soon we had tucked ourselves in the two quilts that were lying inside.

After putting up the tent, Vikas started shifting anything useful he could find in the room to the tent. First went the rubber mats and plastic sheets lying on the floor, followed by the two mattresses. Then the bed sheets and all the blankets. He even took the door mat. Obviously, he had already kept his dagger and pepper spray inside. Throughout the trek, Vikas had made sure that he kept a one foot dagger and a pepper spray besides his pillow. He felt he needed them more than ever now, sleeping outside amidst wild leopards. It was indeed funny to imagine Vikas spraying pepper spray on a leopard. Amused by the proceedings we were wondering if he was going to come for the beds next. Instead he came for my quilt. I flatly said that there was no way I was getting parted from my warm quilt just then. By the time Vikas finished, he had turned the tent into five star accommodation. It was decided that the couples would spend the night in the luxury of the tent whereas the bachelors would have the honor of sleeping on the beds for the first time. Next there was a round of cards inside the tent. Diggu had fallen off to sleep by now and I decided to read till the light lasted.

During dinner, Chote started teasing Vikas about the dagger and pepper spray. He retorted that when the time comes he wont be able to kill a fly with the dagger. He also joked that how would Vikas lock the tent to keep the leopards out. By now Vikas half suspected that Chote had plans of scaring him during the night and warned him to stay away from the tent. We also joked that if Chote ventured anywhere close to the tent he was sure to get pepper spray in his eyes. We continued the bakwaas for a while. Then the two couples departed for the tent and the three of us occupied our respective beds for a well deserved sleep. During the night few dragon flies found their way inside the room. I wondered if a few would have also managed to get inside the tent and if Vikas was chasing them right now with a dagger in his hands.

Day 7 - Dhakuri to Loharkhet - drive to Bageshwar

If rain had troubled us the previous day, this day was to be the wettest of the trip. It was raining already when we woke up in the morning. Perhaps it had been raining all night. Any hopes of enjoying the morning view of the snow peaks was soon washed away. Rain drops were looking beautiful falling on the carpet of green grass. We knew they wouldn't feel as good falling on our heads. Lazily, we started getting ready for the final day of the trek. None of us were in any hurry to get back to civilization. We had been without electricity, mobiles, TV, newspapers for 6 days now , something totally unimaginable in our routine life. We just hadn't managed to live without them, we never missed them in this beautiful place. I know soon development of the region would mean bringing electricity and roads to the place. Perhaps it would make the life of the people and tourists more comfortable, but it would definitely take something out of the place.

We got our bags ready, put on our poonchos (raincoats) and stepped out into the rains. The first km was a steep climb to the Chilta Pass. The path went in circles around the slope. I tried climbing straight up the face and was soon exhausted. Up at the pass, we sat down for a breath as the rains continued to pour down on us. It was down all the way from now on. But the descent was made tough by the slippery surface. Worst of all, I couldn't employ my strategy of running down. We walked slowly, careful not to step on the slippery rock faces. Still we slipped and slided. I tried to concentrate on the surroundings instead of the path, but it wasn't easy. It was taking forever to cover a few kilometers. Rain seemed our worst enemy just as it does between an important cricket match.

Vikas and I were walking together when we came upon the shortcut we had taken while coming up. Vikas wanted to take the shortcut but I thought it would be too slippery in the rain. While we were trying to decide between the longer route and the slippery shortcut, Chote went past us down the shortcut. Not to be left behind, we started to follow. Soon Chote slipped but managed to regain his balance. I found myself in the middle of slippery mud with no where to go, my legs sliding in all directions. As I was trying to make my way out, I witnessed Vikas losing his footing. But instead of landing straight on his bum, he took a couple of somersaults before coming to a stop. Then just as abruptly he stood up and started running towards the stone trail. I didn't know what to make of it. If I hadn't known better it would have appeared that instead of slipping, Vikas has just performed an amazing acrobatic stunt. Initially I was worried if he had hurt himself but seeing him run I assumed he was alright.

