The year is 2023. The monsoon months of July and August have brought copious amounts of rain to many parts of Himachal Pradesh and Kullu Valley (where we live). A number of roads have been washed away and connectivity is seriously hampered.

We have returned from a short trip to Kazakhstan in mid-August. There was a family event for which we travelled to Jaipur and were duly back in Delhi on the 20th. There had been another deluge in Kullu region and the roads near Pandoh (Mandi) were badly damaged. Of course, Volvos were only plying till Mandi and there was no clarity thereafter on the status of any of the alternate roads. Acquaintances spoke of 8-10 hour traffic jams as a normal course of life from Mandi to Kullu and we were not prepared to get stuck in a traffic jam as it could be risky with the continuous rain.

We had come back to our home in Dobhi after the torrential downpour in July and the ordeal of changing 4-5 buses from Delhi felt like small trouble compared to the situation at hand. I called the HRTC bus guys and private Volvo operators everyday in the hope of a positive update. It was tricky to keep checking the weather predictions and try to leave from Delhi to Mandi in a Volvo, reach the bus stand at 6 am and hope for the best. The private Delhi to Manali Volvo guys had completely stopped their services while some of them were plying till Mandi.

We were getting restless; especially because of the lack of clothes as we had gone to Kazakhstan on a cabin baggage only flight and had literally nothing to wear! Every other day we would decide to leave the next day and we would get a ‘jahan ho, wahin raho‘ (stay where-ever you are) message from the HRTC guys in Mandi. It was 25th and we were counting days on our fingertips; our time in Delhi at our friends’ home was fun but we really really wanted to get back home to Kullu.

It must have happened by fluke and I don’t even remember how it came about but I saw some notification about an airline sale. A random 1-minute search revealed next-day’s flight from Delhi to Leh at INR 2000 odd and for the moment I disregarded it as a long shot. However, next day when there was no positive news of the Mandi to Kullu road, we decided enough was enough and booked our flights for the next morning.

We were pretty excited about having scored cheap flights for Leh in the green summer season of August and the fact that there were hardly any tourists there. Even though we wanted to get back home to Kullu, it was decided that we would acclimatise in Leh for 4 days and our return was planned for 30th August, which was a holiday for Rakshabandhan. I was poorly packed and did not even have a jacket but since it was summer in Ladakh, I hoped the weather gods would behave!

Read : Durbuk to Merak Village – Winter in Ladakh

It was an early morning flight and we landed in Leh with the spirit of adventure at having booked a last-minute trip! I had been a bit naive to assume that the Leh to Manali bus service was functional and was taken aback with the information after reaching that the bus service had been stopped a while ago. Homestay/hotel/guest houses were all available and this time we pre-booked a guest house because this trip had a different agenda.

We landed in Leh on a cold and cloudy morning and I was thankful that the sun was out as soon as we got out of the airport. The room was cozy and we fell asleep in no time. After waking up past noon, we strolled to the main bazaar in search of food. Leh felt like it used to be in the old days; there were no Indian tourists to be seen – while old timers from across the world were roaming in the streets. It suddenly felt like the best decision; to go back home via Leh!

Since we were not acclimatised, the walk to the market was tiring enough but I could not resist having a stroll near Jama Masjid and checking what the village ladies had for sale since it was their summer and the only farming season in Ladakh! I was in luck since it was apricot time and the tiny orange fruits were flooding the market. Among other things, there are few better things in life than tasting these alluring little beauties and one of the varieties grown in Leh (Raktse Karpo) have also been recently awarded with a GI tag.

It feels nice when your fellow shoppers are old wizened lamas. One of them also mentioned that I must buy the raktse-karpo variety of apricots that has been awarded the GI tag. The prices of apricots have really gone up in the last 10-15 years. I faintly remember that the best quality dried apricots from both the Khaltse and Turtuk (Halman) region used to cost about INR 250-400 per kilo. I was shocked to notice that in the present day the fresh apricots were priced at INR 250 per kilo while the raktse karpo variety was priced at INR 400 per kilo.

It was about 5 in the evening and a cold breeze started blowing. I bought a kilo of the apricots and got excited about seeing one of the village ladies (ama) selling a cute watermelon. It reminded me of Kazakhstan and the watermelons and muskmelons of Central Asia. The whole pavement was filled with fresh produce and I secretly wished to buy everything! Since we had had a late lunch, there was no appetite to go out for dinner again. Also, we were a bit tired and felt it would be best to return to the guest house and call it an early night.

I spotted a foreigner buying carrots and quickly got the idea to carry back a bunch of lettuce leaves and half kilo fresh and juicy carrots. The evening skies as we walked back were incredible and it had really become quite chilly. We were glad that the rooms of the guest house had a traditional wooden roof with poplars. The solar geyser had warmed up the water quite nicely even though the sun wasn’t at its strongest throughout the day.

We gobbled up the carrots like rabbits would do (get the gist!) and the fresh lettuce leaves were really fresh and tasty. A few apricots served as dessert and a good night’s sleep beckoned after a lovely and relaxing hot water bath. Next day onwards, it was business as usual as we felt well acclimatised but still decided to spend our days in Leh with the aim of returning home on 30 August. Since the tourist rush in Leh was confined to long-term foreigners, the Manali and Leh taxi unions were having a tiff about plying the current tourists and the stand-off resulted in an all-too familiar situation of confusion.

This is another part of the adventure of travelling on the Manali-Leh road – the feeling of uncertainty. The HRTC Manali-Leh bus service had been suspended due to the road issues and according to the in-charge officer in Keylong due to the lack of passengers in the bus. I found that surprising because the Manali-Leh bus had always been a favourite with foreign tourists, migrants and locals of Changthang region who travelled in the bus till a certain point.

I enjoyed doing the usual Leh things; even the hitherto touristy stuff like climbing Shanti Stupa for sunset views because there were hardly any tourists. There were everyday walks in the bazaar; finding craftspersons and artisans making pabu (Ladakhi shoes) and thigma (woollen tie and dye) while connecting with all ladies self-help groups who crafted shawls from handspun pashmina. It was nice to visit an old favourite Tenzing Dickey Tibetan restaurant for an early dinner one day, realising it was still the same tiny eatery serving home-made thukpa. We had a great conversation with a travelling Swiss couple over the meal and ended up meeting them numerous times over the next couple of days.

The night skies were a joy to walk back and we were happy to shift our stay to a nearby homestay the next day. I walked from the nanwai gali (lane of bread-bakers near Jama Masjid) and bought every different kind of bread and biscuits that they made. One of the nanwai’s made chochwor (of Kashmir fame, also called telvor) and that was really delightful. We ate our lunches at cafés that served traditional Ladakhi dishes like chutagi, skyu, khambir, drapu, tangthur, paba and the likes and relished the offerings while gawking at the surreal blue skies that invariably had a background view of Leh Palace.

To find the actual status of the shared taxis from Manali to Leh, we head to Bomb Guard area via the local bus that plies to Choglamsar. We gathered that there was no clarity and they were quoting astronomical prices of INR 3500 per person for tempo travellers leaving in the evening, travelling all night and reaching Manali in the morning next day. We were very uncomfortable with this idea of travelling in the night and tried to play smart by taking direct phone numbers of HP-01/K (Kullu) numbered taxi guys. A few drunk taxi drivers tried to play spoilsport and that was our cue to leave.

With zero clarity, we came back to Leh bazaar and opted to ignore the current problem on hand – hoping that as the day of our departure approached; we would get lucky. Two years ago, in 2021 we had returned from Leh to Manali on October 15th and were able to get two shared taxi seats in the middle row of a SUV. I continued on my merry apricot eating spree and we were happily gobbling a kilo every day and saving the kernels to be converted into a chutney back home in Kullu.

Read : Spending the ‘Lockdown’ Summer of 2021 at Yuthok Homestay, Kullu Valley

On the 29th, we decided to spend a relaxed day because in the absence of a fixed plan for our return it was important that we had the physical strength to do anything that the situation demanded. On top of everything, we had small backpacks and a few orders for Indilocal meant extra luggage. We were pleased to have a final parting meal in the evening at the gorgeous Bon Appetit restaurant in the stunning outdoor seating. The weather was crisp and there was a faint feeling of early autumn in the air.

I had called the phone numbers of the HP-01/K guys gathered from the previous day but none of them confirmed any other passengers. One of the guys had two confirmed passengers (which later turned to be false) in a Swift Dzire, but I was not comfortable going in a vehicle with less ground clearance especially after the recent rains. Once we reached our homestay, we packed our bags and paid the amount since we were supposed to go very early.

Our uncertainty reached an unprecedented level as the clock passed 9 pm and it finally dawned on us that we were on our own and that we needed to have a worst-case scenario and actually execute it. To make a last-gasp try, I called one guy whom I had not been able to contact and he told me to anyhow reach the Upshi check-post. He was positive that we are highly likely to be able to hitch a ride at the Upshi Check Post. He also told me that a bridge near Sarchu had become inoperable and the alternate route was a tad risky. Thankfully, I chose to completely ignore the above piece of information.

Keeping the heightened anxiety levels in check, we somehow called it a night and slept with a lingering feeling of helplessness and adventure! At the present moment, the whole idea of coming to Leh started feeling like a failed attempt or we had to be mentally prepared to shell out an exorbitant sum of money; all for the simple act of returning to our home in Kullu. It was a much needed rest in the night as we got up and running before daybreak and were thankful to the homestay guys to bring us a kettle of hot drinking water so early in the morning.

The weather was quite cold and the water for a shower was not yet rendered hot by the solar heater. I was relieved to find the water was lukewarm at best and not bitterly cold. The shower roused me awake and we discussed that since we have not had any phone call from a taxi guy, our only way out is through hitching rides. We were aware that buses in Ladakh plied every morning to different regions in Changthang, Nubra Valley, Kargil region from the LBOC Bus stand. The clock struck 630 and we realised that we were already running late to reach the bus stand which was a sizeable 20 odd minutes away – it felt like a herculean task with our (now) heavy bags.

