Historic Hampi : A Travel Guide

“The use of traveling is to regulate imagination with reality, and instead of thinking of how things may be, see them as they are.” – Samuel Johnson

I hadn't traveled in quite sometime. The long weekend of Independence Day was calling me for a short vacation. Unlike my previous 2 travel plans which were treks to the Himalayas, this time, me along with my roommates(Jyoti and Nikhil) decided to dive into the historic ruins of  Hampi. This blog is more of a travel guide than a travelogue.

Hampi is an ancient village in the south Indian state of Karnataka. The dynasties that ruled the Vijayanagara Empire , with Hampi as the capital,constructed many forts,ramparts,temples and statues. What they build then have come to be acknowledged as world heritage sites today.

History:

Hampi is also known as Pampa Kshetra, Kishkindha kshetra and even Bhaskara kshetra. These names were derived from the famous Tungabhadra River Pampa. According to mythology it is said that Pampa was Brahma’s daughter who was later married off to Shiva. It was here where the city was built. As you walk through the remains of Hampi's magnificent forts, palaces and gateways, you will get a glimpse of the excellent architecture of those times. The monuments speak volumes about the history of Hampi that used to be a prosperous and rich kingdom in the 14th century which was eventually ruined owing to the attacks made by the Moghuls. This was the start of an empire that went on to become one of the richest. In a span of over 200 plus years ((1336 AD – 1565 AD), a total of four dynasties ruled Vijayanagar that is also called as the City of Victory.

History of Vijayanagar had been a saga of resistance against the northern Sultanates as well as building of its spectacular capital in Hampi.The Vijayanagara Empire is said to have been established and founded by Bukka and Harihara who were also known as Sangama brothers. The brothers initially lived in Warangal where they were working as treasurer and minister. In 1323, the brothers fled Warangal when the city was attacked by the Muslims and went to Kampili. They fled from there too again owing to the attacks by Muslims and crossed River Tungabhadra to form a new city which is now known as Vijayanagara. This city was ruled by four different dynasties from 1336 to 1565. Sangama dynasty, Saluva dynasty, Tuluva dynasty and Aravidu dynasty were the four dynasties in ruling during that period. The kings and princes of each of these dynasties made sure that while in their ruling, they do whatever it takes to brings richness and wealth to the city and ended up building over 500 monuments.

• The Sangama Dynasty was founded by Bukka Raya 1 and Harihara 1.It was established in 1336. The ruling passed on from them to Harihara II and Devaraya II and several others.
• The Saluva dynasty was ruled only by two rulers in the name of Saluva Narasimha Deva and Immadi Narasimha.
• The Tuluva Dynasty was the third in row to rule the Vijayanagara Empire. Immadi Marasimha who initially ruled the dynasty was killed by Vira Narasimha who then took over the throne and made the Tuluva dynasty in 1505.
• The Aravidu Dynasty is the last dynasty of the Vijayanagara Empire and Tirumala was the founder. This dynasty was defeated and taken over Bijapuri muslims.

Hampi also has a strong mythological story associated to it. And if these beliefs are anything to go by, it is said that Kishkinda Vanara Kingdom is where Ram and Lakshman had stayed when they had set out in search of Sita who was abducted by Ravana.

Tentative Travel Itinerary:

Hampi is 12 km away from Hosapet. KSRTC runs buses from 6 AM to 10.30 PM daily. There are 2 routes to Hampi, one goes through Kaddirampura and the other through Kamalapura.

Hampi can be covered in 3 days. I will try and give you an itinerary which will be helpful. It is very useful if you can download offline map of Hampi because there is very limited connectivity of mobile service providers. Following is a google map representation of the itinerary.

Day-1:

The ruins are scattered across Hampi. Many of the important sites are close to bus stop and can be covered walking. They are within a radius of 2 km. You don't need to hire a cab or rickshaw on this day. As one alights the bus, the magnificent tower of a temple is visible to the west, Virupaksha temple.

Virupaksha Temple : 
It is the most ancient temple in Hampi and it is a treat to the eyes for people who love history and religion.The inscriptions that you will find on the structure dates back to the 9th and 10th century. Built in dedication to Shiva, this site is one of the most important and visited pilgrim sites.The most fascinating part about this temple is the stunning three gopuras and also a big high tower that stands tall at 160 feet . The temple also has an elephant called Lakshmi.Sri Virupaksha is aslo called Pampapathi. It is said that pampadevi did tapasya for lord Shiva in this holy place. Shiva appeared before her and took the shape of Shivalingam promising to stay there forever. The idol of Shivalingam is Virupaksha.Don't forget to see the inverted shadow of the outer entrance(Bistappa tower) projected on the wall. Also do not miss to visit the sacred pond beside the temple. It is called Lokpavana. Water to the pond is fed by a pipe system which connects the nearby Tungabhadra river.

  Once you get out of the temple. You can see a signboard pointing to large group of temples on the left of the Virupaksha temple. Enter inside that. You will see 2 distinct paths. Follow the one towards the left. If you are lucky you can see goats grazing,the beautiful Virupaksha compound and Matanga hill at a distance.

