Back In Groove/ The Pindari Experience

After Rupin Pass trek in June 2010, I almost didn't do any trek. Though small treks were quite much in the routine but the one that counts is our visit to Yamanotri on Deepawali. It counted not because it was trek, but because we have been on the run throughout. Then we did in Jan 26th, 2011 Khalia Top in Munsiyari but that doesn't count as a trek, it was rather a road-trip. So i was longing for one good-long-glacial trip but somewhat soft.

Pindri Glacier

Hukum (L) & Bunty (R)

The idea was to breakfree, relax and enjoy the naturewalk in the pristine quietness away from city's hustle-bustle and ofcourse the mountains. Lately, i've been working hard, to complete my PhD thesis besides office the under eye dark circles and bulge on my body will tell you more. And i thought, what best could be than Pindari Glacier to cleanse the mindbucket and offload the trash. During this season of time, in April, office load is maximum - presentations, game plans, budgeting, reviews and new thoughts and ideas for planning and execution for the new financial year.

God, i hate April, and pray if i could skip this month on my calendar. But God didn't pay any heed to my wish. And i reminded myself the quote, God helps them who helps themselves. It is then i know i have helped myself and people like me to break-free with this Pindari plan. It's like back in groove, after a while.

Danu's Guesthouse at Vaccham

Our new partner this time was Hukum Singh Negi, a fellow whom i have known for over 7-8 years or even more. He readily agreed to accompany. Not solely for the sake of trek, but partly also because he had his in-laws there - the place called Bharadi, some 28-30kms from Bagheshwar town and close to Saung - our trekking point. Around 12 midnight, we four started from Delhi. At Anand Vihar, we must pick Gaurav's uncle who is already waiting for us. Chacha ji is a man of paitence, he cleaned up the windsheild with passion but he talked less, mostly with Gaurav.

First View of River Pindar after Khati

Later after my conversation with him, i got to know that he goes very often to Bhimtal, where he is building his house. His plans look familiar to me - to shift from Delhi along with his family. To both - Delhi looks ugly. And we developed a bond while conversing. We reached Bhimtal, without any sleep, talking and listening to the songs. We took light breakfast with tea after we freshen up at a cottage cum hotel in Bhimtal on the road to Naukuchiatal. I enjoyed every sip of it. The feeling was great, and we streched ourselves for 15 minutes on the beds. The journey resumed. The mosit air was refreshing. After sometime, I pulled up the windows, the air was chill. Crossed Almora around 10 am, the road strech between Khairna and Almora was still rough. We reached Bagheshwar around 2 p.m. Gaurav drove well and we just stopped once for the noon meal at a small hut who served us hot tasty lunch topped with lemonade to digest it well. The sun was up and hot. Bagheshwar was all choas - traffic noise, cluttered, hot and madenning. I quickly got down to purchase the torch and we fled the town in haste. Buradi was the next destination.

We stopped for Hukum who wanted to say Hi to his in-laws. Abut 4:30 pm we were at Saung and a little over Saung we parked the car in the lawn of PWD resthouse. This is a kilometer back from Loharkhet. My advice to those who are interested in taking their car to Loharket is that you should avoid it taking to Loharkhet and better part at Saung itself or take SUV's or Jeep.

The Bends In Pindar

Small cars fear the damage for their being too low in gap with the road. Bunty drove it really well and cautiously. We parked our car, we found a Mahindra Jeep and quickly decided to take the jeep further to reach Loharkhet KMVN which was another 1 km. During our conversation with the driver, we found that he has plans to go a little further to Loharkhet. He discussed with us that if we take some jeep further and reach Vaccham, a day will be saved. Also the trek from Loharkhet to Dhakuri top is some 8 kms which is tedious. And, we decided to take the jeep with us to Vaccham. Some 2 hours of drive on a really rough road which is not yet a road but in the making for sure. All dusty and sleepy, we reached Danu's small guesthouse, at Vaccham after walking some 2 kms. The view it offered was marvellous and simply irresitable. To left was Nanda Devi and Maiktoli and to right was Panwali Dwar. The timepiece showed 7:20 pm and we decided to night halt at the guesthouse. Early morning, i clicked the Maiktoli. I was completely mesmerised by the view. That is exactly what my eyes were longing to see. My heart was melting with each ray of sun as it started to emerge over the cut of Panwali Dwar. It was all i wanted. By now all were up and got ready in not much time. We relishly ate the paranthas and rejoiced the talks while sipping over the next round of tea. The father and son - both treated us well. And we promised to comback after our Pindari excursion to stay another night leaving our some of the items at Danu's place.

