Trekking, Camping, Climbing And Traveling In Himalayas

Korzok Village- Remote Ladakh

2010-04-15T06:50:00.002+05:30

Korzok Village

Changthang district plateau, Lakdah , Himalayan India

The lady of my guesthouse was dressing up as I left the house in the morning for a walkabout. I photographed her dressing up and helped her with her costumes and jewellery. I had unbashingly invited myself into her bedroom and she welcomed me quite openly although she was a little amused how excited I was seeing her dressing up. Her head gear lined with precious turquoise was incredibly heavy and it was amazing how she could wear that for the whole day. The whole setup was heavy and took quite awhile to dress. You could tell how precious every gear and every jewellery were to her as she unwrapped them after taking them out from a wooden chest. Obviously these were her only possessions from her dowry as often female were only given these passed down from their mothers as their only financial property. We couldn’t really communicate as I couldn’t speak Ladakhi and know only little Hindi, and she, spoke only little Hindi and no English. I came to know that she was going to meet the High Lama who was coming for the blessings and she motioned that she was also going to dance for the festival. Really did wish I could have communicated with her and perhaps asked her more about her life in this remote little village. Along the only street out of Korzok, I came upon this bunch of women all dressed in their finest costumes, they gathered and then quickly disappeared back down to the mud lined houses. Curious and wondered what they were up to, I was walking around from house to house, took me quite a while before I found them hidden away at one of the ladies’ houses. They were rehearsing for their folk dance in preparation of the upcoming festival. Couldn’t really understand what they were doing, it was a form of line dancing where they held their hands and walked front and then back while singing one of the village songs. They often stopped and discussed what they would do next then continued on with their humming. It got kinda repetitive after that. The head gear lined with turquoise stones was usually their only prized finanical possesions and the women usually were given very little property, except for those costumes and jewellery. Their silk cape lined with pashima sheep wool which was their main live stock in their village.

Origional Work: Travellust

About The Author:

My Aim for the travels?

I want my life to be shaped by this travel lust. To capture the world as seen through my eyes and to remember it when I was there. I’m an introverted quiet person hardly sociable, don’t really like to talk or chatter much, but as I travelled, I have changed a little, traveling has forced me to be a little more open to people and to life, it reallly does shape you whether you realise it or not.

Heat in plains of North India - Himalayas is hot destination.

2009-05-17T23:12:00.001+05:30

Dramatic rise is heat in plains of North India has forced either people to remain indoors or to run for himalayas which is getting busier each day by thousands of vehicles running into it.

Char dham yatra has started and Srinagar and Manali are HOT destinations.

Kinner Kailash Circuit - A Tough Option

2009-05-01T07:58:00.004+05:30

KINNER KAILASH CIRCUIT- A TOUGH TREK IN TRIBAL HIMACHAL PRADESH

Owners of two trekking agencies held

2008-11-02T20:05:00.000+05:30

Owners of two trekking agencies have been arrested for allegedly sending the trekkers to high altitudes of the Garhwal Himalayas despite inclement weather that led to the death of five porters in September.

The five porters died on the way to Kalindi Badrinath trek after they were caught in a blizzard prompting the Uttarakhand government to order a probe in this regard.

Police sources said efforts are on to arrest the owner of New Delhi based third trekking agency, which was booked in the case.

The arrests were made on Saturday after investigations found these three trekking agencies guilty of the crime, the case for which was registered by Sub Divisional Magistrate of Bhatwari on September 24, they said.

Dharmendra Panwar of Uttarkashi-based Himalayan Adventure and Kapil Singh of Dehra Dun-based Mount Shepherd have been arrested while a police team has been sent to New Delhi to arrest the owner of Grand Adventure agency, which has its office at Shakarpur area.

Police investigations found out that they facilitated the trekkers of the two teams, including one from Australia, obtaining the inner line permit to go on adventure tour to Badrinath -Kalindi trek from September 10-15 despite knowing well that the weather conditions in the higher Himalayas might be adverse during the period.

An 11-member team of trekkers and porters from home and another 35-member team from Australia were trapped in a blizzard in September. While all the trekkers were rescued safely, five porters were killed in the incident.

High altitude trekking closed- Tribal village treks for winters.

2008-10-12T13:07:00.004+05:30

With Himalayas getting cooller every coming day and reports of closer of high passes and stranded trekkers coming on our TV screens - I think this is time when we should change our plans to visit high altitudes. Even calculative risk can go beyond control. We see what happens in Kinnaur, Lahaul and Spiti in September is somewhat shock to all those who realized that they are on mercy of clouds, Sun and people who will come for rescue.

Himadventures is suggesting treks of Central India [ Sahyadr Mountain Range ] to all clients and inquiries and more and more people are showing interest in exploring this vast horizon of tribal region which is situated in dense jungles.

Beas Kund and surrounding

2008-08-17T00:27:00.001+05:30

Kinner Kailash Circuit- google Earth Image

2008-08-17T00:21:00.001+05:30

Malana - Himachal Pradesh.

2008-05-14T06:33:00.001+05:30

* Do not touch people, some rocks & stones in this village. They are sacred and heavy fine from village head have to be paid instantly.