 Move ahead and visit the 2 Ganesha temples (Kadalekalu and Saasivekaalu). Kadalekalu Ganapathi is 18 feet tall and has a big inner sanctum.Get out from the exit gate on the other side and walk straight 300 m towards Sri Krishna Temple.

You can also see Pushkarini opposite to it.

Other sites in the vicinity include the Badavilinga Temple ,where you can see a 12 ft shivling submerged in water, and Ugra Narashimha Temple. It is the largest of all the idols in Hampi. It is about 22 feet tall and is carved on a single stone.

Return back to bus stop by walk or by a rickshaw. Have lunch at Mango Tree restaurant or Suresh restaurant, two famous restaurants on Hampi river side. The ambiance is good and food is tasty.
Next visit the Monolithic bull and Mathanga hill. It is at a distance of 1km from Hampi Bazar.

Once done walk towards Achutaraya Temple. It is the most beautiful ruin in Hampi. It is worth the effort of walking 850m from Monolithic Bull

Achutaraya Temple: This temple was built by Sri Krishna Devaraya's brother Achutaraya between 1513 and 1539.Apparently it was here that the trade of precious stones and diamonds was carried on. This is also called “Sule Bazaar”.

Return back to Virupaksha temple and enter the gate of Hemkuta group of temples and move towards the right hand side which you had skipped in the morning. Spend some time enjoying the sunset at sunset point. This ends your adventure of day 1.

Day-2

Following is a summary Of Places to be covered on Day-2

You can visit the Vitthala Temple directly. You will find the marvelous Stone chariot in the temple compound. The temple campus is huge and beautiful too.

Spend some time exploring the ruins.
Vijaya Vittala temple is one of the most breathtaking pieces of architecture. Built in dedication to Vittala who is a form of Vishnu. The Vittala temple was built in the 15th century. The highlight about the Vittala temple is the stone chariot. It is considered as an iconic structure. It also has musical pillars that are as iconic as the stone chariot. Each pillar of this temple depicts a musical instrument and also serves as the main support to the whole structure. This has been arranged around the main pillar of the temple which when struck gives out the 7 notes from each of the instrument that it represents. This temple is also a venue to the famous festival Purandaradasa festival that is held here annually.

On the temple outskirts you should be able to locate Stupendous Vishnu Temple and King's balance. These two are the important attractions in this part of Hampi.
King's Balance: The King’s balance is just five meters tall and forms an archway like structure. The structure has been carved from stone and it is believed by many that during lunar and solar eclipse and also during Dussehra, the King was weighed with gold and many other precious stones. These jewels were then given away to the priests of the temple.

Return back to Kamlapura side of Hampi and explore other sites.

Following sites attract the tourists to a greater extent.

• Queen's Bath
• Lotus Mahal
• Elephant stable
• Octagonal Bath

• Hazara Rama Temple
• Royal Enclosure
• Stepped Tank
• Mahanavami Dibba

You can optionally visit Chandrasekhara Temple and Saraswati Temple

Day -3 :

If you aren't still bored try and visit Hampi Island which includes the following tourist attractions. You can enjoy the magnificent boat ride from Hampi river side to Hampi island.

• Sanapur Lake
• Anegundi (north-east of Hampi Bazaar). Crossing the river to the north and heading east, one can reach Anegundi whose history goes back, according to local legends, to the Ramayana (the Hindu epic)

You can also spend half a day exploring the Tungabhadra Dam and the beautiful park which is just 6 Km from Hosapet Bus stop. You can hire Auto rickshaw which charge 70-80 INR

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. Hope this blog helps you plan your vacation!!

I can HA[m]PPIly conclude

“Our happiest moments as tourists always seem to come when we stumble upon one thing while in pursuit of something else.” — Lawrence Block

Additional Info:

Recommended Places to Stay at Hampi:

• Hotel Mayura Bhubaneswari (KSTDC Hotel) - Very Good
• Kishkinda Heritage Resort in Hampi Island
• Krishna Palace in Hosapete
• Hampi International in Hosapete
• You can also call and book a guest house in Hampi riverside owned by Mr.Nagaraju (9449667641)

Signing off

Conquering a Himalayan peak - Chandrashila

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.”
― John Muir

"Put on your micro-spikes" commanded Pratap our technical guide for the trek. I looked to check the time, it was 4.15 AM by my watch. I hoped we were on time. Anxiety and excitement prevailed. It would be the first time I would be walking on ice. I guess the whole team was waiting for this. But it wasn't easy at all, there was a very thin layer of ice and we had to be careful to avoid slipping. We were about to reach Tunganath. Tunganth temple is the highest Shiva temple in the world and is believed to be the Tritiya Kedar in the pecking order of the Kedars. It was pitch dark and we could hardly see beyond a metre. Tunganth was our only stop before we climb to the summit of Chandrashila, a mountain peak of 12,083 ft, the trek for which we enrolled.

An Asian proverb says "Better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times". once you have seen it, you can't wait but come over and over again. This has been my story with the Himalayas. I fell in love with the Himalays when I completed my first high-altitude trek to Roopkund in september last year. This time it was time to climb a peak of height 12,083 ft called Chandrashila literally meaning "Moon Rock". If mythology is to be believed, this is where Lord Rama meditated after defeating the demon-king Ravana. When I decided on doing this trek,I was excited to relive the meandering roads, vast meadows and pristine water streams but kudos to our trek guide Manoj bhai who enlightened us on the significance of the place and kept us motivated with captivating and exciting stories in the evening.

