Valley of Flowers – Hemkund Sahib

I got up at 5am and looked outside. It was raining and everything was misty. I was very disappointed to see that. Bina was very much tired after the last days walk and wanted to rest. As suggested by Nandu, we decided to go to Hemkund Sahib on a horseback. We hired 2 horses as even Muneera wanted to stay back with Bina. By the time we sat on the horse by 7am, the mist was cleared a bit and we were able to see the mountain peak of Hemkund Sahib. This is a 6km of trek, pretty steep ascent that takes you to the height of 14000ft. This is a very narrow road. The pilgrims who were walking must be finding it very difficult to climb it at the same time save themselves from the coming in a way of horses. Many times my horse would go so close to the people walking that my shoes would brush their perfectly white clothes.

We reached Hemkund at 9.15am. Sun had come out from the mist. The gurudwara and the lake in front of that were looking picturesque. But due to the height, and our sudden rise, I started feeling giddy. Was not able to walk properly. I wanted to go around the lake and take pictures of the gurudwara from the other end but somehow I felt that I am not able to do that. Meanwhile Nandu got convinced by one young Sikh pilgrim to take a dip in the holy water. When he put his feet inside to see how cold the water was, he wanted to run away. But being the atheist to the core, he gathered the courage and took a dip in the Kund. For ladies they have separate arrangements for a holy bath. Then we went inside the Gurdwara covering our heads, which is mandatory. Here they give you blankets as almost everyone is out of the icy water and the air around you is icy cool as well. Here we went around the Granth Sahib and sat with other devotees. Though we could not follow most of the prayers, as they were being recited in Gurubani, but we lowered our heads and prayed. In the end we joined everyone when they screamed “Wahe Guru Di Fateh, Wahe Guru Da Khalasa”. By this time we have heard this so many times from Govindghat that it was by heart now.

We did not wait to have Lunghar food as I was not feeling comfortable. I now feel that if we had spend some more time there and had eaten some of the lunghar food, we could have got acclimatized. We started our descent and within no time we were down in Ghangria. By 2pm we reached the guesthouse, where warm food was waiting for us. We ate properly and took some rest after the lunch.

In the evening we went about loitering in the market place. Then we visited the Shop of Wild life Photographer and trekker Rajnish. We also attended a 45 min. documentary film on Vallery of flowers at the tourist center just next to our guesthouse. Before retiring for a day we spoke to one guide for the valley of flowers trek. He said he would arrange the packed lunch, water and two pithoos, one for Muneera and the other for our backpacks. We went to sleep early, praying that next day should be clear day, so that our Valley of flowers trek, the main attraction of this rigorous trip could be a success.

Valley of flowers – Joshimath to Ghangria

As decided previous day, we tried to start our journey by 6.30am. Govidghat is about 40kms away form Joshimath. Till this spot you can go by car. At Govinghat we had a nice breakfast. After that its only trekking route till Ghangria. You can also ride the horse or take a phalkhi. Hourse will cost you Rs.405/-. Palkhi is expensive, as it requires 4 people to carry it. Palakhi to and fro costs about Rs.6000/-.

We hired three porters to carry our luggage. They charge you Rs.405/- one way. All these are Govt. approved rates. The weather was just right. There was no sign of rain, even though one was able to see clouds high on the mountain peaks exposing the blue sky.

As you start the trek, you come across a very steep ascent and your initial excitement wares off after walking this first half an hour. You immediately come to know that whatever has been written about this trek is not an exaggeration. This is basically a mule track, laden with medium sized stone. So it is a bit different from the mountain trekking I was used to. The track is quite wide and build properly. There are lots of stalls, which sell foodstuff and other things like pain killer tablets, ointments, Band-aids and also cheap raincoats. So even if you sprained your leg during the trek not to worry, you can buy Move, Zandu Balm etc.

