“That’s how nature recall me”

Dev Bhoomi Uttrakhand

As we always heard, “nature calls” , it did. I experienced untouched beauty of the ‘Dev bhoomi’ Uttrakhand. It was one of the greatest moments start preparation for Uttrakhand for which I read alot. I had taken glimpse of Himachal Pradesh but this journey is going to be the adventures and door of mystical world. The destination was carpet peak of Chopta (2900mtrs), to hoist Indian flag on the on 26th Jan on the vertical heights. The month of January in the north India is mid of the chilling winter and we never thought of temperature is going to dip around 2º Celsius, and if decision taken to conquer on motor-bikes, spontaneous the answer will be ‘no way’. But if we mix together patriotism, courage and adventure it can produced a unified decision of Lets do it. One side 5OO km topsy-turvy stretch and snowy peaks of Uttrakhand from Delhi through Uttar Pradesh on MOTORBIKES.

Bikes were ready with some rehearsal of arranging all the helpful gears which will be beneficial for the ride. Specially a bag full of instruments related to the ‘puncture-aid’ where we are the only collaborator. Actually bikes engine also need some special attention in winter season as we bikers believe.

Parmesh who is team leader has experienced driving his bike to Leh laddakh and worlds highest road Mashmik la says, republic day is mean a lot to us that make us to do different on this auspicious day and we proudly completed our motive to hoist tricolour.

Most important that all the members are working with MNC companies in their different fields, and any person who is mature enough to handle the thrust of his bike could be the member. It is unique feature of our team who distribute all the expenses on cruising with road and biggest thing is that they have no sponsors. Like we do every year now their motive is to 1. Interact with people on the way to the destination Chopta (uttrakhand) and tell them what 26th January is all about.2. To hoist the Indian flag to share the moment to be a proud citizen of Indian Republic this means “equal rights”, Liberty, Equality and Justice.

Doing trip on bikes is very different; we have to keep limited wares but you have to keep complete gear for the surprises like puncture. Every rider must know technicality of his bike and should keep tool kit for that and according to the climate must have helmet good pair of gloves, shoes, sunglasses and keep your legal document with you. For us every road is acceptable and way has width to put both tyres but it doesn’t mean we are not concerned about our safety.

Mohit who is working with YKK limited speak had done many tours speaks the word , this is my New Year resolution and life time dream comes true after hoist the Indian flag on the high mountains taking all the challenges.

The evening of first day (23rd) was chilling that make freezing feel to the legs. The way to Khatauli and Haridwar lead the bikers to Rishikesh (muni ki reti) for the first stay. On the way some people cheers us but very much amazed in the chilling Place is very popular for water sports but we have to cover long distance next day and we need to take rest. In the night team do a small meeting for the hilly road condition for the next day. On bikes you have to drive with the co ordination and covering each other for the safe ride.

Day two (24th) Team start driving in the morning on day second now brooming of the engine speak the height of mountains and popular rafting and camping could seen clear at Biasi on the banks of river Ganga. At Devprayag we had glimpsed holy Ganga from the heights with sound of flow. We take tea from a highway dhaba that make us refresh. We had covered more than half stretch to their destination. While crossing Maletha the yellow pasture came into existence and local mud smeared houses create a postcard scene. Sincerely there is a divine power and human resurgent that keeping these biker to keep on riding.

Uttrakhand is newly emerged state but we can easily see the amount of progress in the rural areas where education is important and we are quite happy to see little children coming from school with smiling faces and cheering to see the flags on the motocycles. We take some time interacting with the common people as well student that ‘26 January is the day when India’s constitution came into force’. We will remember the hospitality of the people saying namashkar and offering us tea.

(25th) The third day bikers have to cross the challenging altitude of Tilwada and where one can easily see far snowy Chaukhamba peak of Himalayas. After crossing Ukhimath there is forest range of Duggalbitta where we surprisingly glimpsed leopard that immediately abscond to the green camouflage in seconds. We also collected some logs from roadside for the campfire and for the night.

