06 Jun

Solo Travel, Himachal Tribal Circuit – Lahaul Valley

By

During this stretch, a car had a flat tyre in the middle of a stream. The traffic had halted and the passengers of our bus, helped in changing the wheel. We started crawling forward, for being blocked once again by the same car, which was ahead of us. This time the car got stuck in a stream having big boulders. Again the passengers and staff of the bus came to the rescue of the car. Stones were planted strategically in front of the car tyres to provide some friction and the car was literally lifted out of the stream by the passengers.
We descended to the valley at Batal and from there we moved in the valley, literally on the river bed up to Chatru, which was our mid-day meal stop. Trekkers going to Chandratal from Manali or Keylong can stay here overnight. Chatru was the smallest village I have seen in terms of population, with a population of just 20 people. In fact there are no houses here, just 3-4 eateries catering to needs of the entire spectrum of passengers.

Read More

Solo Travel, Himachal Tribal Circuit – Spiti Valley

By

Next morning brought a very pleasant surprise. In the morning, I was having tea in the hotel balcony, clicking pictures of the serenity of Spiti valley. One youngster arrived in the compound of the hotel on a bike. It took me a while to recognize that he was one of the two boys from Mumbai whom I had met three days ago at the time of land slide traffic hold up near Karcham. Thus far, I was thinking that the bikers must have turned back from Nako village, where the road was totally destroyed. I was curious to know, how they had crossed that stretch. He [Alok} informed me that when they reached Nako village, being a Sunday, there was no BRO labor at Nako. So, they took a night halt in Nako village and next morning, with the help of BRO labor, they lifted their bikes across the steel girder. Hats off to these adventurous souls.

In Kaza also, I had to hire a car for visiting Key monastery and Kibber village [highest altitude village in the world- accessible by road}. In these valleys, government buses to remote villages go in the evening and return early next morning. Thus, 4-5 hour trip by car would take two days by public transport. We went about 7 kms. on the highway towards Manali and then took a right turn uphill for Kye monastery. It is an old monastery some 15 kms. from Kaza and the uphill road is good. But this monastery is not considered as important as Tabo and Dhankar monasteries by the Buddhists. The monastery is in much better shape, compared to the Dhankar monastery.

Read More

Doing nothing in Fagu, beyond Shimla

By

I must tell you readers about Fagu-which is 23km away from Shimla (and 3km from Kufree) is a great place for doing nothing and morning walks among apple and potato fields. Fagu is ,situated on the Hindustan Tibet Road at a height of about 2500 mts. We drove through Chhotta Shimla,and other crowed parts on to the road to Wildflower Hall and Kufri, stopping on the way to enjoy the fantastic views. You go thro the Victory Tunnel to CHHOTA SHIMLA- part of Kannaur Shimla, through Sanjauli,,cross another tunnel, through wooded forest toward KUFRI which is about 19 km from Shimla ,thro KUFRI by-pass and Fagu is 3km from Kufri on the Hindustan -Tibet road. It took us about 90 minutes, in our Skoda to reach the hotel of HP Tourism — Peach Blossom. Its a small village with only few small typical shops selling essential, nothing else. But the place is dotted with Apple gardens, terraced fields, potato fields etc . There was another group of People from Mumbai–all senior citizens, enjoying the place. We went down the hill though the apple gardens and fields. you can literally walk for hours- surrounded by Himalyan range so close,you could almost touch it. We were lucky that during our stay from 3rd April to 5th April, it became very very cold and we could see fresh snow falling on the peaks, and the whole area was totally covered by low clouds for hours.

Read More

केदारनाथ यात्रा 2014 – सोनप्रयाग से केदारनाथ।

By

रामबाड़ा पहुँच तो होश उड़ गए। सिर्फ रामबाड़ा नाम के अलावा  पर सही माने मे कुछ नहीं बचा था। अभी  मैं मंदाकनी नदी के बाएँ ओर चल रहा था लेकिन रामबाड़ा बाद आगे का पूरा रास्ता जिस पहाड़ पर बना था वो पहाड़ पिछले साल ढह गया था। सीधा बोलूँ तो रामबाड़ा बाद प्रशाशन नया रास्ता बनाया था। नए रास्ते पर जाने लिए बाएँ ओर से मंदाकनी को एक पुल के  जरिए पार करके दाएँ ओर जाना था। और अभी तक इस पुल पर काम चल रहा था।