A prudent and practical decision was taken to keep things simple and take it as one ride at a time and not overthink how we would travel from Leh to Lahaul Valley/Kullu Valley via hitchhiking. Public transport would be available from Jispa / Keylong to Kullu. We figured that getting out of Leh city via a local bus was our best bet of giving the taxi guys roaming around the bus stand a miss. One of the basic rules of hitchhiking is that we rarely ever hitch rides in a city, so must get to the highway. We had a brisk walk with ‘our hearts in our mouths’ moment not knowing about the timing of the bus. I had assumed it was 730 am.

It was 0707 am when we finally made it to the bus stand and there was no bus to be seen. A few touts / taxi drivers asked us Manali-Srinagar and we chose to ignore them. We saw two foreigners rushing in one direction and followed them to enter a bus. The crowd at the bus stand was sparse and that worked to our advantage. Before we could ask the bus conductor where the bus was heading, the foreigners jumped out of the bus saying it was headed to Nubra Valley and that there was another bus for Pangong Tso.

Read : Lessons of Life at Pangong in Winter

We followed the foreigners, partly relieved because they seemed to be certain about a bus to Pangong leaving at this very hour! There it was; another bus half filled with foreign tourists that stood on one side of the bus stand and before entering we asked if this was indeed the bus to Pangong Tso? We told him to drop us in Karu since we were headed to Hemis monastery and were told the seats had been booked and to take the last two seats in the end row of the bus. I was relieved to somehow make it in time as this bus was supposed to leave at 7 am and it was already 715 am. Apparently the bus was waiting for the two foreigners who had pre-booked their tickets but had not yet arrived! Thankfully for us.

The bus engine roared to life as soon as we sat and we felt triumphant at the positive and successful beginning of the day. We heaved a sigh of relief and were elated as the bus crossed the shared taxi stand in the Bomb Guard area. The bus came to an abrupt halt as we reached Choglamsar. A number of Army personnel boarded the bus and extra baggage was hauled to the roof of the bus. Two tourists from South-east Asia were the last two to board. We were astonished (cuz we had no idea about pre-booking) when they produced their tickets to ask us if they were sitting on the right seats. Apparently, they had bought the tickets from the bus stand yesterday and now the bus was jam packed.

The driver (cum conductor) refused entry for further passengers and after a 20 odd minute stop we were on our way to Karu. We counted ourselves as lucky people who had the good fortune to get on the bus before there was no more space. It was a smooth ride thereafter and with no further stops we were dropped in Karu before 9 am. The bus sped after taking a left on the road that led to Pangong Tso. The easy part of our 450 km journey was done and we had covered a meagre 37 kms! Now the difficult part lie in front of us and we crossed the circle in Karu surrounded with dhabas and eateries and stood waiting for a ride on the road to Manali.

We were beginning to feel hungry but dared not step away from the road. Today was going to be a long day and we could not afford to take any chances as there was a possibility of every car giving us a ride. The road was dusty and we kept our bags on a nearby wall and started asking for rides from the passing vehicles. Most of them indicated that they were only going only a few kilometres ahead. We endured a torrid time when an Indian Army truck convoy crossed leaving us in a sea of toxic fumes. After about 30 minutes of no luck with rides, I had started feeling a bit restless.

In my mind, I decided to be a bit more assertive while asking for a ride and jumping on the road as a vehicle neared was my latest plan. A couple of vehicles crossed and still no luck with the new bold method had us nearly rethinking our thought process. We were waiting close to the diversion point in Karu so that vehicles that had slowed down would not pick speed and that gave us a good chance to make our presence felt and hitch a ride. A car arrived like a godsend; I jumped on the road and spotted a Lama in red robes driving the car. At first he indicated with his right hand that he was only going a few kilometres ahead. I made him stop the car and requested to roll down the window.

He said he was only going to Hemis monastery; the diversion for which was hardly 2-3 kms ahead of Karu. We requested him to drop us at the diversion point as we had been waiting in Karu for more than 30 minutes and that today even short rides of 2-3 kms might change our luck. Lama Ji opened the doors and it felt like he also unlocked a lucky charm. We shared our last remaining apricots with him and the kind soul that he was – after hearing our story of trying to hitchhike to Kullu he said that he would drop us all the way to the Upshi check post. We tried reasoning with him but agreed to take the ride because today we needed the help.

Lama Ji mentioned that he was from Skurbuchan village and I shared some memories about a past winter journey in that region. He shared that he was only going to Hemis to show tourists around the monastery but since it was an early hour, it was unlikely that there was someone waiting. The extra distance that Lama Ji had to cover was 10 kms and he told us not to worry as today we really needed the ride and that he would get back to Hemis in hardly 15-20 minutes after dropping us.

We requested him to drop us at the J&K Police Check-Post in Upshi and also make small talk with the police guy to enhance our chances of a ride. The check post in Upshi is located on the Manali-Leh highway after the road bifurcates for Chumathang. For the uninitiated, the two check posts of Darcha in Lahaul and Upshi in Ladakh serve as manned police points where travellers have to compulsorily stop, enter the vehicle details and number of people in the vehicle. What that essentially means is since every vehicle must come to a halt, the chances of a conversation increase leading to massive probability of hitching a long-distance ride.

I had been lucky in the past having hitched a ride from Darcha check post in Lahaul. Hitchhiking in a truck : Stories from Nakee La

Lama Ji dropped us right at the check post and spoke in Ladakhi to the stern looking J&K Police check post officer. We had no words to thank the Lama Ji and were highly obliged and sincerely hoped that the officer would help us. In our preoccupied state of mind, the thought of taking down Lama Ji’s number did not occur to us and we made a mental note to return to Hemis and get a thank you gift next time we were in Ladakh!

We waved goodbye to Lama Ji and briefly narrated our predicament to the police guy hoping that he will assist us in finding a ride from this point all the way till Lahaul (at least). There was a young lady also sitting on a chair at the check post and there was no space to keep our bags. Little did we know, the J&K police check post guy started admonishing us saying this is a check post and it is not their duty to find rides for hitchhikers everyday. I understood that he must be used to foreign backpackers trying this tactic everyday since not everyone wants to travel on the most beautiful road in the world in the darkness of the night!

Read : Offbeat Explorations in Leh

I had not even kept my bags down and this initial conversation with the check post officer hit us like a bolt. We realised there could be no outside help and that we needed to keep a time limit in case we were not able to hitch a ride till the afternoon. No sooner as I kept one of my bags down, a private number HP34 (Kullu number) Toyota Innova stopped in front of the check post. I quickly asked the police officer if it made sense to ask him for a ride. He mentioned that this car was of a Ladakhi local. As the car guy walked out and narrated the details to be filled in the register; we blurted out that his car number reminds us of Kullu.

The car guy was a true gentleman and simply asked us ‘Chalo, hum aapko Jispa tak le chalte hain’. I couldn’t believe the happenings and double checked if they actually had the space to give us both a ride. We picked our bags and opened the boot to reveal that there were only 3 people in the 6 seater SUV and there was enough space for the two of us. We thanked everyone in the car and told them we could barely believe our luck. The clock had not even struck 11 and we were on the way, to our home in Kullu Valley.

We had only fresh local Ladakhi green peas to be shared as food and I offered the same to everyone. They offered us chocolates in return which came as a welcome delight for our starved tummies. After about 30 minutes into the ride, we felt a bit relaxed with the knowledge that we had succeeded in our endeavour of trying to get out of Ladakh and reaching Lahaul by hitchhiking. The driving skills of the gentleman were top notch and we made good time. There were hardly any vehicles on the road and the more time went by, the more we realised how lucky we had been!

Our first break was at Tanglang La : There were a couple of tourist taxis ferrying international tourists and I also spotted a Swift Dzire (maybe it was the same driver I got a call from last evening). I got out of the car to stretch my limbs and was welcomed by a freezing cold breeze. A number of Israelis on the pass were climbing nearby hillocks and making lifetime memories. In the absence of any winter clothing, it was prudent for us to keep ourselves warm and I got back to the car and we were ready to go.

It was a smooth ride and we were even making plans (in our minds) about our estimated time of reaching Lahaul and how we would travel to Manali/Kullu thereafter. As we neared Sarchu, there was a massive queue of trucks on both sides of the road and what we saw next blew our minds! Apparently an overloaded truck had broken down on a bridge in Sarchu and the only way now was by crossing the Tsarap Chu river. It was adventure at its finest and we were glad to be in a high ground clearance Innova rather than a Swift Dzire (that incidentally had to use the services of a jcb to tow it).

At first, I had thought there would be an orderly system of crossing the Tsarap Chu river but as we came closer to the actual crossing we saw that it was a free for all and that there were trucks and other vehicles crossing the river from everywhere and some of them were getting stuck in the process. A jcb guy was doing swift business, charging INR 1000 for towing a small vehicle! It was quite a sight to see the cyclists cross the river with their mountain bikes on their shoulders. This type of river crossing was only possible because the flow of water was not too much otherwise it could prove disastrous.

We had a pretty smooth crossing as the water splashed around while the entire vehicle was nearly submerged at one point. There was a small damage as the front number plate went missing in the adventure and the co-passengers joked that they would have to plan a trip to Phukthar Monastery in Zanskar to retrieve it! The closure of the usual road meant we were suddenly in sync with the truth that in the present circumstances post flooding it was going to be touch and go with regards to catching the last bus of the day headed to Manali/Kullu. It was about 2-230 pm when we crossed Sarchu.

It was a smooth journey thereafter as we crossed Baralacha La and made a pee break at one of the dhabas near Bharatpur/Zing Zing Bar. Our hunger knew no bounds but we agreed to not waste any time and try to get to the destination as soon as possible. In our case, the destination was Jispa as the family giving us a ride were the owners of a property in Jispa. I was beginning to get thoughts of how to thank these guys for the ride – was it by offering a fair price of the shared taxi ride, say INR 2500 per person? They were very kind and we were also able to make some mutual connections as they had a home in Kullu as well.

We rolled into Jispa to a glorious sun shining brightly and I saw the clock show 419 pm as the time. A brief thought passed my mind if we could stay at their cottage for the night and perhaps compensate them monetarily for the same as repayment. We were preoccupied with the notions of returning home and thought we would even take a taxi ride if there was no other way. It was decided to make a gift pack for these kind folks to repay their kindness (when we headed next this side in the future). We exchanged numbers and decided to stand on the road and try hitching another ride.