BACKGROUND: Situated in Kullu Distt. of Himachal Pradesh. Malana is famous for its unique history. Tribal people here find their roots with Alexandria. It is widely believed that people of Malana are direct descendant of Greeks,which visited India during one of their campaigns under Alexander the Great. The very features, language, religion and socioeconomic structure resembles with ancient Greek civilization. This is quite true that they manage their own judicial, social and religious lives- which is unique in its own way-and that's major attraction for people to visit and witness a life style where certain stones are also sacred and in case someone touches them-have to be heavily fined. Malana is unique village where a tourist is told very clearly about his limits and its penelty.One can not touch certain stones and neither touching the residents is accepted.Accidents do happen and they draw very heavy penalty from trekkers/tourists. Although Indian Govt. knew very well about activities and drug culture going on,but strangely there have been no steps taken till date. Hence Malana is still considered one of the great mines of "high quality " of Charas.And many locals have become millionaires within couple of years.

PHASE1 One can reach Bhuntar by air also,otherwise it is well connected by road and heavy traffic of buses and taxis is there to accommodate every one.Bhuntar is situated on Kullu-Manali highway.From Bhuntar one has to turn for Manikaran which is a religious place for Sikhs. Kasol is just on way to Manikaran,just a 45 min. drive from Bhuntar.One can smell the very air filled with western music and small eating joints serving different different dishes.I have seen many "Hippies" spending good time here,before starting climbing for Rashol.

PHASE2 Trek is very easy in first leg and well defined.One encounters many people from different countries ,enroute.So ,no confusion.Rashol is bit higher and last leg of the day may leave you bit tired.There are now well equipped eating joints which are also offering night stays,for very nominal prices.

PHASE3 Start early and within three Hrs., Malana shows its beautiful fields. Now they do not cultivate "smoking stuff" this side of the trek (Media attention) There is INSTRUCTION BOARD Rt. at enterence...study it very carefully. No police is going to come for your help in any case.They make and rule their own laws.This is Malana. Inquire before photography..there are certain stones/rocks/temples which are not allowed to be photographed.You can eat at many eating joints and boarding is also provided by them.Have a nice time.

NOTE: Our personal experience is that this region is not safe for solo trekkers and please do not go alone.

Google

2007-09-20T15:25:00.002+05:30

Major Highways Opened

2007-08-15T08:32:00.002+05:30

After landslides caused by heavy rains- traffic was stopped on major highwaysof uttaranchal. Thousands of vehicles were stranded but now traffic had been restored besides heavy rains.

Monsoon Havoc In Himachal- 65 reported Dead in Coud Burst

2007-08-15T08:32:00.000+05:30

Over 65 persons were feared to have been washed away in flashfloods caused by a cloudburst in Ghanvi village, about 175 km from here, this evening. So far four bodies have been recovered.

According to initial reports reaching here, 14 houses were swept away and 13 partially damaged by the gushing water and debris, which came down from Dharla village located uphill. There were a large number of labourers working at the Ghanvi Project (Stage-I) who lived in hutments.

A primary health centre building and a residence of a doctor were also washed away. Some employees and students, who lived in rented accommodations, were also feared to have been killed. Exact details were not available as the village had been cut off with flood waters washing away roads.

Deputy Commissioner Tarun Kapoor said there were around 100 persons, mostly labourers, who lived in temporary hutments and around 15 houses of villagers. All approaches to the area had been blocked due to landslides and exact information would be available only in the morning.

The local subdivisional magistrate was camping at Juri and rescue teams had been sent to the village.

The Ghanvi power plant was shut down as the level of silt rose to 15,000 ppm due to flashfloods. The 300-MW Baspa Project was also closed due to high silt level.

French man dies while trekking in Himachal

2007-08-14T06:57:00.000+05:30

A French national who was trekking in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu valley died after he slipped and fell into a stream, police said.

Goergett Gregory, 26, and his two friends were trekking near Vashiht Thursday when he fell into a 300-feet deep gorge. He died on the spot, the media Friday quoted Manali police officer Sanjay Sharma as saying.

Police said Gregory's friends, including his French girlfriend, were with him when the accident took place.

Experts from the Mountaineering Institute of Manali pulled out the body. The French embassy in New Delhi has been informed about the accident

Gastroenteritis reported from Kullu areas

2007-08-14T06:56:00.000+05:30

Areas around Archhandi village near Naggar village have reported about 12 cases of gastroenteritis in the past two days and more than 24 cases of acute diarrhoea. Four cases were admitted to the government Aurvedic Hospital, Katrain, yesterday and seven were admitted to a private clinic, Chand Medical Centre (CMC), Patlikuhal.

Dr O. P. Ghandwal, medical health officer, and officiating chief medical officer, here, said a team of doctors and paramedical staff had rushed to the village and taken stock of the situation. He said he himself was also in the village and the situation there was under control.

He said the team had treated 10 cases scattered in four-five hamlets, but none of the patients was seriously ill. Ghandwal confirmed that the cause of the disease was the contaminated drinking water, as the people were drinking supplies of the Nullah water, which was not fit for human consumption.

He further said the villagers had been advised to take precautions and use boiled water until the Irrigation and Public Health Department cured the water. He said “There is no outbreak or epidemic” as feared and “things are under control”.

Heavy Rains in Himachal Pradesh- More than 50 dies

2007-08-14T06:54:00.000+05:30

The over century-old railway station at Koti on the Shimla-Kalka track was washed away in a cloud burst and 19 persons were killed at various places over the past 24 hours as rain havoc continued in the state for the second day today. With this, the death toll due to rain-related incidents over the past two days has risen to 50.

Normal life remained totally paralysed as not only the link roads but even the main highways, including Shimla-Kalka, Shimla-Mandi and Hindustan-Tibet road, remained blocked by landslides. People of Solan, Shimla, Kinnaur and parts of Bilaspur and Mandi districts went without newspapers, milk, vegetables and other daily necessities. The transportation from Kinnaur, Rampur and upper Shimla areas was affected due to numerous road blockades.

