Work From Nashik (T20)

।। श्री आशापुरी देव्यै नमः ।।

blessed to have a home in नाशिक.. Work From House

👆 first things first.. is "work from home" 🏡 technically correct?.. as far as I know, 'home' is an abstract term used for 'house + feelings' 🏩 and is not a physical entity.. so in my opinion, the phrase should be / have been "work from home house" 🏫.. but I don't mind to be corrected..

Shortest format of the 🏏 game - 2020, turned out to be the longest and the craziest year ever - T20, for reasons (less) related and (more) not related to corona.. since March-T20, we all shifted to this new culture of working 👨‍💻 from house to ensure social physical distancing 📏 is maintained to at least, minimum of safe 😷 limits.. but this also meant, travelling was restricted, if not completely prohibited.. here again, "physical distancing" fits more.. not to have social distancing open to subjection / interpretation to caste system 👥 or social (online) networking 📶..

It has been almost a year now, since last time I had been to my native.. also, दिवाळी 🎊 was approaching and so was अविनाश's, हर्षद's and अश्विनी's d-day 🤵 👰, in-law brothers and sister.. travelling was normalized, and instead of doing to-n-fro for every event / function, we decided to temporarily shift our मुक्काम पोस्ट to नाशिक.. this also meant, rising opportunities 🤗 to get checked ☑️ many of the pending longings in its region..

It all started within 24 hours ⏳ of arrival, at पांडवलेणी 2x.. intention was to not let rust the momentum 😅 from recent milestone of सिंहगड #300 (YouTube video link), where last 30 were not more than 75 days old.. that timing ⏱️ clocked for first सिंहगड post-lockdown was disappointing 🤯 enough to be more determined than ever.. thereafter, पांडवलेणी 2x including circumambulation (परिक्रमा) became weekday सिंहगडs of नाशिक..

cave 18, Chaitva-gruha

15-Nov, कावनई: First weekend was a hike to a nearby fort, कावनई.. since temples were not permitted 🚫 yet, had to drop 🙁 कपिलधारा for later, which is also the starting point 🏁 of कुंभ मेेळा, that नाशिक hosts every 12 years.. the trek was unexpectedly steep and expectedly short.. last piece, just before / at the fort entrance, has a ladder installed, helping with easier negotiation for the fellow trekkers.. view of clean-and-clear water 💧 of the lake at the top gives "पैसा वसूल" वाली feeling ☺️.. fish 🐟 play observation was well spent, before the residing sage 👳, furnished with Luminous inverter 💡 and JBL speakers 🔊, spoiled🤕 the rightfully earned peace-of-mind..

credits: हर्षद

18-Nov, अंजनेरी / अंजनगिरी: Being weekday, it was actually supposed to be a short and quick 🏃 adventure.. we did finalize at the last moment, one of the nearest available options, but unaware of the stretch, it went slightly 📴 off-schedule.. this entire climb is in 3 steps, starting from अंजनी माता 👩‍👦 temple, with (almost) flat terrains in-between.. 👆 first step also has a tar road option, but climbing via the shorter route overrules any clock advantage.. 🐫 second stairs-equipped step is followed by a beautiful as-clean-as-it-can-get lake, which is claimed to be created from हनुमान's 👣footprint.. ☘️ third step ends in a plateau at the top, having the summit at a temple, said to be 💪 महाबीर बिक्रम बजरंगी's birthplace 🎂..

footprint shaped lake, credits: हर्षद

21-Nov, धोडप: Situated in the 🕖 सातमाळा ranges, धोडप is ✌️ second highest fort 🏰 in महाराष्ट्र after (then TODO, not anymore) साल्हेर.. route 🛤️ is well trodden from the popularly opted base village हट्टी, but that IndiaHikes blog 🗒️ also helped us a lot, especially not missing-out on the बावडी (Stepwell).. be it for its temples, bastions, inscription ⚒️, archways and caves, or for its expanse, views, windy nature 🍃 and elevation; धोडप is rich 🤑 in all aspects.. needless to mention, special attraction of the fort is the slit 🤘 in its dike, which appears to be at least, 50 feet wide and deep.. prominent views of छोटा-मोठा बंड्या twins 👯 and इखारा pinnacle serve as cherry on the cake 🍰..