Final day of 26th January was the day attached to the sentiment of us (bikers) who had taken all the challenges courageously, and fresh snow fall make that more difficult. Team covered last kilometers of snow filled road by feet after parking all the bikes at safe place. This was magical moment in my life when flag taken to the highest peak with cheer and national anthem sung in chorus; feel was same in every person standing ‘Proud to be citizen of India’. And at last it was the special day of our lives and ‘courage comes within’.
Rahul Verma (member of bikers team 456)

somewhere i was connected to GOD on "visit to Lansdowne"

From delhi 233 km
40 km from Kotdwara

Lansdowne (5597 feet) is the beautiful place in Pauri region of Uttrakhand is like reverie or we read in fairytales. It is named after ‘Earl of Lansdowne’, a little cantonment in the hideout of pine trees is situated at the pinnacles height of 1706 meters is the finding of the Britishers as hill station founded in year 1887 AD. It is well known as the regimental center of Garhwal Rifles (GRif) the saga of brave Garhwal rifles. It is in the beautiful mountains of Dev Bhoomi Uttrakhand is tranquillizer, unscathed and one of my favorite destinations. Visiting Keylong in last trip was different because Himachal has progressed a lot in tourism business and Uttrakhand still in way.
In my gears as always a windcheater, t’s, knickers, multipurpose swiss knife water bottle and first aid kit.
OVERNIGHT JOURNEY
My journey start from Delhi via Najibabad and Kotdwar before Lansdowne but in between I made some interesting changes in my planning just to push my self into the magical trekking of lesser known place called ‘Gumkhal’. Last time it was the vertical heights of Devriyataal Lake and flaking snow (on tour to Chopta) keep revolving in my mind. This time furious rain came in my path, but who cares I considered it as warm welcome which later cost me nausea.
This trudge gives me believe that my search for peace is in right direction as I reached the heights of these unidentified mystical treks of bhairavgarhi looks like serpent. I started this with the first light of the morning this decision is like blessing of God, morning was fantastic flock of birds chirping and showing me their presence like a background score while enjoying the picturesque views of Garhwal hills and the hardworking farmer making the fields and sowing the seeds for the next season make give me reason to take a break. On top I reached in around 2 hours from Ketukhal and I don’t want to assess this heaven path into the km. The surface was skidding but I give full credit to my shoes which I purchased last week. The fog in the morning made an exclusive morning. A red waiving flag in the pinnacle height suggest me the sign of the temple about the faith of the villagers and chanting sound suggest me how far I am. First light of the morning came at the time I reached in temple, ‘It’s your blessing..God’. Biscuit packet work for me as one of the temple staff preparing tea, we share packet with the hot tea sipping in the steel glass.

DAY 1
After taking rest its time is to came down but first ‘thanks’ to that person he shown me the way from where I got the bus to Lansdowne, my final destination and GMVN jindabad.
The road to Lansdowne was like painting where pine trees coming brighter after rain in dark brown on the green pastures on white paper sheet me was sitting in old jeep which keep speeding from Jehrikhal to cantt where one of my friends was waiting ; we entered badi pared ( a high profile path and military training area). Evening was very pleasant as it is the opening season of visitors. Localities are always my guide and according to them this place was know as ‘Kalu Danda’. Things are not changed pretty as this is my third visit, still the jawans in camouflage uniform and recruit performing PT in the morning kadamtal gives indication that we are in the cantonment.

DAY 2
Next Morning was chilling after night dipped in rain, and better to see any place in the early morning is my hypothesis to connect closely with the nature so as to look morning exercise of recruits. I then take tea at Tipsy restaurant and is compulsory in morning to break drowsiness. The better idea is to glimpse as agile hiker because the view are so entertaining you don’t want to miss.

Tip-in- top or Tiffin top is at the summit of Lansdowne and that was established by Britishers Before this had a high definition binoculars and missing from its place after they fled away from Indian soil.
What is written in my diary is blessed with the magic created by nature, “air is completely peaceful and mountains looks touching divinely looking skies and I was sitting on the Tiffin top looking milky white far shining ‘chokhamba’ like mirror peaks. It was strong recommendation coming from inside which took me to the Lansdowne”. There is arrangement of Huts at Tip-in-top by GMVN.