Six persons died in Solan district, which recorded the heaviest rain in the state. Dharampur received 330.5 mm of rain in less than 24 hours during the cloudburst, which brought down Koti station. The massive landslide not only disrupted the movement of trains but also blocked the Shimla-Kalka national highway causing one of the worst traffic jams in recent times. More than 3,000 vehicles remained stranded for about 18 hours on both sides of the blockade. Two persons were killed in Kasuali, two in Nagli and another two in Parwanoo. Nadaun in Hamirpur recorded the highest rainfall of 511 mm over the past 48 hours (280 mm in 24 hours), followed by Bharanj 456.5 mm (142.2 mm), Dharampur 373.7 mm (330.5 mm), Mandi 361.5 mm (174.5 mm) and Guler 356.1 mm (146mm and Sundernagar 340.6mm(147.5 mm).

A family of four, including a five-month old child, was buried in a landslide in Nag village near Matiana in Upper Shimla area. The other three deceased, all Nepali labourers, were identified as Prem Kumari, Man Prasad and Bhim Bahadur.

Power situation improved somewhat as 300 MW of generation was resumed, improving the grid frequency to 49.4 from yesterday’s 48.7. However, the 1500 MW could not be generated for the third consecutive day though the level of silt in Sutlej came down from 70,000 ppm to 14,000 ppm today. The project can be operated only up to a silt level of 4,000 ppm. The silting of water sources feeding Shimla town affected pumping of water as a result of which taps remained dry in most parts of the town.

Four more persons were reported killed the Kangra district. The rescue workers recovered two bodies from the landslide under which some shops were buried in Jwalamukhi. One person died in Dehra and another was washed away in Kotla. A women and an 11-year old boy were washed away in Lot village and an unidentified women was washed away in Suketi Khad in the Mandi district. A couple was buried alive in Lathiani village in Hamirpur district. In Kinnaur landslides at six places blocked the main highway from Reckong Peo to Pooh.

Trekking in SAHYADRI MOUNTAIN RANGE- Ratan Gad

2007-04-01T08:44:00.000+05:30

Ratan(Gem) gad is a high plateau in the beautiful bhandardara region near Nashik(Nasik), it lies near harishchandragad and kalsubai peak. It lies 20 kms away from the bhandardara dam. Lashing rains for 2 days, extreme windy conditions and some exciting climbs made this one of the most memorable treks in recent times.

Ratan(Gem) gad is a high plateau in the beautiful bhandardara region near Nashik(Nasik), it lies near harishchandragad and kalsubai peak. It lies 20 kms away from the bhandardara dam. Lashing rains for 2 days, extreme windy conditions and some exciting climbs made this one of the most memorable treks in recent times.

THESE IMAGES ARE WORK OF:
Sandip R. Kakad

Senior Design Engineer
Infotech Enterprise Ltd.
Hyedrabad
(Cell Phone) +91 99 08 45 08 08[/b]

Global warming- effect in Himachal Pradesh

2007-03-10T12:01:00.000+05:30

global warming has now a local angle too. It has been found that the Vaspa basin here has been de-glaciating at an estimated 19 per cent from 1962 to 2001. The Indian part of the Himalayas, which has about 15,000 glaciers is retreating by 30 meters per annum—a cause of serious concern among the scientists.

These were the major focus of the two-day workshop on ‘Climatic Change and its Impact on Farming Systems and Natural Resources’ at Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni.

The scientists said if the present rate of de-glaciations continues, the likelihood of the Indian glaciers disappearing by the year 2035 would be high as pointed out in a recent report of the International Commission for Snow and Ice. The report further states that the Asian glaciers may increase the water flow in several rivers, thus increasing the frequency of floods and adversely impacting agriculture.

Dr Jagmohan Chauhan, vice-chancellor, Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, while addressing the participants said the climatic changes taking place in the past 150-200 years due to human activities had been rapid. The green-house emissions have contributed to the global warming. The global atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased by 32 per cent where the pre-industrial level of 280 PPM has soared to 379 PPM in 2005.

As per the report of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climatic Change, the global average surface temperature may increase by 1.4 to 5 degree centigrade by the end of the 20th century while the sea level may rise from 0.18 to 0.60 meter by the turn of the century.

The participants agreed that the global warming had been brought about mainly by the human activities like rapid industrialisation, enhanced use of fossil fuels as well as intensive agricultural practices. This has led to an increased concentration of green-house gases in the atmosphere, especially carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

The workshop concluded with various recommendations like a need for the estimation of biomass and carbon pool of trees outside forests, developing adaptation strategies which should include development of drought/heat tolerant genotype, improved farm management practices, change in land use, watershed management and agri-insurance. The thrust of the research should be on impact assessment further based on demand and supply of foods crops, plantation, agro-forestry, soils, water, pests, fish and livestock, equity and vulnerable ecosystems.

Latest Weather In North India

2007-03-10T11:57:00.000+05:30

Dry Weather

Temperature: Past 24 hours change: The maximum temperatures fell in Haryana and changed little elsewhere. Departure: They were appreciably below normal in Haryana, Punjab and east Uttar Pradesh, below normal in Rajasthan and west Uttar Pradesh, above normal in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir and normal in the rest of the region. The highest temperature in the region was 30.4 degree Celsius recorded at Barmer (Rajasthan).

Forecast : Weather will be mainly dry over the region. Rain/snow is likely at a few places in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir from tomorrow evening.