Chandrashila summit trek is a 4 day affair. I was doing this trek again with IndiaHikes, a trekking community. I was really impressed in which they carry out their job paying attention to details, improved safety standards, serving good food at such high altitudes and the green trail initiative. I was doing this trek with 24 other trekkers. We were picked up from Haridwar railway station and transported to Sari, a small Himalayan village at an altitude of 6,700ft. The route to Sari was extremely scenic. We drove through Rishikesh, Devaprayag, Rudraprayag and Srinagar and the beautiful emerald green Alaknanda river giving us company throughout the journey. We were also lucky to spot 2 khambas(walls) of the mighty Choukhamba. At one point our driver pointed towards a half-snow clad peak which looked discouragingly far but temptingly near under a cloudless blue sky. That was our destination, Chandrashila.After reaching Sari, we were asked to assemble for a briefing. we were formally introduced to our Trek Leader Geet. He started with the team introduction and briefed us on various aspects of the trek- trek itinerary, etiquettes,medical tips, green trail etc. Most of the people were first timers and almost everyone was excited to experience snow probably for the first time. After a sumptuous dinner we retired to our beds.

The first day was a leisure walk of 3km to Deoriatal.It was about 9:30 AM when we left. The trail is a well-laid one and is a gradual ascent. The beautiful gharwal forests en-route Deoriatal are known for their fiery red and pink canopy of rhododendrons that set the trail blazing. Few of the trekkers also managed to lay their hands on the fresh juice of the Rhododendron flower. It tasted heavenly, nectar in true sense. We reached the campsite by 12 PM. We were mesmerized to see our tents pitched beside the holy deoriatal and silhouette dominated by the mighty Himalayan peaks particularly Choukhamba. Yes you can say that I am obsessed with Choukhamba. During my whole trek I almost stopped at every view point to admire this sublime beauty. Since we reached so early, we had plenty of time to kill. We utilized this time to know our trek mates and indulged in some fun-filled sports activities. Ours was a cosmopolitan group with people from varied background with colourful personalities. Manoj bhai opened his bagful of stories and we were glued to it and asked for more and more and he obliged. It comprised fiction and non-fiction and we were all ears to him. An eventful day ended. Next day was supposed to be a tougher one. I was sharing the tent with 2 other trekkers and on this fateful night a dangerous term was coined "Comfort Marriage". We were oblivious to the fact that pin drop silence at a camp site in the Himalayas is a myth. Almost everyone was enjoying our discussion and were quick on passing comments the following morning.Every evening, Kuldeep(trek guide) would monitor our oxygen levels and pulse with his oximeter to make sure that none of us had problems with the altitude and were fine enough to trek.

Day 2 was a tiring day and we had to cover a treacherous distance of 14 km in 8 hrs. So we started early around 7 AM and walked through dense forests.We had our lunch packed and were excited to find a dining spot in the woods.After a short but intense ascent up, we came to Jhandi Dhar, a high-point clearing marked by a flag post with 360 degree view of the surrounding. We were at the cliff with the ridge sharply receding into valleys down beneath. We could spot Sari from where we started our trek. Manoj bhai and Geet decided that we will be having our lunch at the banks of Akash Kamini - a beautiful glacial stream. My excitement knew no bounds in noticing pure clean water flowing from nature’s lap. The cold water of the stream provided much needed respite from the already tiring walk. After devouring our khichdi along with chikki we moved over neatly laid forests and small meadows. Though the forest looked endless but you never get bored, there is so much to look for. It was filled with flora and fauna. We could spot few Himalayan birds too. Once the forest trail gave way to asphalt road, we could spot ice. It was then an epic battle between trekkers started- snow fight. It was already a long day and after another 1 km walk we could spot our next campsite in the vicinity. We would be spending 3 nights at this particular place. After our evening snacks, everyone enjoyed the most beautiful sunset. Being a tiring day,almost everyone retired to their beds early.

We had heard that this particular camp site is home to myriad birds. So me and a few folks from the group made a plan to wake up early and go for bird-watching. It was then we came to know that our trek lead Geet was a birdwatcher. We got up early the next morning as planned and followed Geet. We could spot few birds high up on tree branches but were unable to identify them from far below though we had a booklet handy. We were lucky enough to spot few female monals near to our campsite. But the most fascinating of all the birds that we saw that day was a male Monal. It is a colourful bird and when it took flight we were awestruck. It felt like getting up so early is worth while. Apart from this, the day was a leisure one and we enjoyed plenty of free time moving around the camp site and playing games. Before snacks that evening, IndiaHikes team briefed us on the use of micro-spikes and I along with few people were disappointed on not seeing gaiters. That would mean not enough snow on the peak. Geet gave us a demonstration on their use and asked us all to try them on right then, so that we would be able to do it quickly the next day. The best part of going to Chandrashila is to marvel the sunrise when there is no enough snow. So our lead and guide decided we would start as early as 1.30 AM the following day. We were served early dinner and were asked to go to bed at 7 PM.