Read : The Goodness of Strangers : Self-Published Book

In the meanwhile, I was able to speak to the HRTC manager in Keylong bus stand who informed me that the last bus of the day from Keylong to Kullu would leave at 430 pm. We told him there was no way to catch that bus as we were still in Jispa and it was already close to 430. The distance from Jispa to Keylong is about 19-20 kms and there was no chance of us flying yet! We walked a little bit and decided to try our luck from a vantage point on the road located on a bend.

There was a dhaba eatery on the opposite side of the road and in the absence of any tourists, he came asking us if we needed any help and to keep our bags on the chairs outside his dhaba. We made small talk and he was delighted to know we lived in Dobhi village as his relatives also lived nearby. We told him we had not eaten anything since morning and if we had a confirmed mode of transport would have loved a proper meal at his dhaba. He understood our situation and came and stood with us on the other side of the road as a sign of assistance. We saw a tempo traveller in the far distance and prepared ourselves to stop it.

It resulted in a laughable scenario! The HP01 tempo traveller duly stopped with the least persuasion and the kind youngsters pointed to the filled seats and massive bags as they were returning after a trek and had no space at all. We thanked them for stopping and told them we will try with other vehicles. After a couple of other vehicles that crossed not bothering about us, finally a small fuel tanker guy arrived and even though the space was only suitable for one person – we somehow squeezed in and the kind driver made space for our bags.

He said that he was returning from the Army duty of filling fuel near Killing Sarai and was headed to the local depot at Tandi and possibly going all the way to Manali. We thanked him for being very kind and told us about our day so far. He mentioned that his superiors have warned him against giving trips to random folks but sometimes he takes a chance to help! It was an adventurous ride as we were going at a nice speed until the tanker guy was stopped at the petrol pump in Keylong. Apparently, there was some confusion of where he had to go and he was asked to reconfirm the status in Tandi.

At the same moment, I got a phone call from the HRTC manager in Keylong bus stand that due to the festive rush of rakshabandhan, a special bus from Keylong to Kullu was scheduled to leave Keylong bus stand at 530 pm. It was past 530 pm and even though the HRTC manager said that the bus was jam packed and that there was no chance of getting a seat, we were elated to know that if we somehow boarded the bus in Tandi, we would not have to change any more transports and could directly get down in Dobhi. Our small tanker guy had to go to the fuel depot in Tandi and we asked him to drop us at Pangi Dhaba.

The tanker guy had given me his number to tell him about our status with regards to the bus since his fuel depot was in a no network zone and for all the trouble he might actually be going to Manali. If we were unable to board the bus, his tanker might still have space for us. At Pangi Dhaba, we had a quick realisation that we perhaps have ten minutes before the bus made it to Tandi. We asked for two plates of rajma chawal as quickly as possible, made sure to pay beforehand so that there was no trouble with the rush if the bus came when we were not done eating.

We wolfed down the yummy food at breakneck speed and I even asked for a second helping. This was our first any sort of meal of the day and it was close to 6 pm. As I was having my last bite, the bus arrived and as expected there was no space at all. Thankfully, my partner had found a seat for her (ladies quota) and I was resigned to standing! While I was paying for the ticket, another surprise awaited. Since it was rakshabandhan, ladies travelled free on the day and it felt like the proverbial ‘icing on the cake.’

The conductor and driver were kind to make space for our bags in the front. I was so exhausted after the events of the day that for the first time I sat on the floor of a bus near the boarding staircase. It felt like the world was spinning and I might even have dozed off for a bit. Thankfully, the weather was mild and felt quite pleasant as we were in the midst of the Lahauli summer on 30th August. After a while, the bus conductor woke me up when a seat became available near Sissu. I was in a disoriented state and felt quite uncomfortable presumably due to a heavy rajma chawal meal so late in the day.

As we neared Manali, I was shocked to see the state of the road near Bahang. The road was gone and only a makeshift arrangement made vehicular movement possible. I was dozing off intermittently and woke up when we reached Manali at about 730-8 pm. Someone told us that this was the last bus of the day from Manali to Kullu and we could barely believe our good fortune. If any of our rides through the day had been delayed, there would have been no chance of us returning on the same day.

I got a seat in the front after Manali and the full impact of the flooding was now known with the dust flying around. The 19 kilometre distance from Manali to Dobhi took more than an hour and a half. The road had completely gone away in five-six sections and the region around Kalath was the worst affected.

We were almost in tears looking at the state of the road and the mangled remains of destroyed vehicles still in the river. Our stop in Dobhi came and we got out of the bus after thanking the driver and conductor. It was almost ten by the time we entered our house. If not for the ten minute chance for rajma chawal at Pangi Dhaba, we might have slept hungry.

It is a story for the ages. Humanity and ‘The Goodness of Strangers’ is still alive. No matter how advanced we become as a race; we will survive only if we help fellow human beings without any motive.

As I type this, life and the roads are back to normal in Kullu. When the pace of repairing the road was lacking by the government, the locals performed shramdaan (manual labour) to get the infrastructure up and running. It ensured that the apple crop that is the bulk of the livelihood for people in the valley, was harvested smoothly and was transported efficiently to different corners of India.

This is my first blog post in a few months; due to an unintended break. I am glad the old writing style is back with a journey in yesteryear style.

I would love to get your reactions on how this journey made you feel!

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The distance between Karwar to Gokarna is 61 kms and it took almost 2 hours.

In Gokarna, it was a lucky day to hitch a ride and get dropped somewhere close to Om Beach.

After a day or so trying to blend in to see or experience the so called hippie vibe of Gokarna, it seemed just natural to explore the town and perhaps live like a local. The food scene of Gokarna is quite legendary!

The rest of the days in Gokarna were spent just ambling around, eating satisfying meals at small eateries and relishing the essence of doing nothing and feeling great about it!

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I made the journey from Kurseong to Mirik by shared sumo locally called as Syndicate in this region. In Mirik, I stayed at Haamro Ghar Homestay and I highly recommend them if you are planning to visit Mirik. Sumendu Lake is the highlight of this tiny town that is spread around the lake that also boasts of a monastery.

A Journey in Photographs of Two Days in Mirik

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We landed in Istanbul and travelled across Turkey to places like Trabzon, Van, Gaziantep, Izmir, Selçuk, Antalya and traversed across numerous towns and villages in the Turkish countryside. If you are planning a trip to Turkey, here are the links for the posts.

Istanbul : Tips for Backpacking

Trabzon : Travels on the Black Sea Coast

Van : A City of All Day Breakfasts

Gaziantep : UNESCO approved eating!

Photographs and Memories from Travels across Turkey

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We left at 1130 am from Kullu, after a hearty meal of rajma chawal and made it to Jispa by about 3 pm after a stop for shipping orders of my book ‘The Goodness of Strangers’ from the Post Office in Manali. There was a slight chill in the air as it was the first week of October and we were well prepared with our winter jackets. The landscape was still green as we crossed Solang Valley and after we emerged past the Atal Tunnel it was a completely different ball game in Lahaul. A cold breeze welcomed us and it was clear that it was going to be super cold in Lahaul valley with the wind chill as it seemed to have already started snowing on the high mountains.

We paid the SADA development fee that is being levied on all non-local vehicles for entering Lahaul and moved towards Tandi and Keylong. The autumn colours of Sissu were not at their best this year; yet with the popularity with instagram tourists it was a crowded stretch. We were flexible with our place of stay in either Keylong or Jispa but were keen on finding something with ample open spaces for us to walk around. Since there was plenty of sunshine still left in the day, we made a consensus and decided to go till the PWD Rest House in Jispa and see if they had rooms. Anyway, we would cross the other prospective options in Keylong – Jispa on our way to the PWD Rest House as it was located at the fag end of Jispa town.

The caretaker was around and recognised me from a previous visit. He said that the PWD Rest House has only two rooms and that one room is already booked for a night but both the rooms are available for the next day. We quickly asked him to book both the rooms for the next day and to show us the room available. He recommended to us to book the room and that he would put extra mattresses and since it was a cozy carpeted room, we would be well served. We agreed and requested him to check if the booking for the previous room was cancelled so that we would get both the rooms. We were quite pleased as the rooms came with an attached washroom and had a working geyser.

It felt a little funny to be spending two days in Lahaul acclimatising even though we lived in Kullu Valley. We figured that since the plan was to spend a few nights in Merak village at about 4400m, it was best to spend a few nights at 3000-3500m to minimize the chances of AMS. The wind chill in October in high-altitude areas is a killer and therefore we wanted to get used to the cold in Lahaul before the super cold of Merak. Jispa already had the feel of a deserted town where the homestays and restaurants were closing for the season and we were thankful that a lone eatery was open near the PWD Rest House. The said eatery was also going to close down in the next few days and we felt lucky!

The original plan was to head to Zanskar now that the road via Shinku La / Shingo La / Shinkun La was well and truly operational; stay a night in Padum and then move to Leh via the dirt trail route that passed through Zangla, Lingshed, Singge La and Sirsir La to end up near Photoksar and join the highway at Wanla. Since we did not have many days in hand, it was ultimately decided that the long route via Zanskar might turn out to be extremely tiring and that it was better to head to Ladakh via the Manali-Leh highway only. Local news in Lahaul also indicated that vehicles were only allowed to cross the Darcha check-post after 9 am because it had started freezing on some sections of the road to Zanskar as well as Leh.

We spent a nice two days in Jispa soaking in the abundant sunshine and enjoying the autumn blaze of Lahaul Valley. It was a memorable meal at one ‘The Climber’s Café’ in Keylong Bazaar and the nearby dhaba also made fresh food so there were no complaints. Nights were freezing cold but it sort of prepared us for even colder temperatures in the next few days.

We had a nice cup of chai and left for Darcha at about 8 am with a plan of having breakfast at one of the dhabas in Darcha while waiting for the check-post guys to wave us through after 9 am. When we reached Darcha, there was a newly constructed dhaba / restaurant just before the police check post and we decided to stop there. Funnily enough, there was no need to wait till 9 am and the road to both Zanskar and Ladakh was open for vehicular traffic. We were still in two minds with regards to taking the longer route via Padum and Singge La to reach Leh and even put Padum as our destination in the diary of the police check post officer.