कितने भयानक रूप से जलजला आया होगा। रामबाड़ा का नामोनिशान मिटा दिया। मेरी पिछली यात्राओं मे मैं और मेरा साथी यहीं पर विश्राम किया करते थे और पेट भर पराँठे खाया करते थे। यहाँ पर रात को सोने का इंतज़ाम भी हुआ करता था। ऐसी ही मेरी एक यात्रा मे केदारनाथ के दर्शन से लौटते वक़्त हमने रात के 2 बजे यहीं रामबाड़ा पर एक दूकान वाले से विनती करके कुछ खाने की पेशकश की थी। उस वक़्त उसके पास सिर्फ आलू की सब्ज़ी थी। हम उस साल 6 दोस्त गए थे। सभी भूखे थे हमारी हालत पर दुकानदार को तरस आया और बोला कि चलो ठीक है अंदर आ जाओ और पहले चाय पी लो तबतक मैं आटा गूँद देता हूँ। गर्म-गर्म रोटी और आलू की सब्ज़ी खाकर मज़ा आ गया था। तो मेरा ये वाक्य सुनाने का तात्पर्य यह है कि रामबाड़ा अपने आप मे एक सम्पूर्ण कसबे की तरह था। जहाँ पर यात्रा सीजन मे लोग हजारों की संख्या मे होते थे।   यहीं पर खच्चर स्टैंड भी हुआ करता था। लेकिन इस बार सब खत्म। जो पहली बार गया होगा वो कल्पना और यकीन अभी नहीं कर सकता कि रामबाड़ा पर कैसा कहर टूटा था।

Read More

केदारनाथ यात्रा 2014 – गुप्तकाशी से सोनप्रयाग – भाग 2

By

पता चला कि सिर्फ ब्लड प्रेशर की जाँच हो रही है। मेरा नंबर आया डॉक्टर ने मेरे BP की जाँच की तो मशीन ने 110/140 दिखाया। डॉक्टर ने कहा इस इसाब से तुम आगे यात्रा पर नहीं जा सकते। मैंने मायूस होकर डॉक्टर से बोला इतनी दूर से वापस जाने के लिए नहीं आया हूँ। उसने कहा टेंशन मत ले यार। मैंने फिर से बोला कि अकेले ही ड्राइव करके आया हूँ इतनी दूर क्या यह वजह हो सकती है वो हँसने लगा बोला तुम थोड़ी देर बैठ जाओ 30 मिनट बाद फिर से आना। मुझे टेंशन हो गई थी मैं बाहर गया और सुट्टे पर सुट्टा लगाने लगा। 30 मिनट बाद फिर से मैं जाँच के लिए गया तब भी मशीन ने 110/140 ही दिखाया। डॉक्टर बोला भाई ये तो गड़बड़ है मैं अनुमति नहीं दे सकता। आखिर मे डॉक्टर ने मेरा शुगर की जाँच की शुगर 135 निकली। शुगर ठीक थी। उसने जाँच केंद्र बंद करने से पहले 6 बार मेरे BP की जाँच की थी पर मायूसी के अलावा कुछ हाथ नहीं लगा। उन्होंने अपना सामान समेटा और चल दिए। डॉक्टर के एक सहयोगी ने मुझ से पुछा गुसाईं जी आप तो पहाड़ी ही हो तो ये क्या चक्कर है। मैंने बोला मैं तो समय-समय पर रक्त दान भी करता रहता हूँ कभी भी मुझे दिक्कत नहीं आई क्यूँकि रक्त लेने से पहले भी हमेशा BP की जाँच होती है तभी मैंने उसको बोला आज मैंने सुबह से सिगरेट बहुत पी ली है। वो एक दम से चौंक कर बोला भाई यही तो दिक्कत है यही कारण है कि BP ठीक नहीं है। उसने बोला अब और सिगरेट मत पीना और खाना खाकर सो जाना। मैंने खाना मे दाल, रोटी, सब्ज़ी, सलाद लिया और अगली सुबह पाँच बजे का अलार्म लगा कर सो गया।

Read More

केदारनाथ यात्रा 2014 – नॉएडा से गुप्तकाशी – भाग 1

By

श्रीनगर कुछ देर मे आने ही वाला था अब जाकर कुछ ट्रैफिक नज़र आने लगा था। महिंद्रा बोलेरो, टाटा सूमो, लोगों की पर्सनल गाड़ियाँ सटासट दौड़ रही थी। किसी पर बीजेपी तो किसी गाडी पर आप(आम आदमी पार्टी) के। तभी एक पुलिस वाले ने हाथ दिया, मैंने सोचा हो सकता है दिल्ली कि गाडी और अकेला सवार है कहीं ये सोचकर रोक रहा हो। मैंने गाड़ी रोकी, एक पुलिस कर्मी मेरी तरफ़ आया और दूसरा गाड़ी के आगे खड़ा हो गया। मुझे डरने की कोई लोड नहीं थी गाड़ी के कागज़ पूरे थे।