When you are in the mountains, you follow its time. If not for this day and this place, the group would have been in deep slumber. But it was astonishing and rejuvenating to see them getting ready before 1.30 AM!! This day was a little different than other days when we pretty much walked at our pace but today the slowest trekkers were made to walk at the head of the line to control the speed of walking of the group.It was pitch dark and we all had to use head lamps or torches.After an hour walking on the zigzagging stony path uphill, I stopped to see dimming lights in the houses of villages far down in the valley and the constellation of stars above me. I was starstruck.I looked behind me, torch lights dotted the pitch-blackness like darting fireflies, making their way up. We rested for a while at Tunganath temple waiting for the group at the end to reach. People who reached early were sceptical of missing the sunrise and rang Tunganath temple bells and prayed to the lord to delay the sunrise.

After the Tungnath temple, we continued to trudge upwards on a slope at a disheartening angle. The slippery ice was making the climb even tougher. The distance from the Tungnath temple to the Chandrashila peak is about 600 feet and is a steep climb.

“The way up to the top of the mountain is always longer than you think.
Don’t fool yourself, the moment will arrive when what seemed so near is still very far.”
— Paulo Coelho

Leaving behind all the difficulties and excruciating pain in our calf muscles,we managed to reach the summit just before sunrise.The 360 degree view was outstanding. We also spotted a Himalyan ibex. It was heartening to see strong emotions of accomplishment taking the shape of tears in few first time high altitude trekkers. I was standing on a Himalayan peak with an astounding view above the horizon.

After our customary portraits with the mighty Himalayan range in the background and few group photos we descended to our camp sites and relaxed. The following morning we started our journey back to our monotonous lives.

Sometimes we need to let off our tedious and repetitious life and go to some serene place with no mobile connectivity, to a place with misty forests and vast meadows , streams, and winding paths , with best ever sunrise and sunset , to a place with great variety of flora and fauna, to whistling and dancing birds and to listen to the music of the wind passing through the leaves and kissing your body and replenishing your soul with happiness.

I can aptly conclude with a quote

“Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.”
― David McCullough Jr.

PS: This trek was completed on 30th March,2017. Thank you IndiaHikes and my trek mates. I had a wonderful time.

For inquisitive minds:

Mythological importance of Deoriatal :
Deoria tal is believed to be the lake from where Yakshya asked Pandavas the questions on life.According to Mahabharata, once when Pandavas were in the Banbasa fleeing ,Thirsty and tired Yudhisthara asked Bhima to look for a place where they could bring water from. Bhima got up on a tree and saw a lake at a distance. Sahadeva, the youngest of the Pandavas was ordered to go and bring some water.Sahadev went and tried to drink the water. At the very time Yakshya stopped Sahadeva and asked him to answer his questions which Sahadeva denied and thus died the very moment he tried to gulp water. Same thing happened to Nakula, Arjuna and Bhima respectively. Finally when Yudhisthira came, he answered all questions of Yakshya before drinking the water. Happy with Yudhisthira, Yakshya asked Yudhisthira to choose one of his brothers to be alive and Yudhisthira choose Nakula. To Yakshyas bewilderment, Yudhisthira replied that though Bhima is the most strong and Arjuna the top in arrow shoot, he would choose Nakula to do just towards their second (step) mother Madri. Happy with the answer, Yakshya gives life to all four Pandavas who were lying on the bank of the lake dead. Yakshya is the father of Yudhisthira.Deoria lake maintains its purity and amazing beauty till date.

Mythological importance of Tunganath :
The legend states that sage Vyas Rishi advised the Pandavas that since they were culpable of slaying their own relatives (Kauravas, their cousins) during the Mahabharata war or Kurukshetra war, their act could be pardoned only by Lord Shiva. Consequently, the Pandavas went in search of Shiva who was avoiding them since he was convinced of the guilt of Pandavas. In order to keep away from them, Shiva took the form of a bull and went into hiding in an underground safe haven at Guptakashi, where Pandavas chased him. But later Shiva’s body in the form of bull’s body parts rematerialized at five different locations that represent the "Panch Kedar" where Pandavas built temples of Lord Shiva at each location, to worship and venerate, seeking his pardon and blessings. Each one is identified with a part of his body; Tungnath is identified as the place where the bahu (hands) were seen.

Mountain ranges to the left of mighty choukhamba (as seen from Chandrashila)
from Left to Right
Jaonli(6632m),Gangotri(6672m),Jogin(6465m),Thalay Sagar(6904m),Bharte Kunta(6578m),Kedarnath(6940 m),Kedar dome (6831m),Sumeru Parwat(6331m),Bhagirathi(6856m),Mandani(6193m),Satopanth(7075m),Janhukut(6805m),

Mountain ranges to the right of Choukhamba (as seen from Chandrashila)
from Left to Right
Ghoda(6708m),Hati Parbat(6727m), Gorur Parvat(6504m),Dronagiri (7066m),Changbang(6864m),Deo Damla(6620m),Rishi Kot(6236m),Nanda Devi(7816m),Sunanda Devi(7434m),Bethartoli(6352m),Nanda Ghunti(6309m),Trishul(7120m)

My First Trek : Roopkund - The Mysterious Skeleton Lake - Part II

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowliness. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.Explore.Dream.Discover." - Mark Twain

"I told you to book a train ticket!!" I shouted furiously at Nikhil oscillating like a pendulum in the last seat of an Uttar Pradesh parivahan. We were travelling in a dilapidated bus on a treacherous road after hopping through all the metro lines in Delhi to reach Haldwani. Finally we were able to reach Kathgodam at 10.30 in the night after a day's struggle.

