It was abt 11am by the time we left Gaumukh. We met our guide and told him that we were informed by the guards there that we should be accompanied by the guide as there are chances of us wandering without knowing the actual route.
He came along with our group for a while. Me, Chitra, Manju, raj, suma and CK were together and Priya, Vishy, chandru, Loki, Pada, Pratibha, Pradeep and Shubha in another group behind us. Our Meshtru (alias CSP) was way ahead of us. We could not even see him at a distance.
The route was not so easy. Not so easy???? Yes. It was not so easy. The terrain was so bad.. What do I mean by that? I mean the soil and the small rocks or stones that we step on was so lose that there are chances of us falling anytime. To add to this, there were boulders falling from the top. Luckily, Manju and Chitra missed one. Before this Manju had jus stepped on a big rock thinking that he'll be able to manage crossing it. He jus made it. but the rock fell from there jus after he took out his step. I was jus behind him. Good that i was standing on a different rock and waited till him cross. Had I stepped on the same before he crossed, I ain't have been here. The soil and the rocks are all lose cos they are over the glaciers which are underneath and keep melting. Though you see the sun, the breeze that blows is so chill. We cannot stop for more than 2 min though we are panting and exhausted to the core. The Guide kept us going saying the goal is not too far. It is jus that big rock u r seeing. We initially thought of another one that was visible to us. But that kept us going.
After a while, suma was so exhausted (Though she had not carried rucksack from the beginning of the trek) that she said to 5 (Manju, Chitra, raj, Ck and me) of us with her “I cannot go ahead. It’s difficult for me to breath. I am exhausted. Please understand me. I cannot. Send a porter along with me. I’ll go back to Gangotri and stay there till you all come back”. It was almost lunch time by then. We were trying to convince her that if she could make It to Nandanvan today then may be some more would be exhausted and join her on her way back. Also that without informing CSP she could not go back. We could not even see him at a dist to stop him and inform. The rest of them behind us joined as we stopped for lunch. We were bored of eating the same aaloo curry and rotis by then. Finally, they also convinced her.
We moved ahead and had to trace our route based on the footsteps of the ppl who would have gone ahead (meaning jus an hr or so before) of us. Sometimes at a distance of abt 1 km or two we could see the small stones piled one above the other indicating the route. At times tracing the foot step was also difficult cos the wind that blew would have erased the footprints. I was bad at tracing. So me and Suma had left it to the guys Raj and CK to find the trail.
Every step ahead seemed like a nightmare to us. We had to cross a glacier that was so wide. The soil over which kept on falling every min. Ck was ahead of me and Raj. Chandra who overtook us meanwhile was waiving his hand showing us the route that we had to take. He had actually raced us to find Meshtru in vain. Raj while crossing the glacier fell. But that was a shallow place. I could in no way hold him along with his bag and pull him up. CK who was a silent spectator till then pulled him above. The route after this was making us even more desperate. Steep!! More altitude in few steps. We had to stop almost after every two steps. We were all exhausted by the time we could actually see our destined place the so-called Nandanvan. All of us had literally dragged ourselves to reach this place. When our group was almost close to the destination, we could see some porters coming to our help. CSP had sent them after reaching the tent. Our Guide held Suma’s hand and took her through. When they held her by hand, she was able to walk to their pace. Neither I could make it nor did I hold hand. Chitra was even more exhausted though she carried no luggage.
Ahh!! Thanked God that we reached the destination. It was 7pm this day also. It was getting more colder from 4pm though we were not close to any river.
Nandanvan!! Ahh!! The name says it all.. U have got it wrong. No trees. Only some bushes and small grasses like patches spread across the landscape. Not too much though.
Disappointed!!! We got into the tent. CSP had made things ready for us. We had some tea. Priya and Vishy joined us. None of us were warm. It started snowing badly making the situation worse for those who were still trekking. All of them reached by 8pm. We all had dinner and rested that night.