पुलिस वाला – कहाँ जा रहे हो ?
मैं – केदारनाथ।

पुलिस वाला – अकेले ?
मैं – हाँ।

पुलिस वाला – बड़ी हिम्मत है।
मैं – बस जि मूड़ कर गया।

दूसरा पुलिस वाला – क्या आप मुझे श्रीनगर तक छोड़ दोगे ?
मैं – मोस्ट वेलकम। आजाओ।

Read More

How I got the real flavour of Switzerland

By

On top of all this it had started drizzling, I still remember the walk. With my phone serving as the music player and torch and the hood of my rucksack as a pseudo rain coat, I walked across the dark pathways hearing distant bell tinging which was coming from nearby farmland. I walked across “cows” and saw “PRIVAT” sign board, and heaved a sigh of relief after meeting the hosts.

Read More

A Yatra to Takstang Monastery

By

Here winds are blowing strongly, carrying everybody’s prayer with it and bringing blessing for all- truly a heavenly experience. We enter into the monastery. There are small temples inside, each of them with images of Buddhist deities. The smell of incense fills the air, a divine atmosphere altogether. We are now near the Tiger’s Nest, a small board indicating that, the cave where the Guru Padmasambhava meditated. We peep into the cave one by one and feel great to witness such a sacred monastery.

On our way back down we stop in the cafeteria for our meal. But they charge Rs.460/- per head for buffet lunch, of course a vegetarian meal, so we remain happy with a bottle of cold drink at Rs.60/-. It takes less than an hour to get down. We thank God for blessing us with the opportunity to witness such a sacred place, to view such an architectural wonder and to accomplish the YATRA once in this life.

We are driving to Chelela Pass, the highest motorable roads in Bhutan which locates between the Haa and Paro valley. We are passing continuously through oak trees, at times glimpsing wild fowls with long tail feathers and free roaming yaks, then through snow capped roads climb slowly to the Chelela pass. A milestone placed along the road indicates the highest point on Dantak Road at an altitude of 3988 meter above the sea level. We see a perfect white Himalayan Mountains view from here.

Read More

Week long Kumaon Trip – March 2014

By

Fortunately clear skies gave us a chance to say proper goodbye to mighty tops. Chukhamba, Trishul, Nandadevi and Panch-chuli were among many shikhars visible today morning. It is said, only from Kausani, distinct trishul shape can be seen on the equilateral triangle shaped Trishul peak. In fact these are three peaks on one massif. Though we might be seeing mountain tops still from our next points of visit but not all of them in one go.

We started descending for Ranikhet. The valley was green with wheat and mustard farms. Most of the farms were carved in hill terraces. Different shades of green were splashed on round curved fields. Apple trees were leafless but were bearing white flowers. Some of the other trees were total yellow and some red. But many others had shed their leaves in the winter and were waiting for warmer weather. Spring has almost arrived but frequent unexpected snowfall has delayed blooming season. Anyways, fall does have its own beauty. I could not resist myself from comparing seasons with life-cycle.

On the way, we visited a kalika temple. Next was a Golf Course which was covered with yellow grass. It was noon time so couldn’t stand in open for long and moved ahead. One more temple, a shawl factory and a barren empty fruit orchard could not interest us much.
Ranikhet is basically an army cantonment area. Lots of training facility buildings and practice grounds occupy most of the town. Security connected jawans and their families form majority of population. Cleanliness and environmental care was visible in the town. Civilian areas had not matched that standard.

Read More

Bringing Back Some Hues from the Beautiful Valley Of Kashmir

By

This time around we decided to travel to Kashmir, the most “in news” state of our country, for all the very wrong reasons though! The Gurupurb holiday clubbed with a weekend gave us the three days to plan our trip. We left for Kashmir, fraught with all the apprehensions in the world, and yet excited. On arrival at the airport we were warmly greeted by Dr. M.H Wani, an academician, working towards nation building in his own humble ways; however we didn’t know how our myopic views about this breathtaking place were to be altered by the end of this trip!

Read More

Ladakh Calling… (Part 6) Leh – Sarchu (260 Kms)

By

From “Zing Zing Bar” it was more a downhill journey & our bulls were easily cruising through. By the time we reached “Darcha” it was 12:00 Hrs. We had a cup of tea with hot maggi & pushed of quickly. It started becoming cold with moderate rain. “Keylong” was just 8 kms away when it started raining heavily. We took a halt under a tree shade & after few minutes of (SuGa) break we resumed our journey. It was 14:00 Hrs when we reached “Keylong” & managed to get a decent room on the road side & parked our bikes just in front of our room.

Read More