[ampere]

As the climb goes up, the differences between human and divine keep coming down and then one begins to wonder, whats all this about?

Here is the ugly, one which we stay on a daily basis.
Then here comes the glimpse of something which we taste for a second and then we forget.

And there is something ethereal, larger than life, in its virgin state, which we cannot even dream about! These places can only be worshiped about, cherished in our so finite a life.

The more we see them, the more our thoughts wander to an ecstatic state, and the glory of the nature.

Thanks for showing it to us through your eyes!

[unoczar]

see, this is just why i hate these travelogues... i'm going to quit reading in this section as soon as my travelogue is done!

reason: i have just now made up my mind to do this trek... may be next summer... but i shall Insha'Allah (God willing....)

ab phir sab logon se gaaliyan khana padta,,,

phir se himalayas mein jaata tu? damaag kharab ho gaya tera?
pagal!

[wanderernomad]

Truly blesses are those who roam the countryside in these majestic Himalayas. Dont worry Czar you would not be the only one to receive brickbats after this amazing pictorial. Well done Deky. Finish up and only then shall I ask a few questions, for now am speechless.

[Sli_ce]

Truly amazing Travelogue Deky. the narration is delightfully interesting with every little detail covered and some spectacular pictures. I bet this must have been an "enlightening" experience for you, and of course i can see that despite of all the hard work you've thoroughly enjoyed it.

I've done a number of treks in this region. the last one i did was Beas Kund in Sep 2009, but somehow i had never heard of Saurkundi pass before reading your Travelogue. oh well. its on my list now. my own experiences at such like places have been really meaningful, sometimes I've felt sensations and vibes which i cannot comprehend or explain. something other than the overwhelming presence of nature, something extraordinary and far out, like a presence, like a force.

ok ill stop with the nonsense now..

oh and btw here's your fav picture without the dust, sorry i didnt seek your permission to edit it, just got too tempted.

[deky]

Originally Posted by pulsar56

The last set of pictures on the snow are amazing!

I think no one can muster the courage to stand on the edge and enjoy the beauty of the Himalayas! Waiting for your next post now!

Thank you. Yeah a friend of mine tried to emulate him but as you said could not muster the courage. Well as for me, I didnt even try

Originally Posted by MX6

Amazing photos. Sadly I already voted 5*. So can't give a 10 now.

Thank you MX6, you been very kind.

Originally Posted by Senz

Out of this world, this is mesmerizing and a must do for all nature lovers. Thank you for this amazing travelouge, glued to it anticipating more breath taking pictures and experiences.

A must do for all I would say. Even if you are not a nature lover, you would start appreciating nature and its bounties when you visit places like these

Originally Posted by sudev

Is that a crevasse in the snow on the left of the ridge line in this picture?

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attach...s-dsc04569.jpg

Well AFAIK cravasse's are deep, this was not more than 3 feet deep. I think it was just snow split into 2 portions due to its weight, as on the left you can see a steep slope.

Originally Posted by s@tan2s@int

Hi Deky,

I have read few articles/ blogs on the net about few people who after trekking In the Himalayas gave up their well paid jobs, city lifestyle, comforts . etc ..to take up a spiritual life. Some of them gave up jobs as bankers/ IT professionals to become school teachers/ guides/ yoga and spiritual teachers in Himalayas

Guess there is some great power or a divine force in the mighty Himalayas that can make one feel humbled and realize the true essence of life..Have you also experienced something similar after your trek in the Himalayas ??

I don’t know when I might get the opportunity to experience the beauty of the Himalayas.. but your travelogue has just increased the hunger in me to take a break from the mundane daily life and set out on self discovery trip to the mighty himalays !

Thanks once again Deky for this great travelogue !

You are absolutely right. Himalayas do have some divine power that makes me go to Himalayas year after year. And when I am back believe me for some time till the hangover I am generally in a very happy mood and in peace with myself. Guess thats the power of Himalayas.

Originally Posted by ampere

And the snaps keep on and on! I have lost my adjectives!
5 Stars from my side.

Thank you!!

Originally Posted by ranjith.rajaram

+1, 5* from me as well deky. No words to say.
Those snaps are so wonderful. I see all of you playing like kids

Thank you. Yes we all were waiting for snow to play in it. Luckily this day the weather was on our side.

Originally Posted by Rajesh Rawal

with the temp being 45 degrees outside ,all you need is this travelogue.

truely refreshing

Lol, even I have been watching these pics regularly and have been trying to get some respite from the Jaipur heat.

