(Wo)man on the Wander(lust) - Rohtang Part IV

After the amazing Triund trek my journey more above was Keylong via Rohtang. The next day morning i left for Manali. The trek had taken on my calf muscles but not on my spirit for sure. Even a step to climb could kill me with pain. But that would be no reason for me to stop and rest. Traveling the whole day to Manali gave rest to my legs. I had met a Spanish photographer in Norbulingka library in Upper Dharamshala who had given me a lists of hotels to stay in Manali. It was her fourth visit to this place and she was head over heels describing how beautiful our country is. When she started giving details of the hotels and how i should go to Rohtang i
was - yes ashamed as i too didn't know my country so well.

My guide with me we started in the morning. Rohtang is 115 kilometers from Manali. One sees apple orchards on both the sides.









The goats here look as if they have worn long coats...i loved them all.



As we left Manali and the climb started the view around was breath-taking.



I wished my camera had a wide angle to take a complete picture, but doubt if any camera can really take a picture that could be really 'complete'. Some things seen from the soul make a complete picture., they 'see' more than what the eyes of blood and flesh see.






It looks like a beautiful painting just perfect, nothing needs to be changed.



The road is very very narrow and i used to really get scared when any vehicle came from the opposite direction. But hats off to the Himachali drivers they are just so perfect. They man oeuvre it just so well. The climb becomes more steeper and the valley below looks more deeper.





By the time i gather my guts to really dare to accept where i am our vehicle suddenly comes to a halt where one side is a steep valley. 'God!!! now what?? How long is it to wait here??' i wonder??? And we see a long Indian Army convoy coming from the opposite direction. As you see far off you can see them all over the road ahead. All the other civilian vehicles come to a stand still and slowly the convoy is spread all over the mountain road and now its going serpentine down the valley. No other vehicles on the mountain budge or non of the drivers grudge. They say when the convoy moves all the other vehicles have to give them way. They are coming from my most favorite place 'Leh'. I forget the scare i had sometime back. Feel like saluting the soldiers for keeping us safe this side of the border. The 'air' is so different now, an 'air' of proud-ness prevails. I ask my driver how do they stay at this heights??? And he replies 'Ma'am yeh tho height kuch bhi nahi hai – abhi height dekhi hi kaha hai apne' means – this is no height – you have yet to see the height. 'What??' i say...'More height??' Oh my God!!! But i am all game to go further and see that height.

As the convoy passes we drive further. We usually see eagles and kites flying much high above us in the city, but here i saw them flying much much below the altitude i was now standing. The mountains are still towering towards the sky and the clouds are now much below them. I feel so tiny before them, like a mere spec in the universe. The word gigantic, massive, huge do not do any justice to the grandeur of these Himalayas. I came across a word brobdingnagian for huge...but still i am not satisfied with the phrase – its something more.





As we climb further high we come to a small base camp. There's this small open air food joint, they have set tables and chairs on the banks of a river. It looks nice, but they have not kept it clean so i feel bad. I feel the climb is over now, the mist here is still dense. Its cold, we stop for a steaming hot coffee and my guide is having Maggie cup pa noddles with great relish. As the mist is clearing i see another huge mountain ahead..its more and more huge than what we have crossed. Now whats this more bigger mountain?? And as i gaze and look up and up above with my mouth half open at that massive height...when my guide says ' Rohtang is after we cross this.' My jaw dropped.

We started our drive ahead. The mist was again becoming denser. The climb more stupendous, every turn was once again adventurous. We sighted a yak on our route. The more i asked him to face the camera and smile the more he ran from me...'o.k.' i say 'my magic cant work on all.'







As one rises we see shepherds that ease with their flock. They climb the mountain from the up slope and not by the so called well paved road that our vehicle is taking. Felt like climbing with them.





With all the steep curves that we are crossing and then looking deep down from where we came here i felt elated.



The road is turn into a sludge because of the rains in the mountains.






A slightest skid by any vehicle and God forbid “.......” I dare not say anything. Rohtang is now 5 kms., we have driven 100 kilometers and yes i am feeling damn excited when suddenly the movement of the vehicles comes to a stand still. There's a big line of all types of vehicles that comes to a halt, when a driver of a vehicle from the opposite side says there's a big landslide ahead. We come out of the vehicle and sense a chill in the air. One by one all get down from their vehicles. We wait for sometime and then again somebody says the roads will be blocked for the next 3 days. “ 3days?? ” i sink. I have to return to Pune. How can i wait for so long??? After analyzing all the pros and cons we decide to descend. With a heavy heart we turn our vehicle, i say i prefer to walk down, though its not easy i feel like walking for some distance.

As i walk i meet a local woman who is not climbing down the mountain by road but from the slope, she catches my fancy. She has a child tied behind on her back and she takes long steps to cover the distance before sundown. I run behind her for i do not want to disturb her pace, so i gradually walk with her. As i come by her side a smile flashes which i see through her eyes and i don't leave this opportunity to ask her for her picture. She agrees readily and here it is.



The child is more attractive and has a twinkle in her eye. The extreme weather conditions read on the child's skin. One more nice picture full of innocence and very carefree.



After befriending her she casually says “there's nothing above (means Rohtang) i go daily only a plain land, we are working there, why do you come from so far?? I am saying na there is nothing up there” I don't interrupt her but let her talk. She stays at the foot of this gigantic mountain and ascends daily above by foot with this child. We give her a lift in our vehicle and drop her near her abode. She makes me think – Simple people trotting daily these heights, but it takes a life time for me to reach somewhere close to it, but yet can't reach it.

For me Rohtang was the highest motor able road in the world and a fascination from childhood and yet could not reach after lot of planning – for her it was her basic bread and butter and she had to reach there everyday.

As i descended the Rohtang my heart was slightly heavy, but thanked the Yeti in those mountains who really smiled at me. I loved the entire journey so much that i knew there will be more to come soon!!!