There is no happiness to those who do not travel - Rig Veda
High in the Himalayan ranges of Garhwal hills of Uttarakhand lies an enchanted valley with pastures full of flowers and clear running streams set against silver birches and shining snow peaks. It is known to the inhabitants as Bhyundar Valley, the play ground of fairies and nymphs.It's meadows were used as summer grazing grounds for sheep and cattle.There is spirituality in the air with holy Badrinath in the proximity. In 1931, Frank S. Smythe - mountaineer,explorer and botanist, chanced upon this valley. Entranced, he named it the Valley of Flowers.In 1937, Smythe returned to the valley to climb,explore and collect flowers and seeds.
But I am getting ahead of my expedition which commenced in Haridwar
In Haridwar,where the Ganges emerges from the Himalayan foothills,Har Ki Pauri, the largest of several sacred ghats,hosts a evening Ganga Aarti. It is a sight to behold!Pilgrims young,old and infirm somehow summon the energy required to take a dip in the cool Maa Ganga and send tiny flickering lamps floating down the river.The temple comes alive with the chanting of mantras which when combined with the clanging of bells and the play with gorgeous brass lamps makes it a powerful and moving experience.We witnessed it all,sitting on the steps opposite and watching the temple assume a colourful glow as the evening progressed.
Rishikesh, the Yoga capital of the world,we passed soon.At our breakfast stop we came together for our first group photo.
We were ascending the same route that pilgrims would take on their "Char Dham Yatra" from Haridwar. These roads are being widened and every once in a while we would stop waiting for the landfall to be cleared.One such occasion got us this.
Most significant part of our scenic experience was the sight of " Pancha Prayag" save one. DevPrayag was first and it is the confluence of Alkananda and Bhagirthi rivers to form Ganga. At this point Ganga is very clean having emerged from its meandering, twisting and turning course through the hills and the sights we see are truly memorable and inspiring to think of adopting a life in the hills in search of truth.
Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag and Nandaprayag came one after the other and we were ready to capture them for posterity.
As dusk set in we entered Joshimath/Auli. The hills around carry such heavy weight Peaks as Nanda Devi, Dunagiri, Hathi, Nilgiri and Nilkanta ranging from 20,000 -24000 ft.. Joshimath boasts of a cable car ride of 15 minutes to Auli,a very popular ski resort.We are also in the cusp of Badrinath temple which is 1.5 Hrs by road from here. Joshimath is a gateway to several Himalayan mountain climbing expeditions and trekking trails.
Next morning all spruced up and ready after BF we depart for Govindghat a 22 Km drive and the starting point for our Trek.Weather is lovely.Cool with the scenery of clouds hugging the hills thrown in.We also stop at Vishnuprayag. It is the last of the Pancha Prayag and marks the confluence of the Alaknanda River with the Dhauliganga River.
4 Kms from Govindghat is the village of Pulna which we approached by jeeps and from here the actual trek began.We are bound for Ghangaria (10000 ft)... the base camp at a distance of 10 Kms. It is a long arduous trek of 6-7 Hrs with stops to enjoy Nature's bounty...A waterfall there,many boulders,a stream gushing here, a rickety bridge crossing,snow caps peeping through the hills,lush green everywhere and plenty of Dhabas.
Ghangaria the base camp is full of hotels and a narrow road to direct people on their way to the treks.A Gurudwara is available to anybody who is in search of lodging.The village is open for just 4 months and empties out in October when Bears roam freely.Many Mules are to be seen crossing the roads,bells tinkling around their necks,carrying luggage or people on their way..
Accommodation is downright basic and hot water service was available only between 6-7 in the evenings.
VOF Trek..11500Ft
We set out at 7:30 AM the next morning in overcast weather which is par-for-the course for this part of the year.. We are all rearing to go! On the right is the road leading up from Ghangaria. Past the first waterfall there was a diversion ...one leading to Hemkhund and the other to VOF. And then this river/stream snaking in the valley below.
These flowers on the way foretell what is to come.
It was all so "out of the world" for us city dwellers.
As we trudge higher the path twists and turns amid thick foliage and when that clears we see the plush green hills with frozen water from the glaciers caked like icing that makes a great pattern.And then the final approach to the valley and we are greeted by bush laden flowers.