Flashback...
When was the LAST time you did something for the FIRST time? This question was lingering in my mind for a very long time now. Though I wasn't sure what I really LIKED to do for the FIRST time,I made up my mind to do a trek in the mighty Himalayas. I always wanted to escape from the madding crowd of the cities and go to a place abundant with natural beauty,to the lap of mother nature but I was engulfed by devilish thoughts
 Will I be able to complete it?
 How will I manage to spend 8 days without electricity and internet?
 How will I travel with complete strangers?
Let me now introduce you to my flatmate Nikhil. He had already registered for the Roopkund trek. After a lot of thought and pushing my anxiety and apprehensions to the back seat I settled to do this trek.

And now we are in Kathgodam to start our mesmerizing journey of 8 days to the abode of Gods. We were doing the trek with a trekking organisation called IndiaHikes. We were supposed to be picked up from Kathgodam and transported to Lohajung. Our vehicles were waiting at Kathgodam railway station. There were 3 Boleros waiting for us at the station. We had come to know that there were 17 of us doing the trek. After a short waiting of 1 hour and few formal introductions we were ready to start our journey. I have already written a blog on the people with whom I had done the trek. The road journey from Kathgodam to Lohajung exposed us to the magnificence of Uttarakhand and its surreal beauty. The view was breathtaking . It was the first time I was exposed to such brilliance of mother nature, mountains on one side and the other side dominated by picturesque river. Pindar river is what it was christened. It almost followed us till we reached our destination. we crossed Bhimtal lake,Almora, Kausani and Dhewal to reach Lohajung. The journey was long almost 11 hours including pit stops for breakfast, lunch and evening tea. We reached Lohajung around 6.30PM. We were welcomed by IndiaHikes's base camp coordinators and were served hot dinner after a small briefing. We were asked to assemble after dinner for going over the itinerary. During this assembling, we were formally introduced to our Trek Leader Mohit. He started with the team introduction and briefed us on various aspects of the trek- trek itinerary, etiquettes,medical tips, green trail etc. We were enlightened on the importance of keeping the body hydrated and the omnipotent medicine DIAMOX (to prevent high altitude sickness). After this, we went to our respective rooms and got under the cosy blankets, little did we know what the destiny had planned for us for the next 6 days!!

                                       "Yeah it's a new dawn,
                                         it's a new day,
                                         it's a new life for me.
                                         oooooooooh
                                         And I'm feeling good"
                                                                  -Nina Simone

Exactly my feeling.Next day morning everyone was awake by 5.30 AM. It was definitely a new beginning for me. I was excited to the core and was ready to take a giant leap of faith and overcome the thought of dubiousness. Mohit introduced us to our Trek Guides Balbir and Pratap. Balbir bhai was supposed to lead us and Pratap played the role of a sweeper(the last man in the group) to make sure no one is left behind. Balbir bhai was a middle aged man who had a contagious smile. He knew the trails like the back of his hand. On the other hand Pratap was a lad in his early twenties. Both of them had mastered the art of story telling. Mohit, our trek leader, was a lanky IITian who followed his passion. Though he had always a grumpy look but he was a kid at heart, constantly motivating us to move ahead. Let me tell you, initial few days I was walking very slow.So whenever Mohit crossed me, he always had the same question "itna jaldi thak kaise jate ho?"(why do you get tired so easily?) How do I explain him, I was a little plump guy who didn't had the required fitness :(. So I always had to come up with some excuses.

We had to cover a distance of 5.6 km to reach Ghairoli Patal, our next camp. We were driven to Wan village(13 km from Lohajung) from where we started our trek, a climb through the village to reach the highest point Ranaka Dhar. In between we stopped at Latu Devta temple to seek blessings for a safer completion of the trek. During our uphill climb we met cute and innocent Himalayan kids and shared our toffees with them. They would offer us a mischievous namaste and ask us for a toffee. Pooja ma'm would ask them their name and give them a candy. From Ranaka Dhar we descended to Neel Ganga river. The group stopped to refill their water bottles and to enjoy its clear and pristine water. Then the climb was a forced ascent through magnificent oak and rhodenderons forest to reach Ghairoli Patal. We had gained considerable altitude and I was gasping for my breathe during the ascent. It started drizzling and we had to tread through slippery and muddy trails. At one point of time, I cursed myself for enrolling for this energy sucking activity. We reached our campsite around 1 in the afternoon. We could see small beautiful tents which would be our home for next 6 days. Everyone was tired after a long trek of 6 hours. We were served with hot lunch. We were strictly advised not to sleep rather get acclimatized to the climate. We played various fun games and started to bond. At the onset of dusk, we were exposed to complete darkness, torches were our sole companion. It was at this point we had the first glimpse of the mighty Mt. Trishul. It also marked the blockbuster entry of a device named Oximeter, to measure the blood oxygen level. Oximeter reading was a mandatory affair every evening from there on. A shiver runs down our spine everytime the small screen of the device registers some ominous graphs and numbers. This device had the potential to turn down my dream of completing the trek. We were served dinner at 8PM and then everyone retired to their tents. This was our first night and it was completely eerie. we could hardly sleep. This was something beyond our regular lives.

