TRIP TO MUNSIYARI
Munsiyari isactually an unknowntourist destination. It lies in the eastern most district of Uttaranchal bordering Nepal in the east and Tibet in the north. For aHyderabadi living ina existence of crowded spaces, and non-stop hustle-bustle, getting to Munsiyari was an experience in contradictions.. For long stretches here,one could seeno habitation or signs of it. Pine forests and the rivers deep into the valley was all you have for companyand the feeling of being at the end of the world was unsettling.
After driving across 90 km of ghat roads, there was an overnight halt at Vijaypur. Here the "Wayfarers Resorts" have a pretty place where you could relax . Early next morning, the cook woke us up with the message that the snow peaks could be seen. The rains had not only subdued the forest fire but also cleansed the air Uttaranchal had become smoky with numerous forest fires.
We had another 100 km to drive to reach Munsiyari from where Vivek Pande of the "Wayfarers" had organised a three-day trek to the Khaliya peak. At night the sky had been swept clean of clouds and the stars were blazing in the moonless night. A barbecue in the open with Vivek preparing us for the next day's trek got us all into the right spirit.
As for the three-day trek there was no point in describing the indescribable. It was not just about the beautiful sights and the changing landscape one trekked into or walked along. It was fascinating ... every two or three kilometres, nature has these spaces which are ideal for camping ... a stream, a meadow to pitch your tents.
The first stretch was done under the shade of huge oak trees with an occasional rhododendron tree bursting into life with blood red flowers or a snake flower aping the hood of a cobra peeping out from the trunk of a tree. The forest koel kept us entertained with her angry jugulbandi with us as we imitated her frantic call. Just as suddenly we came upon an open green meadow with a carpet of white, purple and yellow flowers just like a child's drawing of a five-petal flower. There was stream nearby. We sat sipping hot tea as the men got busy off loading the four mules that had carried up the tents and other supplies for a two-night camp. The men pitched the tents including one for dining and a functional loo. Throughout the trek, they made sumptuous meals from the makeshift kitchen and even managed a three-course meal starting with soup, main course and ending with a sweet or canned fruits.
Meadows and a peak
The sky was thankfully cloudy next day as most of the trek was over absolutely beautiful grassland with occasional clumps of rhododendrons. At 11,000 feet, the sun can get burning hot. After trekking over undulating meadows we came to the base of our final destination, Khaliya. Here was a vast meadow surrounded on three sides by mountains with great patches of snow. There were some shepherds with their sheep sitting on patches of snow. Sunset cast a soft mauve, pink and orange hue on the tips of the snow clad mountains. At night it became bitterly cold and windy. We sat around the fire and listened to Vivek tell us about the festivals, music and dance of the region. The unity and similarity of India from the sea shores in the south to these mountains in the north never fails to surprise.
As one assessed the climb to the Khaliya peak next day it seemed too steep and non-negotiable.
At the peak there was space enough only for about 20 people. In the south-west stretched the rows over rows of mountains and in the north east were the snow clad peaks. We experienced the utltimate high of a mountaineer, the feeling of being on top, literally and figuratively.
The climb was spread over two nights but the descent was accomplished in five hours flat.
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