I was in a sticky situation myself and instead of following Vikas, where evidently it was much more slippery, I continued down the shortcut. I joined the stone trail, some distance down. I had left the others behind me. It was raining heavily and there was no shelter to stop. I started to walk down alone. I saw a local porter walking up and I asked him if there was any shelter nearby. He told me that there is a chai-shop only half kilometer down. I decided to reach the chai-shop and wait for the others there. I walked on hoping to see the chai-shop after each corner, only to be disappointed each time. What was half kilometer to him turned out to a couple of kilometers. Walking alone in the rain, the journey seemed endless. A lot of times I thought about stopping for everyone to join, but there was no place to sit. I had almost resigned myself to walking till Loharkhet, when the chai-shop finally arrived. The rain was slowing down by now.

I ducked into the small room and spread myself on a chair kept near the fire. The shopkeeper was a young local and we talked for a while. Meanwhile he got me some hot tea. I was so happy to see everyone join in some time later. The rain had stopped by now and sun was beginning to shine from behind the clouds. Everything was suddenly looking bright after hours of gloom. We put some chairs in the open.

Pindari - Day 5

Phurkia to Zero Point and beyond, Down to Dwali

The day started almost similar to the previous day, with me waking up to find out that I was feeling a little cold again. This time I knew we had no spare blankets, so I put on my jacket and tucked the blanket securely under me. A little later we were woken up again by the alarm. Vikas was really taking the lead today as he jumped out of his bed to get ready. He had planned to get ready first and leave ahead of the rest of the group with Geetika, while the others got ready and caught up later. Vikas and Geetika really did a remarkable job and managed to get ready, have breakfast and leave at 4:45 am. Meanwhile, I was not having such success in trying to wake up Diggu and others. Rest of the group didn’t share a similar enthusiasm for waking up so early for a trek they had already done once. Waking up Diggu had remained a difficult job through out the trek, as he growled at every attempt to get him out of bed. Chote had not been feeling well since coming back from Pindari yesterday, and straight away said that he was staying. At one point, I was not sure if any of us were going back since no one seemed in the mood to get up. I too had grabbed the extra blanket left by Vikas, and made myself more comfortable.

Finally Kailash declared that it was time to go and woke up for his morning chores. Kavita and I followed. Diggu was still sleeping and by now we had assumed he was staying too. When the rest of us were ready, Diggu suddenly jumped out saying he was coming with us. Half an hour later, he was still not sure if he wanted to go or not. I was really anxious to leave now. I discouraged Diggu from coming if he was not feeling well. At the moment, the suggestion was also a bit selfish one as I wanted to be able to leave as soon as possible. However, I think it really saved Diggu from another tiring day in bad health and helped him to recover for the return journey.

I had made up my mind to go solo on this stretch. I wanted to have a feel of trekking alone and also wanted to reach Pindari really early. My ego also wanted the satisfaction of timing myself and seeing how fast I can manage the 6 kms. I was carrying a very light bag today and planned to reach Pindari in an hour. So I started around 5:45 am, a little ahead of Kailash and Kavita, and an hour after Vikas and Geetika. I started in a rush almost breaking into a light run even on the ascent. Soon I was getting out of breath on the steep climb and had to slow down. I decided to stick to a steady pace on the climb and break into a run on the descent. Again I was confronted by the water stream. The water level was much higher now and I definitely didn’t want to get my shoes wet at the start of the day. So I got my shoes and socks off, folded my lower and jumped into the stream. I crossed over, put my socks and shoes on again, slightly annoyed at the five minutes the whole process had cost me.