Originally Posted by rajesh1868

Great stuff Deky. Another Epic Travelogue from you
5*

Its always a nice feeling to be able to share travel details with like minded forum members. Thanks

Originally Posted by ampere

As the climb goes up, the differences between human and divine keep coming down and then one begins to wonder, whats all this about?

Here is the ugly, one which we stay on a daily basis.
Then here comes the glimpse of something which we taste for a second and then we forget.

And there is something ethereal, larger than life, in its virgin state, which we cannot even dream about! These places can only be worshiped about, cherished in our so finite a life.

The more we see them, the more our thoughts wander to an ecstatic state, and the glory of the nature.

Thanks for showing it to us through your eyes!

Very well said!!

Originally Posted by unoczar

see, this is just why i hate these travelogues... i'm going to quit reading in this section as soon as my travelogue is done!

reason: i have just now made up my mind to do this trek... may be next summer... but i shall Insha'Allah (God willing....)

ab phir sab logon se gaaliyan khana padta,,,

phir se himalayas mein jaata tu? damaag kharab ho gaya tera?
pagal!

Lol, Bhaijaan..Jo aisa bolega usko bhi aap saath le jaana, aap ka wo dil se shukriya aada karengey!!

Originally Posted by wanderernomad

Truly blesses are those who roam the countryside in these majestic Himalayas. Dont worry Czar you would not be the only one to receive brickbats after this amazing pictorial. Well done Deky. Finish up and only then shall I ask a few questions, for now am speechless.

A couple of more days and that would be the end of our trek!!!

Originally Posted by Sli_ce

Truly amazing Travelogue Deky. the narration is delightfully interesting with every little detail covered and some spectacular pictures. I bet this must have been an "enlightening" experience for you, and of course i can see that despite of all the hard work you've thoroughly enjoyed it.

I've done a number of treks in this region. the last one i did was Beas Kund in Sep 2009, but somehow i had never heard of Saurkundi pass before reading your Travelogue. oh well. its on my list now. my own experiences at such like places have been really meaningful, sometimes I've felt sensations and vibes which i cannot comprehend or explain. something other than the overwhelming presence of nature, something extraordinary and far out, like a presence, like a force.

ok ill stop with the nonsense now..

oh and btw here's your fav picture without the dust, sorry i didnt seek your permission to edit it, just got too tempted.

Himalayas are so beutifull that they always refreshen you however tired you get. You could also try SarPass trek that is also conducted by YHAI. But since that trek is much in demand, try to book early. As early as Jan.

Thanks for the PP, the pic looks much better than the dust. Thank you

[deky]

It was a beautifull morning at Longa Thatch. As usual some of us were up by 0500hrs. And those who got up that early were lucky to witness a magnificent event. The first golden rays of sun falling on the peaks.


I like to call it an event as the whole process of the sun rise and its rays slowly covering the whole area into brightness is a beautifull cycle.


More and more greenery was visible from here and the wild flowers looked as fresh as ever. Birds and bees were out and about working relentlessly. But I had to be carefull with the number of pics I took as my camera battery had almost drained out by now. (the only adverse affect that the Himalayas have are on the batteries)


The snow peaks over Manali were amazing to look at. This is somewhere close to Rohtang.


From here we could also see Manali down below. Dont you think Manali looks like the map of India?


Our descend for the day had started. I decided walk slow to stay with the group. Afterall we had only 2 more days left together and wanted to enjoy as much as we could. Singing, laughing pulling each other legs we kept coming down.


The song "Rim jhim gire sawan" had become our groups anthem, whenever we had no song to sing we started singing this one. Bharath as usual was high in spirits and kept us entertained with his antics and his PJ's. At one of the rest points we finally managed to get a photograph of the complete group together.


It was not a very steep descend so everyone was taking it easy. The trees had appeared back and it was getting more and more warmer as we came down. Somewhere on the way I swear I saw a unicorn



We reached our lunch point soon, had our packed lunch along with maggie and hot tea and started to trek again.


We were coming closer to civilisation. We passed lots of herds of sheep and nomads on our way.


We arrived at Lekhni (8100ft) after about 8 hrs of trekking, including breaks.


We thanked our guide Teja who had been very helpfull, specially to Patel aunty through out the descent. We all as a group cheered for him and gave him a gift as gratitude. He was so touched with all this that he invited us for tea the next day when we would be going down from Lekhni!!

