We got up early to find our prayers have been answered. This was the weather anybody will want to have in the Himalayas throughout the year. After looking at the bright sun smiling at us, we got in action and started our trek after a good breakfast at 7.30 am as decided. We packed sandwiches and stuffed parathas for lunch. In 15-20 mins we reached the gates of the valley. Here you have to register yourselves. Beyond this point you cannot take mules. So people who cannot walk much take pithoos to carry them. These locals, tiny fellows but they carry a load of 60-65kgs easily. If a person is really fat or big then they charge you more but they don’t give up. So nobody should avoid going to the valley because of the fear of having to walk or climb. If your pithoo feels tired or the climb is too steep, he would request you to get off his back and walk a bit. And no one really minds that.
This is one of the most picturesque treks that I have experienced. This reminded me of the Shivaji’s Forts of Maharashtra, that I have climbed. The path to the valley is a sand laden, narrow way. Its easy to walk on sand instead of the stone laden, mule tracks of Ghangria or Vashodevi. You have to get down one hill and climb another and then walk a lot (total 3kms) to reach a point from where the whole valley is visible. The total area of the valley is around 22kms. But as there is no facility of staying in the valley, we have to return to Ghangria before evening. So people with scientific interest of research on the flora walk deep inside the valley, but people interested in scenic beauty are easily satisfied. As you trek to reach this point, river Pushpavati is flowing beside the track. We pass between two huge mountain peaks after climbing this hill and we are presented with first view, though half, of the valley which is breathtaking. After this point we were so much motivated that we accelerated our pace. The funny part is the mountains are so huge; they appear closer than they actually are. So we kept on walking for another hour and a half. We passed a famous glacier, which is now broken and we didn’t have to walk on the snow as it has receded.
Walking for another half an hour we came to the point from where the valley is visible. Here there is a makeshift bridge on the Pushpavati, which you have to be careful while crossing. It looks quite jittery, but it is OK. You cross this bridge and walk a bit more to reach the very famous Rock that we see in most of the valley pictures. From here onwards a proper walking rock laden track leads you inside the valley. On both sides of this track we see loads of tiny flowers of different varieties. From this walk its further 1-hour walk to the Grave of the Mary Legge an enthusiastic botanist and explorer who lost her life in the Valley. In 1939, Miss Margarate Legge, a botanist deputed by the botanical gardens of Edinburgh arrived at the valley for further studies. While she was traversing some rocky slopes to collect flowers, she had a fatal slip. Her sister later visited the valley and erected a memorial on the spot where she was buried by the locals. The following words are inscribed on the stone:
"I will lift mine eyes unto the Hills
from whence cometh my help."
Actually everyone goes at least till this grave before returning from the valley. But we were tired so we decided to sit on a big rock and instead of just walk, walk, we opted to relax and enjoy the natural beauty around us. The weather-gods were still pleased with us and kept the rain clouds away. So I was able to keep clicking whatever I can. We all posed for the camera in front of different backgrounds, caused everything around us looked so beautiful. We finished our lunch and just started having the idea of walking further inside the valley, the weather around us started to change. Our guide told us not to venture inside the valley, because it can start raining anytime. He wanted us to return back to our base before it starts raining. It gets chilling cold after it rains here. We took his advice and thank God for what we got to see and without getting greedy, started our journey back very satisfied and content.