Pindari Kids

By now, the sun was up and about 8:20 we started ake our move. We crossed Khati, and after a while, found ourselves walking along the banks of the river Pindar. The river was gushing out of the valley that looked like a giant hollow turn bending into another valley, and the trees on the borderline on a path that is broad enough for 3 persons to walk together. Our laughters could be heard coming back to us in echo, or atleast seemed to me so. I was enjoying myself. The path was almost plain - sometimes ascend and descend - but that doesnt count.

A waterfall before Dwali

It was a cakewalk till we reached the shephard's huts where one could see a new wooden bridge made up to cross the river that gushes out in massive flow from a bend. This bend after crossing the bridge climbs you to opening of another valley. In this part of valley is place called Dwali, some 6kms from here. It has a PWD and KMVN guesthouse. Dwali presents the view of icy mountains and is indeed windy, and down there is Pindar. It requires you to cross another wooden bridge over Pindar to reach here.

Dwali in the shadow of snow peaks

By the time we reached here it begin to pour. I sipped upon tea and my friends ate maggi. Hukum was by now in bad shape. He wanted to stay. I was also in the grip of fatigue. I was not at all fit. Reason being my office work and tension to complete thesis, and my life was only office to home to office for past 8 months. Gaurav suggested that we will have our stuff carried by a porter so me and Hukum will be able to walk to Phurkiya, the destination we were supposed to reach, today.

I liked the idea but i knew its all climb up from here till Phurkiya. I again tried resisted looking at Hukum who was almost breathless. Although Hukum has much experience than us but lately he is homed in Delhi, with parents and wife and a cute daughter. So he has made himself too comfortable in all these years. Otherwise he is a solid man.

The Wooden Bridge

At 4 pm around, we resumed walking towards Phurkiya, some 5 kms from Dwali.

First Glacier Enroute before Phurkiya

The other reason i wanted to stay in Dwali is i was being very sleepy. It looked to me like i need to lay down for a while, which i could not afford to if we all have to reach Phurkiya the same day. So i suggested that me and Hukum could come to Phurkiya early morning, but Gaurav made this arrangement, so it seemed that we will be able to walk till Phurkiya.
The last mile to Phurkiya was really tiring but the loadless walking made it a bit easier for two of us. The signboard read Phurkiya KMVN though it was rusted from the sides, and had scratches all over the board. My watch showed 6pm. We chose PWD over KMVN, it was cheaper, we had our sleeping bags and, somehow it looked that the room has ample space to accomodate all four of us together. Quickly the arrangements were made, and tea was served. Knowing that we have to stay here the night, suddenly there was no sleep. We were clicking photographs, enjoying the tea and chatting up with the tea vendor.

Phurkiya

Phurkiya had two shops - a small and a slightly bigger one. It looked like to me that GMVN people or his fellows were operating the bigger one, while the smaller one belonged to a young man from Khati village. It is here we ate our meals at 8:10 pm and went to sleep. Phurkiya offered grand views as we got closer to Pindari Glacier - the originating source of river Pindar. It was about 3100 mtrs height with moutain face to its North-West side. The Pindari glacier but still not visible.

(path that leads to) Phurkiya

While chatting up with few villagers, we got to know that Pindari Baba himself is in Khati village. He tried a week before going to his place right upto zero point but there is still too much of snow and an avalanche that has made reaching there worse. Some other village says that PWD people have cleared the snow and made a way over the snow to go to zero point. And the other challenged that there is massive snow enroute and nobody actually will be able to go to zero point.