It was only three of us that night in the tent as Prathibha had gone to another tent for ankle massage. She had got her ankle twisted during the ascent that day. While sleeping, Suma was telling me also not to go ahead and ascend as it would be difficult for me. She was re-iterating that fact every now and then. Was telling her not to worry as Shubha was always there to accompany her descend down the terrain till Gangotri even if I didn’t join her. She was little skeptical abt me joining her. That’s the reason y she kept on telling me not to go ahead. I told her that we would decide after speaking to the rest of them in the group.
Next morning we woke up to see ourselves in a pool of snow. All around and on the tent… The tiny plants and the grasses were all covered with snow. Though we could see sun, it took lot of time for the snow to melt. All of us got up, had tea and I had packed my bag before I went to speak to the rest of them. After we spoke, we decided that some of us will get back as it was not safe to take life risks moving ahead.
People who decided to go ahead: Chitra, Prathibha, CSP, Chandra, Loki, Raj, CK and Pada
People who decided to stay back and descend: Suma, Kusuma, Manju, Pradeep, Priya and Vishy.
We decided that we’ll stay there that day in Nandanvan waiting for the porter who had gone to drop the rest of them.
Those who stayed back were chatting in the tent. Pradeep and Vishy helped the cook prepare pulav as we were desperate to have something tastier than roti and aaloo curry.
At 1 0’clock we were served pulav which was delicious. Everyone had stomach full and slept in the noon. By 3:30 suma woke up and opened the tent curtain. I asked her as to what happened. We saw Chandra and Raj. They had returned. They had come running to reach this tent. They had taken routes apart from trail. They also had this delicious Pulav and rested along with us that day. The porter Anil bhai had come back by evening.
That evening it snowed even more when compared to the previous day. It had started snowing very early. Next morning when we woke up, we were in a bed of snow. It was about over a feet snow. We waited till the snow melt. It was 10am and still the snow had nt melted completely. We then pushed from there descending the hill. We had requested one of the porters to accompany us through out as we felt we’d miss the trail. One of the porters was holding vishy’s hand helping him descend. He had sprained his knee. All the six porters accompanied us through the descend.
The trail that we took seemed entirely different from what we had taken to ascend. May be this was easy one to descend. Had the porters accompanied us while ascending, wish we could have found a simple route. We saw some mountain goats. The only living creatures apart from human beings and the crow we saw. We had to wait for them to cross the mountain that they were climbing as the stones kept falling cos of their movement. We waited for sometime, had some dry grapes to quench our thirst. Then we left from there and started walking towards Gaumukh. That day it started snowing at 12 again.
It was abt 3pm by the time we reached Gaumukh. There was only one dhaba there. We went in and ordered magi and tea. Had them and rested for a while. As there was heavy snowfall, thoughts crossed our mind to stay there that night. But the glacier was too close. It was not easy. But by 4 o’clk weather changed. The weather changes so drastically there that we had not even imagined about it. Snowfall stopped with sun out. So we started our descend towards bhojbasa. It was just 4km and we made it in an hr. by 5:15 we were in bhojbasa. We had decided that we’ll not have any more aaloo and rotis. These dishes had killed our taste buds. So we had told the porters not to set up tents for us and that we would like to stay in the dhaba there paying them for the nights stay as we would get bed and razai for that night. We all got into the middle one amongst the 5 dhabas thinking it will be enough warm there. It was sort of ok. We had a cup of tea and started chatting. I had slightest of head ache and I preferred sleeping. So I fell asleep. Rest of them were all chatting by then a localite in the dhaba started singing their local songs. Could hear to them when I woke up. It was still snowing. The shopkeeper had closed the tarpaulin shutter so that we will feel the warmth. We had ordered our dinner there that night telling him not to make use of even single aaloo in the sabji or curry he makes. He got a cabbage and made a sabji out of it. The roti was so tasty here. Typical desi food. Absolutely thin hot rotis. Ahh!! So delicious. We were also served hot rice with some green gram curry that he made. Had little less salt. But that was yummy to us that day as we were desperate to have something other than aaloo..
