KedarKanth Trek : Part 3: The Summit

At the Summit!
Pic courtesy : Shameek

Our second campsite – the KK base camp was even more beautiful than the one in Juda Ka Talaab if that’s possible. We were camped right at the edge of a gentle slope with the backdrop of the humbling Himalayan range and the view of the milky snowy Kedarkantha peak in front. That’s where we were going.

Taal Khetra / Kedarkantha Basecamp
Pic courtesy : Shameek

A smile of disbelief, excitement and anxiety crossed our lips.The unique setting of the moment brought out the musicians in us. Not sure what or who prompted but we all stood in a circle and kept singing songs one after another in chorus until lunch time.

Kedarkantha Peak in the distance
Pic courtesy : Aditya

We were at 10,000ft now and we were told the snow was about 7ft deep. We were introduced to our technical guide for the summit day – Santosh. He instructed us on how to use gaiters and how to layer our clothes for the summit. It took about 10 minutes to get into the gaiters properly when I tried them on that evening. It took double the time on the next morning when my fingers were numb in the cold!

Sunset at KK basecamp
Pic courtesy : Chandan

The wakeup call was at 2:45a.m. Me and my tent mate, Amruta were however up from about 2 in the morning. We both woke Pallu up who usually slept like a log! It was freaking freezing. It took us ages to do a simple task like taking a bottle out or wearing gloves. The fingers were numb. My toes hurt in the biting cold even after having two pairs of socks and my shoes on. We were meant to have breakfast by 3am. I was so surprised and impressed that the kitchen team had a spread of Khichdi, Poha and cornflakes ready for us that early in the morning! I could not eat at all. I had a little milk and two spoons of cornflakes. This was a mistake. I felt hungry, weak and light headed later due to an empty stomach. Me and my trek friends had carried dry fruits and 'chhole' and chocolates on the trail which helped a lot.

Sunset at KK basecamp

We started our walk sharp at 4am. It was pitch dark. We had our headlamps on. There were one or two hairy dogs who always followed us on our trails and the summit day was no exception. They were up and ready on time for us. Prahlad Bhaiyya and Santu lead the trail, Guddu Bhaiyya was at the rear end and Vijeet kept himself agile up and down the line.

The Night's Walk & The Moon Rise
Pic courtesy : Sagar

Hardly fifteen minutes into the climb and I had to go the toilet. O man! I went off the trail and was just about to do what I had to do when my tent mate trotted towards me. She stood in front of the tree like a guard which in turn made all the others curious and everyone started focusing their headlamps in my direction. Oh no! It was embarrassing but hilarious. But when you are up in the mountains, cold on a snowy night, you tend to become less aware of yourself. To add more to this, I had to stop a second time for another poo break. This was getting too much. I was getting conscious of the time as we were told summit had to be done by 9o clock or you lose the chance and turn back from wherever you were. Me and my friend were left behind the trail for the second time then and we hurried to get back on track.

Walking through the foot deep snow
Pic courtesy : Aditya

We were pretty good at pacing ourselves and thank to my tummy, it agreed with me for the rest of the trip. We climbed up this steep ascent which was a rest stop and caught up with everyone in the gang. It was a flat bit on the slope and from there we saw the most amazing moon rise.

Moon rise
Pic courtesy : Sagar

We thought it was some sort of a glowing lamp until we realized that’s the bright moon rising up from behind the mountains. It was quite unreal. We were pretty higher up by then, say about 11,000ft. We didn’t need the headlamps after this. The moon cast a shiny glow and the snowy trails were washed out in a soft blue light. We continued our climb. We came to a part which had a steep valley on one side and the mountain walls on the other. Thing is when everything is covered in a snowy blanket, it plays tricks to your eyes and you don’t necessarily see the edges of the ups and downs. Our tech guide, Santu was very good here. He kept reminding us to keep ourselves to the walls.

On the way to the summit
Pic courtesy : Amruta

We crossed this narrow edgy path which then opened on to a wide valley with a view of a peak at the top. Is that Kedarkantha? Yes, that’s the one. We are there. Nope, we can’t see Kedarkantha peak yet. Confused talks took over. Vijeet said, we got to make it to that peak quickly so that we can experience the sunrise from top.