The moment you enter the valley you get a sweeping view of its vast floral diaspora,a mild perfume wafting in the air,Bees buzzing around for the nectar and water drops on the petals...And in the background the mountain range, some snow capped with the clouds hugging them..Heavenly!!
In the entirety of the season the flowers that are seen are never the same.The first set of blooms come in July and then a new set in August and that changes again in September.In all there are some 500 + unique species of flowers here.A Botanist's dream.
Enjoy a short video clip of our flower watch experience at VOF for that hour or two
Hemkhund Sahib Trek..14500Ft
This is an ancient site ...Garhwali locals and Bhotias from Tibet have been visiting the lake here from time immemorial and there was an ancient temple dedicated to Lakshman.
In the Granth Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh is believed to have made reference to his meditations in a previous life, poised on the banks of a lake surrounded by seven snow peaks, now recognized as Hemkund. So the Sikhs over the centuries set out to discover it and indeed they did.
The current Gurudwara Hemkhund Sahib (Alt 14500 ft) was built in 1960 and is the second most revered shrine for the Sikhs after the Golden temple. Hemkhund translates to "Lake of Ice"and remains frozen for 8 months of the year.
The starting point is the same as for VOF and a diversion marks the way to HS.
Distance traversed is 6 kms over an altitude rise of 3500 ft !
Once again we were blessed with good weather and it did not rain. Unlike VOF this path is very broad and even, perhaps due to the constant work done by the Kar Sevaks bound by the Sikh tradition.It is cleaner with sweeping at regular intervals.
On the right is a view of a frozen glacier as we ascend.
Unlike VOF we could see a lot of Sikhs,some dressed in their holy garb climbing up.
We raised our voice and greeted Sat Sri Akal...Wahe Guru.They were pleased and folded their hands in greeting us.
We now hear a Bhajan which is reaching us from the Gurudwara above.Weather was holding and it wasn't very chilly as we expected it to be. Slowly we reached the top and sit on the benches provided in front of the Langar hall to catch our breath in the rare atmosphere..The best was yet to come.
On the way we had seen Blue Poppy and Brahma Kamal that were not visible in VOF.
In Hindu mythology Brahma Kamal is believed to have divine powers and being regarded as a spiritual flower it is offered to Lord Vishnu at Badrinath and Lord Shiva at Kedarnath.
Blue Poppy...also known as Queen of Himalayan Flowers is found in abundance near Hemkund Sahib from mid July to end August.Plant contains narcotic constituents; roots are considered to be poisonous.
A regular feature is the mist that floats down to the lake and obscures our vision momentarily.This adds to the divinity of the location aided by the devotional songs in the background
The Lake is pristine fed by glacier waters and surrounded by hills all around where clouds gather.This is where the devout take their dips in preparation for entering the Gurudwara for prayers.The setting is divine. There is a also a Lakshman temple here.
After a quick wetting of feet in the lake's cold water we had a good look around and went and paid our respect to Lakshmanji
We entered the Gurudwara and listened to live performance of devotional music.Explored the inner sanctum and joined the Sikhs chanting prayers in front of their Holy Book.The atmosphere was rejuvenating.
We moved on to the Langar. It was a minimalist affair.I suppose they keep it simple considering the high altitude and logistics involved.Hot steaming Kichadi was offered which was delicious and filling and then there was tea.
With this our visit to this mystical shrine concluded and we headed back.....
But I am getting ahead of my expedition which commenced in Haridwar
In Haridwar,where the Ganges emerges from the Himalayan foothills,Har Ki Pauri, the largest of several sacred ghats,hosts a evening Ganga Aarti. It is a sight to behold!Pilgrims young,old and infirm somehow summon the energy required to take a dip in the cool Maa Ganga and send tiny flickering lamps floating down the river.The temple comes alive with the chanting of mantras which when combined with the clanging of bells and the play with gorgeous brass lamps makes it a powerful and moving experience.We witnessed it all,sitting on the steps opposite and watching the temple assume a colourful glow as the evening progressed.