The dhaba owners were from Rarik village and told us that while the road to Padum was in excellent condition; the road via Lingshed-Singge La was in fact a dirt road with a few tricky and frozen sections that would take us over 10 hours to reach Leh from Padum. Before we finished our cups of black tea, the deal was sealed and as we walked back to the car – I remembered to ask the police officer to change our destination to Leh instead of Padum in the check post register. The road past Darcha felt like a breeze and we quickly started ascending to Zing Zing Bar and towards Baralacha La.

It was a clear day and based on our previous autumn trip to Leh last October, we were keen on staying in the region of Hemis/Thiksey this time around. We made good time on the road and despite leaving quite late crossed Sarchu around noon. The weather was absolutely clear and there was nary a cloud in the deep blue sky. It was a fine day as we crossed the flat land past Sarchu and the aquamarine waters of the Tsarap Chu were flowing beneath us in the valley below. It felt like pin drop silence at over 4200m, and we stopped for a while to admire the views and the pristine colour of the water.

We opted to not stop for a snack/lunch/tea at Sarchu since we were not feeling hungry and continued towards Pang. The dustiest stretch of the entire Manali to Leh road was the road from Sarchu to Pang. There were a few sections with single lane traffic that caused mini traffic jams with a number of trucks lined up on both sides. It was sudden hunger that compelled us to stop at Pang – Pang looked like a fancy avatar of the grimy ramshackle dhabas from a decade ago! It was close to 2 pm and the eatery where we stopped was almost out of food – the lady was only able to serve one plate of semi-cooked dal and rice among the four of us.

Anyhow, I have never liked Pang and the feeling was reinforced when I tried to go to pee. There was a lake sort of water body visible behind the multiple dhabas and no prizes for guessing what the stench was like! Our friends went to another dhaba for some chowmein noodles and were quite surprised that most of the eateries in Pang also doubled up as accommodation options in the night. I was mildly shocked to know this since Pang is at an altitude of some 4600m, it is not pleasant at all to stay at this altitude without being properly acclimatised. Authorities should look into this in the light of the rules for tourists to acclimatise before heading to Pangong Tso/Changthang and other high-altitude areas of Ladakh.

We were happy to bid goodbye to Pang and start our ascent to the other passes viz. Lachung La and Taglang La. The road was in excellent condition and it was mildly surprising to see snow piled on both sides of the road at Taglang La. Of course the outside temperature was freezing and a deathly cold breeze blew. We tumbled down the pass and crossed the dhabas of Debring and I saw a faint road leading to the left side to a nomadic settlement – Kharnak. I was supremely interested in Kharnakpas and their weaves like challi, pherri, tsug-dul, tsug-den and more made from yak wool, sheep wool and the likes.

In no time we were at Rumtse and ogled at the varied hues of the mountains that were enhanced with the evening light and the rich autumn colours. We crossed the pretty looking hamlets of Miru, Gya, Lato and made a mental note of staying at one of these three villages on our way back. A night stay here would considerably reduce our single day travel time on the return journey enabling us to leave early and still reach Kullu Valley before dark. It was close to 5 pm when we crossed Upshi; the Indus river was a pristine shade of blue while the autumn colours were a shining yellow.

We had started to keep an eye out for signboards of homestays since the idea was clear that none of us wanted to stay in Leh. Hemis quickly went out of the reckoning since we crossed the diversion after crossing Upshi. With no extra help from google maps, we decided to take the right turn to Thiksey monastery and were certain that there would be a number of homestays there for us to stay. The time was around 520 pm and the sun would soon go behind the mountains. We decided to ask a young kid on the road about a homestay and he indicated to us to take a right and we would find Goltuk homestay. He didn’t seem very confident about our choice though and suggested that there was a nice hotel nearby that would be better for us.

Nevertheless, we thought lets see this Goltuk homestay and then figure our options. We took a right and saw a signboard for a homestay and asked a lady who was walking on the street and it turned out to be her home! She showed us the rooms and while the price mentioned was also ok, the rooms did not come with an attached washroom and that prompted us to ask if there was another homestay nearby that might perhaps have rooms with an attached washroom? She suggested another homestay just around the corner and we sought about finding that. It was duly spotted after a short walk and while we liked the open spaces and the garden, the host was missing and there was no one who could show us the rooms!

In the meanwhile, the light had started dwindling and it would soon be dark within a few more minutes. The cousin sister of the host came to our help and called the aunty to come with the keys of the rooms so that we could figure our possibility of a stay. At the outset, she said that we could only stay for 1 day because there was a festival planned for the next evening at a neighbour’s home. She also said that one of the washrooms had a water problem. We liked the rooms that both came with a clear and direct view of Thiksey monastery and agreed on a reasonable price for 2 days and promised her to cooperate with the meals if she could not find time for cooking! Simple breakfast and dinner was included in the offerings of the homestay.

The homestay had only two rooms and one was on the first floor and the other one was on the ground floor. Aunty at the homestay seemed to have had troubles in the past with Indian guests who were happier with mainland food rather than trying local Ladakhi food and therefore she tried to make us stay for only 1 day. I don’t blame her for her thought process because I have observed lately that the boundaries between a homestay and a hotel are blurred and happy-to-please hosts simply don’t know how to turn down demands laid out by guests. It appears sometimes that some folks stay at a homestay primarily due to the comparatively cheaper price and then take undue advantage of the hosts’ kindness by laying down demands as per their whims and fancies.

I’d say the demands / whims and fancies might be justified at a hotel but not at a family run homestay. Hence, the lady was initially wary of us but was quite calmed with our mention of living in Kullu Valley. Little did she know that we were actually looking forward to freshly cooked Ladakhi dishes and since the homestay also had an adjoining kitchen garden in the farm, most of the produce would be fresh and homegrown! Aunty gave us a quick round of tea as a welcome drink as we put our bags in our respective rooms. We ogled at the beauty of the after-sunset colours with snowy peaks in the backdrop, even as stars began to shine in the brilliant high altitude Ladakhi sky and the yellow shaded poplars stood tall in the rapidly intensifying cold while the timeless Thiksey monastery watched the proceedings quietly on the other side.

We unpacked our bags and kept the home baked zucchini teacakes and the apple cakes out so that we didn’t forget to savour them. On a thoughtful whim, we cut a generous slice of both the cakes and presented them to aunty in the kitchen. Aunty and her cousin sister warmed up the cakes and took them for the entire family to taste! We were so glad they loved it and thanked us for getting them a taste of homemade bakes. As part of the homestay culture, it is a nice thing to do to break the ice.

Our joy was multiplied upon seeing that Thukpa was being made for dinner! We entered the kitchen and traditional dining area lined with Chogtse tables and thanked aunty for rustling up thukpa at such short notice. She replied that making thukpa was no trouble at all and all she had to do was pick fresh produce from the farm. The flat noodles used in the thukpa were locally produced in Leh. We sat and gazed at the traditional cookware and collection of utensils in the sitting area. Aunty served us thukpa in the traditional bowls and I liked it so much that I had three helpings! I think it was then that aunty must have realised that we were indeed going to turn out be amicable guests who knew how to stay at a homestay.

Aunty told us that next day’s dinner would be a little difficult for her to make because of the evening function and suggested that we could dine at the nearby Chamba Hotel that always served excellent food in Thiksey. We told her not to worry and that we will manage. Our plan for next day was to head to Leh for lunch and get the car washed as well.

It became colder as the evening progressed and after the drive we chose to relax in our rooms. The sight of the dimly lit dwellings on the base of Thiksey monastery was calming. We called it a night and tried to sleep early so that we could wake up at 6-ish and perhaps walk to the monastery for the morning prayers.

It was a cold, cold night and the modern quilts and blankets were no match for the hitherto traditional warmth of the homestays. I had a mild headache and even though we had spent a good 2 nights in Lahaul acclimatising in the same altitude and temperatures – I was a bit surprised by the same. We had carried our tea masala and ginger and aunty was more than happy to let us make our milk tea. It felt nice as the sun was out and we went to the first floor balcony to enjoy our tea. We made an extra cup for aunty as well and she was so happy with the result that we let her know the secret of the magic masala as well!

The fun of living amidst nature has no parallel and we laid out a carpet and sat in the garden. Aunty said there would be basic omelette and khambir (local Ladakhi bread) for breakfast and that it would be served at about 9 am in the open canopy in the garden. The canopy lent a very Italian vineyard feel to the setting as it was covered in green with black kidney beans vines and had a sturdy wooden table and chairs beneath it. Of course the icing on the cake was the sun shining brightly on Thiksey monastery, making it an impeccable setting. Aunty’s sons were up as well and we met them too. Breakfast was served at 9 and it was fun to dig into the tiny muskmelon grown on aunty’s farm. We thanked her for letting us try a homegrown muskmelon as we were totally unaware about them growing in Ladakh!

We sat and lounged in the sun for a while but quickly realised that the direct sunshine was too much to handle and funnily enough my mild headache persisted. It was time for a hot water bath after the rigours of the road journey on the previous day. The room felt quite cold and we quickly figured that the room on the ground floor would receive sunshine only in the latter part of the day. Anyhow, I sat outdoors after the bath and was reminded of the classic conundrum in Ladakh – it was hot in the sun and still felt very cold in the shade, especially with the breeze blowing. In a few more minutes, it was time for us to head to Leh.

When we mentioned autumn colours, the elder son suggested to us to go to Matho monastery if we wanted to enjoy the full splendour of the fall/autumn colours as it was located at a vantage point. He was also kind enough to share the route by road as the route suggested by google maps had a bridge repair issue and was closed for the time being. It was a longer drive but the stunning autumn colours in Matho village and then on the way to the monastery were surreal and we were delighted to have come that side. We chose to walk back to the village from the monastery and also tasted ripe but very sour seabuckthorn berries after some locals’ insistence!