I kept up my race with the clock. I breezed through the narrow trail breaking into an uncontrolled run at the sight of a descent, carrying the momentum into the ascent that usually followed. Looking back, it was perhaps the worst way to do any trek. My whole focus was on reaching the destination quickly. I wasn’t stopping to enjoy any view. Fact is, I didn’t stop even once during the 6 km, not for a conversation, not for a sip of water, not even for catching up a lost breath. Needless to say it was lot more punishing on the body as well. I wouldn’t advice anyone to have hurry on their mind while trekking. But on this occasion I have been already through the same route twice, once while going and the second while coming back. Also, I was enjoying the challenge of putting extra physical effort on myself. So far, this trek had been reasonably easy on the body. We had mules to carry our luggage and three forest officials were taking great care of us. We were provided with luxurious food and had always stayed in permanent accommodations. The trek had been broken down into reasonable distances and I hadn’t felt really tired or stretched so far. I clearly remember the Roopkund trek, where each one of us with a huge rucksack on his shoulders, at much higher altitude and for much longer distances had walked till each step became a journey in itself.

Midway, lady luck brought me a beautiful companion. Both of us were traveling alone and immediately some bond connected us. This bond was that of a chance meeting between two strangers, who meet, spend some time together, and finally part, not knowing if they would ever meet again but satisfied in the knowledge that the memories of this encounter would remain forever in their hearts. We acknowledged each other and started walking together, deeply engrossed in our own thoughts but drawing comfort from the welcomed company. Neither of us spoke a single word during the whole time we were together, yet this was not an uncomfortable silence. We didn’t need words to tell each other how much we were enjoying this walk. I was by far the slower mover, but my companion waited patiently whenever I lagged behind, on one occasion even coming back to check on me when we were blocked from each others sight by a steep turn. Later, I was allowed to lead, but whenever I would break into a run on a descent, I would find myself being overtaken from behind with such ease, that it would leave my ego totally battered. When gasping for breath, I would finally catch up, I would be greeted with a kiss on my hands. This affair continued for a while, when finally bored by my slow speed, and realizing that I am not going to give him anything to eat, he ran away wagging his long furry tail behind him.

I had been walking for 50 minutes when I ran into a couple of people coming from the opposite direction. I asked them how much distance remained and was told that it was around 2 km to Pindari. I had made good time but still I was going to miss the one hour mark. Another surprising thing was that I hadn’t run into Vikas and Geetika till now. I had hoped to catch them a lot earlier but evidently they were going a lot faster today. May be a day’s rest had done them some good. The weather was also lovely today, with pleasantly cold air and bright shine. I increased my speed for the final leg of the journey. After 10 minutes, I saw first glimpse of our leading party - Vikas, Geetika, and Tiwariji. I ran to meet them. To my utter delight, my furry friend was also with them. He was a mountain dog with brown furry coat and patches of yellow in between. He appeared quite healthy and I am sure, amidst his group, he would be the desired male. He had a bell strapped to a wide metal collar around his neck. Clearly, the dog belonged to someone but had enough liberty to roam around and make new friends. At the time, I had wondered why there was a metal collar around his neck and whether it caused him pain. The collar was around 5 inches wide and had sharp metal teeth pointing outwards. I was later told by Babaji that the dog belonged to the shepherds and his job was to guard the sheep. The collar was to protect him from snow leopards. A leopard usually kills his prey by grabbing the neck and choking off the air supply. The metal collar and the teeth would prevent a leopard from biting into his neck.

I ran the last kilometer of the journey. Soon, I was greeted by the familiar view of the Pindari valley. This time round, however, the valley had an even more beautiful look. The sky was crystal clear and the morning sun was shining brightly. The lush green valley had patches of rocky stones and snow. Pindari river was flowing on the left of the valley along a small hill that had a narrow trail leading to the Zero Point. Babaji’s ashram and temple were in the centre of the valley, along with a few tents. Nandakot and Pindari Glacier were visible at the far end. The valley was surrounded by snow-capped mountains from all side. A herd of sheep were grazing midway between where I was standing and the ashram. Everything combined to give the place a heavenly feel. I walked slowly between the herd, trying to slip past the grazing sheep. But as soon as I reached near one, it would suddenly get startled and run away, in turn startling the others. It was sort of like a ripple effect.