St Mary church is one of the oldest churches which is now opened and maintain by Garhwal rifles where pictures are on display of the British time and evolution of Lansdowne as regimental center. You can also see movie showing British raaj in Lansdowne.
While walking the aroma pine and cedar trees made me feel hundred percent energetic.
There is Bhula tal (Bhula means younger brother) which is also treat to watch in the middle of rocks which is again by the great Indian army effort. It is surrounded by pine trees and machaans. With little rain fog came close to lake made that place mystique island, I spend time there on boating for an hour.
The rich army officers’ mess and museum reminds the history of brave GRif but first you have to take permission of officer incharge.

I presented my idea to my friend to go to Jungle resort (3km from town) as I heard from others, in the evening we leave on bike and then spent time there. That was proper jungle has shaky roads, after taking dinner we came back to town.

DAY 3
There is Kaleshwar Mahadev mandir is must to watch downstairs to the Sadar Bazaar is the old temple of Lord Shiva and then taking road through JCO quarters and admiring beautiful sceneries of far mountains I entered to beautiful Durga Mandir (Regimental temple ). There was peace in silence and easily can feel the freshness of the atmosphere as I closed my eyes. This was the last day as I have to leave in evening but the picturesque still comes in my mind when I open those pictures of the fairyland.

‘I found for what I came here a spiritual contact”. Simply let yourself free flier in this nature with the promise that I will preserve you, it will never betray you.

divine HP

Well travelling for me is like the tonic to boost up after tiresomely messing up in city life of Delhi. This time I want to live in the lap of the nature for a week holiday. I had experienced place of divine connection named as Himalayan Country or adobe of God, its Himachal Pradesh. This was really an unforgettable trip I enjoyed with my close friends from Delhi to Keylong, district headquarters of Lahaul and Spiti.

I had observed the map of Himachal Pradesh and taken advices from my uncle who has done lot of biking expedition through these rout. I packed my bags and want to give advice to every tourist to be honest with full of thermal wears, cap, mountaineering shoes, mobile charger and sunglasses according to season and most important a handy first-aid kit and off course don’t forget a good camera to capture the panorama invented by nature.

This is better we hired a cab who has experienced driver. After crossing Ambala, city beautiful Chandigarh and then Kalka we had first glimpse of mountains. This is the end of day one at Shimla. Our journey actually starts from this summer capital from the times of English rule, which has served as one of the popular tourist place and about 370 km from Delhi. It has popular Mall Road, Church, Lakkad Bazar, Ridge and historical Indian Institute of advance studies off course scandal point and the beautiful sceneries full of Pine Mountains.

As we were moving next day ahead through the roads I surely feel more enthusiastic and dreamt of unscathed beauty still to come. We crossed through the beautiful legacies of Kufri and Fagu the green mountains start with tropical trees looks greeting us with the fragrance, local peoples enjoy this place like the chopati in Mumbai. We stopped for the tea at Theog sipped tea and curiously ask about the apple trees in that area to shop owner, he said, badi mehnat ka kam hai ji isme roj spray karna hota ho nahi to kaharb ho jaate hai, he told how to pluck an apple safely.

We saw the sign of destruction at Matiyana where a hut is shattered by the big rocks falling from upside hills due to land sliding two months ago but we aspect good weather and road condition for next five days.

Now first I should describe about the natural resources of Himcahal first is surely tourism industry and second hydro projects. These rivers are the friend’s as float in the valley and road side. Major rivers of Himachal Pradesh are Chandrabhaga, Rabi and Satluj which has number of tributires which always seen splashing.