Vijeet at the sunrise point
Pic courtesy : Shameek

Walking on snow wasn’t as easy as I had thought. Your foot digs deep into the snow bed and then you got to pull your foot up and put your next foot down. It takes effort. We kept going nonetheless. I made it to that level just on time. I was on my four when I took my last step to this peak and sat there, completely drained out.

Just after the Sunrise

I forgot about my tired feet the moment I saw the view in front. Before me was a panoramic view of the Himalayas and a golden glow had just started to spread across the peaks. The glow became warmer as the sun peeked from behind the mountains to my right. Spellbound! It was like a magical revelation of Mother Nature.

Sunrise on top

I sat there for some time, just soaking it all in. We then clicked some pictures at the first light of the morning whilst the dear wolfy dog sat right beside us whenever we posed. However, in the name of everyone’s sweat and blood, this was not the Kedarkantha peak. It was the peak behind this one. 

Vijeet kept telling us, the peak in front is the summit and we kept believing him. This was probably his trick to keep us going. After the sunrise point, we could then see the actual KK peak for real. Legs felt like jelly but there was a gush of adrenaline. We gotta get up there.

The Peak
Pic courtesy : Shameek

The final ascent to the peak was the steepest bit. It took a real test of our endurance, lung capacity and mental strength. Giving up was not an option and I kept saying that to myself. Step by step, we made it to the summit! Me and my tent mate, Pallu made it to the peak together! Vijeet and Santu greeted us at the top with a pat on our back. The moment of triumph! 

On top of the KK peak
Pic courtesy : Rohan

We sat down at the edge of the peak with the most amazing view in front. The Himalayas laid out its snowy folds as far as we could see. The Har Ki Dun Valley, the Gangotri Peak, the SwargaRohini Peak along with many others formed this mesmerizing pattern of troughs and crests. 

Contemplating
Pic courtesy : Chandan

We sat there fascinated, enthralled by the beauty and overwhelmed with a feeling of accomplishment. Vijeet told us some of relevant mythological stories of Mahabharata as we sat there captivated by the beauty around us. Before we would descent, we formed a circle, held hands, closed our eyes and took a silent moment to ourselves. I silently thanked my favorite people for being in my life and helping me being myself.

When the whole gang made it to the Summit
Pic courtesy : Amruta

Mountains make you humble and appreciate things so much more. We spent an hour there hypnotized by the mystic spell in the air. As the wind started picking up, we took a last look around and got ready for the descent. 

KedarKanth Trek : Part 2 : The First Step is Always the Hardest

And we got going.
Pic courtesy : Shameek

After an introductory first day and a long drive to Sankri, we started our trek the next morning sharp at 9o clock.  We helped ourselves to a rich breakfast spread of cornflakes, poha, boiled eggs, tea, coffee, bournvita and fruits. We were introduced to the use of trekking poles and had our morning warm up. Warm up was a routine before the start every day. My most favorite warm up was the one shown to us by Prahlad Bhaiyya, called ‘Jicuzza’. Check it out here - 

The start of the climb was steep and rocky. I was out of breath almost instantly. Man! What happened to all those fitness trainings! I dragged myself up to the first rest stop and had a sip of water. Making it to the summit was no longer in my mind. I shoved away the negative thoughts. Come on super SJ. Keep it together!

View of the valley at the beginning of the trail.
Pic courtesy : Shameek 

I emptied my mind and decided to enjoy the moment. I diverted my focus to the pretty rhododendrons alongside. The next steps gradually became easier. I could slowly find a rhythm to this entire dance – one step ahead, breathe in, breathe out, soak in the nature and move on to the next step.

Wolfy dog was our constant companion.
Pic courtesy : Aditya

Lo behold, the next rest stop arrived. We stopped by a stream, sipped more water, filled our water bottles and continued marching forward. On our way, we picked up litters and filled our eco bags. This was in line with the ‘Green Trail’ pursuit by Indiahikes where they volunteer to keep the mountains clean. (https://indiahikes.com/why-green-trails/) It was fun when two of us would pick up the same piece of plastic and had to decide who gets to keep that piece of garbage. Litters never saw this possessive nature in us before.

