Yawar Mirza recounts his trek to the Himalayas
fredericknoronha
A journey to the Himalayas
24 Jun 2007, 0000 hrs IST,TNN
Yawar Mirza recounts his trek to the Himalayas.
When we think of trekking we think of walking long miles, climbing
hills and watching nature in all of its splendour. For me, while
trekking is all that, even more important is the time spent alone
which enables me to look within myself, gather my thoughts, re-visit
my dreams and discover myself.
As it happened, I had an assignment with the Sashastra Sena Bal (SSB)
Academy, Gwaldam, Uttarakhand. The SSB is one of our border defense
forces that guards the Indo-Nepal border. After completing my
assignment, I took that opportunity to go for a small trek in the
foothills of the Kumaon Himalayas in Uttarakhand.
To get there, I took the Ranikhet Express - from Old Delhi station and
got off at Katgodam. From Katgodam I drove to Ranikhet, which is the
district headquarters and the seat of local government. It's the
Regimental HQ of the Kumaon Regiment, which was raised in Hyderabad
in1922 by Nawab Salabat Jah Bahadur, a brother of the Nizam of
Hyderabad. The Regimental Museum gives insights into the history of
that and is well worth a visit.
A hour away from Ranikhet is Kasauli, and this is where you should be
able to see the first clear sight of the Himalayan snow peaks. Kasauli
also has a tea shop that belongs to the Uttarakhand Tea Corporation It
serves some excellent high grown teas. From Kasauli I headed up the
road to Gwaldam.
Gwaldam is at an elevation of about 7000 feet above MSL (mean sea
level) and can be very cold. Over there you can spot the Trishul and
Nanda Ghutti peaks of the Himalayas.
Amidst misty valleys, grassy meadows and forests of Rhododendrons, and
sunlit glades, you even spot the . Muntjac and Monal Pheasent.
>From Gwaldam I headed on to Karanprayag. The road winds along the
Pinder river which is on your right at the bottom of the ravine. You
can even fish for some excellent trout in the Pinder. Having got some
two kilos of freshly caught trout, I proceeded to Karanprayag, and
from there to a village called Sari.
At Sari you can negotiate for porters and mules, who make your climb
easy, especially if you haven't had the time to acclamatise. From Sari
to the top of the Devariya Taal, is 2000 feet straight up, and two km
trek. When you reach the final lip be prepared to have your breath
taken away. For as you climb over the top, you suddenly see the
Devariya Taal spread before you. Set like a jewel in the middle of
what you may take to be a golf course.
You can pitch your camp on the high bank at the back of Devariya Taal
from where you get a good view of the Himalayan peak called
ChowKhamba. On a clear day, when the sun is just right, Chowkhamba
gets reflected in the waters of Devariya Taal, truly a magnificent
sight.
Night comes early in the mountains, as does day, ushering one to eat
well and sleep well. For tomorrow is another day.
TIPS FOR TREKKERS
Here are some excellent tips and tricks for your upcoming trek -
compiled by some of our expert trek leaders.
Bring Tevas or other sports sandals to wear around camp and to slip on
when you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and
don't want to lace up your hiking boots.
Fill up your water bottle with hot water at night and bring it with
you when you crawl into your sleeping bag. It'll keep your toes, feet,
and hands warm and cozy, and you'll have cool water in the morning to
drink.
Pack your clothes and sleeping bag in plastic garbage bags inside your
duffel. They will keep everything dry.
Bring some Ziploc bags for organising and keeping things clean and
dry. Instead of treating blisters - try to prevent them if you are
prone to getting them. Before you start hiking, tape your feet and use
moleskin, Second Skin.