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mythdrinker — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:38:00 GMT

Indian Himalayas

The temple of Rudranath - II (Uttarakhand) India

mythdrinker — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:58:00 GMT

It was around 5:30 in morning when I woke up after a deep sleep though my body still was aching. I came out from the dormitory onto the side balcony and stretched myself. It was still dark outside and silent. One could see the giant gate on right that welcome tourists while bus stand of Gopeshwar at the left. Gagan was up to, and then almost all one after another.

We refreshed ourselves and the Independence Day parade down on the road started with student representative from different schools marching with their school flags followed by other students in long queue.

School Parade, Independence Day. Also seen is the gaint gate in the backdrop.

One after another, the student of all class and size; boys and girls; in blues and reds and whites and greens; passed by like marching ants in perfect line and the teachers mandating the line and their behavior. I clicked few of them but there was low light. Meanwhile our time was ready and out for adventure. But there was no transport to drop us at Sagar to start our adventure.

We spotted a jeep, two fellows smoking and talking inside. They agreed to give us a drop for 100 bucks which we readily agreed for. Sanjeev and Mohit started to gag among themselves and then soon the environment became lively with Sanjeev and Gagan streaming in. I was enjoying quite much but we were late by some one and half hours. The time was 6:50 am. We reached Sagar some 6kms from Gopeshwar. The gate along the road says, ‘Rudranath Ji Mandir Ka Rasta - 22 kms’ (Rudranath temple - 22kms) and the small iron gate was locked. So we jumped.

Sagar, the start point of Trek

We met two locals on the way after walking 2kms. One was the meat-seller and was going to fetch some meat from Shepherds at Panar. The other one did not talked or introduced. They asked about us and asked us to join them to smoke ‘Bhangnath’ (Opium Grass). Mohit volunteered and took few drags. We started moving up again. Next I remember meeting an old village woman (from Gangolgaon, a nearby village) who was also going to the temple. And we started walking along. Sanjeev was with me and the other three fellows were behind us. Me, Sanjeev and the old lady were walking along. Soon we reached a flat ground which was some 5kms from Sagar. It had one ‘Rudresh’ Dhaba.

Meat-seller (left) & his companionWe decided to sit and wait for our companions to come. Soon they came and together we sipped upon tea and ate maggi.

The old lady took tea with us while awaiting for her companions from another village to come and join her there. Soon people flooded and we were like a herd of coloured sheep. The time was 9:50. We resumed our trek. The real trek starts from here. Till Panar, it was some 9kms sharp, steep uphill trek. The track was all muddy and quite slippery. Our eyes could see clouds approaching us fast. And in no time the downpour started gradually.

We had our raincoats out soon. We (me and Sanjeev) lost our companions (Mohit, Gagan and Sanjeev 2)) again and joined the villagers and a group of 6 students from IIT Roorkee. Sanjeev would often sit for rest, ask me to wait for him and make faces while cursing his life. In the meanwhile villagers were out of sight.

Sanjeev-2(green); Sanjeev (khaki) and Mohit (black) seen here with Villagers

I would ask him to speed up despite knowing that we were not in competition to anyone. Villagers any case have this competitive advantage over anybody who would occasionally go to such straight uphill treks. I was also feeling tired by now and the path between the damp land, slippery surface, dense forest and amidst fog and occasional rain won’t end. Besides, the other three were nowhere to be seen.

We must have covered some 6kms by now which total amount to be around 11-12kms. The time was some 1:30 now. We decided to halt down near a water source and eat the bread and butter that we were carrying. Now that we two were alone and all the villagers and even the IIT guys have disappeared.

Lots of water streams & falls were visibile along the route
After 20 minutes, we started again. Sanjeev was agitated. Resting too often. Asking me to slow down, shouting from behind. Me too was tired but I had to keep ourselves going. I was wondering how come everyone could get so much ahead of us that they become hardly visible from the place we were at. I doubted my capabilities too. We both were by now become so much negative. I was also worried about my fellows who were still down and assumptions surrounding my mind – Would they come along or just return back from there?

Sanjeev was not carrying any cell phone and my Idea connection displayed ‘no network coverage’.

Soon 3 villagers crossed us whom we asked about our fellows by giving them the description of them. To our shock we were told that our friends were still quite down. And, I again feared about them – if they would come or not.