Apart from that we came across lot of Shikh pilgrims who were coming back from Hemkud Sahib offering their Seva to whoever requires it. These pilgrims keep asking the passerbyes if their legs were paining or if they have sprained their legs or if they require any other help. I saw some of them massaging the legs of strangers; distributing medicines to trekkers as well as porters, no mater what is your social or economic status. I found it amazing. When you have walked for hours, your whole body is crying for help. You cannot see beyond yourself. And here when you see these sorts of people who are walking the same path probably for longer time than you, not at all bothered about their own bodies and helping others, you feel totally belittled. This is a positive side of faith. Faith is not reaching your place of worship alone. It is helping everyone who wishes to reach there along with you. I think it happens only in Bharat. We met an old Sikh couple who, was climbing down after finishing their tour to Hemkund Sahib. They had come from some village near Amritsar. Due to some mannat they were walking barefoot. But when they saw us tired, sitting on the roadside, they spoke to us in a such reassuring tone and said “Beta Kuchh nahi, bass thoda hi bacha hai. Tum Jaroor Jaooge”. We had just passed a milestone which read “Ghangria –11km”.

This is what pushes me to travel in Bharat. The government policy in Bharat is not very tourist friendly. You don’t get much help from the government agencies when you are traveling. Bharatiya tourist are used to getting stuck in their travel route because of natural calamities or technological glitches. They also know if they can count on anybody, it is got to be their fellow countrymen. If you are in problem, just ask. Nobody will turn a deaf ear to your problems. This is real Bharat. After experiencing this humanity, my tongue does not hesitate in saying “Mera Bharat Mahan”.

We reached Ghangria by evening. This was the first trek, I did not complete. Half way through I and Muneera hired a horse. So we reached Ghangria by 3pm. But as Nandu and Bina walked till the end, they reached by 6pm, totally drained out. They even caught in the rains during the last 2km stretch.

Ghnagria is a small village, which only comes alive with the tourist season from June till October. After October, after the first snowfall, the hotel staff, restaurant owners and shop owners and other service providers closed their businesses and climb down to their homes in and around Joshimath, Srinagar, chamoli etc. The character of this place is very decent. A lady can walk on the street at night safely. I give credit for this to the Shikh pilgrims as well as foreign tourist who frequent this place. I found this place better than Katra which is also a staring point of piligrimage to Vaishnodevi.

I have to mention one Shop in Ghangria, owned by Mr. Rajnish. He is a guide and throughout the year he is trekking somewhere in Himalaya as a guide. From July till September he is stationed in Ghangria to take groups of tourists to Valley of Flowers. There was a article about him published in one famous Japanese magazine last year and since then most of the Japanese tourist hire him as guide. And his daily fees are, hold your breath, Rs.50000/- per day per group of 25-30. He is also a very good photographer. He sells his photos in his shop, which he runs alone. So during the season the shop remains closed through the day and opens after 7pm after he returns from the Valley Trek. One should not miss his shop as there are so many things you can purchase as souvenirs. Rajnish is a very talkative person and talks very freely about the valley and his experiences, his photos. You ask him anything and he never gets tired of answering your queries.

Food in Ghangria can satisfy any type of taste bud. Along the market the you come across different types of stall, restaurants selling tanduri dishes, sweets like Jalebi, Phirni, Gulab Jamun, Khir etc. or even dishes made from ready-to-eat packed meal. Vegetables don’t come here come here everyday. So these ready-to-eat packed food like Nor, Maggy or other brands are very handy here. Tourists are also happy to get different vegetables of their choice.

It was chilly cold in Ghangria at night. Even the mattress was feeling like ice bed. And let me remind you this is summer in Ghangria. Here the GMVN guesthouse provides you very basic facilities. The power supply is limited. They have 2 generators for the power needs of the guests, but both were not functioning properly. So we used to see the streets of Ghangria well lit from our candlelit restaurant of GMVN guesthouse. We slept that night praying that tomorrow it would stop raining and we should be able to go to the Valley of Flowers.