I walked into the ashram where I was greeted by Babaji and Kandpalji. Babaji asked me about my friends and I told them that they would be coming soon. Babaji offered me tea which I accepted gladly. All of us talked for a while. The ashram was still in shade, so I moved across to a low rectangular boundary wall enclosing a small plot of land, some 100 m from the ashram. The plot carried Babaji’s plantation of potatoes, spinach and other vegetables. I perched myself on the wall, removed my shoes and socks, and basked in the sunlight sipping on the jasmine tea and enjoying the view. A new tent had been pitched nearby, definitely belonging to the group we had met the previous day on our way back to Phurkia. Soon, I saw Vikas and Geetika trace the same route I had followed, through the herd, into the ashram and out to the plot to join me. Vikas got his camera out and started capturing the surroundings. After half an hour, Kailash and Kavita joined in to complete the group.

The Pindari glacier trip ends for most at an arbitrary point which has been designated `Zero Point'. Beyond this, the going gets relatively technical and ordinary hikers do not go. We started walking towards the Zero Point through the green valley. Our canine friend also decided to join us. We had to cross the river at one point and again the water level had risen above the stones at the centre. A couple of us picked up a big flat stone from nearby and placed it at the centre completing the bridge. The winding trail to the zero point went up the face of a small green hill. The whole trail right to the zero point runs parallel to the valley below. The valley and the hill were blooming grounds for numerous species of wild flowers that had grown in abundance. I noticed a small red flower the size of a marble that looked very similar to a rose complete with the petals. Then there were bright yellow ones, and small purple ones that grew in a circular bunch. The climb was a steep one and soon we started losing our jackets.

As we approached the top of the hill, we looked down the other side to discover an amazing view. There was a deep U shaped gorge running through the other side of the hill. The side of the hill facing the gorge had been cut into a vertical muddy cliff. Looking from the side, it would give an impression as if someone had sliced the hill with a big knife and taken the other part away. Pindari glacier was on the opposite side of the gorge. I searched the internet later for such U shaped formations and here is what I got – “A valley carved by glaciers, or glacial valley, is normally U-shaped. If we can see the valley, it means the glacier that formed it is no longer there. When the ice recedes or thaws, the valley remains, often littered with small boulders that were transported within the ice.” Evidently this gorge/valley had been carved by the Pindari Glacier that had receded since then.

Walking forward, we reached an abrupt point, with a sign board claiming that we have arrived at the zero point. Another sign board warned us that it was dangerous to go forward. I could see the reason why. The trail narrowed down running along the top of the hill with one side an almost vertical cliff. Zero point offers splendid view of Pindari glacier and an opportunity to get yourself clicked with the glacier in the background. We took a few photographs. I decided to explore the trail further and continued along the narrow path carefully. I went down the trail for about 100m and sat down waiving for others to follow. I was joined by our furry friend as he came and sat beside me while I patted his back. I offered him a few raisins from my pocket which he gulped down quickly. We enjoyed the view for a while wondering if the others are going to follow. Meanwhile, I shouted at Kailash to take our picture. I saw Geetika turning back for the ashram, while the rest of the group started towards me. We continued along the top of the hill walking parallel to the valley on one side and the gorge on the other side. Going forward brought us views of the glacier from different angles. After a while Vikas decided it was enough adventure for him and descended into the valley. Kailash, Kavita and I moved on determined to reach the end. In between we spend ample time taking photographs and enjoying the view.

After one and a half km from the zero point, the trail terminated in a wall of rocky mountain that stood at right angles to the valley and the hill we were walking upon. This was the nearest we could go to the Pindari Glacier. Now we had a steep fall to the left and a vertical wall in front. The only option left was to descend into the valley towards our right where Vikas was waiting for us. At the bottom, we wondered where the Australian couple would have gone from here. The valley had suddenly terminated here and was bounded on both sides by mountains. The forward path was blocked by a vertical wall. The left side was bounded by the gorge. The right side looked like the only possibility with a gradual slope leading to snow covered mountains. We argued about exploring this climb. Vikas didn’t think it was possible to reach the top and was worried it might be dangerous. I agreed with him but wanted to get as far as possible. We climbed straight up the mountain getting out of breath with every step. The clouds played a spoilt sport again and soon it was threatening to rain. Kailash and Kavita decided to stop, while we continued to climb. A little higher we saw footsteps cutting across the snow in the direction of a faint trail. The trail skirted up the vertical wall that had blocked the valley and lead to the other side of the cliff. So finally we had solved the mystery of the missing Australians. We thought about going up the trail but decided we didn’t have enough time.