Lekhni camp was set amidst apple orchards. A local family had made a house and rented it out to YHAI for a month for its groups to stay in. So after sleeping on uneven surfaces for about 8 days, finally we had a wooden floor to sleep on.


But destiny had other something else instore for a few of us. 7 of us ended up sleeping on the ground in the tent infront of the house. Well it was ok to sleep in the tent that night as firstly it was not as cold as what it used to be in higher camps and secondly 8 nights in tent already so what difference would one more night make??


Anyway, a small hail storm had started which continued for a while and then it started to rain. The only problem that later arose was the dog that followed us all the way from Maylee Thatch also decided to sleep in the tent. He kept getting kicks from us through out the night, so to find a problem free spot he continued to jump on us and changed his position all the time. At the end he slept with Bharath sharing his pillow.


That night we had the maximum attendance at the campfire. Because it was our last night together all had decided to attend. This time it was not about Milo, it was all about being together for one last time. Apart from the group being together I would remember the campfire for Navneeth's dance performance, Venkatesh's , Darshana's and Amrutha's singing, also Divya's Spanish song "Besame Mucho" and Bharath for his jokes!! The rest also chipped in with something or the other. It was great being part of such a close knit group.

[MX6]

Yes. The camp fires. They were always fun. And the last night camp fires are always an emotional time. So what did you do? Sing? Dance?

[ASHISHPALLOD]

@DEKY,
very nice travelogue...oops...treklogue.

your logue reminded my trek at sarahan-sangla valley in june 1989 organised by YHAI.

Its time to arrange such treks in sayhadries with some rajababues.

[vijaythacker]

Deky, usual at your best.One of the most inspiring threads to go through.Reminds me of the trekks i had done in my school and college days.Keep up your best and keep sharing as well.
And the best part of these trekks are the camp fires, though different in yours this time but was great too.

[sandeepmdas]

Amazing pictorial deky

What a beautiful country our motherland is!

[MX6]

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

@DEKY,
very nice travelogue...oops...treklogue.

your logue reminded my trek at sarahan-sangla valley in june 1989 organised by YHAI.

Its time to arrange such treks in sayhadries with some rajababues.

Smitten? Thought that your doctor has adviced you not to trek

When you do arrange such treks, remember, there are a couple here who want to join.

[lsp]

Its been an amazing read dekyji.

U r lucky to be able undulge in such amazing treks. Apart from luck it also needs will and conviction to undertake the treks. I also read you amazing Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Hats off to you!!

Originally Posted by deky

It seemed to be a normal rest point for all the groups as soon came young school kids selling fresh buttermilk and "brass" juice. Brass apperently is berry found locally and its juice is very refreshing.

Buransh (Rhododendron) is Uttarakhand's State tree. The juice u drank, which is very good for the heart, is one of the many uses of buransh eg. chutney, jam,. Buransh has a very important role in the Uttarakhandi folk songs. I remember a line from a very famous song By Narender Singh Negi
Haera ban ma Buransh ka phool
Jab banaag lagana hola
which means that in the dense green forests, the full bloom red buransh flowers give an impression that a fire is breaking out.

Please do read more about buransh.

[deky]

Originally Posted by MX6

Yes. The camp fires. They were always fun. And the last night camp fires are always an emotional time. So what did you do? Sing? Dance?

Lol, was hoping no one would ask this question. I just gave them the link to my ship adventure which is here on Tbhp. Well I did a few songs but made sure I wasnt alone singing them:P

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

@DEKY,
very nice travelogue...oops...treklogue.

your logue reminded my trek at sarahan-sangla valley in june 1989 organised by YHAI.

Its time to arrange such treks in sayhadries with some rajababues.

Was the trek in Sarhan-sangla valley the Har-Ki Dun Trek? I believe thats beautifull too.

Originally Posted by vijaythacker

Deky, usual at your best.One of the most inspiring threads to go through.Reminds me of the trekks i had done in my school and college days.Keep up your best and keep sharing as well.
And the best part of these trekks are the camp fires, though different in yours this time but was great too.

Yup, even initially I found campfire's to be strange without fires. But Then atleast someone is taking the initiative not to burn wood. So I support it.

Originally Posted by sandeepmdas

Amazing pictorial deky

What a beautiful country our motherland is!

Absolutely right!!!