After a good part of more than an hour spent in Matho village, we continued on our way to Leh. As we had expected, the autumn colours were not as pronounced as they were in Matho. On the way, we came across a small scale industry drying seabuckthorn to make it into a pulp. I was keen on buying the pulp and even got the contact of the lady in charge of the processing, but it turned out that seabuckthorn pulp uses a lot of preservatives otherwise it spoils pretty quickly. Even though the price offered for the seabuckthorn pulp was almost half of what we get in Lahaul valley, I ended up not buying a bottle since it involved a detour to Chuchot village and there was nobody to guide us.

We were keen on having a nice meal in Leh and tried to make a reservation at Alchi Kitchen but it turned out that the Leh branch of Alchi Kitchen was closed (like it was a year ago!) and they were taking reservations for a meal in Alchi! With the change in plan, we had to find parking space at Rabsal Parking near the main bazaar and then walked to Tibetan Kitchen. It was progressing to a funny scene as Tibetan Kitchen turned out to be closed for the day; Bon Appetit felt like a confusing walk as our friends were already super hungry. So we spotted the signboard for Summer Harvest – saw a few locals come out of the restaurant that validated the eatery and decided to have our lunch there!

I still had a niggling headache and while I kept trying to forget about it, there was no denying that I was not at my 100%. The food at Summer Harvest was satisfactory and some dishes turned out to be excellent. We paid the bill and now it was about 230 pm and all of us went our separate ways. I went sauntering in the market on my customary walk and meeting my old acquaintances if they were around. The car had to be taken for a wash before we head to Pangong Tso / Merak village the next day. So, everyone had roughly 1.5 hours before we decided to meet up on the main road near the circular bazaar in Leh. It was very hot during the day and quite dusty with all the endless construction everywhere near the main road.

It was a sort of aimless walk for me – I bought some Saspola apples, drank a glass of the sugarless apricot juice at Dzomsa, tried to (unsuccessfully) buy a chogtse table, met with a known shop owner to check if they had a surplus bundle of Zanskari spuruks, perused the circular market for the indigenous black peas (shrannma or nagshranma) and bought a kilo, tasted some chhurpe, wondered what was the black cake called skotse and largely marvelled how far Ladakh has come in terms of tourism. Tourists from the cities were buying an average variety of dried apricots for astronomical prices without bothering to check the quality and taste. I never heard the name Halman (fine variety from Turtuk and the villages around the Dah-Hanu area) when I was in the bazaar.

I used the washroom at the fancy looking café opposite Dzomsa and figured that Leh had well and truly arrived on India’s tourist circuit with a bang and for raw experiences it was essential to travel to some remote locations still untouched by tourists. As soon as I got free, our friends arrived and we sat in the car. While waiting, I spotted the gentleman who was the orchestrator of the great hitchhiking escape from Diskit to Leh in a winter snowstorm. I quickly ran out of the car and after confirming he was indeed the same person – thanked him for the kindness and gifted him a copy of ‘The Goodness of Strangers’.

I was overjoyed at this unexpected meeting and wondered about possibly gifting copies of the book to some other kind folks in the Changthang region who were responsible for the experiences detailed in a few chapters of the book. We started on our return journey back to Thiksey since we were very keen on spending the evening in the farmstay-homestay. Our tummies were filled for the time being but the issue of eating dinner outside remained. We enjoyed a nice evening gazing at the colours in all the directions while my nagging headache continued prompting me to rethink if I was prepared to go to Merak inspite of this minor struggle.

In the evening, aunty was dressed up and ready to go for the evening ceremony of the nearby party. The sound of drums and revelry started coming from the direction. She asked us what were our plans for dinner and I told her that we had a heavy lunch outside and that we would be happy to eat a light meal. Aunty anyway had to cook food for the family so she asked us if we were happy with with simple pulao and we told her pulao was exactly what we needed! She quickly rustled up a cooker and all the farm grown vegetables went in it resulting in a delicious and light pulao / masala chawal. All four of us thanked her wholeheartedly for the extra effort because we were mentally prepared to go to Chamba Hotel for dinner!

I think it was then that I made up my mind that in the two days spent here, we had not even gone to Thiksey monastery and just running off to the cold of Merak didn’t sound very appealing. The added charm of seeing the autumn colours along the road via Chang La to Changthang and on the return via Chumathang was not enough to wean me off the thought of staying longer in Thiksey. It would be no fun if I didn’t feel better after reaching Merak as well. I was certain that it was not AMS since I had no issues in breathing but it was a constant mild headache. After dinner, it was decided that our friends would leave for Merak after breakfast since it would take about 6 hours from Thiksey and we would stay put at the same homestay. We decided to meet near Upshi at 3 pm after 3 days even if our phones didn’t work and we were not able to communicate.

We slept early and I made a mental note to myself to check the oxygen level if the headache persisted the next day as well. I was also keen on waking up early for the 6-30 am morning prayer at Thiksey Monastery but was also aware that we had two more mornings at the homestay. Aunty had already confirmed that we could move to the upstairs room and she would be happy to host us for 2 more days. It was a relaxed morning and I felt very nice to be able to soak in the sunshine with the perfect masala chai. Our friends left early after a quick breakfast of toasted bread and butter and when aunty asked us if we wanted traditional Ladakhi butter tea & khola or bread + butter for breakfast – we opted for the traditional option. She was pleased with our choice and laid out a carpet in the garden.

Out came two traditional goblets that were made from a specialised metal and two wooden baskets with barley flour and another with buckwheat / whole wheat flour. She mixed some homemade ghee and sugar and put the different flours in different goblets and then poured the salty butter tea on top. We mixed everything with our fingers and made the flour into small balls to eat. It tasted delicious and we told aunty that we had eaten this as khola earlier at Yuthok Homestay. We enjoyed cups of butter tea with the khola and finished off our breakfast in no time. Aunty also cut a tiny watermelon grown on the farm and we totally loved it!

After a while, the direct sunshine became too much for me and I chose to sit on the chairs but the headache had already returned. We are keen on walking around Thiksey and enjoy the magic of the autumn yellow of the poplar trees. After partially enjoying a walk under the canopy of the yellow trees on the side of the road, we decide to turn back because there is no fun in inhaling the toxic fumes of the trucks that are in numbers on this road. While coming back, I get my oxygen level checked at Hotel Chamba and it came totally fine and we quickly deduced that my headache is due to the exposure to direct sunlight. I had forgotten to carry my sunglasses to Ladakh.

We got back to the homestay and enjoyed the warmth of the mansion-type room on the first floor. I lay down for a bit and slept and instantly started feeling better. Now that the reason for the headache was largely clear, it was decided that I borrow my partner’s sunglasses and try to never look directly into the sun. We head back to the restaurant at Chamba Hotel for lunch and the food turned out to be super delicious. It is a place run by the monks and the restaurant cook/staff was from Jharkhand and made excellent food. We sat in the shade and really enjoyed the time spent here. We set out for a short walk post lunch and explored the by-lanes of Thiksey.

The library looked very appealing and was managed by the monks. We stepped inside and saw a few young students study in the warmth of the indoors. The book collection was massive and there was even a tea/coffee machine for visitors. There was pin drop silence and we quickly realised that the Thiksey library might just become our new favourite place while we stayed at the homestay. I was immersed in reading a historical book on undivided Ladakh when I received a phone call and had to go out. The outdoors had a sprinkling of blooming flowers and there was even a cute café in one of the corners. We wondered if the café would be a great hidden find when it was open during the summer.

When it was close to 5 pm and close to sundown, we decided to take the long walk via the road to Thiksey Monastery parking and while I gazed at the views on the other side – my partner climbed the stairs to the main monastery to find the exact timing of the morning prayers. The autumn colours in the direction of Leh city appeared to dazzling in the mellow evening light. I started feeling a bit cold with the evening breeze once the sun went down and opted to walk back via the road route. There were a few monks also going for their evening walk while chanting prayers and it felt nice to be in calm company.

My partner came back via the shortcut path through the stairs and we ended up meeting near our homestay and continued the walk. The sky was painted in orange and pink hues and with the moon peeking out from behind the barren mountains presented an unforgettable sight. We savoured the ethereal beauty of Ladakh for as long as the light lasted and then aunty presented us with another piece of information that made proceedings even better! She was cooking purple cabbage momos for dinner – the cabbage she had just picked up from the kitchen garden. Aunty and uncle were supposed to go to the party at the nearby family’s house and therefore aunty said dinner would be ready by 730 pm.

We were ecstatic to hear that as early dinners were a habit for us and also the fact that aunty said that she had got a bottle of local chaang for us to drink! The momos along with the fresh chutney turned out to be so delicious that we polished off the entire container of momos that aunty had made for us. We thanked her numerous times and told her that these were some of the best momos that we’ve ever had. We walked under the open skies for a bit and appreciated the moonlight. The room was cozy and much warmer than the downstairs room and that meant we slept peacefully.

The view of the sunlit Thiksey monastery first thing in the morning was the icing on the cake. We had the absolute pleasure of doing nothing but just went through the morning with basic stretching, yoga and meditation. After a relaxed hour or so, we went to make chai and also gave a bit of the chai masala powder to aunty. In return she gave us a packet of seabuckthorn tea and a sapling of the wild mint growing in their farm. We had a quick breakfast and then decided to go sauntering around to some places recommended by aunty’s younger son as he had by then realised that we were happy to go anywhere quiet where we had less chances of encountering other tourists!

We went to the road and found a ride after walking for a while. The army guy was from Bikaner and dropped us to the viewpoint past Stakna monastery. It was a memorable view of the aquamarine waters of the Indus River with the autumn yellow of the trees and Stakna Monastery with an array of snowy peaks in the background. The sun was shining with full force and after some time we had to find a shaded space to wait for the ride back. On some sections, we walked under a shaded canopy of trees and absolutely loved the raw feel of discovery. We were unable to find the park suggested and ultimately after we found a ride we were dropped at the Thiksey monastery diversion.