Pic courtesy : Chandan

In no time, we got to a Dhaba stop and could see the snow trails in the distance. With the first sight of snow, there was a sudden surge of excitement. Camera shutters went crazy. I sat by and enjoyed my hot cup of ‘kadha’ and the scenery before me. The next couple of hours saw us walking on slippery white snow. We slipped, stepped into the wrong bits, had our feet dig deep inside the snow, got our shoes and socks wet. But we kept laughing and marched on. Vijeet and Guddu Bhaiyya’s jokes and stories kept us going.

Campsite at Juda ka Talaab.
Pic courtesy : Shameek

We arrived at our first campsite – Juda ka Talaab. It was picture perfect. White snowy rolling hilly fields, little yellow tents, the frozen talaab (lake) surrounded by pine trees and the view of the snow-covered peaks in the distance – this is what dreams are made of! 

The frozen lake at Juda ka Talaab.
Pic courtesy : Shameek

We were welcomed with a tangy drink at the campsite. We were hungry and huddled inside the dinner tent for a quick lunch. Hats off to the Indiahikes Kitchen team. They did an amazing job throughout the trek. The food was simple, tasty and different every day.  We had Alu Paratha, Poori Chhole, Rajma Chawal, Samosas, Jalebi, Gulab Jamun and so many other dishes through out the trek.

Yummy meals being served by IH team.
Pic courtesy : Aditya

After satisfying our hunger, the next curiosity was finding the toilets. With good intentions to keep away bad smell, the toilets were always a bit far from the sleeping tents. We formed ‘pee buddies’ and trekked down the slope for answering nature’s call. I remember I had to go to the toilet early one morning and everyone seemed to have gone into a deep slumber. I gathered courage and came out of my tent alone, cursing my biological system. But when I stepped out, it felt magical.

Sleeping tents at night.
Pic courtesy : Shameek

The early dawn had a soft blue light on the snow and the gentle breeze never felt so fresh. I could see the moon slice glowing bright in the sky. It was almost a dream walk to the toilet tent.

Pic courtesy : Shameek

Equally magical was the star studded sky in the night. The pitch darkness made the starts look bigger and brighter. There were so many and so close as if you could almost touch them. I spotted Orion and Betelgeuse and probably Jupiter too. I regretted not having Sky Map on me. There were hundreds of constellations to be seen. Starry starry nights….

Star studded sky at Juda ka Talaab.
Pic courtesy : Shiladitya

The trek from Juda ka Talaab to Taal Khetra or the KK (Kedarkantha) base camp was a short 2 hours climb but it was tricky. In few places, there was no proper trail as such and we had to use the toes to make our way forward. We were wearing microspikes under our shoes to get a firmer grip on the icy snow. This definitely made it easier to cling on to the slopes with the help of these spikes. Trekking poles, microspikes – Ooh I’m a proper trekker now. Wait till I wear the gaiters next. – Laughed me and my tent mate, Pallu.

Gearing up for the morning trek.
Pic courtesy : Shameek

After a while, the trail opened up to this amazing snowy valley lined up with spruce trees in the distance. Started the snow fights. We threw snow balls and kicked them at every other person in front. Prahlad Bhaiyya and Guddu Bhaiyya then took out a mat and climbed up a slope. They then came sliding down the slope lying on the mat, bit like a combination of Aladdin and Batman. This got us into a frenzy. Everyone started going up the slope and did their own funny slides, often collapsing half way down. Me, Pallu and Prahlad Bhaiyya did the first trio slide. Prahlad sat in front with us behind him, all legs locked above his, careful that the legs didn't touch the snow and then we whooshed down. It was so much fun!

Pic courtesy : Shameek

After a lot of snow fights, camera clicks, hot cuppas, we continued again amidst snowy trails and spruce trees aided by encouraging shouts from our trek guides. ‘Shabaash Jawano..chalte raho…’  (Bravo soldiers..Keep marching on!)

Soon, we arrived at Taal  Khetra or the Kedarkantha basecamp where we were to camp for the night before we start for the summit on the following morning. 

KedarKanth Trek : Part 1: Seek Out

Pic courtesy : Shameek

When Shila texted me the Indiahikes link (https://indiahikes.com/kedarkantha/) to Kedarkanth Trek, my heart leaped. I glanced at my new pair of trekking shoes which had been sitting unused in the corner of my room for the past month. I decided it’s about time I came out of my shell and use them for my first Himalayan Trek. Having recently spent the best few years of my life in the ‘wild’ free west, I was now experiencing withdrawal symptoms, mostly psychological more than physical, I suppose. I was going through a lot of rough transitions in terms of my personal life and career and I needed to challenge myself, to find my ‘reboot button’ as my friend calls it.