22-Nov, औंढा: Investigation 🕵️ during first trek of दिवाळी-२०१८ to 🛌 विश्रामगड / पट्टा fort, revealed an interesting fact about the fort in North 🆙 vicinity, औंढा - it is surmountable without any external expert technical assistance, as it now has couple of chains 🔗 permanently installed at the difficult sections 🧗 of pinnacle.. instant adrenaline rush 🍾 meant a further extension to the TODO list that was only respected enough after 2 years.. blog post from दिवाळी-२०१८ is here..

the chain support

28-Nov, हरिहर: Personally I believe, हरिहर should be the last things to miss if you have ever stayed in / anywhere near नाशिक, and कळसुबाई if born in महाराष्ट्र, irrespective of anything used as an excuse.. this was my (+ काका) second 💕 iteration (+ काकू, तनिष, विभूती) to the temptation 🐘 of climbing up the 80° elevation, enticingly 😍 carved in grooved steps.. the most important learning of the day was - never leave kids 👼 alone, because the outcome has zero warranty.. put in other words, हात सोडायचा नाहीच 🚸.. may God bless you second-time-lucky 🤞 विभूती..

29-Nov, मोहनदरी: नेढं - easily the largest, I've ever seen 👀 or known 🧠.. मोहनदरी has 2 climbing options from the same base village, that also reminds me of गुंजवणे and राजगड.. but unlike राजगड, here, one goes to the top 🔝 and other to the नेढं 👌.. so drawback is, either climb it twice to explore it completely or do it with experts to aid your descend from top to नेढं or the other way.. what we did? there is always a next ⏭️ time.. views of अहिवंत, सप्तशृंगी गड, मार्कंडेय, रावळ्या-जावळ्या and far-off, standing-tall धोडप steal 🤩 the show..

05-Dec, देहेरगड: This discovery was just 🔜 a day before it got checked.. with few cisterns, its attraction 'शिवलिंग' are the only remains at the top..

moon shot

06-Dec, मार्कंडेय: It was few years ago, when we had been to सप्तशृंगी गड by road 🛣️.. the view 👁️ of and discussion 🗣️ about its neighbor मार्कंडेय, uncovered the possibility of climbing to its top, which seems unrealistic when viewed from (then) this side.. Apparently, from (now) this side, बाबापूर खिंड (common starting point for मार्कंडेय and रावळ्या-जावळ्या), it's a no-brainer 🎯.. IndiaHikes calls it "A Perfect Alternative to Kalsubai" in their blog 📋 and one can disagree the least.. supported by railings and filled with monkeys, the route is of nature steep-flat-steep, that is only rumored to be difficult..

another moon shot, with a dome / apex

12-Dec, रामशेज: Given its limited geometrical geographical 🌏 aspects, रामशेज was unbelievably fought 🤼 for more than 5 years by मावळे 🚩 when मुघल empire 🤴 (first led by शहाबुद्दीन खान and then बहादुर खान) tried to capture it by all possible means, but failed to only succeed later at mercy of सुभेदार rotation 🔄 policy, using bribe 💰.. unlike year ago's foggy 🌁 weather, the remnants of fort were surprisingly and architecturally more prominent this time ⌛, comprising numerous caves, temples, water cisterns, godowns, archways, hidden tunnels / passages.. छोटा पैकेट, बड़ा धमाका..

