1. A Trek to the ABODE of GODS
Jayant Doshi
I have fallen in love with the Himalayas; its
beauty and majesty is so enchanting that I had to do another
trek. This would be my fifth visit to the Himalayas with some
trekking involved, and I hope that I will be visiting the area
again. This time I chose the Himalayas on the Indian side. For
Hindus there are four important places of pilgrimage –
Hardwar, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Janmotri, and all these
places are accessible by car. I selected the trek starting from
Gangotri going up the Himalayas. After my trek to Everest base
camp, interest in such trekking was expressed by many, and
this time we had a mixture of youth and age in our group. We
were four in the group, two from India and two from London,
and the ages ranged from Vicky (27), Monik (33), Chetan (44)
and myself.
Two of us from London arrived in Delhi on 31st
August, while other two came from Mumbai. We spent a day in shopping and sightseeing. We
started our trip on 2nd September, driving down to Hardwar in heavy rains. Our guide joined us
from Hardwar. The guide and the driver were very friendly and jolly, and the long journey in the car
became pleasant with their jokes and talks. We passed by the huge complex built by the world
renowned Guru Ramdev, and visited the Patanjali centre. Spread over acres of land, it is built in a
modern fashion with huge gardens. The centre has become known for its yoga teaching and
ayurvedic medication. We saw hundreds of poor people coming to get advice on their problems.
Next day we drove to Uttar Kashi. It was a lovely clear day with blue sky and hot
sun. As we had begun our ascent on Himalayas, the scenery en-route was beautiful. On the way
we stopped to look at Ananda Spa, which is located high on the mountains. A palace has been
converted to create a luxurious spa for the discerning ones. Ananda spa gives a holiday from the
hustle bustle of our daily lives, and midst the pure natural air of the mountains with all the facilities
for a relaxing time. Besides the spa facilities and massage services, it has built a gazebo on top of
a hill for learning and practising yoga.
We also passed still being constructed Tehri dam, which will be the largest dam in
India, and will create a lake of 45 square km. We reached Utter Kashi in the evening. We all
walked down to the shores of Bhagirathi Ganges, dipped our feet in the ice cold waters, and sat in
the dark appreciating the moon, the stars and the clear sky, and the river surrounded by mountains
covered with trees, and gushing waters of the river making a musical note that blended with that
silence of the night. Our hotel rooms had balconies overlooking all this.
Next morning we drove to Gangotri, the last drive before we start our trek. As we
went up, the scenery became more stunning. We passed by the river waters, and falls. Some
mountains were being dynamited, and we had to stop while the roads were cleared. We stopped to
see the huge turbines throwing waters and
walked down an ancient bridge. The roads
were rough with pot holes due to recent
heavy rains, and our car got damaged on the
way. We took the opportunity to bathe in hot
water springs on the way. We stopped at
Hersil where river waters flow over large
boulders. Water was very cold, but we
managed to dip our feet in the waters. We
met a large group from Rajkot who were on a
pilgrimage in this area.
Gangotri is where River
Ganges started flowing from a glacier
centuries back, and that is why it has such

2. importance in Hindu religion. However, with
the melting of the glacier, now the Ganges
starts further up from Gaumukh (literally
means cow’s mouth – that is how the glacier
at that point looks where the river starts).
Legend goes that there was a King Sagar
who had one thousand sons, who were killed
by a rishi when they stole rishi’s horse. The
King went and apologized and asked for his
sons to be revived. The rishi said that only by
bringing River Ganges from Indra Lok
(heaven) they can be revived. King Sagar
prayed for years but failed in his mission, but
his grand son King Bhagirathi succeeded and King Indra agreed to send Ganges on earth.
However, if Ganges came directly onto the earth, the earth would split, so the fall had to be
cushioned. King Bhagirathi prayed to Lord Shiva and asked him to catch Ganges in his hair and
soften the fall. Lord Shiva agreed and this is how Ganges came down to earth, and that is why the
river has such reverence and religious importance in the lives of Hindus. All Hindu legends refer to
the Himalayas as abode of Gods, and that is where rishis went to acquire knowledge.