Our next stoppage for the day will be the Manali, for which we accept the challenge through the extremely beautiful villages like Ani, Shoja, Banjar (known for its trout fish) and Bhuntar the gateway to Kullu district is one the popular airport of the Himachal region. This was really an entertaining rout through Jalori pass. Our driver told about near by Shikaridevi Wildlife Sanctury, we were excited. I observed that old handmade houses with the stones and clay look as the caves on the mountains. It is said that some of the carved wooden houses are hand made and doesn’t have single nail on its joints. These houses has specialty as protective for the all season.

The Kullu region looks very busy in these days as it is popular for its qualities of apples, on the sides of the roads the short trees bend over with the weight of the apples. We stop by seeing these trees to eat one or two but standing person advice us not to enter in apple garden but surely God helped us as a villager pluck some apples for us. It is the kind hospitality which we will never. The ripe apples were packed into cartons and waiting for their turn along the sides of the roads, we relish the aroma of fresh apple. In the middle big groups of sheep’s makes us to stop for while and wait, we only make request to their possessor to clear the road.

Kullu is on the banks of river Beas which has vedic name Arjikiya rises in Pir Panjal near Rohtang pass and flows in the vast areas of Himachal Pradesh. This place is famous for its quality of shawls, muffler and caps which we saw in the shops. It has mountaineering institutes and water sports. Kullu is amalgamation of history and it is world famous for the Dussehra festival as two big grounds known as Dhalpur. Local participant with us told that it started in 1637 AD in the ruling of Raja Jagat Singh. On the first day goddess Hidimba of Manali comes to Kullu in strong royal protection and idol of Raghunathji placed on chariot

In Manali we entered in the evening which is actually two old and new Manali, we had booked rooms in old manali. We got to know that Manali means abode of Manu as old Manali has Manu temple. All of us gathered and make time to visit historical Bhima and Hidimba temple and a very good market.

Next day we have to cross the toughest part of the journey as we sail through the well cultured roads. We had rout of Palchan, Marhi, Rohtang pass and Tandi. Marhi is the place from where we eat tea and paranthas as it is main camp before Rohtang pass. The road condition at is full of dirt and white snow peaks were clearly noticed. The caravans of the trucks are moving slowly to the Leh national highway.

We faced fresh snow on the Rohtang La, in tibetan language La means ‘pass’ which is 13050 feet above sea level; Indian Army is worked as a helping hand to us. The only courageous activity I had saw is by the Border Road Organisation (BRO) in the chilling atmosphere, truly deserve our salutes. We play with the ice bowls throwing on each other but soon we irritated by the shine of the ice into eyes and trembling on the legs.

In way to destination I saw some coulourful Buddhist stringing flag which inscribes with holy hymns. More hoist white flags with the stone placing around are called chorten or stupa which is somehow for receiving blessing of the holy spirit of Himalayas peoples faith in spirituality we crossed Khoksar from a bridge which is very sensitive and shaking where vehicles passes slowly one by one and river Chandra looks evident. At the road to Dalang we saw sacks of potato because this place is well known Potato cultivation. At Tandi we were amazed to see the last petrol pump enroute to Leh indicating board next petrol pump after 365 km, better we fueled our car.

We reached in Keylong and have a good time to visit the most happening market. In far mountain Keylong looks as small nest in the bushes of trees. Chandra and Bhaga which sail through Lahaul and Spiti named Chenab at Kashmir region. I visited main market of Keylong (district centre of Lahaul and Spiti) that was full of lives; the blend of culture, tradition, language and hospitality. Peoples were talking about the blocked Leh highways because of heavy snow. We feel blows of chilling winds of Himalayan Mountain.

An old woman whose has wrinkles on the face curiously glimpse to me and in a minute smile greet in local language ‘Jule’, which means hello and welcome. When I start taking photos of the women wearing local costumes one of them calmly said ‘what you will do with our photographs’ as they are shying of it. On the other hand I look myself as an accused who is interfering into the world which is blessed with the rich cultural legacy and its surplus natural history.
Hospitality given by localities will in be my fond memories and teach me how good can human be. I am always thankful of the nature which is so pure and teach me a lesson of always giving by both the hand.