The restaurant at Chamba Hotel came to the rescue and we ate our lunch in the supremely relaxed setting and also made a mental note to eat there before we left for Upshi, the next day. We head straight to the library after lunch and spent a good 2-3 hours reading. I wondered in my mind how travelling is all about being flexible and the joy of these offbeat things can only be felt, and not spoken. Since tomorrow would be the last day for us in Thiksey, we walked back to our homestay and made sure of not wandering around here and there so that we could wake up early and go to attend the morning prayers at Thiksey monastery.

Aunty asked us whether we wanted rajma chawal or chutagi for dinner and we unanimously voted for chutagi! It was an early dinner as by now aunty had figured that we ate by 7 pm. The chutagi was super yummy and we thanked aunty for the incredibly delicious food. My headache had miraculously almost disappeared and we attributed it to the sunglasses and the strategic decision to not walk with the sun directly facing me. Next morning, we woke up very early and walked the stairs of Thiksey monastery in the chilling cold. The prayers started a bit late than what we were told but the feeling of calm was so beautiful, that we sat through the entire hour long ceremony. Thankful to the monks to have plied us with multiple helpings of butter tea.

At the homestay, while packing I found that the half kilo meetha karela vegetable from Kullu Valley had not been used and I asked aunty if I could make it for everyone. She was pleased at trying this exotic looking vegetable. We ate it with the local khambir bread in a magical setting under the green vine and a view of Thiksey monastery. It remains a classic memory from this particular trip to Ladakh where the objective became to relax at the homestay in Thiksey.

Later in the afternoon, we said our thanks and goodbyes to the family and started walking to Chamba Hotel for lunch. It turned out that they had just closed for the season and in the absence of any other options we decided it was better to get to Upshi and find a nice eatery there. It made sense to reach Upshi early so that our friends did not have to wait when they returned from Merak via the Chumathang route. We were lucky to find a ride within no time of standing on the road. It felt excruciatingly hot in the harsh Ladakhi sun and when we stepped inside the stunningly beautiful interiors of Rigo Restaurant in Upshi, the old memories of eating food at dusty dhabas in Upshi were washed away.

Ladakh has truly changed – for better or for worse, that only time will tell but it is still possible to have new experiences with homestays like the one in Thiksey leading the way in showcasing local farm life in Ladakh at a reasonable price. The onus remains on us visitors to embrace the life lived by the locals – after all thats why we travel ‘To become a local in every place we visit!’

We met with our friends at 330 pm in Upshi, and drove straight to picturesque Lato village on our way back. Next day, it felt like deja vu when it started snowing as we crossed Taglang La and once we crossed Baralacha La and reached our home in Kullu Valley – aunty from the Thiksey homestay called next day and told us that it had snowed and the Manali – Leh highway was closed for traffic.

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It had been almost three months in Kasar Devi near Almora and since the coldest months of the winter were behind us and spring was fast approaching, we thought why not head to Munsiyari just before the Holi festival holidays! We were in the third week of March and the post-pandemic era of travel meant that the bus service to Munsiyari was not operational and that necessitated finding out details about the shared transport options from Almora to Munsiyari.

I started by asking at the local shared taxi area in Almora and they were clueless about a direct option from Almora to Munsiyari. Someone suggested that we first take a shared taxi from Almora to Bageshwar and then try our luck for another shared taxi from Bageshwar to Thal and then figure another shared taxi from Thal to Munsiyari. Another idea that locals figured was to take the morning bus to Pithoragarh and then find a shared taxi from Pithoragarh to Munsiyari. The trouble with both these options was the probability of spending a night in transit in either Bageshwar or Pithoragarh and while both these places are tourist destinations in their own right, we were in no mood with a break journey.

I reminisced about my grand summer of 2015 in Kumaon, and recollected sketchy details about direct shared sumos that plied between Haldwani to Munsiyari and left from Haldwani at about 6 am. They would cross Almora at about 9-10 am and reach Munsyari in the daylight around 5-6 pm. I was able to find out more details about the shared vehicles from Haldwani to Munsiyari through local contacts in Almora and they confirmed that it was indeed the best way to reach Munsiyari from Almora in one day. My local contact shared the phone number of the daily service and these days a tempo traveller plied on this route.

The charges were fixed at INR 1000 per seat from Haldwani to Munsiyari and after some negotiation, we were able to finalise 2 seats from Almora to Munsiyari at 700 per seat. Since we had booked in advance, we were able to secure excellent front seats. On the day of the journey, we came to the bypass road near Almora and even though the tempo traveller was about 30 minutes late from the estimated time, we were overjoyed to sit in a direct vehicle that would reach Munsiyari before night fell! It was a smooth ride despite multiple tyre punctures; with excellent food stops on the way. As we reached the highest point of Kalamuni top – the scintillating array of Panchachuli peaks with a surreal pink sky welcomed us among the candelabra of jagged white peaks.

We were keen on staying in a homestay in Munsiyari itself for 3-4 days and directly taking the same shared sumo / tempo traveller back to Kasar Devi, Almora. It had been a while since I had tasted the delicious and unique dishes of Johar Valley which is a whole lot different than the usual Kumaoni food available elsewhere. A basic search on the internet revealed that all the homestays in Munsiyari seemed to be located in Sarmoli village and while the initiative was excellent, as always I was looking for a raw and novel experience.

The perfect adage of ‘what you seek is seeking you’ worked when the owner of the tempo traveller had recently started a homestay and on the phone he welcomed us to stay and promised home cooked meals. I was a bit skeptical because there were no pictures shared but the fact that it was a newly built homestay meant that it would have the modern conveniences that we looked forward to since we were already living in a pretty basic setup in Kasar Devi. We reached Munsyari and were dropped close to the bazaar where the homestay was located in a quiet and peaceful lane. The owner Pankaj was soft-spoken and kind and we agreed on a price of INR 1000 including basic home-cooked meals.

The homestay was a new building some 2 minutes walk from the original home of the owners. The room was spic and span with an attached washroom. As night fell, we were asked to come to the original home for dinner. It felt quite cold and our joy knew no bounds when aunty ushered us into the warm confines of their old home. We were seated on the dining table adjoining the kitchen and she served us hot food with chapatis straight from the tawa. The food was yummy and we ate well, thanked her for the same and requested her if it was possible to savour different varieties of local food over our course of stay.

She was happily surprised to have guests who understood how a home-run kitchen works as the first stayers at their homestay. We told her to not get hassled about our food and that we had no untoward demands and would be happy to eat whatever was being cooked for the family if aunty was busy! Since Holi festival was around the corner, aunty told us that she might have to go and attend a few get-togethers and that we should be prepared to eat a meal or two at a local dhaba if she was not around.

Pankaj Bhai told us that someone will bring us tea in the morning at the homestay itself – we filled our water bottles, wished them good night and walked back to the homestay. It was fully dark at this point and the stars shined in their full glory with the Panchachuli mountains providing a great backdrop. We woke up early next morning and went to the roof for a legendary one hour Munsiyari sunrise! It was freezing cold but well worth it to see the sun come from behind the snowy mountain range and the rays scatter in all directions in the blue sky.

Over the course of our stay in Munsiyari; we walked around town and went to the usual places like Nanda Devi Temple, Darkot village, Tribal Heritage Museum, saw the colourful holi festivities of the locals, and explored the local market, but the highlight of the trip was the hike to Khaliya Top. The entire trail beginning from Balati Bend was filled with pink and red rhododendron flowers in full bloom. We had started very early in the morning and the views of Panchachuli peaks were extremely clear in the cloudless sky. It remains an unforgettable memory walking in the forest with the splash of colour everywhere the eyes could see.

As we climbed higher, the views kept getting better and after we crossed the KMVN Guest House – it felt even more surreal while climbing to Zero Point. It was almost a 360 degree view. We savoured some dry fruits with the magical sights around us and even as a rousing wind started blowing, we lie down in the meadow. There was some unmelted snow in some parts as we neared Zero Point. In hindsight, it felt like luck was on our side as clouds started gathering as soon as we started our descent at around 1-130 pm.

The rhododendron delight made me wonder if it would be a good idea to visit Munsiyari for the autumn colours!

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We woke up at about 7 am and requested the kitchen guys at the Rest House to serve us some aloo/gobhi paranthas as quickly as possible. They were on time and we were ready to leave after 2 paranthas each. We were not sure about our evening / night stay plans since Raila was only planned as a day trip. Therefore, the staff told us to keep our backpacks in one of the dormitories.

Our target was to reach Raila; visit Dhaliara Kothi, and perhaps also see the waterfall on the way and explore some unknown places – and try and possibly return by evening at the rest house. We were flexible with our thought process and had kept two options – revisit Upper Neahi village or head to Shangarh and relive some good old days. Ya, I know it sounds pretty far-fetched as a plan when you don’t have your own transport – but thats what my style of travel is about!

When we were in Sainj one day earlier, I had tried to find the bus timings to Raila and the taxi union guys had ensured in convincing me that there was no morning bus from Sainj to Raila and that there were 2 buses a day that plied in the afternoon. So at least, we were clear about our return journey with the surety of a bus. We started walking on the road from the GHNP Ropa Rest House and even though we were not sure about the 1km distance to the bridge from where the road to Raila diverted, we were happy to walk.

As it happens with so many things in life, a bus from Shanshar came as soon as we were out of the gates of the rest house but we chose to let it go since the bridge was only 1 km! When after 15-20 odd minutes of walking there was no sign of a bridge or the landscape changing, Jita checked google maps and the truth dawned on us that the bridge to Raila is at least 4 km from the GHNP Ropa Rest House.

If there was no predetermined time of returning from Raila, we might have actually enjoyed the walk on the road with the sound of the river a constant company at this early hour of 8 am. However, it seemed that we were off to a terrible start to the day and logic suggested that we better keep the reserve of good luck on the road when we would invariably have to resort to hitchhiking in the absence of a bus!

After a while, we were lucky to get a seat on another HRTC bus and funnily enough got down before the actual bifurcation when we saw a small bridge and thought that to be the road to Raila! Anyhow, we walked ahead and reached the actual concrete bridge at a turn called Siund where the road continued to the power project and Raila village.

