Nestled high in the Himalayas where the sky touches the Earth in a breathtaking embrace, lies a world of unparalleled beauty – the Valley of Flowers, a UNESCO world heritage site. This captivating oasis, hidden away in the Garhwal region of the state of Uttarakhand, has a kaleidoscope of vibrant blooms, meandering streams and majestic peaks. And this is where I planned to trek this year. Very few people get the privilege of treading the mighty Himalayas and experiencing all its beauty and splendor. I was introduced to high altitude trekking a few years ago and have been trekking the Himalayas once a year since then, save the couple of years of the pandemic. And this year, I planned to do the Valley of Flowers trek. The website promised 500 to 700 varieties of flowers blooming in the valley and that was enough to get me excited and spruced up.
I always arrange for a private trek with my friends. And this, time quite a few signed up. We were a total of 17 initially, but 14 ended up going for the trek. 10 were my friends and 4 were friends of a friend. So I knew most of them but the rest did not know each other. I also had a hearing and speech impaired colleague who had joined. I definitely was a little nervous and not sure if people will gel with each other. The 10 of us had gone on a couple of day treks but the remaining 4, we had never met till we reached the destination! But when interesting people get together, magic happens! And that’s what happened on this wonderful trek.
All of us were from Bangalore and reached Dehradun by a direct flight on the 28th of July. We then took cabs to Rishikesh and checked in to the hotel on the Swargashram side of Rishikesh. We were lucky to be on time to witness the Ganga aarti on the banks of the river Ganga, just a few minutes’ walk from our hotel. As enchanting as Rishikesh’s Swargashram may be with its spiritual ambience and serene surroundings, offering a haven for spiritual seekers and yogis, it has unfortunately fallen victim to the challenges of overcrowding and the lack of civic sense that Indians have. The narrow lanes lined with shops and ashrams, are often piled with litter, debris and cow dung that accumulate due to the high influx of tourists and pilgrims. We should all be responsible citizens and responsible tourists and do our bit to keep the spiritual haven clean. Like Gandhiji said, cleanliness is godliness.
My very first Himalayan trek was in Uttarakhand with Yogendra from Dreamcatcher Adventure and so had planned this trek also with them. Next morning Yogendra joined us, and we had to drive from Rishikesh to Joshimath, a good 250 odd kilometers. News had been rife with flooding in Joshimath and many houses sinking and cracks in many others. In fact, we were not sure if the trek would even happen. And on the way, there were landslides and we had to halt for 3 hours in one place and another half hour at another. JCBs were busy removing the debris and making a semblance of a road. It was a bit unnerving to think we have to drive through that! We got down to see the work, have some much-needed chai and watch the fury of the river Ganga. All through, we were driving along the various forms of the Ganga. There were 5 Prayags or confluences of rivers along the way and we saw 4 of them – Vishnu Prayag, Nanda Prayag, Karna Prayag, Rudra Prayag and Dev Prayag. Each Prayag is a confluence of two rivers, e.g. Vishnu Prayag is a confluence of Alaknanda and Dhauliganga. We stopped for lunch at a hotel on the banks of one of the confluences and could see the rivers raging with strong currents.
The holiest of rivers, Ganga is worshipped by Hindus as a goddess of purification and forgiveness, and is mentioned in Ramayana, Mahabharatha and the Puranas. Legend has it that Lord Shiva protected the world from Ganga’s destructive power when the cosmic waters fell to Earth, by releasing the streams gently through his hair. Pilgrims immerse the ashes of their kins in the Ganga, which is considered to bring their souls closer to moksha or free from the cycle of birth and death. And so for some, it was a pilgrimage of sorts too. But pollution has turned the sacred Ganga into a lethal cocktail of industrial and human waste. All through the journey, we drove along the Ganga and reached Joshimath late evening to a lovely hotel and pleasant staff.
Our trek started next day at 7am and we had to trek more than 10km uphill to Ghangaria. Since it was our first day, everyone was pumped up. Our luggage was loaded up on mules and we had backpacks on our backs, trekking poles in our hands and a spring on our steps! The route was a vibrant tapestry woven with stunning landscapes. As you set foot on the trail, the scent of pine fills the air. As we trekked up, we saw a series of breathtaking vistas – the emerald meadows that stretch towards the heavens, crystal clear streams dancing over pebbled beds, and the majestic peaks that guard the horizon. Pilgrims enroute to the Hemkund Sahib (the highest Gurudwara) added a spiritual hue to the scene. Yet this trek wasn’t without its playful challenges – rocky paths that seemed to have a mischievous grin, and altitude and steepness that sent even the chirpiest among us catching their breath. But these hurdles only add to the adventure! We reached Ghangaria in the evening and after freshening up, visited a Gurudwara opposite our hotel. The prasaad of sheera was yummy and not only filled our stomachs but tingled our taste buds too.
The following day was the trek to the Valley of Flowers. Luckily, the weather was perfect and we got the most fantastic views of the mountains, rivers and waterfalls. There was a riot of colors, what with many varieties of flowers in full bloom. It was as If a rainbow exploded and decided to settle amidst the mountains. There was an orchestra of dainty blue poppies nodding their heads, elegant anemones twirling in the breeze like ballerinas. We also saw many cheeky bumblebees stealing nectar from the thousands of pink balsam and geraniums, red potentilas, white Aster, wild Himalayan roses, monkshood, orchids, Brahma Kamal and many more varieties of flowers. The walk felt like a whimsical waltz through a garden of wild flowers! 4 of us even trekked to the river bed about 3.5 km away which looked picture perfect. I sprained my ankle while walking back and reached last but then I also could soak in the beauty and the fragrance of the flowers a lot longer than everyone else! There’s always a silver lining!