Valley of Flowers – Haridwar to Josimath

On August 03, 2008, we started our journey from Haridwar to Joshimath by Road. The distance is 300 kms. After we pass Rishikesh, hilly region starts and the roads are zigzag and the danger of being hit by the bolders in the land slide is real. It can take upto 10-12 hours for this journey. When we went to Auli in 1998, we went to Joshimath from Rishikesh by the local newspaper delivery van along with other 8 people jam packed in addition to the driver. It was dreadful journey where the driver put all 11 lives in a lot of danger. But we were young that time and did not realize the seriousness of the situation. I, in fact enjoyed the journey. But as you grow old, you don’t want to trust anybody with your life.

We got ready by 7.00am and by stoping for food or for taking pictures en route, we reached at Peopalkoti at about 5.00pm. From here Joshimath is about 40kms. Here we came to know that about 10kms away form Pepalkoti, the road was closed due to landslide. The work has already begun. It was up to our luck whether the roadblock gets cleared and we get to proceed as per our plan. We were all praying that this should not happen in the beginning of our journey. We had to wait at the Pepalkoti GMVN guesthouse for about an hour. As the vehicles from the opposite side started coming in Pepalkoti, we got our signal and we rushed inside the car and the driver took off. He drove very fast as he wanted to clear the landslide patch of road at the earliest, before it becomes dark. By the time we reach Joshimath, it was 7.30pm. The next day was very important for us - the actual trekking day. So we retired early by agreeing to start the journey by 6.00am. All over Uttaranchal due to the narrow roads, to regularize the traffic, there is gate system followed by the state police. The cars standing at the gate at that time are allowed to go further. But if your does not reach this spot on time, then you will have wait till the next gate timings i.e. 9.00am. We did not want to miss the 6.00am gate timing. Because the sooner you start your trek is better.

Valley of Flowers – Mumbai to Delhi

We left Mumbai on August 2, 2008 in Rajdhani Express at 4.30pm. As 15^th August was fast approaching and in the wake of the recent bomb blasts at Ahmedabad, there was a strict security at the station. They were frisking all the men and their belongings. We reached Delhi station at 8.30am next morning.

We left Delhi at 3.20pm for Haridwar by DDN Janshatabdi. Before we reach Haridwar, we come across a very heavy rain. So much so that our AC compartment started leaking from sides and the floor of the train was totally wet. By the time we reach Haridwar station, the rain was only a drizzle. But due to Shrawan, Haridwar station was crowded. People were sleeping on the platform. The station was turned into a devotee camp. We had to fight our way to get out. There was water everywhere on the road.

We checked in the A.C rooms at “Rahi Motel” of GMVN, which is 2 mins walking distance from station. Rooms were O.K. They have a restaurant inside the hotel, so you don’t have to go out searching for a clean place to eat. Next day we were going to travel by Innova. The driver reported at night. We told him not to sleep in the car. This was well thought by Muneera. She was in a way right. These drivers just to save some money usually sleep in the car itself at night. It is not very comfortable to sleep in the car and as a result it might effect their driving the next day. For saving Rs.200-300/- why should we put our lives in danger?

Valley of flowers - Things We Carried

We decided to carry lots of clothes, as sometimes the rainfall at Ghangria can be very heavy. The humidity is very high. Clothes feel damp all the time. All of us were going to carry mostly Tee Shirts and trousers, expects Muneera as she is more comfortable in her Salwar Kurta. Next important thing was Trekking Shoes. We did a lot of survey for affordable but comfortable shoes and finally I found “Action Trekking” shoes. They costs only Rs.600/-. They are actually made for trekking but they are 100 times better quality than hunter shoes and 100% cheaper that it’s Rebok, Nike cousins.