Just to be doubly sure, I asked a few school-bound kids who confirmed that it was the road to Raila and presented us with a very encouraging piece of information. They said that they were also waiting for the Sainj to Raila bus that would be coming anytime now. I saw the watch and it was about 9 am; we were quite ecstatic upon hearing the news of a bus but the skeptic in me wasn’t sure yet and we chose to walk past the power project area and reached a shop where the bus news was confirmed. It was about 930 am at that time and they said as well that the bus is about to come!

Since the sun was directly hitting the shop and there was no space to sit, we chose to walk a bit ahead and sit upon finding some shade under a tree by the side of the road. We are confident about the arrival of a bus at this juncture, since so many locals have told us about the morning bus to Raila. They confirm that the last return bus from Raila to Sainj is at 4 pm.

The clock ticks by and we notice there are hardly any vehicles crossing us on this road. It is almost 10 am and I am beginning to get restless and not sure if the morning bus to Raila really exists or it is a figment of the villagers imagination! Just as we are about to start walking, the HRTC Sainj to Raila bus arrives and we are relieved.

The bus is almost full; mostly with school children. The shopkeeper guys had told us to ask the bus conductor for tickets till Kamtan village (last stop for the bus to Raila). The twin towers of Raila or Dhaliara Kothi were a short walk from a turn just before reaching Kamtan village and the conductor would assist us in the directions for the same.

The road to Raila is full of sharp hairpin bends and the bus ascends on the steep slopes. I notice that the road is quite narrow on many stretches and that the road widening has recently started. A chance encounter with the young owner of a popular homestay in Raila (Kamtan village) meant that we ended up going till the last point where the bus goes.

He invited us for a quick round of chai at his homestay and we had a nice time chatting in the common space. If we had carried our backpacks with us, we might have actually ended up staying in Kamtan village; the view was surreal and the quaint village had a lovely aroma of a dense deodhar forest.

Anyhow, we started walking towards Dhaliara Kothi or Raila Twin Towers and came across a pair of local shepherds taking their flock of sheep and goat for grazing. The massive trees lent glorious views of the snowy peaks beyond as the sights were quite spectacular since Raila is located at a vantage point and I’m guessing should be at an altitude of about 2000-2200m.

Once we crossed the forest section and came closer to the main road from where the road diverged for the Twin Towers, the full force of the sun hit us and we had to eventually resort to taking breaks while walking. The distance seemed quite far and I came across a worker who confirmed that we were on the right path.

After about 40 odd minutes of walking, we had our first glimpse of the towers. Dhaliara Kothi is the ancient / traditional name for these towers and they looked quite imposing from a distance. We were quite excited about finally seeing these twin towers for real and quickly climbed the set of stairs to get closer. There were a number of small shrines near the towers and the entire area seemed like a sacred spot.

Both the towers had dizzying staircases but outsiders are forbidden to climb them like most religious places in Kullu Valley. There was a lone house in the vicinity and a lady informed us that one of the towers houses a temple and that it is only opened on special occasions. It reminded me of the Chehni Kothi and I also imagined an ancient treasure hidden in one of the towers!

The sun was quite harsh and after clicking a few photographs from various angles, we decided to descend from the stairs and find more details about a beautiful meadow in the vicinity – Bhatkanda. Kanda is the local term used to indicate a grassland located at a higher altitude than the valley and we were told that Bhatkanda is hardly 30 odd minutes from Dhaliara Kothi and that it is a must see since we are already in Raila.

We kept walking and crossed an in-construction homestay being built in the woods. They confirmed the path to Bhatkanda in the forest and even though we were hungry, we started our ascent to Bhatkanda meadow.

We were relieved to get out of the direct sunshine and walk in the shade of the forest under the deodhar trees. It was a mild and continuous ascent and we reached the small meadow at Bhatkanda at about 1 pm. The meadow itself wasn’t very green since it was peak summer and the monsoons hadn’t started yet.

Bhatkanda felt like a nice place with a few houses scattered in the surrounding areas, and a cute wooden cabin was also getting made (presumably as a homestay/guest house). There were a few locals around, cows and sheep grazing and funnily enough a tourist family was also there. It was nice to see Indian tourists choose these unknown spots for a short hike.

We roamed around the undulating hills for a bit, savoured the views and then when the sun started feeling too strong – I chose to lie down in the meadows. It was a blissful few minutes of sleep until a cow decided to head my way near the tap to drink some water. At this juncture, Jita had also returned from his small excursion and we decided to fill our water bottles and start on our way back.

The newly constructed homestay owner showed us the rooms; we were quite astonished with the excellent rooms and attached washroom. Accommodation standards across India have really gone up in the post-pandemic era and it seems like shoddy accommodation options are a thing of the past.

We were very hungry and he told us we could have ordered lunch before going to Bhatkanda and it would have been ready on our return. Anyhow, now that option didn’t exist and since we had seen multiple signboards for fancy cafés in Raila – we thought we could eat anywhere at some dhaba. Since it was only about 2 pm and we had been told that the return Raila to Sainj bus was only at 4 pm, we were in a confused state.

Our tentative and best case scenario was to get down at the bridge at Siund, catch a Shanshar bound bus and reach the GHNP Ropa Rest House and then catch a shared camper to Upper Neahi village. Mahi from Upper Neahi had told me that with the recently constructed road, there were a 1-2 campers plying locals everyday to Upper Neahi for some INR 50 per person.

A lady grazing her cows told us about a steep shortcut from the trail near Bhatkanda meadows that would take us directly down to Raila village. On our way up, we had spotted another temple with a massive tower in Raila that was close to the road and had decided that we would see it on our way back. Now with the steep shortcuts full of rudimentary stairs, that possibility was gone.

Apparently, Raila was some 5-6 kms by road and we managed to cover the distance in hardly 30 odd minutes with the shortcut path that also saved us from the sun. Once we got to Raila, the challenge was to find a working eatery but we quickly realised the fancy cafés are all closed and there is no small dhaba that exists.

The shortcut path also led us straight in the middle of Raila from where the road was a good 10 odd minutes walk. The sun was shining brightly in the absence of any sort of cloud cover and we were quite hungry and exhausted at this juncture. We somehow plodded on and sat in the shade after joining the road; hoping to hitch a ride in one of the vehicles heading towards Sainj. However, most vehicles were coming back to Raila after attending the Shanu Mela festivities from the previous day in Shanshar! The time was about 3 pm and we decided to walk on the road and wait for a ride so that we could make it back to Ropa Rest House in time before dark to catch the shared camper to Upper Neahi.

However, it seemed like a luckless day when we couldn’t get a ride even in an empty van. The Sainj to Raila bus went the other way and we figured that the bus would soon start back from Raila at 4 pm. It was then when we reached a bifurcation point; the road diverged to a treacherous looking cliff to villages like Pashi. There was a dhaba there with a lot of locals sitting and chatting around. In the absence of all other options, we had to opt for maggi which the lady owner mentioned she would cook with tomatoes and onions. It was perhaps my first maggi in over a year of living in Kullu Valley; the maggi was excellent with soupy taste and I thanked the aunty for making it well.

Finally, the bus to Sainj arrived. We took our seats and were dropped at the bridge at Siund at about 440 pm. We were lucky to instantly catch the last bus of the day to Shangarh – there was only standing space and we somehow made it to the Ropa Rest House. I met Mahi’s relative in the bus and she confirmed that there will be a camper leaving for Upper Neahi! We were ecstatic at this piece of information. At the rest house, we ran and took our bags – said our thanks and goodbyes to the staff and sat outside in the waiting shed for the camper to arrive.

We made it to Upper Neahi in the evening, much before dark. It was the sweet sleep of tired explorers!

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So, what is the book ‘The Goodness of Strangers’ all about? As the title suggests, the book is all about the kindness I have encountered on my journeys; from absolute strangers. It is a collection of 20 short stories of kindness from my travels in remote / offbeat regions of India in the pre-covid world; mostly hitching a ride and trusting fate to get lucky every time!

A chapter-wise brief of ‘The Goodness of Strangers’ :

• 1. Think trying to hitchhike on the Nubra Valley to Changthang DSDBO (Durbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie) road in the dead of winter.
• 2. A kind Government officer is the saviour in a winter snowstorm while crossing Khardung La in mid-January.
• 3. When I was almost abducted in a remote region in Garhwal, Uttarakhand and a kind family in Uttarkashi helped me get back to normalcy.
• 4. The most epic adventure of my life : When Zanskar was unconnected by road and was perhaps the last hidden kingdom on earth.
• 5. Permit troubles in the land of Konyaks in Mon District, Nagaland and wondering if we were in India or elsewhere!
• 6. Call it daring or stupid to venture solo to Kashmir during the Burhan Wani curfew and coming back with grand tales of kindness.
• 7. The ATM machines conspire to make us seek for kindness in obscure GadaGushaini, in our terribly penniless state.
• 8. One especially troublesome Police officer in Chushul and getting saved in the nick of time.
• 9. A whim of wanting to stay as budget backpackers in upmarket Landour, not Mussoorie!
• 10. A time when a winter visit to Lahaul involved the crossing of Rohtang Pass; unlike speeding across the Atal Tunnel today.
• 11. Trying to get to Imphal from Kohima after the culmination of the Hornbill Festival in the absence of public transport.
• 12. The exotic world of Pangi Valley; long before the outside world knew about it.
• 13. Think pink cherry blossoms on an unknown trail in Pfutsero, Nagaland!
• 14. The small world of Obaid, Hussain and me in Turtuk, Baltistan : Over two winter trips.
• 15. Demonetisation troubles in Jaisalmer and sleeping under the stars in the desert.
• 16. Frigid cold in Losar village, Spiti in February 2016 : A quick escape.
• 17. On the holy trail of Amarnath Yatra – without a plan and with no permit.
• 18. Solo and feverish in Parvati Valley : Away from the usual villages.
• 19. The never-ending road to Mechuka – Hitchhiking from Daporijo in Arunachal Pradesh.
• 20. Kartik Swami Temple : A night-stay at a teacher’s home.

The pre-order status is closed and the book is now available on Amazon. You can also directly order from me by getting in touch on one of the social media platforms below.

