Abhinandan Kalia
Day 1
It’s an uncommon feeling when you wake up to a breath of
fresh air gushing through your face after tiring overnight journey in the bus
from Delhi to Kullu Valley. But that is the moment when you leave all the fuss
behind and enter a different world altogether, heavy monsoon here will not jam
the traffic and sweating will not stain your office wears.
To enter the Tirthan Valley one deboards the Manali bound
bus at the beginning of Aut tunnel (which itself is a 3km long masterpiece
carved underneath a huge mountain ), 20 kms before Kullu town. From here a
local taxi or a local bus will take you along the gushing Tirthan river to
Great Himalayan National Park’s guest house at Sai Ropa, and then to beautiful
village Gushaini where you start to feel the wilderness in your feet and thrill
in your nerves. Here on, you might want to worry about the world that you left
behind, you might want to miss the pizzas that fattened your tummy, you might
want to search for mobile networks, but it’s not for long before you forget all
this. Sooner you find yourself in the orchards of trees loaded with apples,
apricots, almonds, persimmons(Japani Phal), streams of fresh water along your
way, and fields lush with the cereals and vegetables that have touched sky high
prices in the city where you belong. So be assured that for next few days you
are going to be the richest man, as well as a free bird.
A four hour long walk along a narrow trail passing through
the entry gate of Great Himalayan National Park takes you to a lonely hut on
the right bank of Tirthan at Rolla(2100m). Sing Pahari songs and enjoy your
meals with bonfire. Tirthan is your music for the evening and lullaby for the
night.
Day2
Sunrays steer through the window panes to wake you up for
another beautiful day. Today it was going to be a tough climb that takes us
from 2100m to 3100m in 5-6 hours. Since
we were the first group to make this journey this monsoon, the undisturbed
grasses had grown quite tall to hinder our way. Since there was least danger of
being lost on the only trail, we left the campsite before the support staff was
ready to move on. Though we thought our pack was good enough to fight through
the tall grasses, we were proved wrong within a few minutes of walk. It became
difficult to find the trail hidden under thick bushes and climb at the same
time. We took our first break to wait for our support staff and then resume
with their help. That moment when we felt that we could choose a better place.
The cliff came out to be longer and steeper than our
imagination, and with half of the group being to hills for the first time, it
was harsh. As we approached the top, the breaks became so long and frequent
that breaks between the walk were turning into walk between the breaks. But the
best was yet to come. The flurry of clouds that surrounded us after walking for
more than 4 hours assured that we had almost made it to the top. A few heavy
steps and we could see the Shilt hut hidden in the thick sheet of mist, sheer
beauty!
We were welcomed by a thunder storm followed by heavy rain.
That should easily be the coldest moment of the trek. Inder unfolded his
portable kitchen which literally had more stuff than my kitchen back home. At
3100m now, he prepared adrak chai (Ginger Tea), and served homemade “patode”
with it, beat it! As it kept raining, the boys enjoyed playing cards sitting
near the stove and along with it, travel tales of our guide. Hearing to his
interesting wild anecdotes, it sounded to be the world’s best job, and I am
full of envy for that. Time passed quicker than we could realize and it was
time for well deserved dinner. About how it tasted, I should let you know that
our cook had earlier served at a star rated hotel in Amritsar, before the
mountains called him back for rest of his life. After it stopped raining, tents
were tied down after clearing a thick layer of thorny bushes and we were all
set to spend our night under the clear sky, brightest stars and moonlight.
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Day 3
When we woke up to the shrilling chirp of a strange bird
this morning, it seemed to be alarming us of another strenuous day ahead. We
got ready to leave in time and today’s destination was Rakhundi Top(3600m).
The first hour of the journey was comfortable with little variation
in the altitude. It seemed to be pretty much like yesterday’s journey before
the Monals started to maneuver in the sky. The monals filled a new energy in us
and excitement doubled up to get a closer look. We started to look out for
monals on each and every branch of the trees in this bird country. They did not
disappoint us and it was a dream come true to be able to see so many monals for
the first time.
As we crossed
Chhordwari, ascent became very steep and here too the problem was the thick
bushes multiplied to the steep ascent across the gorge of the naala that we
were about to follow till the top. As we moved towards higher reaches, the view
of the mountains around us became more prominent and attractive, every hill
offering a complete trek in itself. But
along the trail we found a new friend that would force us to look at the ground
below our feet and forget the beauty around, call it Himalayan Pit Viper. We proceeded further with caution and finally
made it to Rakhundi top. The inexplicable view at the top was breathtaking,
with so many clouds around that they seemed to be completely filling the
valley. As we offered prayers at the temple atop, Inder got busy collecting
rare alpine herbs found only above a certain altitude. After spending the best
time here, we were willinglessly forced to descend to be able to make it back
to Rolla in time before it starts to rain. But rains rushed down sooner than
expected and we ended up Day 3 walking in rain for almost all of the day. And
there couldn’t be a better way to end the rainy day with a bath in the Tirthan.
Day 4
On the last day of a memorable trek, excitement is still far
from subsiding. Add to that a mother
leopard’s morning walk leaving behind it’s footprints along our way back home.
One thing became clear that all wasn’t over yet. As we reached the entry gate
of the GHNP, a young group of Yoga enthusiasts camping over there was vary of a
baby leopard’s cry in the jungle last night, lose your breath! Hopes were alive
to be able to see a leopard but they never got fulfilled. Soon we ended up in
Gushaini as the trucks blew their horns to wake up a pack of boys lost in a
four day long dream.
Like a dessert after a wonderful meal, we decided to walk
along the paved road rather than board our taxi. The road laiden with apple
orchards and lush green maize fields lead us to the Sai Ropa waterfall. What a
wonder hidden in the unending folds of the Himalayas! As you try to unzip your
cameras, the waves of water in the air wetting you head to toe warn you to keep
them shut. A beauty, camera shy. A bath
here relieves you of all the pains and bruises that occurred after a few tough
days.
A perfect end to the
Independence week, with wild animals and wild spirit!