He came along with our group for a while. Me, Chitra, Manju, raj, suma and CK were together and Priya, Vishy, chandru, Loki, Pada, Pratibha, Pradeep and Shubha in another group behind us. Our Meshtru (alias CSP) was way ahead of us. We could not even see him at a distance.
The route was not so easy. Not so easy???? Yes. It was not so easy. The terrain was so bad.. What do I mean by that? I mean the soil and the small rocks or stones that we step on was so lose that there are chances of us falling anytime. To add to this, there were boulders falling from the top. Luckily, Manju and Chitra missed one. Before this Manju had jus stepped on a big rock thinking that he'll be able to manage crossing it. He jus made it. but the rock fell from there jus after he took out his step. I was jus behind him. Good that i was standing on a different rock and waited till him cross. Had I stepped on the same before he crossed, I ain't have been here. The soil and the rocks are all lose cos they are over the glaciers which are underneath and keep melting. Though you see the sun, the breeze that blows is so chill. We cannot stop for more than 2 min though we are panting and exhausted to the core. The Guide kept us going saying the goal is not too far. It is jus that big rock u r seeing. We initially thought of another one that was visible to us. But that kept us going.
After a while, suma was so exhausted (Though she had not carried rucksack from the beginning of the trek) that she said to 5 (Manju, Chitra, raj, Ck and me) of us with her “I cannot go ahead. It’s difficult for me to breath. I am exhausted. Please understand me. I cannot. Send a porter along with me. I’ll go back to Gangotri and stay there till you all come back”. It was almost lunch time by then. We were trying to convince her that if she could make It to Nandanvan today then may be some more would be exhausted and join her on her way back. Also that without informing CSP she could not go back. We could not even see him at a dist to stop him and inform. The rest of them behind us joined as we stopped for lunch. We were bored of eating the same aaloo curry and rotis by then. Finally, they also convinced her.
We moved ahead and had to trace our route based on the footsteps of the ppl who would have gone ahead (meaning jus an hr or so before) of us. Sometimes at a distance of abt 1 km or two we could see the small stones piled one above the other indicating the route. At times tracing the foot step was also difficult cos the wind that blew would have erased the footprints. I was bad at tracing. So me and Suma had left it to the guys Raj and CK to find the trail.
Every step ahead seemed like a nightmare to us. We had to cross a glacier that was so wide. The soil over which kept on falling every min. Ck was ahead of me and Raj. Chandra who overtook us meanwhile was waiving his hand showing us the route that we had to take. He had actually raced us to find Meshtru in vain. Raj while crossing the glacier fell. But that was a shallow place. I could in no way hold him along with his bag and pull him up. CK who was a silent spectator till then pulled him above. The route after this was making us even more desperate. Steep!! More altitude in few steps. We had to stop almost after every two steps. We were all exhausted by the time we could actually see our destined place the so-called Nandanvan. All of us had literally dragged ourselves to reach this place. When our group was almost close to the destination, we could see some porters coming to our help. CSP had sent them after reaching the tent. Our Guide held Suma’s hand and took her through. When they held her by hand, she was able to walk to their pace. Neither I could make it nor did I hold hand. Chitra was even more exhausted though she carried no luggage.
Ahh!! Thanked God that we reached the destination. It was 7pm this day also. It was getting more colder from 4pm though we were not close to any river.
Nandanvan!! Ahh!! The name says it all.. U have got it wrong. No trees. Only some bushes and small grasses like patches spread across the landscape. Not too much though.
Disappointed!!! We got into the tent. CSP had made things ready for us. We had some tea. Priya and Vishy joined us. None of us were warm. It started snowing badly making the situation worse for those who were still trekking. All of them reached by 8pm. We all had dinner and rested that night.