13-Dec, सप्तशृंगी गड: Half from those साडेतीन शक्तिपीठ (3½ prominent seats 💺 of the Hindu Goddess), other 3 being महालक्ष्मी (कोल्हापूर), तुुुुळजाभवानी (तुळजापूर) and रेणुका (माहूर).. given the monsoon-like ☁️ weather since last couple of days, could only view the मार्कंडेय fort in its East.. today was also 150ᵗʰ tiny / huge non-Himalayan, non-Sinhagad, non-unique hike.. when all had valid reasons 🤔 to not join today, it was time to #GoSolo 🧘‍♂️.. undoubtedly सप्तशृंगी गड 🚈 made to must-visit places a week ago, when काका enlightened me about शीत कडा.. it is said that a बैलगाडी descended 📉 from here.. fact? is subject to an individual's beliefs 🧐..

बैलगाडी marks at शीत कडा

pic / pick of the season

19-Dec, दुबेरगड: closest and quickest entry of this blog ✍️ for an afternoon 🕓 family (+ आई, आबा, अमित) hike post visiting 12ᵗʰ century गोंदेश्वर मंदिर 🛕.. नागेश्वर मंदिर with a beautiful शिवलिंग at the base and सप्तशृंगी माता मंदिर at the top is all to summarize..

पारंब्या at base

20-Dec, भास्करगड / बसगड: The fort that plays hide-and-seek.. unlike many, the top here mostly cannot be seen 🙈 from its base or for more than first half of the climb.. starting from the col between भास्करगड and फणीचा डोंगर, the route is well marked with arrows ↗️.. show-stopper 🙀 for today was breathtaking view 👍 of neighbor उटवड.. atop are negligible remains of the fortification, marginally defined by a few steps and an archway at the entrance 🚪..

credits: काका

neighbor उटवड

23-Dec, रंजनगिरी: #CannotAskForMore #GoSolo enriched with magical 🎩 views of mountains in 360°.. अंजनेरी, ब्रह्मगिरी, डांग्या pinnacle, कावनई, घरगड, बाहुला 🔫 etc etc.. and to top all these, amazingly engrossed view of वालदेवी नदी / धरण 🏝️ coupled with overwhelming and calming experience of peace ☮️, fresh air and vitamin-D 🌄.. a must have entry in your TODOs / DONEs 🧞.. 

minuscule engraved at highest point

डांग्या pinnacle

24-Dec, घरगड / अमळी पर्वत: "pinnacle is technical 🧗‍♀️" is what one reads and understands from the blogs / reviews on Google Maps 🗺️.. thus, today's target 🎯 was not the highest point of a गड (same as धोडप from last and सप्तशृंगी गड earlier this month).. when initial plan was only till the last rock-cut, painted-in-white step ending in a temple 🕉️; least we knew about the hill in the East with a waving flag 🚩 at the top of cruise 🚢 shaped pinnacle.. it's scary enough to not look down those steps which literally have zero 🙅 support to bargain with.. absolutely no leverage in inclination, no cables, ropes, chains, railings or grooves.. instant worrisome 😟 doubt was "खाली इथूनच उतरायचंय का?", but most of the mountains also have a pacified ridge 🙋.. the range trek to the second unnamed top comprises of 7 tini-tiny hills and baby creatures 🐍 🦇 🐍.. but here again, the technical aspect (last 10-12 feet 🐾) casted us down.. nonetheless, never a mountain renders "below expectations" 🥳..

बाप-बेटा, काका-पुतण्या

​25-Dec, मोहनदरी, मार्कंड पिंप्री, कण्हेरगड: Today was that next time ⏭️.. read 📰 above about मोहनदरी?.. today was time 🕘 for the biggest नेढं, with limited comfort and unlimited chill 🌀.. that adrenaline pumping 👊 rock climbing experience from the base of नेढं ⏺️ to the top without any technical support 🦸 were the merriest moments on the 🎅 Christmas day 🎄.. वैभव and his nephew चिंतन, both equally pocketed this thrilling experience 🤠, who (+ संदीप) were on their way to augment 📝 their DONE list with some नाशिकites..

credits: काका

credits: चिंतन

one of those merriest moments, credits: वैभव

Before progressing to our next hiking destination of the day, an ancient temple 🏚️ at मार्कंड पिंप्री was on list of recommendations, being on the way 🚧.. unique of its kind (another one) from 12ᵗʰ century, it has शिव-पार्वती 🗿 carvings and a ताम्रपात्री (copper based) rock शिवलिंग..