I suddenly recalled seeing a bunch of foreigners coming back from Pindari who said the somewhat same thing - too much snow. They were the mountaineers and had plans to cross the valley and reach Munsiyari. I never heard of this route before. An alternative route which i have heard of takes one to the Roopkund but that is not on this route. Its on Sundardhunga route, and also not on Kafni glacier trek. I was up early. All of us didnt had good sleep.

Gaurav Crossing the first Glacier

Infact i could not sleep for last 3 days properly. One night sacrificed in travelling, the other at Danu's guesthouse in Vaccham that was somewhat half-sleep half awake sort of for me, and the last night at Phurkiya, was not at all comfortable. All we did night-long was changing positions inside the sleeping back. By 7:30 am we started climbing up from Phurkiya towards the Pindari Glacier.

Nanda Kot Side of Valley

Hukum didnt come along this time despite asking him twiceHe preferred to sleep a bit more and rest. He showed signs of laziness and sleepless, and asked pointing towards my rolled sleeping-bag for pillow. Bunty and Gaurav ordered paranthas for breakfast and after second round of hot piping tea, we started to march. And it was some another 6-7kms to zero point. I was mesmerised completely overtaken by the views that are now surrounding us.

Peaks Engulfed in Clouds

I was walking at a good pace. Bunty and Gaurav following. The first glacier we crossed at some 500 mtrs from Phurkiya was wide and quite much slippery. Me and Bunty crossed it but Gaurav had apprehensions. A small slip could end up in fatal injury or death. I came back to fetch Gaurav, help him cross this mess, using a wooden stick. We crossed and resumed walking. Some 4-5 small medium sized glaciers continued to come until came a point after walking 2.5 kms where Gaurav said, "Ok! enough! I will stay here, you two can continue." It was getting hard for him to cross these snow-melting glaciers as the sun was vibrant and shining high by now. The wind was pestering us too. I have been helping him in crossing the glacers but i also feel it was right for him to stay back.

Pindar Valley

A slip on rough snow patches that were now melting could turn the sheer pleasure into disaster, so it is better to be avoided else you are confident that you could cross them or either have the right equipments and a trained guide. We didn't had any of these. Me and Bunty continued walking. After walking some 3 kms more, Gaurav said ''this wind is biting my head off".

He complained of headache, but had nothing to wrap off on his ear and head. He was showing the symptoms of high atltitude sickness but was okay. Pindari Glacier at the farther end to extreme left-side was still half visible, only the massif of it.

We decided to look at the turning point of the valley which was now just a km away to see the full glacier. Just before some 500 mtrs from here, we met an old man leaned over a rock and smoking like the old age train's piston showen in documentaries.

He said Pindari Baba's ashram is just now nearby; so we decided to have a look.

Pindari Glacier at Last

In the meanwhile snow patches increased and air was piercing Bunty's head. We increased our speed and walked about a km more until at the turn Pindari was visible. It is from here at some distance of 500 mtrs is Pindari Baba's abode. This was the last point we went to. We clicked pictures, and spent about 10 minutes to look around and absorb everything we could of the place - the mist in the air, sun beams, snow blinding us white, and the silence - just the two of us. We spoke nothing. We did nothing. We just starred at the massifs of the moutains.

Valley View While Coming Back

The time was 11:10 and we nodded our heads in agreement to go back. The weather suddenly started to get bad with dark clouds ready to pour on us, uninvited. But it was us who were uninvited, in the home of the clouds. It started to pour down in small drops. We met Gaurav sitting over a rock just where we left him. We were now walking fast to get back to Phurkiya. In an hour and half or maybe less we reached Phurkiya.

Hukum had already left by now. He has taken our baggage too using a pony. That was a big relief. We had tea again. Soon after we started to comeback. By 7 pm around, we reached Danu's place, and we knew which bed for whom. We atequickly and dozed off to sleep with plan to trek Dhakuri. We reached Vaccham at 8:30 am next morning. The plan was Hukum will take the jeep and reach Bharadi at his in-laws' place while we will continu trek to Dhakuri-Chilta Devi and come down to Saung where our car was parked. We bid goodbye to Hukum and started to climb up.

River Pindar

Some 4kms of upside trek led us to Dhakuri KMVN and PWD. It was a place i have dreamt of - a perfect

picture postcard of the views and sun keeping us warm.