We carried lots of dry fruits, chocolates etc. to give us energy while trekking.Bina provided big plastic sheets for wrapping all our clothes over before keeping them in the suitcases. We also packed all our things in individual polythene bags. Because during the 14km trek, if it would rain, we would be covered in our raincoats, but at the same time the porters would be carrying our bags without any protection. It is a possibility of the content getting wet.

Valley of Flowers - Photographs

I will continue posting the rest of my experience of Valley of Flowers. But before that just have look at this...
































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Valley of Flowers – Tour Bookings

We went to Garwal Mandal Vikas Nigam for Hotel bookings and Car Hire. After reading the information on the various blogs, websites we arrived at the conclusion that this trip is not to going to be easy. So we decided that we should open our pockets as much as it can buy us decent accommodation and a better car with dependable driver. The roads in this area are very dangerous. We explained all our concerns to the GMVN official and told him to book 2 best available rooms in every Guest House as per the plan. We told him that we require Toyota Innova AC for the raod travel from Haridwar to Haridwar. The officer was little bit surprised at the request of AC car. Bina was firm on the AC car even if she knew that the weather would be quite cold. Her reason was that on these roads the goods transport tempos and other truck traffic is very heavy. If one such tempo is ahead of your car, the diesel fumes can make you feel puky, more than the spiraling road can.

Valley of Flowers – The Survey

Finally we decided to go for the Valley of Flowers in August 2008. Then my internet searches started. I came across so many articles describing the trek to Ghangria, the Hemkund Sahib and also the Valley of Flowers. I came across one particular travelogue written by a young lady giving a detailed account of her Valley of Flowers experience. Click here to go to that travelogue. This was written especially for people on the shoestring budget. The difficult part of the trip – the 14km Trek was described in detail. I thank the Author of this travelogue for the elaborate account, because due to this we were able to plan quite a few things in advance. This travelogue drew a very happy picture in front of out eyes. But I came across another blog written by Abhishek Dwiwedi, which did not draw a very rosy picture as the author experienced very bad weather when he reached the valley. This travelogue prepared us for disappointments.

Valley of Flowers – Unsuccessful Plans

When I heard that even Bina, my colleague, is interested in visiting Valley of Flowers, we started planning for the trip in year 2006. But suddenly Bina joined a group of tourist along with her sister’s family and few other relatives to go to Kashmir. She visited Kashmir in May 2006. And by the strange coincidence even I decided to go to Kashmir in September 2006. So we both had to abandon the plan for Valley of Flowers that year. But we promised ourselves that we would definitely go one day to The Valley of Flowers.

Valley of Flowers – The Urge

It was always there, since 1996. In June 1996, my cousin Swapna, with her mother and my Atya (anty) went for the tour organized by Garwal Mandal Vikas Nigam. This tour was a very low budget, basic tour. It included Char Dham Yatra with Valley of Flowers and Auli. After coming from this tour, I remember Swapna was all exited. That time we both were comparatively young and that’s how we latched on to the idea of Skiing Holiday in Auli rather than going for a trek to valley of flowers. Our wish was fulfilled in March 1998, when we could go to Auli for Skiing Training Program. It was one of my best holidays, so far. But we must have given few sleepless nights to our family members as we both girls went alone on that trip.

Even if our Auli trip was a smash hit, Swapna kept on insisting that I should visit Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib, at the first chance. And the urge was kept burning inside me.

An Evening in Mumbai

I don't know about you, but I am bored, looking at the cloudy sky. It's not raining but the cloud cover continues to be there. Makes me feel lethargic, colourless. So today I am going to share one of my pleasing evenings on the seaside of Mumbai with you. These pictures were taken on May 30th, 2008, before the monsoon could set in. And the Mumbai looks beautiful, what say?

Photo Editing and Future Technologies

This is the world of digital images. Everyone seems to have a digital camera in their hand. If not a digital camera our mobile phones are fitted with a digital camera. So we are putting these hi-fi gadgets to good use and the result of that is billions and billions of pictures. We are not stopping at that, we want to share these pictures with our friends and relatives and the whole world.