कण्हेरगड near नांदुरी, not the one near चाळीसगाव.. base village सादडविहीर (north) and not कण्हेरवाडी (south).. unlike first instance of today, नेढं here did not bring along heavy wind.. and as rightly deciphered 💭 by संदीप 💡, it was because of its north-south direction.. and its comfortable dimensions meant its employment as 🤤 snacks-cum-lunch point 🥚 🍪.. the top has plenty of water cisterns 🛁 but hardly any with potable contents.. trekking shoes 🥾 with good grip are must as the route is full of scree.. we all slipped marginally / fairly at least once, except whoever was carrying passing-the-parcel, the lone pole 🦯.. another unique observation today was a bale (bundle of hay) being transported from the top to base using a ropeway.. after descending the fort, we split ➗ our ways and पुणे मंडळी proceeded towards हातगड..

credits: वैभव

27-Dec, साल्हेर-सलोटा: हस्ती तेरी विशाल 💪, कुदरत का तू कमाल 🙀.. fittingly, platinumᵗʰ / 75ᵗʰ entry on the list of unique treks.. close to ગુજરાત border, साल्हेर is the ☝️ highest fort and ✌️ second highest peak in its state, महाराष्ट्र (after कळसुबाई).. its prosperity 💎, as observed from the starting point at साल्हेरवाडी, is astonishing 🤩.. standing tall at 1567 meters above sea level, it offers just optimum to test one's endurance 😓.. it is said that परशुराम forced the sea back from here using his arrows 🏹.. the trekking route is well trodden, takes us to the fortification, first thing seen 👁️‍🗨️ in front, from the base.. a traverse to the left 👈 goes to rock-cut steps.. and then, there is गंगासागर lake, रेणुका माता मंदिर, परशुराम मंदिर as summit and plenty of caves to lookout for, when moving towards / descending in the col.. the massive plateau provides enough camping ⛺ opportunities..

शिवगर्जना 🚩

credits: काकांचा smartphone

साल्हेर's twin fort 🖇️ सलोटा is (obviously) shorter in height and size, but (surely) is more difficult.. when viewed from साल्हेर, we can only wonder 🥺 'how?' and only after reaching the common point for both these forts, we see light 🕯️ at the end of the tunnel 🚇 (not literally, म्हण आहे 👻).. the route is thinner and the steps are tougher.. 3 water cisterns, a हनुमान idol and caves again are of type cave-cum-storage.. the stunning view of साल्हेर from this side is equally breathtaking 😇.. 

आता post 🧾 मध्ये पुढे मुल्हेर, हरगड, मोरा पण असतीलच - तर नाही ⚠️.. those are due for next season 🧥 and will be supplemented at least by न्हावीगड 💇‍♂️ (also known as रतनगड) and मांगी-तुंगी ✋..

01-Jan, सीतामाईचा पाळणा: आज कुठे? आजोबा. नाही समजलं. आजोबा, गडाचं नाव आहे. ok. after such few conversations - confusions 😕 and clarifications 🌝, we were off to our today's hiking destination सीतामाईचा पाळणा or लव-कुश 👩‍👦‍👦 cave on आजोबा / अजा पर्वत, through वाल्मिकी आश्रम / समाधी ⚰️.. first half being gradual and long, second is steep but short.. it is said that सीता 👩‍🦰 inhabited here, and her sons ♂️ लव-कुश used to call वाल्मिकी - आजोबा 👴 (grandfather), hence the name of the mountain.. as observed on AllTrails app, there are 2 trails ↖️ ↗️ from base village 🏘️ डेहणे, one goes to the top and other till the cave.. not sure about the former with blog / YouTube search, we went for the latter.. trekking near मुंबई has always been exhausting 😓 and today was no different, weather also being warmer 🌡️ than recent days.. views comprising खुट्टा, रतनगड, कात्राबाई and colossal आजोबा..

rise of 2021

वाल्मिकी आश्रम

पाळणा, लव-कुश पादुका

worth a mention.. roads 🛣️ to mountains near आमची नाशिक are way better than those of आपली पुणे.. probably 😁 is the reason to have 19 entries here, coupled with 21 counting पांडवलेणी in 50 Earth 🌏 rotations 💫 on its axis.. 