Clouds floating upon the Valley
At 3 around we reached Lyuti Bugyal, and found little comfort in a small hut owned by Bisht Ji. We were half wet. It would rain sometimes and than after a flash it would go and then keep coming back and again. But at Lyuti, it got worse. It started raining hard. We took shelter under the roof. Sanjeev stretched himself on the big black plastic sheet spread over the dry grass as a mattress after eating. This was the only provision to sleep the night at Lyuti Bugyal. However, Lyuti was a plain terrace on the ridge on the chest of the mountain and the head was not too far now.

The head was the Panar, our destination for today. From Lyuti we started to march again after great resistance from Sanjeev, but I was adamant. As rain slowed down, we resumed. We would often sit and walk and then sit. We could feel our heart sinking. It was a state of breathlessness. We walk little, and get tired so we would sit down soon.

It was getting quite tough for us to climb with our bagpacks. It was cloudy all over and rain may comeback anytime soon, I said to myself.
Sanjeev at Lyuti Bugyal

We reached Panar finally, which was 2 kms from Lyuti, in more than one and half hour at 4:30 pm. It started to rain again and we moved to a hut nearby.

The guy arranged for our rest while we ordered for tea. We were dead tired having walked some 13-14kms overall. And, Sanjeev found his comfort over the mat, covered with blankets on the ground which was not certainly clean and smell of goat and sheep.

He covered himself with two blankets and retired to sleep. I retired soon after clicking few pics around and sipping tea. The time was some 5:10. The rain stopped and sunshine recovered.

Panar was the flat terrain of vast grassland, a plateau with 3 small huts that belonged to shepherds. Although only one was commercially operating. We slept however semi-conscious in the cold since it got chilling in the night and the surface under the mat was uneven and not true flat.

One of boys of the Hut at PanarIt was not a good night I realized when often I woke up first at 2 am, then 3:20 and finally up at 5:30 at the sound of footsteps of ponies. Ponies made themselves comfortable under the steel shed outside our room which later I got to know were the forest property.

It was raining outside. Everyone else was sleeping. I suddenly remember some village girls were singing songs last night in the adjacent room which was not very much entertaining but then I had nothing else to listen to except the sound of rain drops on the steel shed and Sanjeev’s snoring.
I asked Sanjeev to get ready. In the meanwhile I ordered the guy in the hut, for a bucket of hot water to bathe and tea to drink. We were ready by 6:30 to do the remaining of the trek. Sanjeev suggested why not request the hut-guy to call up at Lyuti and ask whether our fellows are there or not.

I appreciated his point and requested the person. He agreed and sent his boy for the same. The boy would hold the reliance cell phone up in the air and locate for signals while walking towards a particular point where he knew signal would come.

Me @ Panar, awaiting to make call to Lyuti for my friends

I was with him and I managed to speak to my friends who rested at Lyuti Bugyal. I told Gagan to come up. Soon they were up in an hour while I sipped upon another tea and Sanjeev on phone with his ‘her’ on the phone that he borrowed from Sanjeev-2. I clicked few pics. It was pouring from the clouds though marginally.

Soon all three of them up were up and we rejoiced the moment of our re-union. I inquired with them why did they could not manage to reach Panar. The answer - Gagan was unwell. The other day he ate some 7-8 corns at a time despite my best efforts to stop him.
Sanjeev at the Hut, we stayed the night in room on left to the Hut (seen open window in the pic)

I giggled in my mind while Mohit smiled exposing his frontline teethes out of which one was missing. We left our bagpacks at Panar only and started for the road again. Road to Rudranath Ji, that is now more enjoyable with all 5 of us together. But soon this joy ended when again we begin to experience the tiredness but for me it was due to empty stomach. The time was 8:30 and we covered some 2kms from Panar.

Gagan leading this time shouted my name in excitement after seeing the gate that resembled the gate of the temple at Tungnath just before the temple comes at some 500 mtrs. Gagan thought we were almost there, at the temple. Little did he knew that temple is some 5-6kms from here.Happy Trio (We met at Panar)

We walked along the hill side and after we cross this temple gate look alike, we were inside the valley. The trail first goes down and then along the hill side with front side (opposite to hill) opens wide. If weather would have been clear (no mist), one could see the great Himalayan ranges along the valley. But we preferred the rain drenched, wet muddy land and cloudy views over it so there we were experiencing it. We reached the temple at 12:30 around. Almost everyone that once walked with us the other day – the villagers, IIT boys and some others, were returning back.