Vikas turned back but I continued to climb up our original path. There is something about a peak that makes me loose my mind. The irresistible urge of getting to the top makes me ignore all logic in favor of going back. A passion keeps driving me forward till the point of complete madness. I realize that there is no purpose to all the effort and hard work, yet I keep going on. And so I plowed up, alone and tired, till I reached a point where I couldn’t go any further without taking considerable risk. It was getting late and looked like it could rain any moment. I knew I had to turn back even if I didn’t want to. I could see the others at the bottom of the mountain. They were waving for me to come back. I waved back indicating that I am not going any higher and would walk back parallel to them from here, towards the ashram. They got the message, and we started back. It was nice to walk higher up, the view being so much better. I could see the others way down walking along with me. After a while, I lost sight of the group below. This had me worried as I was on my own now. The thought of running into a snow leopard crossed my mind. I neither had a dagger nor a camera – so couldn’t imagine any positives out of the encounter. I thought about going down to join others. But I saw that some distance away the face of the mountain was covered with snow. I imagined that if I was able to reach that I could slide down on the snow saving me the effort of climbing down on the rocks.

It was then my little adventure started going wrong. I was confronted by a wide stream running right across my path flowing down into the Pindari below. I looked for a possible place to cross the stream. But unlike the regular trekking path no stones had been arranged here to enable someone to step over. I made a couple of attempts to cross over from a few likely spots. Each attempt brought me to the middle of the stream with no stepping stones to go any further. I had already got my shoes wet and was beginning to lose my patience. Realizing that there was no other way, I got my shoes and socks off, folded my lowers, and jumped into knee deep water. I carefully stepped on the slippery stones forcing my way against the current. As I neared the edge, I made a crucial mistake. Elated at successfully crossing this barrier, I let down my guard, and hurriedly stepped onto a flat stone surface on the other side. The stone was more slippery than I had anticipated and immediately lost my footing. I struggled to maintain my balance with my hands and feet. I managed to avoid being plunged into the stream but not without a few bruises and cuts to my right foot, that was the culprit to start with. There was little blood oozing out of the sides of the thumb nail. I accessed that the damage was not much and it could have been a lot worse. By now I was feeling really irritated at myself for landing myself into this stupid situation. During each of my earlier excursions, I had managed to land myself into similar situations at-least once. Yet my obstinate mind refuses to draw a lesson. I was dead tired and couldn’t wait to get back to the ashram. I wasn’t sure where Kailash and Kavita had gone and if they were worried about me.

I hastened towards the snow slide. Once there I assessed that it looked safe enough to slide upon. I positioned myself in a sitting position with my weight resting upon my left shoe and my right leg spread out in front. This way I can slide on my left leg using the right one for balance and braking. I had mastered this technique by now having practiced it on earlier treks. All set I gave myself a push with my hands, gaining speed along the slope. I kept my speed in check by digging the right leg in snow whenever I needed to slow down. In a couple of minutes I had reached half of the way down. It had taken me more than 30 minutes to climb the same distance. Unfortunately, the slide ends here and the remaining half would have to be made on both feet. The terrain was pretty rocky here with another small stream flowing down. I walked down along the stream stepping from one stone to next. I was beginning to lose my patience. I was also worried if I would have to cross the river again once I get down to the valley. I continued to make my way downwards in the direction of the ashram. I had been walking for so long that at one point I was worried if I might have actually overshot the ashram. Then I saw the zero point right across the valley and knew I had another kilometer to go.

