Day 9 @ Auli: Switzerland of India

This is a series of my two weeks of tryst with the Garhwal Himalayas:
Day 1&2 : Secunderabad to Delhi
Day 3: Delhi to Haridwar bus ride
Day 3: Meerut Road
Day 3: Har Ki pauri- Haridwar
Day 4: Impressions from Haridwar
Day 4: Through Rajaji national Park
Day 4: Devaprayag-Srinagar-Rudraprayag-Karnaprayag
Day 5: Pipalkoti-Joshimath-Badrinath
Day 6: Mana: The last Indian village
Day 6: Adventure in Badrinath-Govindghat Road
Day 7: The Boys from Rishikesh
Day 7: Trek to Ghangaria
Day 7: Meeting Rajneesh
Day 8: Valley of Flowers

CLICK ON THE PICTURES FOR BIGGER VIEW

(At Auli town)
It was a horrible day for me. After I climbed down the Valley of flowers, I found my wallet missing and with it all my cash. I hitch hiked from Govindghat to Auli. There was just one ATM open. To my frustration that one ATM had run out of cash. Checked in a cheap accommodation for 200 Rs a night, and promised him to pay him money soon when the ATM starts working. The man with a sorry face reluctantly agreed. I sat in front of the ATM for what seemed like an eternity. Before that I tried to visit the ropeway at Auli. For those of you who do not know, Auli is known as Switzerland of India. And the ropeway at Auli is Asia's highest and longest ropeway. The ride to and fro costs 500 Rs. I returned back feeling sorry about not being able to witness one of man's majestic creations. Feeling sorry and sad, I was staring blankly at the ATM door, when magic happened. DUDUDUDUuuuduuuu!!!!!
(THE BIKERS)
I heard roaring bullets park in front of the ATM with a screech. I was amazed. These were a gang of rugged looking guys with bullets geared fully with leather jackets, kneecaps, huge rucksacks, and helmets. They too stopped for cash. I tried breaking a conversation. But I failed to generate interest in them. There was one guy who was well built handsome guy. He was a commercial pilot at Philipines and was on his vacation. He was impressed to know that I was travelling alone in the mountains. This was the group of bikers called Himalayan Odyssey. They had been biking for one month now and covered five different states in the North and North East including Rajastan. It was their last leg of biking.
They kick started their bullets again with the engine bellowing. I felt sad to see them go. But the moment after they left, the pilot guy halted turned back, looked at me and asked, "you wanna take a ride?" Those words were like music for me in what was till now a dissapointing day. I sensed adventure. I didnt think twice before nodding eagerly.

And the next moment i was on his bike, ascending heights of Auli witnessing breathtaking view of grand snow peak mountains and the chilling winds cutting my face.


BEST PLAYGROUND IN THE WORLD. LOOK AT THE BACKDROP
One we reached atop, I felt nauseated. But it was heavenly. The boys offered me Hash, Charas they say in Hindi. I declined politely. They said it was the secret of their energy for the biking odyssey of that magnitude.
And then I heard gun shots being fired.... contd




Coming next are the videos of the bike ride...

Day 8: Valley of Flowers with Rajneesh

This is a series of my two weeks of tryst with the Garhwal Himalayas:
Day 1&2 : Secunderabad to Delhi
Day 3: Delhi to Haridwar bus ride
Day 3: Meerut Road
Day 3: Har Ki pauri- Haridwar
Day 4: Impressions from Haridwar
Day 4: Through Rajaji national Park
Day 4: Devaprayag-Srinagar-Rudraprayag-Karnaprayag
Day 5: Pipalkoti-Joshimath-Badrinath
Day 6: Mana: The last Indian village
Day 6: Adventure in Badrinath-Govindghat Road
Day 7: The Boys from Rishikesh
Day 7: Trek to Ghangaria
Day 7: Meeting Rajneesh
Day 8: Valley of Flowers

Valley of Flowers National Park is an Indian national park, Nestled high in West Himalaya, is renowned for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and outstanding natural beauty. This richly diverse area is also home to rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear, snow leopard, brown bear and blue sheep. The gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park complements the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park. Together they encompass a unique transition zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya. The park stretches over an expanse of 87.50 km².


I would recommend you all to do an image search of valley of flowers in google or flickr. You would be enchanted by what you would see.


When I heard Rajneesh guided tourists to Valley of Flowers, I dropped my plans of going alone.


I thought I would absorb more if I had an experienced guide to go along. Rajneesh usually had a group of 6-7 tourists. But, since it was the last week of the season when Ghangaria would be closed before snow would cover the whole viallge under 9 ft , he had none. So I was the lone tourist for him.
We left at morning 6 pm. Had parathas at his hotel and packed some for lunch.

Rajneesh was a self learnt botanist and had learnt a lot about local flora and fauna.

Rajneesh crawled inside this bark and could stand straight inside much to my amusement.

It took us 5 kms to reach the valley

My first tryst with Himalayan glaciers.