Gagan overjoyed seeing temple gate

Villagers went to celebrate Poornima and Rakhi otherwise it is rare that people could be seen walking to Rudranath Ji due to this tough trek. Perhaps among the toughest of the treks in India. We waited for Mohit and Sanjeev to reach. Gagan suggested waiting so that we all could offer our homage to the deity, together. So we ordered for tea. It was raining again. I preferred not to come inside the hut or to sit beside the fire like Sanjeev-2 and Gagan did. I enjoyed standing out, watching people, sometimes the temple in the front on my left and enjoy the nature. The floating clouds could make you fall in love with the anomaly with which they change shape. All I could do is imagine with a thoughtless chase for them.

We all joined in to perform the ritual. We paid our homage to the Lord Shiva without His permission we could not have been invited here. We thanked the deity and sought His blessings. The priest gave brahamkamal to each one of us. And, then we were offered mahaprasad and invited to eat at bhandara the poorie-choley that I have been eyeing on since I saw people enjoying them. We five and Priest@ Rudranath Temple

They really tasted as good as the atmosphere was full of serenity and pureness. The drops from heaven, the vast grasslands and small purple flowers stretched all over, streams swelled with water flowing carelessly; and the face of the deity that has impressions I still could recall.

We started soonafter for come back to Panar. We dislocated again while coming back. I did it intentionally to preserve the scenes that I had experienced and was now exercising in my mind. I took some of best shots here while coming back.

Trail moving along the valley that leads to temple

Enroute Panar from the temple

Approaching Panar (Backview towards the temple)

Great Meadows & Vast Grasslands

Finally Panar

The weather was now that fine and rain stopped completely for the first time in last 2 days. The mist disappeared and it appeared all green all over. I was completely overjoyed. I would sometimes sit, sometimes lie down, smell the air, try to put it all in one go into my lungs and breathe out with ease. I was again thoughtless and chasing the views with my two eyes wide open.

Finally I reached Panar. Already Gagan and Sanjeev-2, had bundled themselves into sheets of blanket laid to rest. I ordered for milk. I wandered outside a little and then started to seek my place to rest.

Gagan & Sanjeev-2 comfotably numb

Soon, Mohit and Sanjeev also came. Sanjeev seemed to be in more painful state. I helped him in changing his wet clothes and he slept in between me and Sanjeev-2 as soon as he lay down. He looked unwell.

We were not sleeping and neither talking. This time we got our bedding within the hut all five of us in a row. We had walked today some 16kms and all wet and tired. We took moderate dinner on bedside only and then I took some hot milk.

Morning we all were up by 6 and started to come down from Panar. Sanjeev was in bad taste. Deprived of good food, and tired of walking. We all had swollen legs, blisters and we were wet again. The rain started again.

Going Down (Back to Sagar)

Raincoats did not help much. Infact to me it seems umbrella is much better an option. It atleast allows you to breath. We were chasing a trail downwards that would seem nowhere to be ending. But we knew it would end. While it was getting hard for us to get down due to slippery surface. Every now and then we would slip on the mud or get our shoes wet while crossing the streams.

It stopped raining just when we reached back to Sagar but now for all of us we would never stop discussing this experience with the people about this road to the temple of Rudranath.

Itinerary Description

Day 1: 14th August 2008 - Rishikesh @ 7 AM (Boarded On Bus from Delhi at 12 P.M on 13th which is some 260Kms), Took Bus for Gopeshwar @ 9:30AM, Reached Gopeshwar @ 4 PM (210 Kms from Rishikesh, raining whole day), Rest at GMVN dormitoary @ Rs. 100 per bed.

Day 2: 15th August 2008 - Gopeshwar to Sagar (6kms) by Jeep, Paid Rs. 100/- and started trek@ 7:30 AM to Rudranath (some 22kms on foot of which 7kms is very steep and tough) Reached Panar covering some 14 kms and Night Halt.

Day 3: 16th August (Rakhi & Poornima) - Started trek @ 8 around and reached temple after covering 8 kms at 1 PM, Paid our homage to Lord Shiva and started comeback, Came to Panar back @ 5 pm and clicked lots of pics enroute.

Day 4: 17th August - Started early morning @ 6 AM and reached Sagar by 12, took bus and reached Gopeshwar and after lunch for Rishikesh, Reached Rishikesh amidst heavy rains and lots of landslides enroute @ 9 PM. Boarded Bus for Delhi @ 10:30 p.m and reached back @ 6AM. Then office @ 9:40 AM… with swollen legs…very hectic!!!