My fitness level wasn’t the worst to start with. I have done a lot of hikes and also have had a teeny weeny experience at camping. But, my challenge were my knees which I had damaged along with the sciatica nerve about a year ago whilst running down a rocky climb. Also, high altitude trekking is a different beast altogether. Thus started my morning runs and strengthening exercises. To be honest, I was obsessing about my fitness, diet, getting all the trekking gear ready and watching all sorts of trekking related videos. It was a good distraction, anyway.

Pic courtesy : Shameek

On the morning of my flight to Dehradun, I felt shite. I had a weird headache, bloated tummy, funny knees, bad cold, low BP – altogether I was in a poor state just before the trek. My confidence level dropped to negative.

Pic courtesy : Shameek

I met my friend and one of the girls in the trekking group at the airport. After a brief chat, we went to our respective hotels and met the following day at Library Chowk, Mussourie for our ride to Sankri village. We gelled very quickly and I started feeling less worried. We got in the bus and met half of the group there while the rest were in the other bus. The ride to Sankri was beautiful with winding roads through dense pine forests occasionally lit with bright red rhododendrons. We stopped at Kempty falls for breakfast after which my friend threw up. A few others took Avomine to avoid puking and they then went to sleep. Once at Sankri, we were taken to this lodge where we met the whole gang along with Vijeet – our enthusiastic trek leader, Prahlad Bhaiya – very sensible and caring trek guide and Guddu Bhaiyya – who had an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Dhoni, one of the nation’s favorite cricket captains.

Pic courtesy : Aditya

Sankri is a small village in the mountains at about 6000ft. Our lodge looked out over several mountain peaks and valleys. A tiny waterfall stared at us from the distance (A friend in the group teased us to make us believe that it was the Jogni falls and in the process earned himself the title of 'fake news bearer'). The lodge was constructed in the typical style that you find in the mountains. It had to be accessed in a top to bottom manner where you first got on the rooftop from the road and then climb down the stairs to get into the rooms.

Pic courtesy : Shameek

We sat in the long corridor where Vijeet briefed us on what to expect for the next few days. He told us about the weather the next day and how to layer our clothes to cope with the changing climate, how timing and punctuality was crucial and above all, to respect nature and have fun. The evening in Sankri saw a lot of packing and re-packing. We were given additional liners for our sleeping bags at night but my backpack didn’t have any space left for it. I offloaded my bag to be carried by the mules, borrowed a day pack from Guddu Bhaiyya and somehow managed to pack my stuff. The following five days saw a lot of such re-packing and use of organizational skills. This was one of the very essential things that I learnt – how to efficiently pack and manage your backpack. I did watch Swati’s video (HowToPackABackpack) and still ended up being messy!

Pic courtesy : Shameek

Having packed our bags, we went to the rooftop for dinner and did a bit of socializing. There were people of different interests, from different places, involved in different career paths. There was one guy who had a very good build, didn’t speak much, carried a military bag and I thought he was from the army but he turned out to be a graphic designer; there was one girl who introduced herself in a funny way as someone who builds phones; there were friends fresh out of college, people coming from the beautiful place of Dharamsala; there was this young man setting up his own independent business accompanied by the youngest in our group who surprised everyone by her ability to do a dead lift of 80Kilo; there were couples enjoying their first treks together; people who gave themselves a fitness challenge; people going solo on the adventure and there were people like me and my friend as well seeking motivation from the mountains. The common thread among all these different people was their love for trekking.

With a light heart and fading worries, I hit the bed. Wake up call at 5:45am the next day followed by a check on blood pressure and oxygen capacity. Till then, I had to sleep well.