It was then I saw Kailash and Kavita. My feelings at seeing them could be described as a cocktail of surprise, happiness and relief. They had found themselves a nice romantic spot on the side of the hill. They were seated on a lush carpet of green grass with small bright yellow flowers blooming everywhere. A small stream was gurgling nearby and they had a wonderful view of the Pindari glacier from their vantage point. I sat down to join them. After the earlier misadventure, it was such a comforting feeling to be among friends again. I took off my shoes to examine the damage done earlier. My right thumb had already started to swell a bit and I knew immediately that it was going to trouble me for the rest of the way back. There was nothing I could do about it now, so I threw my shoes aside and lied down to enjoy the beautiful view.

After a while we headed back towards the ashram. We located a trail that seemed to be leading us straight back. On the other side of the valley, we could see the women group from DDA returning from the zero point. We waved to them and they waved back. Kailash started barking loudly and he really sounded like a dog. I am sure the other group would have been really wondering where the barking sound was coming from. All of us had a big laugh at this. Kailash is a real great guy with a wonderful sense of humor. He is always smiling and in high spirits. He is also pretty friendly and I believe has a good heart as well. I never heard him say anything bad about anyone. Kavita makes a great couple with him. She is uncommonly beautiful but not of the dumb variety. I was really impressed by her during our card games. I had also known her to be pretty athletic from our tennis sessions in Noida and she had kept up the pace all through this trek. Both of them look great together. It was a delight to hear them sing a duet during Antakashri at Dhakuri. I didn’t notice a single argument between them during the course of 8 days. They always stuck together talking kuchi-ko kuchi-ko which I have to admit did get irritating once in a while. Having found each other, I wonder who is the luckier of the two.

On the way back we ran into two ladies from the DDA group who were coming back from the zero point. They were furious at something and constantly cribbing. Apparently, they were part of the 13 women DDA team to the Pindari glacier. Most of them were between 30 – 40 yrs in age. All of them had reached the ashram in the morning but a couple of them had refused to go further to the zero point, as they weren’t feeling well. Now these two ladies were mad at the ones who stayed behind blaming them of spoiling the whole trek. We expressed our sympathies for their cause. It was then one of them asked who was barking and we couldn’t stop our smiles.

200 m from the ashram, I broke into a run again. This was, by now, my standard way of reaching the immediate destination. In front of the ashram, I saw Vikas and Geetika sitting with the Kandpal family. I greeted both of them and it was now that I finally got to know her name – Vasundra – how apt was my first thought. Deciding to have a little fun, I declared that we had seen a snow leopard. Not only had we seen it, but we had also managed to get a photograph. Vasundra remained skeptical at this but her father got real excited. He even offered us money for the photograph. I immediately admitted that I was kidding though we did try our best to run into one. Vasundra had a book with her that carried the pictures of the commonly found flowers in the Himalayas and we went through it looking for the ones we had seen. Meanwhile, Babaji called us in for lunch. The DDA team members were already there and all of us sat down to enjoy Poori – Sabji with a cup of jasmine tea.

After lunch, Vikas and Geetika decided to leave, while the rest of us stayed for a while. We joined Vasundra and her dad again for a chat. I sat down beside Vasundra while Kailash was talking to her dad. I asked her about the day’s work and she replied that she had climbed up a nearby hill looking for leopard’s droppings. I remarked that if she actually saw a snow leopard would she find herself running away or towards him. I told her that I was really envious she could stay and work in such beautiful surroundings, but does nature meant as much to her or was she just stuck there by chance. This remark brought about a flurry of revelations from her. Ever since she remembered she had felt a great connection with nature. She wondered why people choose to live in cities where they don’t even get pure air, water and food. Not only she liked living close to nature, she always had felt the need to fight for its protection. She never got along with her college mates because she would always urge them to save water, switch off the lights, save fuel and so on. She would always drag the monkey-walas and bear-walas to the nearest police station and sit there till they agree to register a complaint. She hated people who kept four cars in a family and drove even for very short distances. She wondered at how people buy forty pair of clothes and a new mobile every six months, without even realizing how much strain it puts on the natural resources. And when they waste electricity, they justify it by saying that they are paying the bill. How people living in cities don’t realize that they are directly responsible for vanishing forests and melting glaciers. How industries abuse rules and dump their wastes in rivers. She wanted to be able to stop the people from continuing to abuse the earth. She had plans to study law after completing her PhD, so that she can take up legal fight against the offenders.