But when we download these images to the computer we come to know that the image size taken with 3 megapixel camera is about 700-800 Kb and taken if taken with 8 MP camera it can go upto 1.6MB. Which is a huge size, if you want to upload such pictures on your blog or picture sharing website or simply attach with your emails. You have to make some changes in size of the pictures. The other thing is digital pictures most of the times require colour correction. There are several softwares available to do that which are called as image editing softwares. The most popular of them all is Adobe Photoshop. The problem is, it is a huge program and a costly one for the amature. So what you do?

PICNIK.COM – This website is an online Photo editing software. It lets you upload your pictures, edit, add effects and save the resultant photo to your computer. You can sign up for a new account or just fix your photos without registration. Site navigations is very easy to understand and you will be amazed to see the variety of effects you can apply to your pictures.

TED.COM (Ideas worth spreading) – An annual conference of the thinkers and doers of the world takes place (read Americans) since 1984. Every presenter gets only 18 mins to share their idea. Like Subway Sandwitch slogan in 18 mins “Kitna Ghusata Hai”. All these lectures are made available to us through this website. There are different categories or subjects like Technology, Environment, Science, Art, Culture, Business etc. on the left sidebar of the home page. You can select any category and select any movie clip from the next screen. If you register yourself (registration is free), you will be able to even download these movie in Mp4 format or only audio in Mp3 format for listening through your ipod or mobile phone. As the site describes itself these ideas are really worth spreading.

There are so many websites I am hooked on to. For me they are like oxygen and water. Surprised, are you? But once you visit these sites and are interested in the subjects covered, you will not be.

I will share the details of these sites with you. And you promise me that you will visit them. Internet is not only “checking emails” and “those irritating forward emails”. It is unfathomable ocean of information, knowledge. But you should know where to look and what to look for.

There is one weekly program on BBC World – Clickonline. This program is about new technology. Out of several sections in the program, internet related is “Webscape “ by reporter Kate Russell. She recommends 3-4 websites every week. Believe me you, they are all worth visiting. They are targeted towards people having varied interests. Some websites are for technology freaks or some are for fine artists. Some are for travelers or some are for sport enthusiast. Some sites may enhance your browsing experience or some site may throw open treasure of information. Most of the websites ideas I get are from here. But there are others which I get by aimless browsing also.

Today I am going to suggest some such sites to you. I will call this section “WebMasti”. So if you wish to see my post on this subject then go to the category list on the right side of this blog and click on the category by the same name.

esnips.com : This website is a treasure of information, especially if you are a music lover you got to check this site. You have to sign up for a new account and you will be allotted 5 GB of space on their server. Just imagine, it is a lot of space. Now you can upload anything like photos, music, documents, softwares worth sharing. You can also keep your data secret, by uploading it in your private folders. So here you can keep your documents or marketing presentations and also your resume. Just imagine you are going for the walk-in-interview or a presentation at your client’s office and suddenly you discover that you have not carried your necessary papers or the Power-point presentation on your laptop Is corrupt. But don’t worry just log-in to esnips.com and download whatever documents you require from your private folder.

This site is very popular among Indians and Non-resident Indians. As a result mostly the storage consists of music as mp3 files on esnip’s server. Untill last year esnips never paid much attention to the copyright laws and thus it was a heaven for the pirates. Then came the launch of the last book of Harry Potter and suddenly the security was tightened and nobody was allowed to upload any pdf file which had “Harrry” or “Potter” in its name or anywhere in the document. I had downloaded all the previous books of “Harry Potter” in the pdf format and read them on my Palmtop. Irrespective of this high level of security there is lots on offer. Just type the song name you want to search in the search window and press enter and beware this is an addiction, hard to give up. I have yet to come across Hindi film song which is not available on esnips. So go ahead and start snipping..

Bye & Take care.

PSI - Outing Photos

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