Our car journey ended in Gangotri, and we prepared our bags for trekking, leaving
all extra luggage in the hotel, and packed what we might need for the trek. The rains from Delhi to
Hardwar had seeped through our bags, and we had to take out everything from the bags and try to
dry them the best we can in that cold weather. We left Gangotri in the morning, leaving behind all
the temples and thousands of pilgrims who visit this beautiful place at the base of Himalayas. We
started our trek along the river Ganges, surrounded by mountains, greenery and valleys. It was
gradual incline, and steep in places so the walking was reasonably comfortable. There were a few
trekkers on the way, more like pilgrims, but compared to the Trek to Everest Base camp, the
numbers was a trickle. We stopped at Chidbasa for lunch. We were dreading rain, which could be
nasty in cold weather, but luckily we did not see much of that on our trek. While it was cloudy and
sunny all the way, temperatures were getting cooler. We camped for the night at Bhojbasa. Each
tent would sleep two. There was no place to change clothes, and tents were too low to try that. We
decided to sleep in the same clothes. It rained in the evening but for a short while only.
We woke up in the midst of the valleys and mountains without any lights. Our
camera batteries lost power, and there was no bath to be had from today onwards. We got ready
and left at 9.30. Compared to Everest trek, where we had only 30 minutes to get ready, it was
leisurely getting ready in the morning. We managed to do some yoga in the fresh natural air in the
mountains. In the bright sun, we managed to wipe our bodies and change our under clothes, had
our tea and breakfast, and managed to have a change of some clothes.
We started our trek to
Gaumukh. The glacier at this point looks like
the mouth of a cow and hence it got its name.
The trek to Gaumukh was comparatively
easy. On the way we heard about two tourists
who died in Gaumukh the day before. In their
enthusiasm to feel the glacier at its mouth,
and where the water starts coming out, they
must have gone down the valley right to the
mouth of the glacier, and the ice hanging
above must have collapsed and killed the
tourists. Our guide very clearly instructed us
not even to try to go down to the river level.
Once we had taken a good
view of the Gaumukh, and lots of photos, we started to walk over the glacier. Over the centuries,
the glacier is covered with rocks and soil, but ice underneath keeps melting, and at any point the
land could collapse or one can face a gaping hole in the glacier at any point. We could see the
water seeping through the ground, and muddy patches in between the land. We were asked to
walk carefully and watch our steps. We all crossed the glacier without any mishap. Our next

3. destination was Tapovan, the land where
rishis, sages and seers spent time meditating
and acquiring knowledge. Tapovan literally
translated means the forest where one goes
for meditation and “tap”. Over the centuries,
many wise sages and seers came here and
acquired the knowledge that we have inherited
from them in our culture.
We were faced with a steep hill
in front of us, covered with rocks of all sizes
and shapes, and dry soil. It looked daunting.
We had to climb this to reach Tapovan. Up to
now I was mostly in front of the group in walking, but this steep hill caused me problems. I had to
stop after every few steps to recover my breath. Loose stones and dry soil meant that feet kept
slipping. While I was walking with support of two sticks, I still had to use my hands to hold on to big
rocks to climb up. Perhaps this was the most difficult climb I have experienced during my treks. I
literally crawled up the mountain on my feet and hands. Others went ahead of me even though
they also were finding it difficult and struggling. On the way we met some pilgrims, including a 73
year old man in normal shoes, some ladies and a small child. Talking with the old man inspired me.
I thought that if he can do it, then I have a few more years to do more trekking. From that point on
I was ahead of the group, and reached the top well before everyone. Others were struggling, and I
could see that. I reached the top, and others who were already there clapped when they saw me
come to the top. It was a wonderful feeling to see everyone appreciating my efforts.
We camped in the midst of mountains, and a river flowing in the valley, and
surrounded by snow covered peaks. It was amazing and beautiful. My three colleagues were down
with headaches and a feeling of nausea, and I pointed out that this could be possibly altitude
sickness. Luckily everyone recovered by evening. It was sunny and pleasantly cool but not cold.