NOTE: By the time this post goes to publish-weather has changed dramatically in himalayas and north india. ot had start raining and cloud formation looks like it will be raining tomorrow also. Higher reaches of himalayas are reporting heavy to moderate snowfall.

Adventure And Outdoor Travel Forum - Index

2007-03-10T11:50:00.000+05:30

Adventure And Outdoor Travel Forum - Index

Tribal Trekking Routes In SAHYADRI MOUNTAINS

2007-02-12T07:34:00.000+05:30

Living in a Tribal village is a unique experience. This tour offers you a chance to see village life very closely. You will stay in a tribal village with tribal people. Most of the villages are located at the mountain base and having lot of Jungle around. In this tour you will do trekking from one village to another.
The Tribal Village - Trekking Tour

Duration	8 Nights and 9 Days
Places to Visit	Mumbai - Bhandardara - (Villages) Ghatghar - Saamrad - Ratanwadi - Kumshet -Shirpunje
Day 1:	Mumbai Arrive in Mumbai and takeover from Airport, Transfer to the Hotel. Rest day.
Day 2:	Mumbai - Bhandardara (182 km Drive) Travel from Mumbai to Bhandardara which is around 182 km by road. Bhandardara is a Hill station having lot of things to see you can have extra day to explore this area. Transfer to the Hotel.
Day 3:	*Bhandardara - Ghatghar (22 km Drive)* Drive to Ghatghar which is a first village where we will be having our Camp. Night stay in Camp.
Day 4:	*Ghatghar -* Saamrad (Aprox. 5 km Trek) A short trek to next village. Explore this village and surrounding. Night stay in Camp.
Day 5:	*Saamrad - Ratanwadi (Aprox. 8 km Trek)* Trek to next village. This trek will go through lots of ups and downs and through Jungle also. Night stay in Camp.
Day 6:	*Ratanwadi - Ratangad - Jungle Camp (Aprox. 10 km Trek)* Trek to next village. Visit Ratangad(4255 ft.) It is an interesting fortress, situated at the edge of ghats with numerous water cisterns and caves.It also commands an excellent view all around. Night stay in Jungle Camp.
Day 7:	*Jungle Camp - Kumshet (Aprox. 12 km Trek)* Trek to next village. Explore this village and surrounding. Night stay in Camp.
Day 8:	*Kumshet - Shirpunje (Aprox 15 km Trek OR Drive)* Drive to next village. Explore this village and surrounding. Night stay in Camp.
Day 9:	*Shirpunje - Bhandardara - Mumbai (Aprox 225 km Drive)* Travel back to Mumbai. Night stay in Hotel. Tour End.
Note: You can customize this tour according to your plan. Please do not hesitate to contact us for your questions and concerns. Email : info@himadventures.net

Sahyadri mountains- hidden treasure for trekkers and adventure lovers.

2006-07-21T17:16:00.000+05:30

Trekking- A wonderful experience for one who is interested to see beauty of nature and its miracles. In day-to-day life we often read about wonders of nature through books, magazines etc, but in fact we are unaware of mysterious nature. Trekking is a way by which it can be experienced, obviously it will be beneficial for us, because knowingly we destroy nature's beautiful places by throwing garbage here and there .We have to obey some rules to keep nature clean, that are learnt by trekking.

Jim corbett- wildlife sanctuary tour in Uttaranchal-INDIA

2006-06-21T20:50:00.000+05:30

Jim Corbett- wildlife sanctuary in Uttaranchal.
Besides Tiger and lot of animals-there are 600 species of birds and some of them are rare species.

HAMTA PASS- Scenic trail in himalayas.

2006-06-19T12:57:00.000+05:30

Hamta Pass- is a scenic trail in Himalayas.

Manali - Hamta Pass
Standard Trekking Plan
Takeover Point: Delhi /Chandigarh
Himalayan Range/ Base : Manali
Maximum Elevation: 4270m
Grade : Easy/Moderate

Day 01 : Arrival Delhi - Meet at the airport and transferred to hotel OR Travel for Chandigarh. This is aprox 300 kms. of journey- Overnight in hotel. { Most international flights lands in night-stay in Delhi is recomended )

Day 02: Travel from Chandigarh to Manali through Kullu.This is aprox 250 kms. of journey which starts from foothills of Himalayas and reaches close to tale of Pir Panjal which is largest Himalayan Range.
Enroute we will stop for tea/coffee and snacks. Our travel is through small towns and villages of Himachal Pradesh which is becoming a role model in tourism and industry growth. ( Hydro Power,Horticulture and Agrocultue)