It was only three of us that night in the tent as Prathibha had gone to another tent for ankle massage. She had got her ankle twisted during the ascent that day. While sleeping, Suma was telling me also not to go ahead and ascend as it would be difficult for me. She was re-iterating that fact every now and then. Was telling her not to worry as Shubha was always there to accompany her descend down the terrain till Gangotri even if I didn’t join her. She was little skeptical abt me joining her. That’s the reason y she kept on telling me not to go ahead. I told her that we would decide after speaking to the rest of them in the group.
Next morning we woke up to see ourselves in a pool of snow. All around and on the tent… The tiny plants and the grasses were all covered with snow. Though we could see sun, it took lot of time for the snow to melt. All of us got up, had tea and I had packed my bag before I went to speak to the rest of them. After we spoke, we decided that some of us will get back as it was not safe to take life risks moving ahead.
People who decided to go ahead: Chitra, Prathibha, CSP, Chandra, Loki, Raj, CK and Pada
People who decided to stay back and descend: Suma, Kusuma, Manju, Pradeep, Priya and Vishy.
We decided that we’ll stay there that day in Nandanvan waiting for the porter who had gone to drop the rest of them.
Those who stayed back were chatting in the tent. Pradeep and Vishy helped the cook prepare pulav as we were desperate to have something tastier than roti and aaloo curry.
At 1 0’clock we were served pulav which was delicious. Everyone had stomach full and slept in the noon. By 3:30 suma woke up and opened the tent curtain. I asked her as to what happened. We saw Chandra and Raj. They had returned. They had come running to reach this tent. They had taken routes apart from trail. They also had this delicious Pulav and rested along with us that day. The porter Anil bhai had come back by evening.
That evening it snowed even more when compared to the previous day. It had started snowing very early. Next morning when we woke up, we were in a bed of snow. It was about over a feet snow. We waited till the snow melt. It was 10am and still the snow had nt melted completely. We then pushed from there descending the hill. We had requested one of the porters to accompany us through out as we felt we’d miss the trail. One of the porters was holding vishy’s hand helping him descend. He had sprained his knee. All the six porters accompanied us through the descend.
The trail that we took seemed entirely different from what we had taken to ascend. May be this was easy one to descend. Had the porters accompanied us while ascending, wish we could have found a simple route. We saw some mountain goats. The only living creatures apart from human beings and the crow we saw. We had to wait for them to cross the mountain that they were climbing as the stones kept falling cos of their movement. We waited for sometime, had some dry grapes to quench our thirst. Then we left from there and started walking towards Gaumukh. That day it started snowing at 12 again.
It was abt 3pm by the time we reached Gaumukh. There was only one dhaba there. We went in and ordered magi and tea. Had them and rested for a while. As there was heavy snowfall, thoughts crossed our mind to stay there that night. But the glacier was too close. It was not easy. But by 4 o’clk weather changed. The weather changes so drastically there that we had not even imagined about it. Snowfall stopped with sun out. So we started our descend towards bhojbasa. It was just 4km and we made it in an hr. by 5:15 we were in bhojbasa. We had decided that we’ll not have any more aaloo and rotis. These dishes had killed our taste buds. So we had told the porters not to set up tents for us and that we would like to stay in the dhaba there paying them for the nights stay as we would get bed and razai for that night. We all got into the middle one amongst the 5 dhabas thinking it will be enough warm there. It was sort of ok. We had a cup of tea and started chatting. I had slightest of head ache and I preferred sleeping. So I fell asleep. Rest of them were all chatting by then a localite in the dhaba started singing their local songs. Could hear to them when I woke up. It was still snowing. The shopkeeper had closed the tarpaulin shutter so that we will feel the warmth. We had ordered our dinner there that night telling him not to make use of even single aaloo in the sabji or curry he makes. He got a cabbage and made a sabji out of it. The roti was so tasty here. Typical desi food. Absolutely thin hot rotis. Ahh!! So delicious. We were also served hot rice with some green gram curry that he made. Had little less salt. But that was yummy to us that day as we were desperate to have something other than aaloo..
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