जबसे तुम्हारे नाम की मिसरी होंठ लगाई है,

मीठा सा गम है और मीठी सी तन्हाई है..

The planned list 📜 (before departing from Pune) with handful 🖐️ of entries - मार्कंडेय, औंढा, मोहनदरी, धोडप, ending in कावनई, broke loose into 11,147 meters of elevation gain, as measured by "Editors' Choice" AllTrails app (download here)..

खुशनसीब 🍀 है हम, जिनको है मिली ये बहार ज़िन्दगी में.. one of महाराष्ट्राची धरोहर 🏗️.. टेकड्या, गड आणि किल्ले 🏞️.. लाभले आम्हास भाग्य - बोलतो 🎙️, जन्मलो 🐣 मराठी.. and last but not the least, a home in नाशिक..

A consolidated video on YouTube..

Annexure: few more from पांडवलेणी, 250-odd steps till the caves and similar elevation from there till the flag-top..

circumambulation

provisional clouds

भाऊबीज annexe

नवसकाळी २०२०

।। श्री आशापुरी देव्यै नमः ।।

In early days of calendar year 2020, Covid-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic was declared. It was soon followed by worldwide lockdown and consequentially, trekking to all mountains / forts / hills was banned.

Last year, had started with this activity of trekking all days of नवरात्री, at 9 unique locations. "Can it be continued this year?", "Will there be 9 different options available?", "Will anybody join 👥?" were some of the uncertainties. सिंहगड was relaxed, but only on weekdays. तळजाई was allowed, but only from the west. And probably, खंडोबा टेकडी was never tagged 'prohibited'. Any other place was off the radar.

नवरात्री नवसकाळी.. 9 days, 9+1 hikes

वर्ष दुसरे, २०२०

Day Grey 📖, तळजाई: With its east entry gate ⛩️ closed, this flat hill-cum-jungle was still accessible from the other / this side. Heavy rains 🌦️️ in the last days meant some parts were slimy and few trees 🌳 had lost their balance. But abiding to the forecast, it did not rain during the schedule to make matters worse. जंगल में मोर 🦚 नाचा, किसने मैने देखा, a creeping snake 🐍 and birds ️🐦 🕊️ in varieties, were some of the highlights of today.

Day Orange 🍊, खंडोबा टेकडी: Unlike yesterday, I was not to be alone today, but the comrade was slightly off schedule and also went a bit in another direction. Also, being a Sunday 🌞, it's a no-brainer that it would be crowded out there, but that was still an understatement. So every next time, it will be any but weekly bank holiday. Having had to wait ⏸️️ atop, savored salient view of the target for next 5 days while also encompassing the adjoining hill, that is hardly any away from k2s pave. Yes, 'home to सिंहगड (via खंडोबा टेकडी)' is now on the charts.

Day White 🦷, सिंहगड: Living upto the color of the day, it was all cloud ☁️️ cover, as viewed in any or all the directions. Significantly, nothing beats the moment when clear enough weather provides glimpse of गडांचा राजा, किल्ले राजगड ⛰️ and स्वराज्याचे तोरण, किल्ले तोरणा 🚩 in the south-west, as distinct islands 🏝️️ floating above the white.

Day Red 🚨, सिंहगड + potato point: One of the weekdays had to comprehend nearby potato point, which has always been a special attraction, given its windy nature and having a rock-carved 🗿 शिवलिंग at the top of a potato 🥔 shape, 12-15 feet diameter. Certainly, it was to be a full-grown grass 🎋 hike, it existing as a less known / commuted point and the time period being lockdown-in-monsoon types.