Me & Fish Markets

So I happened to go to the fish market this Sunday morning to get our weekly stock and my hyperactive mind (or lazy, depends how you see it) started wondering…

I love fish markets, especially the ones in Kolkata. It’s a bit gory with all the blood and guts lying around but the life in the market amazes me. Each and every person is super keen and the variety of fish you get to see in a Bengali fish market will fill you with awe. So, when I went to the market the other day, a Katla fish of about 2 Kilo jumped on me from the water filled tray in which it was swimming in panic. A few Koi fish were kicking around in another tub in a rather playful manner. The Magur fish had such a never dying attitude that they had to be beaten on their head by the fishmonger before she could put them in a bag, tie a strong knot and sell them. Some big fish like Rohu were not very jumpy but you could see them still letting out small bubbles in the water. You could have slithery Lotke, pinkish Pabda, silvery Ilish and Roopchand, tiny Mourola and Puti, the all-time favorites Parshe – Topshe, Chital, Bhetki and the list just goes on and on. Irrespective of whether you are buying or selling, everyone had this high pitched voice full of urgency and excitement. Also, you could hear passionate debates on things like -  which fish head is better for Murighonto – Katla or Rohu? Which type of prawn is better for Chingri Malai – Golda or Bagda? Is Bowal really good for your blood; Which one would be more effective if you have an upset tummy – Shingi or Magur? Every fish got its own value and culinary differences and every Bengali in the fish market had an opinion about them. It’s like a strange but adorable community built around fish. Quite interesting, if you ask me.

Markets provide an unique cultural appeal to me. You get to interact with local people and also experience their day to day quirks which are very normal when you belong to the same cultural group yet quite extraordinary when observed from an outsider's perspective. 

I had been to the local fish market in Toulose and Loire in France and also the one in Split, Croatia. I found these French and Croatian fish markets very similar to each other but quite different from an Indian or specifically Kolkatan fish market. These European fish markets (I'm using European in a broader sense here, my experience is specifically from French, Greek and Croatian fish market) had the same character to that of a Kolkatan fish market in terms of the big open layouts selling fresh fish (mainly seafood as opposed to more river fish in Kolkata), sneaky cats pottering around the pillars awaiting their chance, a bit of blood and gut here and there but you would not find the mind numbing chaos of a Bong market there. The common types of fish you could find in Europe are Tuna, Salmon, White fish, Basa, Tiger prawns etc. The interesting feature of these markets were the small counters doing easy fish preps for you to try out. Even without the extreme level of enthusiasm and the variety, they were still very much in character and always soothed my love for fish.

The English fish markets were however very different. They were always very pristine, no gory scenes or fish smell. Generally, if I come back from a fish market in Kolkata, I right away go and take a shower but you could nip into an English fish market on your way to a party and it would be absolutely fine. But what I love about the English fish markets is the backdrop or the setting. They setup markets on the beach or just by the sea or a green park adding a pure aesthetic value to the entire business.

So, to think about it, in my ideal world, I would prefer a fish market which has the pretty English setting of the beach with the level of hygiene and efficiency of an European market and the life and blood of a diversified Bong fish market. Now, that would make a perfect Sunday market visit!

(The picture at the end taken from Google)

Ayodhya Hills Trek, Purulia.

After my regular hikes every weekend for the last 4 years, I was starting to develop itchy feet. I needed an adrenaline rush and was browsing the Indiahikes site (https://indiahikes.com/documented-trek/ayodhya-hills-trek/)  when it caught my eye. Ayodhya Hills Trek in Puruliya - a weekend trek close to home. That was perfect!

I set out with two of my friends on a long drive to the district of Puruliya. Long drives generally start with chitchats, excitement, snacking, tea stops and then moves on to loud music ultimately toning down with everybody feeling hungry and tired. This was no exception. We took the highway via Arambagh but unfortunately couldn’t find a single place to have lunch. So, with a starving tummy, we reached Baghmundi at around 4o clock in the evening.

We were staying in the Sonar Tari Hotel. The hotel room was decent, nothing fancy but suited our purpose. We could see the entire Ayodhya Hill range from the terrace in the hotel. I was dying for my cup of tea after the long journey. The friendly cook asked us to wait for 10mins for the tea but our afternoon cuppas finally arrived at 8 in the evening after a wait of 2 long hours and on top of that there was no milk. This felt like a norm here. Food or drinks never arrived on time but I must say, when they did arrive, they were hot, fresh and extremely tasty. So, after the much needed drink and a large homely meal that evening, we went to bed early because a good night’s sleep is good idea before a big hike.

And I couldn’t sleep. Not for a second that night. Partly because of my friends’ persistent snoring and partly because of my sleepless stupidly busy mind.