The following day was the most difficult trek to Hemkund Sahib. It was a 6km long trek that was very steep! Some from the group went by pitthoos (men carrying people on their backs seated on bamboo chair of sorts). Today was not as sunny as the previous day. It was like a hide and seek game with the mountains and the clouds for a while till the sky cleared up and showed us glimpses of paradise! As you climb higher, the views become more jaw-dropping, with snow-capped peaks peeking out from behind the fluffy curtains of mist. But the real star of the show was a glacier along the way, a glistening expanse that looks like it was sculpted by an artist. I usually name a rock as Daxini rock on each trek. But this time I named the glacier as the Daxini Glacier! The path to the Gurudwara is like a riddle that nature has playfully set – a zigzag of rocky twists and turns that keeps your heart racing. Indeed it was a difficult climb, with all of us huffing and puffing. But the spectacular views of the mighty Himalayas kept our spirits high and we kept trodding along. There were many faithful Sikh devotees, chanting Waheguru ji di Fateh and Waheguru ji da Khalsa. We finally reached the Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara devoted to Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru. We went in to offer our prayers – mattha Tekna – and then had the langar (or prasaad) of khichdi and chai which was delicious and soothing. Nestled like a sapphire gem between the towering peaks is the pristine lake Hemkund. It is like a mirror of tranquility that reflects the awe-inspiring beauty of the surrounding landscape, leaving every visitor spellbound by its ethereal charm. The way back to Ghangaria was long and never ending but ultimately it did end and we got back to the hotel for hot chai and pakoda, followed by a much deserved massage!
The following day we trekked back the 10km to Govind ghat. It was pouring and we were in our ponchos and raincoats. I always say that the world looks sensuous and intense when it is raining, with water dripping from the trees and the mist surrounding the woods making it dream like. It felt like we were walking through a fantasy land. The vistas that unfold are like pages of a romance novel where every hue is amplified, and the world seems pure and unadulterated. The raindrops choreograph a delicate dance, glistening on leaves like precious jewels, and the scent of the petrichor infuse the air, becoming a part of the trekker’s soul. Forever and ever. It was not just trekking but a sharing of stories, of connecting, of being a part of each other’s lives and creating memories of a lifetime. We reached Govind ghat early afternoon and since we had time, we also went to one of the 4 main pilgrimage centers for Hindus, the Badrinath temple of Lord Vishnu.
We were all so happy we completed the trek without any eventuality. 12 of the 14 were first timers for high altitude trekking. They had just done day treks. So they were all so excited and even relieved they did it! Next day was the drive to Rishikesh and the following day was local sightseeing. We visited the Beatles’ ashram, really the Ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who taught transcendental meditation and the Beatles had visited the Ashram in 1968. With nothing much to do, we went café hopping the entire day savoring the local samosas, kachoris, lassi, and other street food. The following day we had to take the flight back to Bangalore. And that was the end of a wonderful trek, with the most fabulous set of people!
When like-minded souls come together for a trekking adventure, it’s like a merry party. 14 of us came together as strangers to embark on an adventure and became bonded for life. Shammi, my classmate from class1, her sister Kanchan and niece Shivani were the Sindhi sisters who brought truckloads of food and shared with everyone and their cousin! It had been Jayashree’s dream to do the Valley of Flowers and she left behind her family to go on this trek with friends. Archana, a CA had a very inspiring story and was on a holiday / trek without her family for the absolute first time! Vaidy and I had done the Everest Base camp trek last year and he joined at the very end, but was always amongst the first to reach the destination every day! Sheetal had missed the EBC last year so there was no way she was going to miss this trek. And she brought her husband Gaurav along who made the journey interesting with his poems. Rariyang is a hearing and speech impaired girl from my office, and a fun, happy and cheerful person who can make anyone laugh with her antics. She was the star of the trek! Dr. Kiran the dentist and wife Impa along with Sreekumar the techie and his wife Rashmi the lady boss of DRDO were the total strangers whom none of us had met but am sure we will stay connected. And of course, yours truly.
This motley group of people came together for the trek and created magic! We played Antakshari, dumb charades and other games, shared our bucket list items, along with our hopes and aspirations. We share d our joys, sorrows, food, jokes, helped each other when the trek was difficult and motivated and inspired each other. And everyone took care of Rariyang, and engaged with her, which was fabulous. She had an awesome time! When people gel well, conversations flow like a mountain stream, as everyone shares tales of past escapades, dream destinations, and the quirky quirks that make them unique. Whether it’s the synchronized laughter over a hilarious mishap or the collective awe inspired by a majestic panorama, every moment becomes a shared memory etched in time. A helping hand is extended without hesitation when a tricky rock or slippery slope tries to play spoilsport, forging a bond that transcends the physical journey. In these fleeting moments, conversations delve deep, venturing into the heart and soul, as strangers become confidants, and new friendships form like magic. Under the star-studded sky, the tales get taller, the jokes wilder, and inhibitions, lighter. By the end of the trek, all 14 strangers became close and bonded for life! We hope to keep in touch and do more treks / trips together.
Acknowledgements
All picture credits go the remaining 13 members as I took all of 5 pics!
I took help from ChatGPT for some of the sentences.
Dreamcatcher Adventure (https://www.dreamcatcheradventure.com/) had organized the trek and they were very good. The hotels, vehicle, food, guides – all top class!
poorvismusings 