Originally Posted by lsp

Its been an amazing read dekyji.

U r lucky to be able undulge in such amazing treks. Apart from luck it also needs will and conviction to undertake the treks. I also read you amazing Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Hats off to you!!

Buransh (Rhododendron) is Uttarakhand's State tree. The juice u drank, which is very good for the heart, is one of the many uses of buransh eg. chutney, jam,. Buransh has a very important role in the Uttarakhandi folk songs. I remember a line from a very famous song By Narender Singh Negi
Haera ban ma Buransh ka phool
Jab banaag lagana hola
which means that in the dense green forests, the full bloom red buransh flowers give an impression that a fire is breaking out.

Please do read more about buransh.

I guess I just love the hills so no luck required there. But yes indeed I am lucky to be in a job where I can take holidays at my will

Thanks for the link to Buransh, Atleast now I know what drink we had.

[deky]

It was our last day of trekking today. Every one though got up in time for bed tea as we were so used to getting up by 0500hrs. but no one seemed to be in a hurry to get ready and start our last journey. Everyone just lingered around in the open as if to soak in all the views for one last time. Finally by 0900 hrs breakfast was served. We had a special breakfast of hot maggie, tea and porridge today. Since we would be at Babeli base camp by noon, hence we were not given any packed lunch.


We took our time descending. Everyone was moving in slow motion as if they were trying to delay the inevitable. All of us were rather sad that this rather exciting journey was coming to an end.


But what changed our mood a bit were the fresh strawberries and the fresh cherries that we bought on the way. Well we bought the entire cardboard box that you see in the picture and had a feast.


It was just about 7 kms to Aluground from Lekhni so within an hour we were passing through a village. In the village I realised that the locals have to work very hard for their living there. With whatever little or no resources they have they are as happy as we are ( or maybe more). The things that we find are indispensable have little or no meaning for them.


But yet they smile and live long. I think the whole secret of their longevity is fresh air, fresh food, working hard and being self satisfied. I wish life gets so simple for us too.


We had forgotten about Teja's ( our guide the previous day) invite to us for tea at his house. He did not. He was waiting for us en-route to take us to his house. He was prepared for us with tea cups ( he must have got 23 of them on rent) glasses for water and tea.


His house was simple but located at an amazing location, from there you could see the valley below and Beas flowing through it. Finally in his house we had a sofa to sit on after 12 days.


We were very impressed with the hospitality shown by Teja. Would I invite 23 people whom I meet just for a day ever to my house for tea...I guess my answer would be NO. But he did and he made sure we had tea with him. His actions actually reflect how simple and nice and caring the hill people are.

No amount of money or thanking would have been enough for the gesture he showed to us. So we decided to give him a thank you note with our numbers on it, so if by any chance he was in our city, we wanted him to know that he had a place to live in. With almost tears in our eyes we bid him good bye.

Singing had started and it continued the rest of the way. Soon we could see NH21 down below. We were close to Alu ground ( 4kms from Manali) and that would be the end of trek.


Thats it, we had reached Aluground and waited for a bus to take us back to Babeli Base camp. Also if you see the pic there is a black dog, this is the same dog that had accompanied us faithfully from the second day of the pic. But Alas!! none of us was like Yudhishtir and take him with us.


Back at Babeli we could have stayed for that night and check out the next morning. But a few of us decided to deposit our rucksacks & sleeping bag inners back, collect our rucksacks and go find a hotel in Manali and stay there for the night. For me it was 2 nights in Manali as my group was advanced by a day. We also go certificate's as a proof of completing the trek.


MANALI

After such peace and serenity, Manali seemed like a mad house with so so so so many tourists. All I did in Manali was sleep, get up, have meals at the Tibetan place come back and sleep. Ohh and I bought cherries and strawberries for home too.

RETURN JOURNEY

I had pre booked my Manali to Delhi ticket from Jaipur on the HPTDC web site. The Volovo bus started at 1700 hrs and reached Delhi, next morning at 0830 Hrs. I was lucky to get the 0900hrs Volvo to Jaipur and I was home by 1430 hrs.

The return journey was hot and it was tiring but then I did enjoy my trek to the fullest and now was time to get back to reality.

With images like these etched in my memory the reality is not that bad.



TILL I RETURN AGAIN!!!!!!


THE END!!

[NIP]

Simply brilliant Deky ! This was a beautiful read with stunning images. Thanks for sharing your experience !