I realized that there was a bitter truth to all she said. Though, I am not against development and comfortable existence, but all of us have the responsibility of being just a little more careful. In the end it’s the small things that matters. Things like avoiding plastic bags, switching off lights when you go out of room, choosing to walk small distances. Paper napkins and paper cups are convenient but can you imagine the amount of paper we waste like this in offices and restaurants. Didn’t our parents got along just fine with handkerchiefs. Why can’t we keep a cup for us in office instead of wasting paper cups every time? What about the amount of paper we waste on unnecessary print-outs. If I continue the list, I would probably go on for another two pages. But we are all smart people and already know most of these things. We just need to be more sensitive to the issue and do whatever we can to help and feel proud of it.

It’s a strange coincidence that I am writing this on 07/07/07 when they are having the Live Earth concert to raise awareness on global warming and climate crisis. “What seemed like a science fiction is now an inconvenient but undeniable truth. Global warming is affecting Planet Earth and us as its inhabitants. From now on what we do will determine what we pass on to our children and to their children” says Leonardo Decaprio. Finally we are waking up to the fact that global warming is not a myth, it’s a reality and the effects are already there for us to see. Europe is reeling under a heat wave, US is hit by cyclones and it snowed in Dubai last year. Global climate is changing every year and we can feel it in our parts of the world. I can still remember the chilly winters we used to have in Delhi 10 years back, and last winter I managed just fine without a single sweater. I am continuously listening to the messages during the concert about global warming and what we can do. Go to www.liveearth.org and check out for yourself.

Vasundra and I had different opinion on one particular thing. She believed that the most effective way to save nature is to have more stringent laws and stricter enforcement. I have always believed that normal people do bad things only because they fail to realize the consequences of their actions. So for me awareness is the solution to most problems we face today. For instance, plastic bags and toffee wrappers left behind by tourists litter the hills everywhere. Not only are they an eco-hazard, they also spoil the natural beauty of the surroundings. I have seen these plastic wrappers right till Roopkund, on Gaumukh glacier and here at Pindari. Most people don’t think before throwing away those plastic bags and wrappers, otherwise how simple it is to put them in your pocket instead or store them in a separate bag. Can we really hope to enforce rules at such heights and distant locations? Can people not be expected to do the right thing themselves ?

We continued to talk about global warming, life in cities versus life in hills, about our work. When Kailash announced that we should probably get going now, I surprisingly realized that we had been talking for full couple of hours. As much as we were enjoying the place, it was time to go. Babaji insisted that we have a coffee first, and I gladly accepted the opportunity of spending some more time amidst the lovely surroundings. It was then Babaji bestowed on us a special privilege, by inviting us into his cave. He later told us that he rarely lets anyone into his cave. Vasundra and her father had not been into the cave either, so they excitedly joined us.

The way to the cave was through a small temple in front. Few bells were hanging on a 5 feet by 2 feet door that led inside. We got rid off our shoes and went into a small room. It took some time for our eyes to adjust to the darkness before we could see a few idols inside. Babaji warned us to watch our heads as he took us into another small room through a narrow opening at the back. It was completely dark inside this room and Babaji lit a candle. A very narrow path descended into a small cave below. One by one, we crawled into the cave which was nearly 4 feet high and barely big enough to accommodate the six of us. The centre of the cave had a small altar with a statue of Babaji’s guru. An asana was laid out for Babaji in the right half of the cave. Kavita, Vasundra, I and Kailash occupied the mat on the left, while Kandpalji remained at the entrance.

Once inside Babaji started talking about his life. He hailed from Orissa and had renounced the world very early in life. He had stayed in Rishikesh for a while but was troubled by too many sadhus wanting to make him their disciple. He had also stayed at Gangotri before moving to Pindari 13 years back. He spent most of his time meditating and reading books. His extra time was spent in serving the people who visit Pindari. He himself had only a single meal in a day. He narrated us a story about how he was once trapped inside his cave for three months after an avalanche buried it under snow. He had survived on nothing but water while everyone in the village below had assumed that he was dead. About this time he had gone a little mystic. He said something about leaving his body and flying away. I think I also heard something like remote conferencing with his Guru. We didn’t know what to make of it and were exchanging meaningful glances with each other.