We had our local guide, Mr. Sudarshan waiting for us at 7o clock in the morning and we were ready to go on time. The path started from right behind the hotel we were in. We tweaked our trail a bit from the one in Indiahikes as we wanted to do a single day hike instead of 2 days. Sudarshan lead the way. We started with a very rocky path that climbed up along the Turga falls. This path was full of boulders and the most challenging part of the entire trail. I loved it. There was one particular part where one would have to pull their entire body up by hanging on to a side of the rock with your hands. That was fun with all of us pulling our weight up in the most unconventional ways. My panda-loving friend climbed/rolled herself up here just like a panda would. Next, we continued to climb our way  through Sal forest. This part of the forest didn’t have any path to follow. We just had to follow the direction we were heading in which ran alongside a stream. We arrived at the top of Bamni falls. From here, you had to take about 100 rocky steps down to the base of the falls and get a full view of the cascading waterfall. This was nice. We sat at the bottom of the falls and had a few snacks from our backpacks. After spending some time here, we climbed up to the top of the falls again and had some eggs and ice cream before continuing our walk. The hills here were approximately 600m high and had interesting features. It was rocky and foresty, at places it was a little difficult but more or less an easy hike route. 

We then entered into another forest full of Sal trees. The forest didn’t seem as dense as we had expected and our guide mentioned that this was due to the local people cutting down trees as a means for their survival. People use the leaves of these trees to make plates and fuel for their cooking and also to get some warmth during the winter days. The forest opened up to an empty undulating area. This would have been a nice view but the amount of garbage that had been thrown out in the open was shocking. These were the two things that bothered us the most on this hike – 1. what seemed like random cutting down of trees and 2. unbelievable amounts of garbage left on the hill top. We hoped, the government would do something about this. People here were extremely poor, the place had an arid and dry climate but at the same time, it had got its own beauty. So, with a little more effort on educating the locals and providing them with necessary means for disposal of waste as well as cleaning up the environment, this place could be so much more appealing. As we progressed, we went through some villages and farmlands. The lush green and yellow mustard fields were an instant delight. We also saw 'mohua' trees and surprisingly, a big area of pine trees – quite odd in this sort of climate. We reached the Ayodhya hill top where we found nothing but a few lodges and hotels and places to eat. We had some hot rice, daal, veggies and fish and rested our legs for a while. Next we walked up to the Upper dam where there is a big lake and the dam  generates electricity for the district. A few kilometers down from the Upper Dam is the Lower dam. By this time, our legs were pretty tired and we called our driver to pick us up.

In the evening we went to a local fair near Khoirabera falls. When I say, we went there, I mean, we tried to go to the fair but didn't succeed. It was quite late and my friend’s knees were hurting. We still kept our enthusiasm up and started marching down the narrow path by the fields that lead to the fair ground. Possibly we timed it badly but there was a huge rush of people coming out of the fair from the opposite direction. We were literally lost in what felt like a sea of people coming at us. In that crowd and chaos, one of our friends got separated and we couldn’t find her. We waited on a side lane. By this time, the other friend of mine had her knees all swollen up. We didn't have our phones or torch with us. Scared and worried, we decided to go back to the car where we also met with our other friend whom we lost earlier. 

With the plan of having a bonfire that night, we came back to the hotel. After hiking for almost 20KM on a variety of terrain and with very few stops, we felt completely drained. The moment we slouched on the bed, the plan of having a bonfire seemed like a distant fantasy. We got some local drink called ‘mohua’, the smell of which was so overpowering, we couldn’t bring ourselves to drink it. So, we just stayed in bed chatting, drinking tea and Biskfarm chatpata masala biscuits! It was around 11o clock at night that we had our meal of tasty chicken and roti and rice and instantly felt our bodies slipping into a deep slumber.

The next day we woke up to the noise made by the over-excited boarders in the other room. We checked out of the hotel and stopped to have tea in a nearby stall. The person who was selling tea here was possibly the kindest person we met on this short trip. He was very soft spoken and smiley and didn't charge us for an extra cup of tea that we had. We exchanged a few words, bid him goodbye and set off on our long drive back home. This time, we took the highway via Durgapur and ensured our paunches were happy by topping them up with bread-omlette for breakfast and tarka-roti for lunch. The short hiking trip came to an end but definitely marked the beginning for many future hikes!