Day Royal Blue 🧞, सिंहगड: It's not perfect (nobody / nothing is) but accuweather 🌀 🌡️️ is far more accurate (as its name suggests) than any other application / website that predicts any such immediate future weather conditions. Following those pointers everyday, also (other reason to follow) helped a lot in not including evenings, which indeed, turned-out pouring ⛈️. Aside, Wednesdays are new Saturdays for some of the regular सिंहगडites.

Day Yellow 🧀, सिंहगड + circuit: For sure, it was not going to be the same to-n-fro on all 5 days at सिंहगड. As was Tuesday's potato, today's diversity was descend via deserted smooth-n-clean घाट रस्ता 🛣️️, the routine exercised to welcome new year since last 2 ✌️️. But this time, all it added to the regular routine was only 45 mins 💪. Another reason behind going long today was - Thursdays have always been crowd-wise spoilers. Yet it had a nice-to-meet-you factor with co-founder of Swachchand Adventure Foundation.

Day Green 🐢, सिंहगड: It's well known that during नवरात्री, many people 🎎 trek सिंहगड on all the days (Yes, this time including forbidden weekends. Trick was to reach the base before 4). Implying, the crowd would get heavier. Indicatively, 'should evenings be considered?' struck. But, having production issue and a product release along with budget 💶 discussion for next year 📆, makes it all-but-easy, to plan anything for the later part of a working 👨‍💻 day. So, devoid of choices, the planned 'नव सकाळी / संध्याकाळी' got itself transformed to नवसकाळी 9️⃣ 🌄. Nonetheless, today's evening observed a bonus round of सिंहगड, as a colleague could not join any of the mornings. Read (रेड) above about pouring evenings 🌧️️; today was one well prepared ☂️, when city 🌃 was dry as if other hemisphere.

Day Peacock Green 🦚, खंडोबा टेकडी: No, today was not a Sunday, and it worked in favour of undergoing relatively negligible 🚷 mob.

Day Purple 🧃, तळजाई: That's when you miss your regular trekking shoes 👟 the most (due to Friday evening). Easily, Coasters aka CTR are value-for-money. It seemed to have heavily rained here last night, and yet, its ajar gate meant today were less chances to witness any fauna at तळजाई. Most importantly, nothing better could have ended the 9-day streak, but उकडीचे मोदक 🧄 and मटार करंजी 🥟.

Barring the bonus trek, it was overall 4398 meters of elevation gain, a few inches 📏 short of half Everesting 🏔️️ (more details on Everesting in this SRT blog), while covering 83.5 kms of feet 👣 distance during 9 days of colors' celebration, till विजयादशमी..

Be silly. Be kind. Be weird.

There is no time for anything else.

Valley of Flowers

।। श्री आशापुरी देव्यै नमः ।।

Valley of Flowers.. Himalayan, where rivers never give-up

Utilization of the newly introduced WhatsApp feature of status updates, helped in finding new friends as trekking companions, which I must admit, is, if not impossible, at least, not an easy 😔 task. One of society 🌇 members then asked, "We are planning an easy grade Himalayan 🏔️ trek in August, care to join?". Given its unpredictable weather, there is never and nothing easy in Himalaya. We'll shortly come to that.

Even thinking about exploring the new horizons, especially at higher altitudes than Sahyadris, pumps-up the adrenaline 😍. And so, started the research. Recognizing it as nothing-to-worry-about, let's-go-for-it, I signed-up.

August 2018

The least we knew anything about कांवड सावन यात्रा that stalls everything happening / not happening in and around हरिद्वार 🕉️, made us 😟 nervous enough on options to reach our base camp 🏕️ at ऋषिकेश. Thankfully 🙏, it was one of its last days. Otherwise, earlier batches took beyond eternity as to what is needed for 20-22 kms, had many just walked.

Evening was well spent at the bank of enormous, pious and enchanting Ganges, also privileged with गंगा आरती 🕯️. Next day was a road 🛣️ journey from humidity to gelidity, towards the mountains ⛰️, through valleys, along the river अलकनंदा, followed by another evening encashed at holy temples ⛩️ of जोशीमठ, catching and capturing 📷 love-at-first-sight views of the surrounding ranges.

