I sit at my desk browsing through the breathtakingly beautiful landscapes of the Himalayas — an everyday post-lunch ritual at work. I have to marvel at the descending/ascending symmetry of the mountains, the golden-hour summit, the snow-capped peaks, and sometimes, the path that takes one there. Those 15 minutes are one of those spare moments guarded very, very well.
I have been on several treks before but only in the Western Ghats. Now, it was time to take the plunge and move out of my cocoon of convenience. For how long am I just going to keep staring at them? So, I read a bit online, shortlisted on the ones I was willing to try, spoke to a few people from the ‘Himalayan trek club’ on Facebook. I have to tell you that they were immensely positive & helpful. Finally, it was a list of 3.
Questions on my mind:
- Should I just book my slot with a trekking organization?
- Should I notch it up a bit, by going solo?
- Should I assemble ‘my people’ to join me?
While these questions kept popping up, I called up two of my dear friends and the plan was immediately made. It was now a group of 3, going for it. Slowly, with time, members of this group added up to 7. It’s amazing how one-common-love can bring people so much together like nothing else can. Some of them are people I haven’t spoken to in years, and yet, we caught up with everything that had happened during those ‘lost years’.
Plan made. Dates decided. Tickets booked. Gear rented for the entire group. It was D-1 Day. I sat at the airport looking at people passing by. Oh, did I tell you people-watching ( not to be confused with judging) is one of my favorite timepass especially in waiting spaces? I was carrying a 10kg backpack and walking around like an ant carrying a big cube of sugar.
We arrived in Delhi by noon. We took the overnight train to Haridwar and then the famous government bus to reach this super-tiny village called Sari.
Day 1: Arrived at Sari — The Birdwatcher’s Paradise
Sari is a beautiful village nestled in the mountains and is famous for bird-watching. We spotted quite a few birds ourselves although I didn’t know the names of most of them. But if you luck out, just like we did, you’d be able to enjoy the company of professional bird watchers with gigantic camera lenses, who can teach you a bit on the art of spotting tiny birds and recognizing bird calls.
Imagine waking up to these birdsongs every day — the kind of mornings I’d die for.
Day 2: Hike to Deoriatal
I was extremely excited to get started. We hired a local guide to help us through the forest route (also called ‘Bugyal’) to get to Chopta. Rotis were packed from our homestay and the hike had begun. As we kept walking, I was slowly retreating from the noise of the group, trying to mindfully move through the trail. After all, the bliss of solitude (& mindfulness) is the greatest gift you could give yourself. It was a few hours of trek to reach the Deorital lake.
Such a pretty lake enveloped in the canopy of trees that were years old. We looked around and identified a spot near the lake, slightly away from the other campsites. And man, imagine the prospect of camping near that beautiful lake while it was drizzling outside. If you have difficulty imagining, here’s visual imagery for you. (below)
We treated ourselves to a bowl of piping hot Maggi and retreated to our tents awaiting the day to come. This pic below is the twilight-scene at 3:30 AM.
Day 3: Deoriatal to Chopta
This was our longest trek-day. Walking through the ‘bugyal’ wearing ponchos was mildly amusing; we all looked funny. It was almost the end of the rhododendron season, so we couldn’t treat ourselves to full blooms but caught them scattered along the way. And, had a glass of rhododendron juice too. Not a lot of pictures from here, because of the rain.
Day 3: Retiring At Chopta
We were greeted with hailstorms from the time we arrived at Chopta, an occurrence quite common there in that season. We had the rest of the day to ourselves to aimlessly wander around, play a bit of UNO, and quietly watch the sun go down. We also displayed a few (guarded) shades of self to the others around ( in the process of catching up) as the sky did the same.
Day 4: Hike up to Tungnath & Chandrashila
Today was a clear day. It was a steep ascend to both Tungnath and Chandrashila. Walking around at 3 AM among those eerie morning sounds was exciting. A few people from the group decided to stay back at Chopta while the rest of us marched forward. We met a lot of pilgrims along the way, some of whom were more than 70 years old, determined to reach Tungnath barefooted. I am always moved by such belief and conviction. The path to Tungnath was a straight forward one, put up for pilgrims to easily access Tungnath. Some pics below while on our way to Tungnath.
We also spotted the famous ‘Himalayan Monal’. (pic below)
Tungnath to Chandrashila:
Tungnath was where all pilgrims retired their journey. But ours didn’t stop there; we had another hour’s climb to reach Chandrashila — another abode of Lord Shiva. We were catching up with the sun, climbing swiftly, so we could witness the golden-hour summit, but unfortunately, we were a bit late. Nevertheless, it was mesmerizing, rewarding views, hands down.
So, what is it? I ask myself.
- Watch the sun rise and set countless number of times, and yet feel so magical every single time?
- Catch the first glimpse of a snow-capped peak, and feel out of the world?
- Reach the summit and feel tears of joy flowing down your cheeks?
Because nature casts a magic spell and shows the way to those who seek to experience it. As I explore trails, it gives me space and the mindset to do the same inward - perfect moments of self-reflection. Although self-reflection could be done anywhere & at any time around, the magic of the mountain views weighs in making this inner- journey simpler and much more enjoyable. And, you feel strangely calm and accepting, and surrendering to the future, whatever it may bring.
While most of us complain about our normal, mundane life, we forget that nature is all around us. So, what we do back in our normal, routine lives when we do not have access to mountains?
- Take deep breaths as much as possible
- Wake up to the dawn and listen to bird songs
- Walk through a quite lane, mindfully
- Smile, often
- Catch the sunrise and sunset, as often as you can
- Most importantly, step back and think of how grateful you are every time you feel the urge to bicker about something, to wail about something else.
We could spice up our routine lives with a little help from nature and the beings around us. But for a long Himalayan trek, I’m afraid, you’ll need to have your leave approvals, some endearing love, and respect for the mountains, and a few friends-for-life:)
