Himalayan Odyssey

As Lakshmana lay mortally wounded in the battlefield, Hanuman went leapfrogging into the mighty Himalayas in search of the Sanjeevani herb that would revive him, so goes the story in Ramayana. That herb with miraculous powers is believed to have been found in what is popularly known today as Valley of Flowers in the State of Uttarakhand, and it was to this mysterious valley I travelled this July. It might have been one gigantic leap for Hanuman, but for lesser mortals it takes almost 60 hours to reach The Valley starting from Delhi.

The journey commenced on a late evening at New Delhi’s Connaught Place as I joined a motley group of stockbrokers, real estate developers, lawyers, doctors and teachers to board a bus. We travelled past the pilgrimage towns of Haridwar and Rishikesh, and then Devprayag where Bhagirathi and Alaknanda unite to form the Ganga. The road then kicked up and followed the roaring Alaknanda through Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag and Nandaprayag. It is a treacherous road that took us past some of the most stunning vistas; scenes that diverted our minds away from the dangers that lurked around each twist and turn. Numerous signboards prepared us to face roadblocks due to landslides. It is a continuous effort for the Border Roads Organisation to keep the road functioning and safe. Time becomes inconsequential on this ride. Finally after 490 kms and 20 hours, we reached Joshimath, agog with Badrinath bound pilgrims.

After a well deserved night halt and an early breakfast we hit the road again. An hour’s ride along a winding road leads to Govindgshat, the last motorable point. The trek to Valley of Flowers begins from Govindghat and is in two phases. The first phase is a 13 km trek to the hamlet of Ghangaria. It looks deceptively simple and can take anything between 6-10 hours depending on one’s fitness. The trail goes up from 1830m (6000 ft) to 3050m (10000 ft). Weather is extremely fickle in these parts and can change every hour; it is important to be equipped for rain, chill and sun. The halts were many and frequent to replenish the copious fluid loss and also to photograph the breathtaking views. I paused often to gaze at the mist playing hide and seek with the rugged mountain just as the veil on a bride’s face. Finding one’s own rhythm is very important on this climb, as it is more a battle against your body than against time. Sikh pilgrims coming downhill offer Glucose in a touching act of piety. It reinvigorated me to surge forward with new resolve. Some used ponies for the climb and government appointed staff perform a great job in keeping the path dung-free. As the altitude got higher, the air got rarer and the climb got tougher. The camera suddenly felt like a millstone around my neck. The last two miles were excruciatingly painful and I had to draw upon every ounce of my willpower. Just as I felt like throwing in the towel, Ghangaria loomed up and I dragged my feet to the tiny hotel.

Exhausted and famished after the arduous trek, a cup of hot tea had never been more welcome. An expert masseur coaxed the soreness out of my calf muscles. Ghangaria is a cold and damp place overrun by Hemkhund Sahib bound Sikh pilgrims. Early mornings resonate with cries of jo bole so nihal and there is an all pervading stench of horse dung.

The second phase of the trek to Valley of Flowers began early next morning. Trails fork out from Ghangaria, one leading to the Sikh shrine of Hemkund Sahib and the other to The Valley. The gradient of the path to The Valley is easier but our legs were leaded. Nestled in the bosom of intimidating mountains this enchanting meadow was discovered in 1931 by a British mountaineer and botanist, Frank Smythe who happened to lose his way while returning from an expedition. Today it is a National Park and has been declared a World Heritage Site. It is accessible only from June to September and is snowbound for the remaining eight months of the year. Located at a height of 3600m (11800ft) The Valley encompasses a vast area, but since it is open to visitors only from daybreak to dusk, it is impossible to survey all that it has to offer. Overnight camping inside the valley is not permitted. What makes Valley of Flowers so exotic is its remoteness and also its limited access. The Valley is also reported to change colour every week during the blooming season as different flowers come into prominence.

After a couple of hours of leisurely saunter through thick woods, we came upon the flowers, first in hundreds and then in thousands; flowers of every conceivable hue and shade – red, orange, yellow, purple, violet, white. A collective gasp of wonder rose from within our hearts. I wanted to stay still, afraid that I might stir myself awake from the reverie. Well thumbed guide books were brought out in scholarly attempts to identify and label some of the flowers. Animated discussions followed with words like Potentilla, Codonopsis, Phlomis, Ligularia rolling off the tongues of serious flower enthusiasts. I tried to occupy myself with capturing their delicate textures and resplendent hues in my camera. Macro photography of flowers is not easy; they are so light that they sway even in the faintest of breeze. It needs the perseverance of an ant and the patience of an oyster. 

Phrases like awe-inspiring, mind-boggling, breathtaking, fairyland do not do adequate justice to the quirky grandeur of The Valley. It is also too elusive to be captured even in the most sophisticated of cameras. The splendour of The Valley has to be felt from deep within and cherished as an intimate personal experience. There are many takeaways for me from this Himalayan odyssey, most important being that the means can be as enjoyable as the end result.