I don’t know if it was the surroundings but all of us were feeling a bit spiritual by now. Kailash was the first one to throw his question at him – “We go to office, work, eat, go to sleep. We have fun on weekends. In all we have a good life. But at times wonder if this is all to life. Can’t help feeling something is missing. What then is the purpose of my life ?” I knew it was a basic but a difficult question to answer. I wondered if Babaji would start giving lectures about the higher purpose. His answer was probably a diplomatic one. He said “look inside you for the answer. No one else can answer it for you”. On further probing he said that our primary focus should be on fulfilling the responsibilities that have been assigned to us. He chose to become a Yogi because his heart told him to, but he would never ask anyone else to blindly follow his path. What he would ask though is to be true to your heart and kind towards others. I was more inclined towards talking about the supernatural side of things. So I asked him if he believed in ghosts and if he has actually ever ran into one. He went a bit scientific this time and said that everything around us is made up of energy. There exists both positive energy and negative energy. It is the negative energy that some people experience as a ghost. He himself has experienced both kinds of energy but don’t believe they actually mean much harm. Amidst our spiritual queries, Vasundra pitched in with her question – “are there mountain mice (Pika) in the ashram”. We couldn’t help laughing out loud. Some people refuse to let their mind wander. Our queries kept pouring in and Babaji kept answering. I told him that my scientific mind refuses to believe in a lot of stuff he said. He didn’t take offense to this. He said science is yet to discover a lot of things.

Finally, Babaji put an end to our conversation. He said otherwise we would go on forever. He wished we had stayed the previous night so that we could have talked more. One by one we crawled out of the cave. Outside, Babaji got some coffee for us. After finishing the coffee we took a photograph with everyone, said goodbyes and headed back. I honestly don’t remember much of the journey back to Phurkia. I walked at a leisurely place lagging behind everyone. I was too engrossed in thinking about the day’s events and conversations with Babaji and Vasundra. I agreed with some of the things they said and disagreed with others. Still the encounters had left my mind with a plethora of new thoughts and that’s always a welcome thing.

A couple of hours later we joined everyone at Phurkia. Inside the rest-house we shared our experiences with Diggu and Chote. Although we were dead tired by the day’s journey, we decided to push it till Dwali. We packed our bags and left for the last leg of 5 km, after the 19 km we had done already. I sat down at the ledge of the trek admiring the view for the last time. There were a few cobra lilies that Chote and Diggu decided to shoot. It took them some 10 minutes but they were successful in the end. The return is often the toughest part of the journey. You are already tired and there isn’t the expectation of discovering a new place to spur you on. Geetika had shown great resolve through out the day but her legs were giving up now. I wasn’t feeling so good either and my sore right thumb was beginning to hurt now. The journey seemed endless as we labored on and on. A little more than a km from the Dwali, I have had enough and I told everyone I would see them at the rest-house. It was downhill all the way from here to Dwali and I broke into a frantic run. At a bend I nearly ran into three DDA team members as I swirled to avoid them. They got a real shock as I whisked past them. I kept running, more out of desperation this time.

I stopped only when I had reached Dwali. Tiwariji was already there and he asked me if I needed hot water for a bath. Oh what an angel - I couldn’t thank him enough. I hadn’t had a bath for 3 days now. I immediately got my clothes out and jumped into the bathroom. Warm water felt so wonderful over my tired body and aching legs. I came out feeling totally refreshed. Others had also come in by now. We all had a cup of tea. I sat in the fading light outside and read about Paul’s quest to find inner peace – “Be still and know that I am God”. We had egg curry in dinner that night. Vikas wanted to have a round of cards before we sleep, but all of us couldn’t find enough energy and called the day off. I made sure I got an extra blanket this time.