                       "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
                         But I have promises to keep,
                         And miles to go before I sleep,
                         And miles to go before I sleep."
                                 -Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening - Robert Frost

The second day of our trek was supposed to be an easier day and we were excited to reach Asia's largest high altitude meadows. Most of the people were awake by 5 in the morning and were trying to get used to the process to be followed for the remaining 4 days. We were served with hot soups and tasty breakfast. By 8 we were ready to start the trek. We had to cover 4km traversing through thick forest and dampened soil to break out of the tree line to reach Ali Bugyal. During the 1.5 hour trek through the thick forest, we had to stick together and had to pass through small water streams and logs lying on the trail. The group was continuously acclimatising and getting used to the physical strain. By now, the group had bonded very well. We were taking groupfies and everyone was sharing their adventurous stories. The first sight of the velvety meadows brought us a smile. We could feel that it wasn't ephemeral, mother nature had more such surprises waiting for us. There was a small dhaba at Ali Bugyal where we had tea and some snacks. We offloaded our backpacks and started our walk to Ali top to get an astounding view. We could see herds of sheep grazing, shepherds trying to tell their stories and symphony of bells on mules. We felt like tiny ants in front of the mighty mountains. After enjoying our short stint in the dhaba, we started climbing up the trail towards Bedni Bugyal. we could see our previous day's campsite from the edge of the cliff. As soon as we reached our tents, it started drizzling. After about 30 minutes, the clouds had cleared and we could see a beautiful rainbow. The setting sun gave the sky a myriad touch and silhouetted the mountain ranges. We again played some fun games till our evening snacks were ready. This is where we found footsteps of a leopard. We were excited and scared equally. After an early dinner we were ready to sleep. I was woken up by tinkling cattle bells which was continuously ringing. I looked at my watch, it was just half past mid-night and when I stepped out of my tent to attend nature's call, I could see a herd of mules happily grazing near our campsite. Somehow I managed to avoid the cacophony and slept for the remaining night. Next day morning, when I got up around 5.30 in the morning, I could see the complete western Gharwal, Chaukhamba, Nanda Ghunti and Trishul standing tall.

The next camp was Patar Nachauni.It was at a distance of 4.8 km from Bedni Bugyal. We started our day after breakfast. It was mixed sunny and cloudy. After a small hike to Bedni Kund, we rested there for a while and then gradually climbed the steep slope to reach the trail which continued till Patar Nachauni. The sun was playing hide and seek with us. The climate was changing abruptly and we weren't surprised when rain and hail hit us.Though it was temporary we could fill pellets of frozen rain on our body. We had to leave behind thick vegetation and move towards decreased flora and thinner air. The climate was getting worse and we had to hurriedly descend down to our campsite which was located at a slightly lower ground. The view was majestic . It seemed as if the Windows XP wallpaper was shot here. It started raining heavily and we had to gather at our dinning tent and were stuck there for approximately 30 minutes. The winds were very strong and at some point of time we felt like the tent would fly away. As the clouds cleared, we were spellbound to see not just one but two rainbows. We could see streams flowing at a distant place. Another batch of trekkers were supposed to join us this evening who attempted the summit a day before. We were eagerly waiting for them to hear about their stories. After a brief rest, we were set for an acclimatising walk to a small dhaba which was at a height of 300 ft from the campsite. We were told that we would be getting some mobile connectivity for the last time. We climbed the ridge and made some phone calls to our near and dear ones who were anxiously waiting to hear about our well-being. After having tea,maggi and omlette we descended to our campsite. It was a full moon night and we could see another beautiful peak called Maiktoli. After hot dinner, we retired to our sleeping bags.

Bhagwabasa, the next destination, was supposed to be our last campsite for the trek. It was situated at an altitude of 14100 ft. The location of the campsite made it vegetation less and was a completely barren land filled with rocks. It was at a climb of 4.5 km from Patar Nachani. The meadows end from Ghoda Lotani and the steep climb begins till Kelva Vinayak temple. After a short break of 30 minutes, we continued the trail which was relatively easy and the gentle curves with large rocks made it more exciting. Once we reached the campsite, we were greeted by the panoramic beauty and the picturesque location of the tents.  This site remains submerged under snow most of the times of the year but we were lucky to see the campsite in its original form with all the rocks. We reached Bhagwabasa at around noon and the lunch was ready. Hot food and chilling climate made it even more interesting. We enjoyed the beauty of the campsite, the view from the cliff edge and chit chat with our trekkers till dusk. We were briefed about the summit day's schedule and the importance of keeping the body hydrated. The oxygen levels in our blood stream was now falling. We could feel the heaviness in our breathe. Two of our group members had low oximeter reading along with me. Though I wasn't feeling any uneasiness, Mohit was always trying to make sure I was alright. He even warned me that if my reading doesn't improve I won't be able to join the group the following day. I immediately gulped 2 litres of water. I could hardly eat my dinner. We were served Gulab Jamun in our dinner!!! Can you imagine getting to taste this yummilicious  sweet dish at such an altitude. Kudos to the indiahikes support staff. We were informed that we would be pushing for the summit trek at 4 in the morning. We sneaked into our tents and tried to catch some sleep.