The valley at its prime. The best time to visit valley is July-AUgust when the valey if filled with flowers. Every fortnight the valley is spread with a flower beds of different colours.

Though it was sunny, it was so cold that we got into the sheets on a comfortable patch of bed.

By 12 we were hungry. Stuffed ourselfves with packed parathas and caught a nap amidst heavens.

Day 7: Meeting Rajneesh: A little known celebrity @ Ghangaria

This is a series of my two weeks of tryst with the Garhwal Himalayas:
Day 1&2 : Secunderabad to Delhi
Day 3: Delhi to Haridwar bus ride
Day 3: Meerut Road
Day 3: Har Ki pauri- Haridwar
Day 4: Impressions from Haridwar
Day 4: Through Rajaji national Park
Day 4: Devaprayag-Srinagar-Rudraprayag-Karnaprayag
Day 5: Pipalkoti-Joshimath-Badrinath
Day 6: Mana: The last Indian village
Day 6: Adventure in Badrinath-Govindghat Road
Day 7: The Boys from Rishikesh
Day 7: Trek to Ghangaria
Day 7: Meeting Rajneesh

As promised earlier, I bring with this post a brief profile of Rajneesh. It was his neatly decorated shop with colorful paraphernalia that caught my eyes in the first instant.

I couldnt imagine how at this crazy height of 9000 ft, someone would set up a shop taking so much pain and deliberate care. And the neatly laid glasses and mirrors. Where did somone get all that with only mules to reach this height.

(Door to Rajneesh's shop)

The shop was closed. I peered into it to see curious looking stuff inside.

The door was closed and a note hanging that read:



" I am going for trekking. I will come back in the evening. Thanks Rajneesh"

( The German couple just back from the trek)

While I was still peering inside, a sturdy young man with a big pony, sporting trek shoes, walking posts and binoculars and a rucksack opened the door.

I followed him inside to be amazed to see his own world beautifully set. Many pairs of snow shoes, all mountaineering tools, few sets of tripods, lots of photographs posters that were duly signed Rajneesh.

(Rajneesh showing his rare pics when lights went out)

Rajneesh was the shop owner. And as I found out in due course of time, being all of 24, he was the guide to Valley of Flowers and most of Garhwal, a skillful wildlife photographer, a mountaineer, a self made botanist etc etc.

I was glued to him. Though many passerby and other devotees did not realise the worth of this man, I spent the whole evening chatting with him and getting amazed at his knowledge and expertise of the Garhwal mountains.

He spoke broken English but I was amazed with the way he could connect with those foreigners. I guess their mutual love for nature was the binding force.

He guides group treks to the valley of flowers, mostly foreigners. He has made lasting friendships with wildlife and trek enthusiasts from all over the globe. They keep writing to him and send him souvenirs.

(rajneesh showing a rare rock from the mountains)

He also has featured in many National Geographic programmes. During winters, when the whole village migrates 1000 mts down, Rajneesh prefers staying alone at his house, to shoot many wild creatures and birds in the wilderness.

He serenaded us (me and other german couple) with his stories of encountering wild animals.His rare pictures taken with expensive lenses and cameras bore testimony of his expertise of the wild. Though I did not have plans to hire a guide for trekking the valley of flowers, meeting him changed my mind. I asked him to take me on a tour the next day.

( One of his pics jumping off a cliff)

Rajneesh also mentioned his love for nature surpasses everything else. He did not believe in God as such. For him God is nature. And he wants to spend his life amidst them.

Rajneesh is also in the process of writing a book along with a foreign journalist.

He made a friend from Italy who keeps coming religiously every year since last 5 years. They both trek deep into the mountains for month long.

He also narrated a story of a woman who came from East Timor who came with her two tiny kids. The three of them trekked deep into the mountains and stayed in a cave for month long. When they came back, they were all soiled and dishevelled with dirt and soot.

Such is the magic of Himalayas that draws its lovers from all over the globe.

Bhadrachalam, Papikondalu, Rajamundhry: The Godly triumvirate

Sailing together to a little known village in the majestic Godavari is absolutely mesmerising.

If you are really looking to get away from the clutter of city to somewhere in the wilderness then let me suggest you the pristine rivers of Godavari.

The cruise sail stretch of Bhadrachalam, Papikondalu, Rajamundhry in the princely state of Andhra Pradesh which could stretch for 1-2 days is a perfect getaway for everyones looking to spend time together.

I recommend this place because the place is non-nondescript yet alluring to nature lovers. The cruise through the mighty Goadvari from Bhadrachalam to Rajamundry takes about 8 hours and crosses some breathtaking sights.

The cruise stops midway at a village called Peranta Palli and offers nice local lunch. It then crosses the beautiful Papikondulu hill range.

There are also options to stay in tented accommodation in the sandy shores of Godavari overnight and watch the shimmering river flow by under the full moon.

The place has an uncanny resemblance to the Ganges in Rishikesh. The flow of the river is just like the Ganges and sands are just like the shores of Ganges at Rishikesh

Note: Avoid weekends to avoid rush and dont expect luxury.