DAY 3: Manali to Hamta village
DAY 4: Hamta to Chhika (3000 m)Situated on a grassy bank slopping down from the cliffs, it is an ideal location for the end of the day-march.
DAY 5: Chhika to Balu Paddar (3800 m)The impressive grandeur of immediate surroundings, the nearness of Tokru Shakru peaks, the wonderful coloring of the rocks and mountain side mark the trek.
DAY 6: Balu Paddar to Hamta Pass (4270 m)Over Hamta Pass at a height of 4270 m, get a close view of Deo Tibba & Indrasan.
DAY 7: Hamta Pass to ChhatruCross the Hamta Pass and visit the Chandra Valley.
DAY 8: Chhatru To Chhota Dara (3740 m)A walk through the rugged valley.
DAY 9: Chota Dara to Batal (3960 m)Batal is situated at the foot of Kunzum Pass, which provides the main approach to Spiti from Lahoul.
DAY 10: Batal to Chandertal (4270 m)Chandertal or Lake Of Moon is of exquisite beauty. It is set on large meadows of alwaiss between a lower ridge and the main Kunzum range with an outlet into Chandra River.
Day 11: Chandertal to Batal- Back trek and reaching Manali in evening.Hotel stay
Day 12: Manali to Chandigarh: 250 kms of mountain travel.Hotel stay
Day 13: Chandigarh to Delhi - 260 kms. of travel in plains.
TOUGH OPTIONS: FURTHER TREKKING TO BARALACHA LA
DAY 12: Chandertal to Topko Yogma (4320 m)
DAY 13: Topko Yogma to Topko Gogma (4640 m)
DAY 14: Topko-Gogma to Baralacha-La (5100 m)Today's trail takes us through high country streams with myriad streams flowing through green meadows. Ahead lies 5100 m high Baralacha-La camp near a beautiful emerald lake Suraj Tal, source of River Bhaga.
DAY 15: Baralacha-La to Manali
Day 16: Manali to Chandigarh: 250 kms of mountain travel.Hotel stay
Day 17: Chandigarh to Delhi - 260 kms. of travel in plains.

Sahyadri Mountains- A heaven for trekkers and nature lovers

2006-05-06T15:47:00.001+05:30

The Sahyadri, with their rugged topography, rocky mountains and pinnacles, historic hill forts, huge lakes and extensive forest region are a virtual paradise for trekking, climbing and camping. The Sahyadris provide a wide choice of outdoor and adventure to all lovers of outdoor life - the trekker, the climber and the nature lover.

Monsoon Trekking in Western Ghats:: Almost in all the mountain region, world over, rain means bad weather. While in the Sahyadris it is great weather! One of the finest time to trek. Hiking during the monsoon has a special charm which no other season can provide:

Trekking in Sahyadri: Sahyadri offers every type of trail but best there is one thing common in whole mountain range-water problem. We do not suggest to use openly stored rain water -although millions drinks the same but we may not be that much immune as they are and by experience we have seen that bottled water is better than taking risk.

Rock Climbing : Ample oppertunities for rock climbers. From beginners to experienced climbers. From pillars to needles...this is heaven for adventurers.

People who are interested in getting close to tribal living in remote mountains.
Do have a visit at these villages where life exists as it was many many years back.

EXCEPTIONAL INDIANS

2006-04-05T15:23:00.000+05:30

Late Mr. Surjan Singh Bhandari
N.S.G. Commando
During The Attack on Akshardham temple on 24th September 2002 this Brave Man fought the greatest battle of his life. Yes he was the N.S.G. Commando Late Mr. Surjan Singh , who sacrificed his life for the Nation. Sadly On 19th May 2004 he lost the Toughest an d Longest battle against life exactly after 600 Days being in Coma, he lost this life.

The Bullet which hit him in the head made him Unconscious for almost 600 days. His family members were hoping that one day their Hero will open his eyes but he didn't.

It was the Longest Wait for the family members of this Brave Man. When the whole India was busy in Guessing Who will be the Next PM of the country - Will it be Sonia or will it be Manmohan Singh, This man was fighting his Last battle. But it's so sad that in the hype of all the Political Drama, the News about his Death was Lost like a needle in a hay stack! Even the leading News Papers & So Called Best News Channels of India which Works on 24 X 7 basis, failed to highlight this story of the Brave Man. Unfortunately it was mentioned somewhere on the middle page of some newspaper.....This was the Reward for the Brave task for which he lost his life.

Besides his Family members, only one thing was there with him during those toughest 600 days. It was there near his bed till the last Moment. Can you guess what it was?............... It was the "Tiranga", yes! Our National Flag, which was saluting him for his Great cause. Absolutely No words can suffice our Gratitude towards him...
If news papers refuse to cover, TV channels refuse to cover, let us do our bit.

CONTRUBUTED BY: MANISH BHATTI
Manish.Patti@mbl.in

Hem Kund Report, Trekking To Hem Kund, Badrinath, Joshimath

2006-03-13T20:43:00.000+05:30

Hem Kund Report, Trekking To Hem Kund, Badrinath, Joshimath - Gharwal is known for its jungle and wild life.It is very well connected by road/trains and by air. Hemkund,a sacred lake claiming connection with past life of Tenth saint of Sikhs(Guru Gobind Singh)was discovered by a Bengal Rifles,Sikh sepoy. And from then on, thousands of pilgrims visit this lake every year ,situated at 4250 Mtrs.Badrinath is Hindu ancient temple which is also visited by thousand devotees from all over the country/world

Beas Kund- A Hidden Valley in Heaven

2005-08-24T18:08:00.000+05:30

This report is not written to present you with a technical account of the trek but to tell you of my experience of the first trek which I undertook to Beas kund.

( Copyright: www.himadventures.net with thanks)
I discovered a new world with it's own challenges. It made me realize the temporaries of the matters that surround us in daily life. It brought me closer to God and to be able to appreciate His nature and plans for human life. Furthermore it made me realize my own vulnerabilities and strengths. In fact I can say that if you think yourself to be strong and unconquerable, come to the mountains!
My experience of Beas Kund started with Sammy's idea of taking a trek during a conversation. Getting along with an experienced climber seemed a good idea for a novice like me. So we gathered together as a team of 5 (Samuel, Gurpreet, Gurvinder - the Kinnar Kailash Circuit Team and the two of us - Anjali my wife, and I.)
We reached Solang Nalla in the noon with a cloudy weather awaiting us. Gurvinder was enthusiastic enough to suggest pitching our tents at Solang only. However we checked in at a local inn as it had rained in Solang and the locals were expecting a bad weather. Sammy took us out to the surrounding lush ski slopes for an initial tuning up of our bodies. By evening the weather had worsened and downpour started and our journey seemed to be in jeopardy. My body also gave it's first signal of being unable to cope in Solang by two episodes of dizziness.