When we woke up at around 2 in the morning, we could see snow on our tents. We were pretty excited, this was the first snow in this time of the season and we were lucky to experience it. We started our summit walk carrying just our day packs which contained only the bare necessities on our back and a torch in our hands. Fresh snow on the rocks was making it slippery and difficult to walk. Mohit made sure we stick together and the whole team moved at a fair speed by putting the slowest trekker in the front. The trek was a forced climb, the last 1 kilometre was like fighting a war, between the brain and the heart. It was going to be an impeccable journey which was going to leave an indelible impression on me. I tried to console my mind, a little hardship and there it was standing before us the majestic mysterious frozen lake - Roopkund. The fatigue from the walk and the chilly fight with the belligerent cold vanished in split seconds as I stand in awe of the scenery in front. I had been victorious and was happy to carve a niche in my life. We didn't stop here, we attempted to climb Junargali which was at a height of 300 ft from Roopkund. As we reached the highest point in our trek, the wind was blowing hard but it didn't deter us from capturing victory snaps with our national flag. We raised our hands,shouted out loud and congratulated each other on achieving a rare feat. We were exposed to the majestic beauty of Nanda Ghunti on one side and Trishul on the other. It was enticing us to come closer. It is aptly said " A thing of beauty is a joy forever".As the climate started deteriorating, Balbir Bhai asked us to descend down to Roopkund. I could see the pristine lake reflecting the shiny rays of light. It was hard to believe that this majestic beauty was holding a secret - a graveyard of skeletons. Pratap opened up a box of hot parathas.We savored it with pickle and took group photos.

We were soon ushered to begin our descent, as the rising sun would cause the snow to become slippery.

“Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory.”
                             - Ed Viesturs, No Shortcuts to the Top: Climbing the World's 14 Highest Peaks

The descent was quite difficult with thin layers of snow and narrow paths making it even more tricky. We managed to hold our breathe and descend down the trod path to reach Bhagwabasa. After a short rest followed by hot lunch, we started our journey towards Patar Nachauni, our campsite for the night. All the members were feeling complacent. It was a tradition to serve hot momos to the victorious troop as evening snacks. We were no different, we filled our stomachs with the piping hot momos. We clicked photos and played Uno till we retired to our sleeping bags.

Next day we were supposed to descend down to our base camp Lohajung which was a 15 km trail. We started early morning and almost ran through the straight trails from Patar Nachauni to Bedni kund. We were amazed to see the reflection of Nanda Ghunti and Trishul in the sacred waters of Bedni Kund. After a short break, we started our journey towards Gherouli Patal. We stopped at the campsite to have hot lunch in the form of sumptuous veg pulao with raita. Time was running out and we had to cover the Jungle trail before dusk. It was a day of testing our knees, it was continuous descend and we devised various techniques and found umpteen shortcuts to reach Wan village around 5.30 in the evening. We were picked up by 3 boleros and transported back to Lohajung. Everyone was tired and after a short round of Uno retired to their respective beds. Next day IndiaHikes arranged for a transport from Lohajung to Kathgodam. After a group dinner in a small hotel in Kathgodam everyone parted their ways with a heavy heart and smile on their face. An epic journey was completed.

This experience made me realize that there is an infringed belief in us, that nothing bad could ever happen.This thought is bred by living in cities with high rise buildings and settling into comfortable routines. We are enslaved by a mechanic world where we can't survive for a day without internet. We are taken for a ride when we are put to challenge , both physically and mentally. Mountains change this complacency and makes us admire the grandeur of nature. I miss the addictive mountains and tranquil trails. I am still hallucinated by the clouds I saw amidst the beautiful sunset. This journey has instilled in me self-belief and confidence. It has given me the required push to try out new things in life without the fear of failure.

I would aptly end this blog with a quote

"Travel, it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller"

My First Trek : Roopkund - The Mysterious Skeleton Lake - Part I

This is my first blog. I would write about my first trek which I did with a group called India Hikes to the Mysterious Skeleton lake called Roopkund. It was at an altitude of 15730 feet. We didn't stop there, we also climbed to Junaargali which exposed us to the magnificent slow clad peaks , Nanda Ghunti and Trishul. It was a spectacular view.

I started the Journey with lot of apprehensions and 15 strangers. I was very skeptical about completing the trek and also the people with whom I would be sharing everything for 8 days. The gamble paid off well. I not only completed the trek but also made awesome friends for life. Before I start describing the trek in detail, I would prefer writing few lines about each individual in the group. In case you start wondering why such adjectives, it was actually coined during a fun activity during one of the camp sites.