The temple of Rudranath - I, (Uttarakhand) India

mythdrinker — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:22:00 GMT

Just when I was busy deciding the itinerary for the upcoming trek to Binsar, near Thailisain in Garhwal, I received call from Gagan. He asked “where we’d go this time?”

I remember of having told him multi times about the Binsar plan including the last Sunday when I visited him and yet he asked. His vocal seemed to me low on enthusiasm and bitter as compared to my excited travel mood. How enthusiastically, I have been waiting for this Independence Day weekend to come and the chap now is asking 3 days before – where?

Sagar, this is where the trek starts from

I again narrated the set of the story to him and the itinerary that I was in the process of designing when in the middle he asked “Would that be really good? I mean like the Tungnath trip?” And, I begin to wonder what has triggered this comparison. Soon I understood there is no point exciting him with what Binsar might offer us. I gave up without resistance as he started to mention the Tungnath scenes which I thought useless to compare with Binsar. It is because the only commonality between them was that – both were the temple and form of Shiva, the deity.

And I suggested “let’s go to Rudranath”! This existed as an alternative option in my plan. I have been browsing a lot about this on the internet, and even consulted Manu, my friend, as well for his views on this trek. Since we had less time in hand I was less keen on doing the Rudranath trek and then I knew it’s a tough trek too.

We, the trekkers!

But, I asked Gagan to see some pics of Rudranath on flickr.com which he promptly did the same time. He exclaimed with a certain tone and enthusiasm “kya scene hai… mast hai yaar” and I knew that I will have to design a new travel plan now. Next day, I chatted with Manu on gmail, requesting him to prepare me a travel plan while I too was looking for the information on Net to plan the itinerary. He readily agreed and by next day mailed me the desired info.

Then just one day before at 7 in the evening, right when we had to leave for the trip on August 13 night, Gagan called up and said to postpone the trip to 14th night, since he needed a day to prepare and submit his MBA assignments.
Depriving me of this trip was unthinkable as I had prepared and planned it for quite much a time. Almost a quarter of people in my office know that I had planned a trip and which I would describe to them with sheer thrill. However, all this time, I forget to apply for leave and now I feared the tension about the grant of leave.

Villagers... moved really fast. Next day was Rakhi and Poornima...so these people want to offer tribute to Bhagwan Rudranath ! Though we wanted the same as well...

It was Bimla Madam whom I approached with my request for leave for two days with complete plans. I fear what if I might be asked to be present here for any meeting.. Bimla madam suggested writing a mail to Sir which I did after a small thought on what I should tell sir (that I want 2 leave for trekking and how he would have reacted. God, I was in big dilemma).

Parallel to this, there was this other group who was interested in coming along – Sanjeev and Mohit. Both were known to me for some 3 years almost. While Mohit had a limited interaction with me, Sanjeev would often call and tease me – where we would go, with a touch of emotional element. Sometimes duo would speak to me with weirdly excitement and I would smile within me thinking – how ignorant they were about my plans for trek!

While my conversations with Sanjeev and Mohit grew more regular regarding the trip, I found them pulling my legs more often when I would say would you guys be able to walk a lot since we were required to cover 22kms bare foot uphill climb. They would giggle and convey me their excitement with boast about their strengths that they thought I was underrating. And, I said to myself, how much ignorant these two fellows are?

I was clicking enroute, covered some 5-6kms so far

It was 11 pm August 12th night, Gagan came to my place. I suggested him to come over so that we two could sit together and prepare his assignments which we could only start at 1:00 a.m. around. I finished one by 2:40 a.m and went to sleep. Gagan slept too. In the morning at 5:00 around, I saw Gagan already up. Soon he prepared himself, we sipped our tea, and he was off to his college with promise to reach at ISBT Kashmere Gate by 10:30 p.m. Soon I started to load my bagpack.

I reached office and just when about to resume work, Sanjeev called up and in low tone spoke to me about his issue. It was about a life insurance policy that he was required to sell. Unless he would give some business today to his firm he was employed with, he can not dare go. He was given a dose from his boss who happened to be a strict lady this morning. To endorse his seriousness, he called up twice and then thrice and many times then till he took my words that I would help him to get a policy from my source when we comeback.

I wondered how much dependent people are on people. I wanted him to come along for the trip and he needed me to save his job. So we were interdependent instead of independent as I thought about it right when e-mailing my heartiest wishes to my seniors and colleagues at the office for upcoming Independence Day.

15th August @ Gopeshwar School students marching with pride shouting sologans 'Hamara Bharat Mahan'... Yes it is... Why though is not clear...