Trivia: Sacred Har Ki Pauri ghat is believed to have been built in 1st century BC by emperor Vikramaditya in memory of his brother who passed away here.
 |
| The Route |
Our trip began in right earnest in joyous company,a crowd of ten who got along from the word go.We never minded the jolt and rattle of the Minibus as we sped along NH 58..We had a long day in front of us and a lot to catch up..
We were headed to Joshimath (Alt 6150Ft) 280 Kms away in the direction of Badrinath that would take 10 Hrs! We will Breakfast, Lunch and have afternoon tea on the way.Not forgetting the anecdotes,jokes and songs we will share.
 |
| The Group |
Rishikesh, the Yoga capital of the world,we passed soon.At our breakfast stop we came together for our first group photo.
We were ascending the same route that pilgrims would take on their "Char Dham Yatra" from Haridwar. These roads are being widened and every once in a while we would stop waiting for the landfall to be cleared.One such occasion got us this.
Most significant part of our scenic experience was the sight of " Pancha Prayag" save one. DevPrayag was first and it is the confluence of Alkananda and Bhagirthi rivers to form Ganga. At this point Ganga is very clean having emerged from its meandering, twisting and turning course through the hills and the sights we see are truly memorable and inspiring to think of adopting a life in the hills in search of truth.
Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag and Nandaprayag came one after the other and we were ready to capture them for posterity.
 |
| Our Abode at Joshimath |
Next morning all spruced up and ready after BF we depart for Govindghat a 22 Km drive and the starting point for our Trek.Weather is lovely.Cool with the scenery of clouds hugging the hills thrown in.We also stop at Vishnuprayag. It is the last of the Pancha Prayag and marks the confluence of the Alaknanda River with the Dhauliganga River.
4 Kms from Govindghat is the village of Pulna which we approached by jeeps and from here the actual trek began.We are bound for Ghangaria (10000 ft)... the base camp at a distance of 10 Kms. It is a long arduous trek of 6-7 Hrs with stops to enjoy Nature's bounty...A waterfall there,many boulders,a stream gushing here, a rickety bridge crossing,snow caps peeping through the hills,lush green everywhere and plenty of Dhabas.
Accommodation is downright basic and hot water service was available only between 6-7 in the evenings.VOF Trek..11500Ft
We set out at 7:30 AM the next morning in overcast weather which is par-for-the course for this part of the year.. We are all rearing to go! On the right is the road leading up from Ghangaria. Past the first waterfall there was a diversion ...one leading to Hemkhund and the other to VOF. And then this river/stream snaking in the valley below.These flowers on the way foretell what is to come.
Soothing silence,misty breeze,gushing sound of streams and the view of half frozen glaciers,enormity of surrounding mountains......
Now we are going downhill and we have this traffic jam! a narrow path leads to an iron bridge over Pushpavati river which hurtles down with a furious roar!! I can only give you a fleeting glimpse,but you will get a sense of it...the path that the river makes between the tall hills,trekkers queuing up to cross it!...It is Awesome to say the least.(Open speed settings and slow down the speed of the video if you need to.Watch in full screen mode)
Now we are going downhill and we have this traffic jam! a narrow path leads to an iron bridge over Pushpavati river which hurtles down with a furious roar!! I can only give you a fleeting glimpse,but you will get a sense of it...the path that the river makes between the tall hills,trekkers queuing up to cross it!...It is Awesome to say the least.(Open speed settings and slow down the speed of the video if you need to.Watch in full screen mode)
As we trudge higher the path twists and turns amid thick foliage and when that clears we see the plush green hills with frozen water from the glaciers caked like icing that makes a great pattern.And then the final approach to the valley and we are greeted by bush laden flowers.
The moment you enter the valley you get a sweeping view of its vast floral diaspora,a mild perfume wafting in the air,Bees buzzing around for the nectar and water drops on the petals...And in the background the mountain range, some snow capped with the clouds hugging them..Heavenly!!
In the entirety of the season the flowers that are seen are never the same.The first set of blooms come in July and then a new set in August and that changes again in September.In all there are some 500 + unique species of flowers here.A Botanist's dream.
Enjoy a short video clip of our flower watch experience at VOF for that hour or two
Hemkhund Sahib Trek..14500Ft
This is an ancient site ...Garhwali locals and Bhotias from Tibet have been visiting the lake here from time immemorial and there was an ancient temple dedicated to Lakshman.