The following day, we had another short road journey along the same river, to the north ⬆️, गोविंदघाट, from where we were supposed to be on our own. Handing over our luggage 🎒 to mules 🐎 and always aware that the first 4 kms (till पुलना village) can be arranged, we had 2 group opinions 🤼‍♂️ if to avail or not. While one was trying to convince the other, we agreed (few reluctantly) on our way up, all 13 kms by feet, along लक्ष्मण गंगा, to our camp for the next 3 nights, घंगारिया. The path 👣 was well trodden, built to comfort of pilgrims; and views were, needless to mention, mesmerizingly beautiful 😇. The second half (after भ्युंदार), as is usually the case with any mountain, be it Himalaya / Sahyadri, was steep, and steep like anything 😓.

Valley of flowers, Legge grave and not-to-be-missed river bed were on the charts for next day. Beauty of this region is its variety 🌸🌷🌼🌺over time ⌚ and space 🏞️. In the midst, it also has a grave ⚰️ of Joan Margaret Legge who had come to India to study flora of this spellbinding National Park but had died doing so. Then, the river bed made to the pick of the day, clutter free, smoothingly chill and refreshingly sedative.

Next day was to be (+ लक्ष्मण मंदिर) हेमकुंड साहिब, the गुरुद्वारा, the highest point of this expedition at an altitude of ~4200 meters, open only 4 months a year. After ascending a steep slope of more than 1200 meters in this weather and altitude, as if we had rightfully earned it, we relished ourselves to mild gurbani 🎼, sweet prasadam and much needed लंगर. Although we had heard about it, it was jaw-dropping yet to discover the sikhs 👳 dipping themselves in the adjoining, ice-cold, हेमकुंड lake, when we were shivering in our jackets 🧥, gloves 🧤 and mufflers. Having spotted the state flower, ब्रह्मकमळ, postponed any possible disappointment to the later point of time. And thankfully 🙏 again, the weather 🌥️ had very much favoured us till now.

Next destination was further north, बद्रीनाथ, after descending the same, first day's route from the other side, from घंगारिया back till गोविंदघाट. And so it happened. A landslide and roadblock at लामबगड was awaiting our arrival 🛬. It was imminent 🤔, not everything can be so perfect. This meant either we return or stay in a गुरुद्वारा nearby to resume our journey as and when it got (less likely) cleared. Interviewing ❓ about the possible options to get to the other side, revealed us a small trekking route over the same mountain. We unpacked it all and packed only what was needed for 2 days, stuffed the rucksack in the bus 🚌 and carried a small backpack with us. In no time, we were heading towards बद्रीनाथ after descending to the other side of the mountain and hiring a local transport. Few were adamant and stayed back only to join us the next day as the road was cleared. The eventful day ended after visiting one of the चार धाम and warm hot HOT water bath 🛀 in one of its pools (कुंड).

Flag 🇮🇳 hoisting on Independence day at freezing बद्रीनाथ camp started the following day in high spirits towards our next adventure, वसुधरा falls. Attractions on the way included गणेश गुफा, व्यास गुुफा, भीम पुल and origin of सरस्वती river, from India's last village, माना. Fall of the ~400 ft falls was thundering loud. Slowly and intermittently we were delighted 😀 to have perspectives of snow-clad mountains 🏔️ from all the directions, which were most of the times immersed in clouds ☁️. This was nothing less than exceeds-expectations rating 🏆. 

The last day was then to hope least for another landslide. This time, we just had to walk that landslide prone area amidst the flowing water, trembling stones, a few falling rocks, all risk-free. 👏 Hope, there are better alternatives today. 👍

That ends in short, my first trek in Himalayan region in 🙇‍♂️ देवभूमी उत्तराखंड. Luxurious, spacious and well-equipped by Himalayan standards. 85 kms of feet distance with 3600+ meters of elevation gain in 5 days.

|| जय बद्री विशाल ||