I reached Kashmere Gate at 09:50 p.m waiting for Sanjeev and Mohit who gave me their words to reach on-time. But they did not come by the said time and neither called up to give reason. Same happened with Gagan. Clock crossed 10:30 but he never bothered to call me. So first I called up Sanjeev, and he said in 10 minutes he would be there. Next Gagan did not picked up at all. After 15 minutes at 10:45, Sanjeev called up and asked for 2 more minutes. I was feeling very agitated. Sanjeev and Mohit arrived after some 12 minutes at 11:00 p.m. I gave a good lecture to both of them which I know would hardly have any impact on them but I delivered right there.

Next I called up Gagan. This time he picked up and said in 10 minutes he would reach citing that he has taken an auto and now awaiting his friend to come at Ashram Chowk, which I reacted with harsh words. I was infact determined to leave without him but somehow he got me believe in his words.

Walk through the dense forest amidst the mist ...and weather signaled RAIN!

And, next I called him up again at 11:30 to which he said “its raining here, I am struck up in traffic”! Another call I made at 12:15 wondering how much careless someone could be for not understanding somebody else’s feelings especially when this somebody is a long time friend. I was feeling irritated and could have left him to his fate but instead I continued giving lecture to Sanjeev and Mohit for their untimely time management. Gagan never bothered to call back to tell about himself. The one good excuse he would give every time I called was about the load of his assignments. Finally he reached with his friend named Sanjeev, a short heighted slim chap not looking very cheerful. After Gagan apologized then only I returned back to my normal taste. Now we had two ‘Sanjeev’ – 1 & 2.

We boarded the U.P Roadways bus at 1:00 am for Rishikesh which was some semi-full. In the bus I introduced them to each other and soon we went into trance called sleep though awake individually.

Bisht Family, we met at Lyuti Bugyal, after walking some 11 kms. The time was 3:20 pm.

We reached Rishikesh at 7 a.m on 14th morning. Next we walked up towards the Tehri bus stand of Rishikesh to get our bus to Gopeshwar with our bag packs. I again resumed my lecture and aggression for having started late from Delhi and having missed the 4 a.m Uttarakhand Roadways bus to Gopeshwar. The group listened and ignored and chose to sit down for breakfast.

Me and Gagan took bananas – 3 each, while rest of the team had Choley Bhatoore and Paranthas. I was continuously pushing them to rush up the things to reach our destination on time. But who cares!

Our time management was poor. So often we had clash. I try to drive them fast while they maintained their own pace. The problem with me was that I wanted us to reach as soon as we could, while my fellows did not seemed interested in the itinerary planned and had laggard approach. It was the clash of seriousness with non serious and leisure type attitude which I and my fellows - both did not like.

Sanjeev-1 pretty much at comfort at Bisht's until i said we wont stay here and have to move to Panar. He was depressed walking for so long hours since 7:20 am.

At 9:00 am we boarded G.M.O.U bus to Gopeshwar which started at 9:30. Like most of the drivers, he also displayed the state of no emotions and smoked. We passed Devprayag where we had kadi, choley and chawal; Srinagar, where me and Sanjeev-2 got down for SBI ATM Service; Rudraprayag, where we tasted some sweetmeat and; Nandprayag where the bus conductor informed us to board another bus already waiting, for rest of the journey. The swapping was done due to less onboard passengers. But soon others poured in.

Panar, finally!

The distance between Rudraprayag and Nandprayag was some 40kms that covered Gauchar enroute; moving along the river Alaknanda from Srinagar though I missed out most of the sight seeing in between as I fall prey to the lord of the sleep. I woke up as the bumber of the bus jerked and i feared about my camera which was just above it little above over the rear tyres of the bus and saw the watch. It was for 25 minutes that i had slept total but that was effective. We guys haven't had slept for last night whole and this day whole.

God, we look like zombies... No, the smiling zombies! At 5 pm we reached our destination Gopeshwar. We got out of the bus and i lead them to GMVN for accomodation. We took the dormitory @ 80/- per chap. The best part was the room that had only 5 beds which perfectly fit our group size and allowed no scope for for more people. Almost all of us damn tired but showed no weakness or ailing sign. We refreshed ourselves and went down to the market which starts where the GMVN's stairs end, hunting for GOOD food. we have been surviving on biscuits and namkeens and on a shared i-pod!

It felt great. Mohit brought the bottle of Old Monk out of the bag and some of us said Cheers!

See Part 2 / Road to Rudranath for the next half of this 'wet, on-the-run story'....