We had planned bon fire and barbecue for the night but everyone was not up to it and we decided
to postpone that programme.
Next morning we woke up to sunny blue skies, and doing yoga in that atmosphere
was ecstatic. We were camping at this site for three nights. Today we were walking up to Kirti
Bhamat, one of the peaks in the Himalayan range. It was a difficult incline, but a pleasant walk.
Two stopped halfway, while other two walked the whole way. We met a young Japanese person,
dressed in orange clothes. He had made a flute like instrument, but much longer, from teak wood
with a hole in the middle, and he would play this instrument to very good effect on the mountains.
At our request he played the instrument with us, and it was just ecstatic. The music blended with
the winds and the sound of the gushing waters of the river. During our day trek we passed two
peaks, namely Shivling and Kala Patthar.
It was my turn to have headache and nausea, though it did not last for long. That
afternoon we played cards in the hot sun. But the hot sun suddenly turned into cold and cloudy
weather. By evening the clouds started descending down, until we could see the clouds covering
the valley, and obscured the surrounding
mountains from our view. After dinner, a
camp fire was made when it was dark and
cloudy. Porters and the guide joined us and
presented some wonderful singing and
jokes. As time passed by the clouds drifted
away and we could see the clear sky, the
stars and the full moon throwing its gentle
light on the snow clad peaks at a distance.
The scenery was beautiful and the
atmosphere was ecstatic.
I had good night sleep, and
woke up feeling fresh. It was a cloudy
morning, but we did our yogas in the open
air and got ready at leisurely pace. We started our trek at 9.00. We were going higher up to see a
lake and then proceed to a Meru peak. The initial climb was up a steep slope with lots of loose

4. rocks, but at the top we had a wonderful view
of a clear aqua blue water lake. Jay and
Chetan decided to stay there and appreciate
the view, and later walked up to the lake.
Monik had resolved that he would like to go
and touch the snow. Everyone, including the
guide, laughed. According to them snow was
not as near as it looked and it would be
impossible to reach up to that point. Monik,
who had not been brilliant at trekking so far,
was determined. With one porter to show him
the way, he decided to try and I agreed to join
him as far as I could go. The walk was over a
knife edge narrow path on the cliff. Supporting
myself with two walking sticks, I had to walk very carefully as even a minor slip could mean slide
along the cliff slope. I walked for three hours, and I could not keep up with Monik who was walking
very fast. I could have carried on for much longer but I decided that I do not want to over exert and
jeopardise my trek for the next day. Monik carried on and he surprised everyone by walking up to
the base of the slope covered with snow. While he did not manage to touch any snow he did feel
the ice at the base.
I made my way back on my own. The porter had told me that I should come down
the slope and then walk down to the valley towards our campsite. The slope was covered with
huge rocks and boulders, and making a way through that was challenging. From the top it looked
as simple and easy, but the actual walk was difficult. I had to keep changing my route to avoid
difficult boulders, and try to work out my own path as there were no tracks to follow. After some
difficult walking, I reached the valley. While I could see the camp site from the top, I lost sight of it
when I reached the valley level. I was tired and panicked. I saw some people and asked them and
they pointed the direction. The valley had lots of river streams criss crossing, and I had to find a
way of crossing at points where my shoes and feet would not get wet. At the same time I did not
want to go too far as I was tired. Our camp site was hidden behind a small hill, and I almost
thought that I was lost. I crossed the river at the shallow end, but dipping my shoes in water, and
went up the hill, and to my great relief I saw some people who pointed to my camp site. Over six
hours of difficult walk over the rocks and down the cliff had tired me.
