GUEST COLUMN
Rajan Pathak
I read somewhere that the world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. We- my wife and I-experience the truth lying in it whenever we set out exploring the world. We realize every time that we are part of something larger: a wonderful universe throbbing in the Infinite with infinite possibilities lying for us to explore. And the challenges we face on the way always substantially add to the joy of travelling be it adventure or pilgrimage.
When we set out for the Vyas Valley in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand nestled along the Kailash Manasarovar route we knew things would not be smooth because of its altitude and some other factors like quirky weather. Nevertheless, we felt fulfilled. The difficulties we faced were nothing when compared to the delight we had while beholding to our heart’s content the picturesque wilderness amidst the majestic Himalayas. We realised again that every adventure is worthwhile.
Let me now jot down how we reached, what we faced and what we saw.
From the start of our journey, we kept on facing hurdles. Our flight took off from Mumbai two hours late.
A taxi came to pick us up from Bareilly airport one hour late. Though the car was air-conditioned the machine started malfunctioning the moment it started off.
We booked a beautiful homestay on the edge of a hill to get a nice view but reached five hours late when it was pitch dark. We were disappointed, but as soon as the day dawned our disappointment evaporated. We saw what we came to see:
the resplendent beauty of Nature. Nature does not hurry, but we had to hurry as we were to have an early start to have darshan of the Neem Karori Baba ashram.
The next day, we reached Dharchula via Jageshwar Jyotirling.
It was late night when we reached. As morning came, we were shocked to hear that the road to our next destination was blocked due to landslides following a heavy shower. We were told that such severe downpour seldom happened during that time of the year. As fate would have it, we remained stuck at the same place for three boring days. Our ordeal, however, did not end there. As the road was opened, we heard that the administration had stopped issuing ‘Inner Line Permits’ because a yatri while having a bath in Parvati Sarovar at the height of 16500 ft collapsed due to heart attack and died.
We could not give in and somehow persuaded the administration into securing the permit. But as soon as we got the permit, we landed in another challenge. The driver did not turn up despite things being settled down beforehand. Undaunted, we decided to go for a self-drive. Finally, we reached Nabhidang (16,500 ft) and had darshan of the fabled Om Parvat when the dusk was descending on the hills. The darshan fulfilled us spiritually. As we gazed at the holy hill amidst the deepening darkness, we seemed to hear the holy sound OHM that is deified in the Hindu philosophy as the Sound of the Universe that symbolises the Ultimate Reality of Existence-the beginning, the middle and the end of the Divine-created Universe.
However, the challenges kept following us with dogged obstinacy. Though my wife Anjali had taken all possible precautions before starting to stay fit during the arduous journey she fell to mountain sickness. We approached the army and they were generous enough to treat her and help her resume. They told us we should not have ascended from an altitude of 7,000 ft to 16,500 ft on the same day.
Anyway, we ended the day’s journey after visiting the origin of the Kali river that forms the international boundary between India and Nepal. We offered puja at the Kali Mata Temple at Kalapani. The Maratha Regiment which guarded this strategically sensitive place offered us Vada Pav and Jalebi. We stayed
the night at Gunji. We had a comfortable stay there though the facilities were limited. It is a junction. While one road branches out to the Om Parvat (the same route that leads to Mt Kailash and Mansarovar) the other leads to Adi Kailash, Parvati Sarovar and Brahma 10 pm
Next morning. We set out for a closer darshan of Mount Adi Kailash and Parvati Sarovar. We skipped the Gauri Kund route because of its altitude of over 18k ft. After crossing Nabhi and Kuti villages, we reached Jolingkong to start our trek to offer puja at the Parvati Sarovar temple. The beauty of Mount Adi Kailash is indescribable. This time, Nature was kind enough to provide us an unhindered view of the sacred peak. It seemed it was not just a snow-clad peak but the Divine personified as though Lord Shiva was seated atop it, self-absorbed in eternal meditation, in a trance of Sacchidananda: Blissful Existence wrapped in pure Consciousness. It was a comfortable walk from the base to the sarovar though its altitude was pretty high. Hence, we took utmost precautions. Yet again, we fell to mountain sickness and once again, the army helped us back.
With this, the purpose with which we had embarked on the adventurous pilgrimage to Vyas Valley was fulfilled to the fullest extent.
We took the challenges we encountered in our stride. We knew that plans meticulously made beforehand must go awry due to the high altitude of the valley. From our experiences, we urge those who will visit the valley to keep at least two days as backup time. The weather is quirky; the roads are not as smooth as they are in the plains; accommodation is uncertain.
We travelled for 18 hours to reach Kathgodam from Gunji, though our destination was Tanakpur. The young driver felt sleepy when it was around 10 pm and I had to sit behind the wheels despite being exhausted. I drove for over six long hours amidst the impenetrable darkness through the zigzags of treacherous mountainous terrain on a single lane road. Landslides often play spoilsport, extending just one hour’s journey to six hours and more. A long drive amidst dense forest piercing through the eerie stillness of the night is not a delightful experience for many. However, the tiny Chai points which remain open till midnight provide comfort of warm hospitality to the travel-fatigued souls. We felt restored.
(The author is the co-founder and managing director at Adapt Fintech Fintso. The views expressed are personal)