( Copyright: http://www.himadventures.net/ with thanks)

By night the reports came that a bridge had been washed away by the river turbulence and it would not be possible to go beyond Dhundi, the site of first camp. The porters too were reluctant to accompany us. We slept that night with both a dampened weather and dampened hearts. Gurpreet was in a bad mood and depressed at the turn of events or more to say the weather, and as we learnt later Gurvinder also had his share of a nightmare that night.
However the morning greeted us with a sunny cheer and we decided to proceed with our original plan of hitting Dhundi and decide on our further course as per the situation at the site. We started at 8.30 am, carrying our own loads, and reached Dhundi comfortably by 12.30 pm through the mud and marsh of the road project being undertaken. Four kilometers from Solang we had tea at a local tea stall built for the construction workers. The owner Sohanlal served us tea and very enthusiastically told us mythical stories about the Beaskund.At Dhundi we pitched our tents next to the river in an area vacated be shepherds as was evident by the makeshift kitchen of slate stones. Some distance away we could see the white tiled establishment of the SASE ( Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment).

That afternoon a herd of buffaloes were returning back to lower terrain. We were distracted by shouts and cries coming from downstream. As we watched from our posts we saw a young calf being washed away by the currents of the river we had just crossed. The calf was eventually saved but the tactical maneuvering by the shepherds and the struggles of life encountering death in its face were to leave an indelible mark in our hearts. The team enthusiastically prepared lunch of parathas while I had to lie inside when my body gave a second signal of giving up (probably due to exposure) as I had lightened my clothing out of zeal. Later that evening I had severe nausea and headache a manifestation of mountain sickness, but fortunately it was the last episode to come as my body was slowly acclimatizing.
Next morning after a light breakfast of cold rice pudding we started for Bakkar-thach. This was a tough leg as the river was partially flooded and we had to walk barefoot across freezing waters. The route also became steeper and partially disrupted due to the rains. The bridge reported to be broken was rebuilt by the returning shepherds, as was our expectation. It was a row of small wood laid upon two parallel logs. We reached Bakkar- thach in about three and a half hours along with a group of advanced mountaineering course students. We had to struggle to find a camping place because the main area was already occupied by a Students training course. Bakkar- thach (meaning the Goat Pasture in local language) is a beautiful place surrounded by snow-capped mountains on one side and green hills on another side serving as pastures. We could clearly see the famous peaks of Pir Panjal range - the Hanuman Tibba, the Seven Sisters, Friendship Peak and Laddak Peak. This is also the place used by mountaineering students for basic training. From our camps we could see students practicing on packed snow.
We had another sumptuous lunch by our culinary skilled members (Gurpreet, Gurvinder and Anjali). The warm sun at Bakkar thach removed all our apprehension and we could look forward to another better day. We started for Beas Kund the next day at around 9.30am. This was the toughest bit because of the sudden change in terrain. A moraine of large rocks, the way through which could only be discerned by Cairns placed by trekkers and shepherds, followed a steep slippery terrain of about 60 degrees. This place also bears strange marks on the rocks that seem to be fossilized remains of ancient ocean life that was once a submerged area. Sammy also showed us the rocks containing quartz. We crossed a crevasse with our hearts in our mouth. Soon we were descending into the sprawling valley of Beas Kund that presented a spectacular refreshing sight to our weary bodies. This valley must have been the bed of the river Beas now reduced in flow as was evident from the sandy terrain of the valley and the myriad streams in which the river had been split. We pitched our tents in almost the center of the valley at around 13.00 pm along the bank of a stream. All we could see was a shelter of some shepherds who came to higher altitudes to graze their goats and sheep and wild strawberries plants growing in abundance all over. The serenity of the valley broken only by the sound of the streams and falls was enough to take away the tire of the last three days. This place is worth spending four to five days away from the complexities of civilized life. After a hasty lunch we went to see Beas Kund that was around one kilometer from our camp. This is a small sized pool with a yet unexplored depth fed by a waterfall. The other end of the pool opens into a small stream considered to be the starting of the river Beas. Because of its peculiar location the pool has many beliefs and stories associated with it.
Returning to our camps we were joined by flocks of sheep descending from the high pastures. Shepherds bring their sheep for two months in a year to this area to improve the quality of yield. Intrigued by this fact I tried to look into the vegetation and found that this place has got a special type of grass with soft and rounded blades that I did not see in the lower areas of Solang. We just made it in time to our camp as a dense fog soon surrounded us with visibility reduced to only a metre. The weather is much more unpredictable in this area. The fog that took us unaware stayed for a half hour and then cleared away as fast as it had descended. Sammy's experience came handy in this place and by night he decided that we pack up next morning as the weather did not look good. The morning came with the rains and we prepared to leave as soon as was feasible.