Monik walked quite fast and covered lot of distance, but his body was not used to it
and when he came back he was in bed with fever and headache. Some rest and medicines cured
him and he half recovered by evening. We had a fire lit before our dinner, and Monik with his
cooking expertise concocted a wonderful sauce and roasted some potatoes on the fire with that
sauce. That was the most delicious barbecued potatoes any one had ever eaten. The guide
commented that it must be first time ever in trekking history that, at a height of 4300 metres, a
barbecue was done. It was full moon light, with a light breeze and temperatures cool but pleasant;
we supplemented our barbecue with some dinner. A music player entertained us with some lovely
songs, and later complemented by others joining in singing and dancing. Sky was almost clear,
with some clouds floating around, covering the mountains and then moving away to display the
splendour of those peaks; the stars were
twinkling; the far off mountain tops with
snow clad peaks were gleaning in the moon
light. Words fail to describe that evening but
that was the best evening of our trek, and
perhaps of all my travels.
Chetan and I were well
prepared to face the cold weather, and
used to the cold also, but Monik and Jay
were not well prepared, nor used to facing
such cold weather. Our plan was to move
on to Nandanwan, and from there walk to
Vaishukital. Monik and Jay were very cold
at night and were not too eager to continue

5. walking at those heights, and we all agreed to
change our plans. We decided to walk down
and trek at lower levels. Next morning we
packed our bags and walked down to
Chirbasa. Climbing the steep slope to reach
Tapovan was difficult enough, but coming
down seemed much more difficult. After my
Everest base camp trek, back in London, I
had slipped and broken my wrist while playing
golf, and that had instilled a fear in my mind.
Coming down this slope, that fear dominated
my mind. The slope was slippery, loose rocks
and the dry soil would not hold and the shoes
would slide on the slope. All the time I was being extra careful to avoid such an eventuality. Most of
the way I came down sitting on my buttocks. While everyone was down the slope, I was still
struggling coming down. Of course, I was not the only one doing this. Even the guide came down
sitting down on his buttocks at times. But my experience and fitness were beaten by my age. My
thighs became stiff and sore. After coming down the slope, the walk was straight and easy, but my
thighs were stiff and painful for the day.
We camped at 4.00 in a valley surrounded by mountains, lots of greenery with snow
covered peaks visible at a distance, and the river Ganges thundering nearby. It was a wonderful
site for camping. We had come down halfway from the mountains so the temperatures had risen
also. After our morning routine, we started our walk at 9.00 to go to Gangotri. On the way we
stopped for a tea break in a roadside shop. There were quite a few people, and at a distance I saw
a Japanese old man in orange clothes and looked like a Sadhu. He was at a distance but as he
looked at me I smiled and greeted him. He smiled at me. Later, a man came and gave me his
photograph with a write up. On reading the same I found out that his name was Akash Giri, and he
had been following yoga since a very young age. He had perfected the yogic science to the extent
that he could levitate (float in the air) and the photograph showed him doing so. He also could, as
per the paper, stop his heart beats for some time. I was surprised that out of so many people
around why he decided to send me the photo. I went there to talk to him, but he could not talk
either in English or Hindi.
We stopped for lunch and then waited for a taxi to take us to our next destination.
However, it took us long to find a taxi and we had to stay at a local rest house after a few hours
drive. I later learnt that the porters had arranged a visit to a local fair with cultural dances, followed
by some local dishes for dinner. However as we were delayed this was all cancelled. We perhaps
missed a wonderful opportunity. We stayed at a rest house in Bhatwari; at last we got a chance to
have a shower after so many days.
Next morning we drove to Barsu, and left our extra luggage there. We started our
trek to Barnala from there. This was totally different from our previous trek. We were at much lower
altitude, which meant it was warmer and I was sweating as if drenched in rain. The surrounding
was full of greenery – trees, shrubs and green
growth everywhere. My companions found it
long and tiring walk but I enjoyed the walk in
this environment. We camped near some local
huts, which are used by local people for grazing
their animals during summer months. Our
dinner was cooked in those huts.
After lunch, others decided they
needed to rest, but I took a porter with me for a
long walk. He took me to where skiing takes
place in winter, and where perhaps a huge ski
resort is going to be developed in the future.