In the Granth Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh is believed to have made reference to his meditations in a previous life, poised on the banks of a lake surrounded by seven snow peaks, now recognized as Hemkund. So the Sikhs over the centuries set out to discover it and indeed they did.
The current Gurudwara Hemkhund Sahib (Alt 14500 ft) was built in 1960 and is the second most revered shrine for the Sikhs after the Golden temple. Hemkhund translates to "Lake of Ice"and remains frozen for 8 months of the year.
The starting point is the same as for VOF and a diversion marks the way to HS.
Distance traversed is 6 kms over an altitude rise of 3500 ft !
Once again we were blessed with good weather and it did not rain. Unlike VOF this path is very broad and even, perhaps due to the constant work done by the Kar Sevaks bound by the Sikh tradition.It is cleaner with sweeping at regular intervals.
On the right is a view of a frozen glacier as we ascend.Unlike VOF we could see a lot of Sikhs,some dressed in their holy garb climbing up.
We raised our voice and greeted Sat Sri Akal...Wahe Guru.They were pleased and folded their hands in greeting us.
We now hear a Bhajan which is reaching us from the Gurudwara above.Weather was holding and it wasn't very chilly as we expected it to be. Slowly we reached the top and sit on the benches provided in front of the Langar hall to catch our breath in the rare atmosphere..The best was yet to come.
On the way we had seen Blue Poppy and Brahma Kamal that were not visible in VOF.
In Hindu mythology Brahma Kamal is believed to have divine powers and being regarded as a spiritual flower it is offered to Lord Vishnu at Badrinath and Lord Shiva at Kedarnath.Blue Poppy...also known as Queen of Himalayan Flowers is found in abundance near Hemkund Sahib from mid July to end August.Plant contains narcotic constituents; roots are considered to be poisonous.
A regular feature is the mist that floats down to the lake and obscures our vision momentarily.This adds to the divinity of the location aided by the devotional songs in the background
The Lake is pristine fed by glacier waters and surrounded by hills all around where clouds gather.This is where the devout take their dips in preparation for entering the Gurudwara for prayers.The setting is divine. There is a also a Lakshman temple here.
After a quick wetting of feet in the lake's cold water we had a good look around and went and paid our respect to Lakshmanji We entered the Gurudwara and listened to live performance of devotional music.Explored the inner sanctum and joined the Sikhs chanting prayers in front of their Holy Book.The atmosphere was rejuvenating.
We moved on to the Langar. It was a minimalist affair.I suppose they keep it simple considering the high altitude and logistics involved.Hot steaming Kichadi was offered which was delicious and filling and then there was tea.
With this our visit to this mystical shrine concluded and we headed back.....
This Blog will not be complete if I do not include this interesting observation from Bharat ..one of our group members..The uncle and aunty he is referring to is us.We all had a lovely time interacting and it was fun having youngsters around and seeing the world through their eyes for a few days...... over to Bharat
From the past few days the clock at 5 pm brings me images of Veena stretching herself to insane poses which are not feasible for me... followed by some sarcastic comments. Then the smell of ginger tea and some hot pakoras which we all gorged upon. Uncle and Aunty inspiring us with brief anecdotes from their travel diaries, they surely would be considered the most ideal couple with the way they complemented each other and the love and affection they have for each other. Vijay and Sathish ( Chennai Tamils)always looking for translations during the conversations. Pradeep may be rehearsing songs to sing at night. Jayid with his poker face made it really difficult for me to comprehend what's going on in his mind. It would certainly end with the three girls cornering and bullying me after the pakoras gave them the magical strength to do so,the occasional support from aunty would be the only relief. And then the group would scatter nearing 6:30 pm for the 30 mins of hot water that we received during the day as a privilege.
It is said that good things come in small packages, I surely do understand that now. Brief moments of bliss with the right people is the perfect medicine to a hectic and boring life.
Finally a Sher to end it
" Tera zikr har baat mein karta hoon,
tu saath to nahin lekin Tere saath hone ka ehsaas karta hoon"
Exit Bharat
tu saath to nahin lekin Tere saath hone ka ehsaas karta hoon"
Exit Bharat
Until we meet again 😊
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