After talking with the locals i set for a one day trek on the oldest migratory route followed by shepherds of Chamba and Kangra.
My guide came to fetch me the next day morning when i was still in slumber. A packed lunch was arranged. My guide carried water bottles, some biscuits in the sack and i started off after him. In full spirit as we cut the town lanes one ascends to Dharamkot village (2100 metres), panoramic scenes stretch below — layers of hills housing small villages spread in the vast expanse of Kangra Valley. The valley down is very deep and looks amazing. A small village with roof tops of slate look very beautiful.
Its an uphill task. The mountains that we are trekking are covered with towering pines and a magical freshness in it, the same familiar scent that now grips again. Its very silent and peaceful. The silence speaks enormous one can hear the leaves brushing against each other. The trek is very interesting if one has the eye to 'eye' things around.
You can see small strawberry shrubs on the pathway. Small red bulbs look so neat and clean, me cant resists so i just pluck and eat. There's hardly anybody other than shepherds trotting this way. At times the pathway seems so lonely.
A little rest at the nook is very soothing. But the mist is heavy today. The valley suddenly impregnates with heavy mist. The village that was there some time back is nowhere to be seen. From the deeps the mist rises high above to reach the mountain tops and within a wink the stage changes. The pathway also becomes invisible and further to even put the right step becomes difficult. A wrong step and a slip will be straight in the valley deep deep below where we can hardly see the depth of it.
Wild flowers, mushrooms adorn the pathway. Every flower beautiful than the other – no comparison. Vivid colors, vivid formations, every petal cut so uniquely, the stems look so feeble but they dare to hold the flower and overlook the valley and yes they sway. They sprout from where ever they can, they dare to.
The bees on the flowers and leaves are so colorful. They can see the beauty more than what we can see.
The birds fly chirping and their flapping wings are heard so instinctively in the silence of the valley. This is so beautiful. Small waterfalls free falling from massive heights carrying ice cold water quenches our thirst at the right intervals.
The climb gets difficult with 22 steep curves and tough trails. The going gets tougher. My guide has so much patience. He waits for me, allows me to rest and at times rests with me. One rarely finds Indians trekking here, on this 18kms stretch i met 5 foreigners from different continents and it just needed a smile to cheer each one of us to reach the top.
Your mind is fully focused on the heights while your body is busy using all its power to pull along your tired legs. On the way as you take rest, sitting on a rocky stone, and look below the human habitation, the worldly ambitions and cities’ rat race seems so far away. Meanwhile, you continue to rough it out through a grueling course — walking on stony trails, yellow-brown fallen-leaf paths or jumping over an occasional fallen tree trunk. A lonely shepherd along with his flock sits on the pasture and i envy him. Its a trek where we tread four massive mountains one after the other. When you look back one is surprised to see how much we have trekked. .
And Alas!!!! We are on a roof top and its Triund (2975 metres) the sheer magnificence takes you unawares. Pastures spread out in lengths. Nature has been kind to spread this green carpet so far and wide. Mist was dense and i could'nt take any pictures. My guide spread a mat on the grass and i nursed my tired legs. It has started to drizzle and my guide gives me a big umbrella with a nice packed lunch. I am so tired and hungry that i hardly know what i was having.
As i rest here i see the next mountain Illaqa – the snow line (3350 meters). My next destination is decided, i sit there for long gazing at that mountain, this time not on my computer screen but in real and tell the mountain 'Boy me coming soon.'