The gentle slopes covered with green grass
looked stunning. The walk was pleasant and
interesting. The porter was quite educated and he gave me lot of insight into local life and customs.
After a three hour walk in the mountains, I came back rejuvenated and refreshed. At night, many

6. decided to sleep on the uneven floor of the
hut rather then in the tent. We stuck to our
cosy sleeping bags in our tents.
Next day we followed the same
trek, but I still found it enjoyable to walk in that
greenery and fresh air. After a while my
colleagues dropped out but Chetan and I
completed the full walk of over three hours.
Since it was cloudy we missed the sight of
snow peaks. We could have walked further to
explore the future skiing resort but decided to
turn back. When we came back our other
colleagues had already left to descend down
to Barsu. After taking our lunch, we started our walk at 1.30. The guide missed the regular route,
but we decided to continue on what happened to be a longer route but a different route with
different vegetation and scenery. During our trek one thing we dreaded was rain, and this
afternoon it started raining. But it stopped before we got too wet. However, the ground was wet and
slippery.
The fear of slipping and falling was always on my mind, but so far I had escaped
that. Today, at one point I lost balance, but just managed to control myself and regain my balance,
but then I lost balance on my other leg and I fell down. However the fall was not severe, and I
stood up immediately and could not see any damage to the body. Later I realised that the fall had
stiffened some muscles in my thigh and calf on my right leg, and the ribs were sore. The pain did
not last for more then a day and I was glad that I had not done major damage to any part of my
body. This route took us over a water stream; and we had to climb on to a low wall and walk over
it. We reached Barsu where we were supposed to camp; but Monik and Vicky had changed plans
and decided to proceed to Utter Kashi the same day. We followed the plan, and we reached Utter
Kashi by that evening. Even though tired, I washed some clothes and sorted out my bags.
We drove from Utter Kashi to reach Rishikesh where we were going to stay for two
nights. Rishikesh literally means the abode of “rishis” or sages and seers. Our hotel on a steep
slope was nice, and claimed to have facilities, but after inspection we found them not worth using
them. After settling in our rooms, we walked down the local bazaar and crossed river Ganges on
Laxman Jhoola. We had dinner on a balcony of a restaurant, overlooking river Ganges. The candle
light dinner was more an invitation to insects to spoil our enjoyment, rather then usually considered
wonderful romantic dinner.
Next morning we went for rafting. The full rafting season had not started, and we
were restricted to a short simple distance on the river. But we had great fun. Splashing water at
each other, and then throwing each one in the river Ganges was hilarious and adventurous. Up to
now we had not dipped in the holy river, but on this day we bathed and swam in the holy river, and
enjoyed it too. For lunch we had some snacks and drinks in our rooms, and later we walked in the
town. In the evening we attended the arti on the river Ganges. Hundreds of priests from
Swaminarayan temple were present, and with hundreds of divas the scene was wonderful. From a
distance it would appear as if the water was covered with starlets.
We packed our bags and left for the long drive to Delhi. On the way we stopped in
Hardwar at the residence of our guide Sandesh,
whose wife entertained us to a delicious home
made lunch. We were honoured to be guests at
his house, and to meet his family, and it was
even more pleasant to eat the local dish. That
night in Delhi we organised a special celebratory
dinner. We had food and drinks and we
recounted our trek with some pleasant memories.
On our last day in Delhi, we visited the wonderful
and recently built Swaminarayan temple in Delhi.
Built on a land of ninety acres, the temple is so
wonderful that it is being termed as the eighth
wonder of the world. In spite of the age

7. differences, we had good times on the trek, and each one expressed a desire to repeat the
experience in the near future. I was experienced in trekking; for others it was first time. They all
coped fairly well during the trek, though I felt some did not have the liking and love for trekking
which is essential to enjoy and do more such trekking.
Compared to the Everest base camp, this was a much shorter trek; but it was totally
different and much more entertaining and enjoyable.
(photos of the trek are on OFOTO website – email to jubhai@aol.com who will send the link.)