The Hindu Business Line : An unforgettable experience

We had covered the 14-km distance from Gangotri (elevation of 10,000 ft) to Bhojbasa at a height of 12,500 ft in two different modes — 10 km on foot and 4 km on ponyback. The entire distance had been done on chocolates and water; it is a huge mistake to undertake any journey on a full stomach, whether it's a flight, a trek or a long drive. And oily food is a strict no-no.

So we reached the cluster of dhabas at Bhojbasa totally famished. The menu was impressive enough, offering apart from the usual fare of alu paratha and dal-roti, something as exotic as rajma! So rajma and rotis were immediately ordered. When the piping hot stuff was served, along with bottled water, the cost of a litre of which had by now soared to Rs 30, the rajma tasted like anything but rajma. While some of our group members immediately pushed it aside and made a beeline for the dal and roti, I for one thought the rajma had a familiar taste, and then the penny dropped. It tasted somewhat like paya (trotters), a non-vegetarian delicacy that not all non-vegetarians enjoy. Not even sparing a thought for what kind of ingredients would have gone into the cooking to bring about this taste, I tucked in the stuff packing it all in with hot rotis ... and have lived to tell the tale.

The Himalayan crows, with their yellow beaks and pink feet, throng the dhabas where travellers willingly share their rotis with the birds. All kinds of exotic birds are seen along the route.

After this hearty meal, the very thought of trekking down to the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam resthouse, a distance of about 250 metres or so, was anathema and we persuaded Mohanlal, our ponywallah, to give us a ride to the place.

But our spirits which were soaring at having done 10 km on foot and completing the trip without any aches or pains, plummeted on seeing the dingy dormitory, piled with nine beds. It must have required great skill to get in all the beds into that room in the first place. Taheri and Pervez were not even allowed the luxury of the meal at the dhaba, and packed off immediately to the Nigam after reaching Bhojbasa, with pleas that somebody needed to rush and secure our accommodation, even though it had been booked three months earlier. After all, you don't have too much of a choice in a place like Bhojbasa.

One look at their faces and we knew that the luxurious two suites we had enjoyed at Gangotri were history. "But it doesn't matter, this place has nice noodles and hot chocolate; try it," Taheri said bravely.

With long faces we `checked-in', wondering where the backpacks and duffle bags would go when the porter arrived. Thanks to prior experience and the huge cost involved in transporting baggage in the mountains, we had left the suitcases in the tempo traveller at Gangotri. The porter had not yet arrived, but losing our bags was the last of our worries. There was no electricity, the toilets were stinking as there was no running water and the water stored in huge drums was freezing cold.

"Abhi tau garam pani nahi milenga," the attendant told us cheerfully; he might as well have added: "kabhi bhi nahi milenga"! It is another matter that nobody was available the next morning to put in a request for hot water. The guy who brought us morning tea refused to take in any orders for hot water, saying: "I'm not in charge of that."

One highlight of our stay at Bhojbasa that will remain evergreen in my memory is that moment... around 3 a.m., when all nine of us got up, sat upright on our beds and resolved that come hell or high water, we would advance our descent to Gangotri by a day. The very thought of another night in that dingy place was too much.

But the good thing about the mountains is that the first ray of the sun, the chirping of birds, the sight of sparkling white snow-capped peaks... breathing in the purest of air and feasting your eyes on the freshest of green and the bluest of the skies... and all fatigue and memories of stinking razais or chattering teeth simply melt away.

Wordsworth and Keats come floating back to you right into the "mind's eye", and you resolve to go back to all those anthologies in your bookcase... saved from your days as a student of English Literature ages ago. You know their thoughts, longings, aches and excitement captured so beautifully in their poetry, will bring in new meanings, as does any great work of literature as you read and reread it after a few years.

The magic of the place ensures that you are reborn and so were all of us... Before 7 a.m. we had brushed our teeth, washed our faces, hands and feet... and ready for the three-km pony ride to Gaumukh. Originally we had intended to do this on foot, and veterans of the previous day's long trek, could have easily made it, but Mohanlal's warning that this could delay the descent to Gangotri after sundown — a frightening prospect — worked. All of us meekly got in the queue to get atop the ponies. But ponies only go up to a point and the last half a kilometre or so has to be done on foot.

Almost all along the route, occasional turns unfold the majesty of Gaumukh or the `mouth' of the Gangotri glacier — 19 km in length — from which the Ganga emerges in the form of the Bhagirathi. Along the banks are parked big and small rocks of ice, and the exhilaration at watching the awesome sight simply takes your breath away, and transforms you into another person. The sight is awesome, the realisation that you are in one of the holiest places in the world brings in a kind of tranquility and peace with oneself that one experiences only a few times in one's life. It is as though you just have to reach out to the clouds and you'll be able to communicate with your maker.

And there is scope for a lot of fun too. We went berserk breaking the little blobs of ice, devouring pieces, sitting on the ice and capturing the magic moments on camera. Most important, bottles and cans were pulled out and filled with ganga jal at the very point of its birth.

We did it: Gaumukh greets visitors with colourful flags

We were extremely lucky to have a fabulously clear day but an hour later had to tear ourselves away from the spot... . for the descent to Gangotri. Once Bhojbasa had been reached, most of us alighted from the ponies and walked a couple of kilometres. Actually on very steep parts of the path, it is better to walk, as the ponies seem to enjoy giving you quite a fright, now taking you to the very edge of the frighteningly narrow path, or banging your foot against a rock, if you're not agile.

The trip down was almost like a piece of cake, except for anxious moments caused by ponies and we reached Gangotri with a good hour to spare before sunset. Suddenly we realised how hungry we were. Our attempt to grab an alu paratha at one of the dhabas was a disaster, as it had a liberal dose of mitti. The dhabawallah who was fired for serving such fare was totally unrepentant, saying, "Ab Ganga ka pani aatey me milaya hei... usmey mitti tau aayengi na? (The dough has been made with Ganga water which will have some sand too!)"

We had to pass the bazaar to reach our heavenly suites at the Nigam here, with not only clean linen and attached bathrooms, but also sofa sets. The songs we were all humming in sheer happiness came to an abrupt halt on sighting a restaurant offering masala dosai! A beeline was made and the delicacy lapped up along with chutney and even sambhar.

Thank heavens for packed powders and masalas. Even pasta, macaroni and chopsuey were on offer and an elaborate lunch was ordered for the next day, noting how long the cook took to prepare the stuff.

Next afternoon after a delightful trek to the Tiger cave — about a kilometre from Gangotri — where the Pandavas had stayed during their vanavas, we reached the restaurant expecting to feast on Italian fare, only to find that he had prepared nothing.

Visibly happy, the man said that that morning a man from Tamil Nadu had been washed away in the Ganga while taking bath. "As you had said you are from Chennai and had asked for dosai, I feared it was one of you," he said apologetically.

The tragic news brought home to us how careful you have to be when travelling in this region; landslides are always a danger and at the first sight of sand and small stones rolling down at a little speed, one has to flee from the zone. Even bathing at the ghats in Gangotri or Haridwar can be tricky and it is best to strictly follow instructions from the people in charge.

But one thing is certain... with a little care and caution, and the blessing of the gods, you can enjoy one of the most breathtaking experiences of a lifetime.

(Concluded)

Response may be sent to rasheeda@thehindu.co.in

Pictures by PERVEZ BHAGAT