It is here we took a big 1 hr break - refreshing oursleves with Slice followed by tea and biscuits. Another 1.5 kms upside and we reached Chilta Devi temple. It is from here two diversions appear in opposite directions and both had Chilta temples while the straight path leads to Loharkhet.

Valley View While Coming Back

To the right-hand side a gate reads 'Chilta mandir ka dwar'that was clearly visible from the small temple where we were sitting.

It was here we met a guide-cum-porter here who chatted with us very nicely and apperead extremely courteous. He suggested us to take a look at the lake on the left side, a km before the Chilta temple which was opposite to the gated temple that read 'Chilta mandir ka dwar'.

Temple of Chilta Devi

Tempted by the mention of lake, we stated to walk in the direction as he left. But enjoying at the Chilta top (not at the temple, but on the temple that is Dhakuri Top) was far more pleasurable. I could spend the whole day here. The soft wind touches you every now and then, and the snow clad peaks in the front. And we begin to walk.

Gate of Chilta Temple

After some 200 mtrs we find it had no path, only dry leaves all over scattered which got steep after a while as if walking on the borderline with a gorge on the right-side. And Gaurav said, "lets drop this and go back". We came back and rested again at the temple for a while. Shortly thereafter we started to walk down from Dhakuri Top. While walking on it I realised, its good that we avoided it else it would have made us pretty tired on the first day of trek itself. It was indeed a good climb with a disturbing but broad clear path made up of uneven stones rather flat big pieces. We came across the grave of a German tourist with the tombstone that read Peter Krost. I said how fortunate of him to die in this heaven. It was actually the place to detach the body and return the soul.

Old Man Who Served Us Tea and Chatted

The route had couple of shops. I am sure in the times of season (we went in April end); the place will have more shops to refreshen oneself. We halted at one such shop. It was on a bend. The hut-owner an elderly man looked self-contained. The tree close the shop, is where we sat and sipped our tea and ate few packs of biscuits. We were at leisure. The man initially didn't spoke however after sometime willingly shared about the place. He said "the place used to receive massive snow but not anymore now". He shared that he has seen snow deep to his waist such fierce the snow storms that could injure one. And he remembered his time when he himself was kid. I loved his narration of things. It can not be told, can only be felt. For a moment time stood still. The tea was perfect unlike regular tea that you'll get on hills - sugary and light. But this was a strong cup. So we ordered again.

Confluence of Pindari & Alaknanda at Karanprayag

While we reached Loharkhet in choas and confusion - walking roadside and at some place asking for help; I was all the way thinking about the old man, his life and the words he said "the place was much better but not anymore". It is heaven still but the old man won't agree to that. What kind of place would it have been during the old man's time. And I started to toy with the comparison between now and then, cursing the evil development and blaming the developed minds for they have made our lives complex. But have they? I hate this debate so much yet i always ponder upon them.

While coming back, it was mutually agreed to drive through Karanprayag. It is where Pindar river merges in Alakananda. We all had a peaceful bath at the confluence. This gave us the feeling of having completed this journey from source to end of the river Pindar. A sense of self-contentment. The kind of what that old man at Dhakuri showed. The dip had purified our souls if not our body and mind.

Itinerary:

Day-1: Started Fri Night@12 p.m from Delhi-Bhimtal (at 6 a.m) - Almora (at 10:30 a.m) - Bagheshwar (at 2 p.m) - Saung (at 4 p.m; parked car at PWD) - Vaccham (by hired jeep at 6:45 p.m and walked 3 km to reach Danu's place).

Day-2: Vaccham (started at 8 am) - Dwali (2:30 pm) - Phurkiya (at 5:30 p.m around)
Day-3: Phurkiya (at 7 a.m) - Zero Point - Vaccham (at 7:30 p.m)

Day-4: Vaccham (at 7:30 a.m) - Dhakuri Top, Chilta Devi Temple (at 1:30 a.m) - Loharkhet (5 p.m) - Bharadi (6:30 p.m night halt)

Day-5: Bharadi (started at 5 a.m) - Delhi via Karanprayag (reached by 11 p.m)

Himanshu