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The drizzle stopped at around 7.20 am and we started off. However we could see the return path enclosed in deep fog. Soon after, the drizzling started again but we decided to continue as the weather was expected to turn worse. We had expected to stop midway and to pitch our tent for rest. However that seemed unwise, as the weather grew ominous. We continued on our journey and decided to hit back Solang the same day somehow. During this journey I came to realize the endurance built inside the human body and was amazed to see my own performance. Not only we finished our return journey in one stretch but we also went back through the same slopes that we thought was impossible to descend again. All I knew was the continuous work my legs did as my body fought with the cold and rain with the heat it produced.
I cannot imagine how we all gathered the strength to walk the slippery rocks, loose scree and muddy goat tracks down slope with drenched tents, rucksack and clothing. The trip was not void of funny incidents as we slipped one after the other. The first noticeable fall was of Anjali but her sadness was soon cured by Gurpreet's secret confession that he had already accomplished the feat twice! All in all he had seven falls as the poor fellow was carrying the largest tent. The cheerful spirit maintained by the team members and the Sammy's constant motivation and push kept our feet moving. Finally after walking for six and a half hours in the incessant rain we crossed the now churning Beas a last time and reached Sohanlal's tea stall where we relished two rounds of hot tea. However we soon realized that our bodies were shivering as the rest had made us realize the harsh weather around us.

We reached Solang in another forty-five minutes to finally enter the hotel and enjoy a hot relaxing bath. The one pair of clothing we had left behind for our trip in Manali came handy, as water had percolated through our rucksacks completely. It was fun to realize that even the locals would not believe that we had accomplished it in this rough weather.We returned back to our homes the next day to find that the smooth roads had given way to landslides and dangerous potholes throughout the way. The rains remained with us throughout the drive back home and even till the next day. It gave us much relief to realize that we had returned well in time to get one extra day to relax in our homes. And while the exhaustion of the days was soon washed away their footprints remained!
NOTE: Beas Kund can be used as camping, High altitude camping, Climbing open peaks ( You do not have to have permission to climb ) and some hardcore open routes for climbing are also there

PINDARI GLACIER -A TREKKING REPORT

2005-07-06T15:33:00.000+05:30

We had heard a lot about the scenic beauty of this 100 km trek, especially the Zero Point where the Glacier melts and the Pindari River originates.

Many go to the Himalayas in search of peace and solace. We accepted the challenge thrown by its mighty peaks and valleys in the lap of the wonderful nature.

Bharat and I reached Delhi on the 17th September and boarded the night train, Ranikhet Express to Kathgodam where we met out team mate Mr.Varun from Delhi. We were received by www.himadventures.net team- Mr.Satnam our Guides from Himadventures International Tours and Trades.

Drive from Kathgodam station to Bagheswar was a bit tiring. We had our breakfast in Almora and then drove straight to Bagheswar. Samuel kept entertaining us with his nonstop chatting about his various trekking adventures and at one stage he realized that he was just yakking to himself as we all went off to sleep.

We reached Bagheswar around 3 p.m.We purchased our ration some Fresh Lokies, vegetables, pure desi Ghee and some kerosene. We also picked a dozens of apples as I enjoy eating them. It makes my Morning natures call very enjoyable, unlike Bharat who preferred some Hamdard Ka Isabghol.

We left for Song and all of us were excited that we decided to start our 1st leg of 2 hours of trek the same day. Song is the last place on this trip with some shops. Its on the banks of Revati Ganga River. We had to walk up for about 3 kms to Loherkhet. This place is at a height of 5800 feet above sea level. This was like acclimatization walk to get us all in a mood of the Hike.

We reached Loherkhet by about 6 p.m and pitched our tents. Satnam, our official cook cum Guide started pumping the stove and was ready with the dinner by 8 p.m. Food was light and very tasty. After dinner we started gazing at the stars. Varun showed us the Planet Mars. We also saw one American spy satellite which was moving from South to North.

It wasn’t cold in the tent as we had tucked ourselves inside our sleeping bags. The tent was just enough for three of us to sleep. We also had to keep our 3 rug sacks and our dirty shoes zipped inside. I did feel suffocated for sometime. Bharat would insist to change to his pyjamas and then go to sleep. Each of us snoring loudly and the sound was like a tranquilizer, which put us all to sleep.

We were up early morning and went around hunting for a safe place with our toilet paper rolls and a mug of water. Later we had a cool smooth shave, the last shave during this trip. After we finished our breakfast we set out for our 11 kms trek to Dhakuri.

We walked with our walking sticks through vast open spaces, land slide trails and water streams. There was a steep climb of about 2000 feet. The vegetation changed from pines to thick forests and a large variety of trees. The heat in the afternoon made us all very tired and exhausted.

Often we sheltered under giant trees and walked through the forest on the gentle undulating hills and terraced slopes. We had some tea at a small dhaba and checked our body if there were any leeches.

We reached Dhakuri at about 2 p.m. in the afternoon. We managed to get some blue and black Pepsi and enjoyed the valley view sitting outside the dhaba. There was a small monument of dedicated trekkers who lost their lives on the expedition to Sunderdunga Glacier. We were so tired that we decided to take our bath I remember the gutsy attitude of Bharat who had his bath in his Birthday suit. Seeing him enjoying I also enjoyed bathing nude in open with a few birds and clouds watching me.

Dhakuri was very scenic and is situated in a valley and it is surrounded by thick forests on all sides and one could get fabulously the view of snow clad peaks of the Nanda Devi Sanctuary.

We spent the night in the tent minus me, which I conveniently slept in a small room in the Dhaba. I made sure Bharat and Varun were comfortable in the tent.

The next day we were off for Diwali via Khati. It is along 19 km trek. Khati is 8 km walk from Dhakuri and is pretty downhill. From here the routes to Pindari, Sunderdunga Glacier separate.

We walked through the forest and through the openness of the hills the route was quite rustic. The weather started changing slowly. There was a chai shop in the route and we had some tea and biscuits. To our surprise we saw a lot of Poppy plants.