Compassionate Pooja ma'm and Awesome Asish Sir :

Pooja, an amazing lady who proves " Dil to bachha hai ji" . She is so full of enthusiasm and brilliance. A smart orator and has amazing narrative skills. We miss the paranormal stories from her and Ashish Sir. When you are at an altitude of 12000 ft with complete darkness around, the last thing you would want to hear are paranormal activities!! Pooja ma'm and Ashish Sir make a lovely couple. A source of inspiration for the younger folks. I have never seen such energetic people. Pooja ma'm is that student in a batch who excels in both studies and extra curricular activities which you envy. On the other hand there is Ashish Sir who is very soft spoken but when he switches to Haryanvi mode, there is laugh riot in the camp. A beautiful singer and was our source of soulful music after dinner.

 Marvelous Mithun:

Affable and spoken. Very silent and a good listener. He is that mischievous smart guy who passes a comment and people won't believe that he actually did it. Has a contagious smile. Adventurous to the core. Sneaked out of tent at every opportunity and explored terrains near the campsites. All credit to his iphone lenses, we got amazing pictures,time lapse videos and unimaginable selfies. He was the only guy who slept like a baby when others had to wake up at least 4 times a night. He didn't even get up once in 6 nights!!

Notorious Nikhil:

Sincere, self-disciplined and self-confident is what I would call him. He was literally leading the group following the trails of Balbir bhai (Trek guide) Probably carrying the heaviest backpack in the group. He has a good sense of humor and likes to take up challenges.

Slow Sanjana:

perfect example of slow and steady wins the race. Doctor by profession but #HashTag Lady in social media. She takes all comments as compliments and has a funny bone. Though the slowest trekker but managed to complete the trek.

Prettiest Nirupma:

An awesome lady probably the jolliest person in the trek. She literally ran through the trek and slipped many a times. An awesome singer and it seemed like she is the wikipedia of all old classics. You will never get bored when you have her in your company. Bhabi ji of the whole group. The answer to the question "Bhabi ji ghar pe hai?" is "Bhabiji Trek pe hai" :P

Quirky Atasi:

The strongest lady in the group, believes "There is no shortcut to success" .Never took a shortcut and followed the actual trail. The goal and path to success are equally important.She was very much determined to complete the trek and her never-say-die attitude is what makes her special!!

Pune Express:

Pune Express as people in the group fondly call them. During boring discussions, they will crack you up with unimaginable jokes. This express consisted of 3 fantastic guys. They are Pratik, Piyush and Rakesh err Mukesh, Ramesh and Rohan.. sorry I don't remember their names. I guess only Nirupma knows their names :P . Just kidding !! they are Prankster Tushar, Simple Shridhar and Funny vivek. Tushar was too funny, you would have a smile on your face by looking at him. He always had those goggles on. The one who coined the term "Bhabiji". Vivek is that guy who gets amazed very quickly. speaks very fast. The third member is Shridhar . An awesome photographer. Very sensible and friendly. These 3 people were inseparable through out the trek, they shared the same tents, they would have food together and would click photos in compromised poses :P . Awesome guys. Everyone in the group is indebted to them for getting the Indian Flag and capturing awesome shots at Junargali, the highest point in the trek.

Lajawab Santosh:

The group called him Fauji. The most jubilant guy in the group. A Selfie expert, hardly wore the cap, the reason being his hair will be messy and selfie won't look great!! Santosh was the only guy who had the audacity to challenge the Trek guides and the Trek leader for being slow :P. His comments were really funny and he was the one who showed us various shortcuts during descent.

Cute Malay:

People would call him Malay Kulfi. He was very active all through the trek. No matter what time you wake up in the morning, you will find him outside the tent Only God knows what made him wake up so early . He can identify any song within 5s of the music being played!!

Straight Gopu:

Most silent guy in the group. Nobody would ever know where Gopu is. Remains perplexed the whole time and sometimes takes up serious challenges without taking a second thought. He wouldn't carry a trek pole or warm clothes. Can you imagine someone going for a trek to the Himalayas without warm clothes!! Nobody in their wildest dream would have ever thought that Gopu would complete the trek. Leave the group even he wouldn't have ever imagined that he would complete it after the turn of events in the last day of the trek. But the way he made his entry in Junargali was something which brought smiles on everyone's face. He was the only guy capable of falling asleep even during walking!!

Naughty Ashish :

People would call him Bhoot uncle. He would be covered from top to bottom in the slightest hint of rain. Another selfie expert, the only difference being he would gather the group before taking the selfie. I would rather call him Groupfie expert!! He also had many stories to share and would tickle you with his witty comments and smart replies.

Just to prove how naughty he was, look at the following 2 photos

Tallest Tushar:

He is like an elder brother. Ready to take up leadership and solve complex situations. Very smart and intelligent. Though he had a knee pain while descending, he managed to get down all by himself. Kudos to his spirit!!

Innocent Deva:

Though he has grown up, he is still a kid at heart. Perfect example being when you ask a kid not to do something, he gets motivated to do that thing!! Deva is exactly the same kid.

Finally its me

The following photo sums up the fun and the life-time achievement of the people who did this trek