As we reached Khati we had some light snacks and left our excess baggage at a dhaba (Bharat not forgetting his pyjamas) because the ponies refused to go towards Diwali as the bridge at one point was broken. We took some local porters to carry our rug sacks and ration. Khati is the last village on this route. We found the people of Khati very warm.

From Khati one path leads to Diwali. It is a 11km walk through very difficult trails. At one point we had to walk through a lot of slush our feet and new Nike Trek Shoes had to sink in by 8 inches in water and slush. En route we saw a lot of waterfalls and streams. After about 5 km we crossed the bridge which was quite risky.

We walked through shaded forests with sunlight peeping in. We maneuvered our way across occasional treacherous landslide, and rickety log placed to cross a torrential stream, till we reached Diwali. We were completely exhausted when we reached Diwali. Everything ached.

Diwali is situated in between two valleys in very green surroundings. We could view the peaks with snow.

We checked in the KMVN Dak Bungalow. One small room where 5 of us spent the night. This was like one room cum kitchen cum changing room cum store room, one cot with broken legs all in a 10 x 10 room without any light. There was a water tap close by with a pidly stream of water. It was totally dark outside as it was cloudy. This ambiance made me feel very depressed. Furthermore I could not shift sides on the cot as I was sure that if I move a bit the cot would give way. The night looked very long.

The next morning we started our trek to Phurkia. It started to pour lightly. The Trek to Phurkia was for 5 km. Here is the greatest challenge of the trek. The trails washed away and badly damaged with the recent landslides. We had to cross through flooded streams. One wrong step on the loose stones... it is all a game of courage and balance. A slight off balance on the wet slippery stones and you are gone.

As we approach Phurkia the air starts becoming thin and we observed a sudden impact of high altitude and we are out of the forests and in the open with lot of big mountains and waterfalls around us.

We reached Phurkia at 2 p.m. It was getting chiller. As the tenting was risky and the KVMN huts were locked we were told by our guide that the kitchen was the best alternative to spend the night.

Luckily for us the watchman just then arrived and opened the rooms. We had an early dinner of Rice and dhal and planned to sleep early. We had to trek 7 km and at a much higher altitude for Zero point. We were up by 5 a.m. and were served hot soup and biscuits to increase our energy levels to climb.

The climb was very beautiful with the view of the magnificent peaks. There were numerous landslides throughout the way and had to cross a lot of cold water streams as which made our walk even more adventures. The scenery suddenly changed and the hues of the sky and the greens were extra rich.

In front of us we saw the pure white mass of Pindari Glacier located in between the peaks of Nanda Devi and Nandkot. It is 300 meters in width and 4 km in length. The valley is drained by the Pindari River that emerges from the Pindari glacier. It is a point where one can have an explicit view of the mighty Himalayas. It is like a place close to Heaven.

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http://www.himadventures.net/adventure/pindari1.zip
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At 10 a.m. we finally reached the Zero point. We were greeted by Babaji who has built a lovely ashram. People there refer him as Pilot Baba. There were some solar panels fitted to charge some camera batteries. Babaji is from Orissa and lives there for 9 months. He goes very near the glacier every morning and evening to pray for 1 hour. We were surprised to see him in his basic clothing. We offered our prayers at Babaji’s ashram and rested for some time.

Here we met Mr. Mathew from Delhi camped there and was in-charge of the rescue operations of an American group of trekkers. And it was a coincidence that he was from the same St.Stephan’s college from where Bharat was. We had also met a guy from France who had cycled all the way to India.

We were all very hungry and our energy levels were in the pits as we just had some soup in the morning. Babaji was very kind enough to offer us food some hot poories and alu bhaji. The Alu bhaji tasted very different. It had some noodles and I think some Himalayan herbs…. Before leaving the Zero point we had some hot tea and we started our trek back to Diwali. Zero point was so beautiful that we left our heart back there.

After watching the Himalayas covered with snow and the sun light falling, it was like a snapshot we would never forget.

The trek back was a bit different the decent from zero looked easy but was very tough. The knees start aching .It was raining throughout and was very sultry. All of us tired we Walked at our own pace and used to meet each other after hours. At one point we saw our socks red with blood and realized that the leeches had stung us. It was a messy thing to pull them out.

After lunch at Khati, I walked 8 kms to Dhakuri all alone in the rain and met others only at Dhakuri. The 11 km trek to Loherkhet the next day was quite painful .The trails badly damaged and raining throughout .The calf muscles were like torn.

From Loherkhet we reached Song and hired a jeep for Nainital.Varun had left for the Kathgodam station to catch their night train for Delhi which they missed by 5 minutes and then rushed to the next station Haldwani. And boarded their Train for Delhi. We reached Nainital at 9 p.m. and checked into a hotel.

We had a lovely hot water bath and shave after 7 days and then had some good Dinner at the restaurant and had a good night sleep.

The next day we spent in Nainital and left for Delhi by the night train and…. that was the end of our wonderful trek.

The Pindari Glacier trek was very tuff but great fun. Living 8 days in the mountains/forests without proper shelter, toilets, electricity and with lot of leeches around wonder how Lord Rama and Sita spent 14 years in the forest and wondering how Veerappan is still living in forest.

Before I close I would like to thank himadventures teamfor professional services they rendered. The food was good and balanced. .Touch wood the trek was safe and we all were in good health and sprits. I would also like to thank Mr. Neol Ivon Director of Himadventures International Tours and Trades for the immediate response, guidance and planning of the trek.