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Since it was the middle of June and we are well aware of the dicey status of the Udaipur to Killar road that frequently gets stalled due to landslides, we decided that it was best to perhaps head to Keylong and then decide our further course of action. We left from home in Dobhi village at about 615 am and caught a Punjab Road Transport bus and reached Manali bus stand at 640 am. To complicate our already muddled thought process, I spotted the Kullu to Killar (Via Keylong) bus at the bus stand in Manali and asked Jita if we should sit in that one and simply continue with our original plan of heading to Pangi Valley? Jita suggested we should have breakfast first since he was feeling a bit hungry.

Read : Wanderings in Lahaul : Gemur Gompa (Monastery)

Manali mall road was empty at that early hour and when we didn’t find an open dhaba / eatery serving breakfast, we went behind in the by-lanes near the monastery and sat at one of the promising looking dhabas. The whistling of the pressure cooker was signal to take our seats and we asked for an aloo-pyaaz parantha each and ginger masala chai post the paranthas. It was a small eatery and seemed like a pretty popular place with many orders for packed paranthas. The paranthas were delicious and the chai turned out to be excellent as well. We thanked the guy, paid and as we were leaving for the bus stand it started drizzling.

I took my rain jacket out of the backpack and we walked back to the bus stand. We were a bit confused if we should head to Keylong first or directly go to Jahalman but the status of a homestay in Jahalman was not clear and it was decided we are better off staying a night in Keylong and familiarise ourselves with travel like the old days.

My first memory of Jahalman (Jahalma) is seeing the signboard on the Reckong Peo – Jahalman bus and wondering where exactly was this fascinating sounding place! Later when I would see the bus regularly in Kullu – Lahaul region, I would come to know that Jahalma (also Jhalma) is an important town in Pattan Valley, Lahaul. It is the gateway to the famous Kugti Pass trek from Bharmour to Lahaul as the starting (or ending) point of the trekking trail that starts near Rashil village.

I had a photograph of the timetable of the buses from Kullu – Manali to Keylong and was quite confident that there was a Keylong bound bus every 30 minutes or so. It turned out that some of the buses mentioned in the timetable are non-existent! We waited at the bus stand amid the thick diesel fumes and I kept wearing my mask to avoid any breathing trouble. So, after the Kullu to Killar bus left Manali bus stand at 7 am, the next bus that came was the Haridwar to Keylong bus that turned out to be so jam packed with the migrant Nepali workers and there was not even standing space. The conductor clearly told everyone not to get into the bus and we had to return dejected at our current circumstance!

I kept hoping there was a local bus in the early morning hours but that was not to be and all we did was get wet in the rain and hopelessly wait for a Keylong bound bus! The Haridwar – Keylong bus left the bus stand at about 830 am and now we were determined to somehow get a seat / standing space in the next bus. The drizzle was getting stronger and we had mixed emotions about letting the Keylong-Killar bus go. We kept hovering around the entrance of the bus stand to keep a keen eye on the buses coming so that we could grab the seats!

In the meanwhile, there seemed to be a long queue of people heading to Keylong and a few enterprising taxi guys were asking folks for a shared ride at INR 400 per seat. I proposed one extra smart taxi guy the usual bus fare and he scoffed at my offer! There were a few guys looking for Leh bound travellers as well for a seat in the Sumo / Minibus Traveller.

After some time, sense prevailed and we stood on the other side of the bus stand where the fumes were much lesser and we were able to see the incoming buses without getting wet in the rain. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity a bus to Keylong duly arrived at the Manali bus stand and we ran and somehow pestered the conductor to let us in. He informed us at the outset that there were no seats in the bus and given our 2-3 hours of waiting, we were pretty content with getting standing space and somehow getting to Keylong.

We hauled our bags in front and ended up standing for the entire duration of our journey, only getting a seat in Tandi (hardly 8 kms before Keylong). We requested the bus guys to let us off on the highway (or Old Bus Stand in Keylong) to avoid us the long uphill walk from the New Bus Stand. The scenery on the road after Solang Valley was pristine with the recent rain and clouds occupied centrestage.

We were quite flexible with our thought process and just wanted to take it easy in Keylong. At the outset, since it was about 1230 pm – the first task was to find a cheap place to stay. The weather was sunny and the blue sky was interspersed with clouds. As I spoke to some of my acquaintances who ran guesthouses on the main road, we were told that cheap rooms are a thing of the past and that 1000 Rupees is the minimum we would have to pay for a double room.

Since it was the tourist season for Ladakh, most of the rooms were full and one of my known person in Keylong indicated to me to quickly finalise a room as once the tourists started coming in it would become difficult to even get a room! I went to check a homestay and that turned out to be so spic-and-span that we felt it was easier to just stay at a normal guesthouse. It was decided that we would most probably leave for Killar in the early morning bus from Keylong.

Also read : Wanderings in Lahaul : Trilokinath Temple

We finalised a room for 1000 Rs. and immediately stepped out since it was a long time since we had the early morning breakfast. It was rusty decision making when we ended up ordering chowmein that turned out to be quite passable at one erstwhile good Angmo Dhaba! Nevertheless, we were keen on having a stroll in Keylong and see how much the town had changed with the Atal Tunnel. We descended onto the Mall Road of Keylong from one of the staircases and were frankly surprised with the level of frantic construction activity going on in Keylong Bazaar. There were loads of vegetable shops selling a wide variety of vegetables and some even had fresh strawberries from Sissu/Gondhla. There were a few fancy looking cafés and a new branch of HDFC Bank in Keylong town!

We loitered around for a good part of almost 2 hours and after enjoying the food at The Climber’s Café walked back to our room; and it turned out just in the nick of time as it started raining as soon as we got back. The temperature dropped instantly and it became quite cold. After it kept drizzling for an hour or so, we checked the weather updates again and deduced that it was better to call a local from Killar and get hands-on information. I called a guest house owner in Killar and he said that it had rained all day and that we should defer our plan by at least 2 days. We were quite stunned by the information and suggestion and decided to let go of the Pangi Valley plan for the time being and just head to Jahalman.

We stepped out for dinner at about 7 pm and saw that the rooms in Keylong were all sold out and one of the restaurants even refused to serve us dinner and said that the rush means that they are only serving food to in-house guests. Ultimately we ended up eating food at the restaurant of the guest house we were staying in and decided to call it an early night. It was very cold and we woke up to a sunny morning and immaculate blue skies with fresh snow on the mountaintops.

The views were epic prompting us to click a few pictures with our dslr cameras and after a quick breakfast we rushed to the bus stand. I called the HRTC officer in Keylong and he asked us to come to the bus stand itself. Upon reaching the bus stand, we were overjoyed to see the Shimla to Killar – Sural bus and quickly put our bags inside.

The HRTC officer informed us that there have been multiple landslides on the road to Pangi Valley between Udaipur and Killar near Thirot and that the previous day’s HRTC bus between Kullu to Killar was stuck at a very peculiar spot for the last 14-16 hours. The bus was stuck on a stretch and was able to neither move forward nor back since both the sides were closed due to a landslide. Thankfully, no damage was done and the passengers were safe. However, the HRTC officer said that the Shimla – Sural bus was supposed to leave from Keylong much earlier but had been waiting for the Kullu to Killar bus to reach so that all the passengers could be transferred to one bus till Udaipur and then depending on the status of the road, the final decision will be taken.

In the meanwhile, I also got fascinated with a JKSRTC bus stationed at the bus stand and saw a few backpackers triumphantly holding the tickets in their hands. I briefly toyed with the idea of heading to Ladakh but the supposed tourist rush quickly nipped the thought in the bud. We kept our bags in the Shimla to Sural bus bound for Udaipur and I chanced upon talking to local ladies of Pangi Valley (Pangwals) who belonged to different villages scattered around Pangi Valley.

Anyhow, the bus was jam packed and we had to step out when the seats that we had occupied turned out to be booked online and those gentlemen had made their way inside! Thankfully, another bus to Udaipur was supposed to depart in another 30 minutes. There were plenty of empty seats in the bus and after more time wasting at the HRTC workshop in Tandi we eventually made it to Jahalman village at around noon.

The scenery of Pattan Valley was as beautiful as ever with stunning green fields dominating the landscape while the Chenab (Chandrabhaga) river kept flowing serenely. As soon as we stepped out of the bus at the Jahalman bus stop, we spotted a signboard for a homestay. In keeping with the general style of the current travel, I was adamant that there might be a homestay at a better location and we kept walking ahead of the village until we reached no man’s land! Someone informed us that there are only two homestays and a Forest Rest House in the village and both of them are close to where the bus dropped us! So, we walked back and eventually reached the homestay after a short walk from the main road.

The weather felt perfect with a nice breeze blowing and the sun was largely hidden by the clouds. The lady at the homestay quoted us INR 600 for a room; it was a basic room with a common bathroom and I thanked her and asked her to quote us a price including the meals. Since she asked for a reasonable INR 1000 for both of us including meals and breakfast the next day, there was no need to bargain and we put our bags inside.

The morning parantha at Nalwa Restaurant had long been digested and I requested her if she could make a quick lunch for us since we were quite hungry. She casually remarked that we can finish the lunch and then head to Othang Gompa that was hardly an hour’s walk from the homestay and rushed to make rajma chawal for lunch for the entire family.

In the true essence of being in a homestay, I made sure of telling her to just cook something that she would anyway make for lunch for the family. Me and Jita were quite overjoyed at finding a reasonably priced homestay and the mention of a hike to Othang Gompa got us interested. We went out for a stroll and I came across the stunning location of the Forest Rest House that seemed to be in urgent need of repair. Once on the road, there was a small crowd gathered at the Beer & Wine Shop and upon asking, someone pointed to us the Yellow roofed structure of the Othang Gompa located on a hillock at a much higher elevation from Jahalman. We ended up walking back to our homestay since lunch would be ready.

Lunch was served at about 1 pm and after a hearty meal, the lady led us to the start of the trail through the fields and told us that the path is pretty straightforward and that we have to reach a yellow roofed building that will be visible after a bit of climbing. She also asked us to remember to take the same path back to get back to the homestay in the evening.

We were feeling quite lazy after a super heavy lunch but the incredible scenery on offer was a happy surprise. When the Pangi Valley plan did not materialise, we had started thinking maybe this will turn out to be a failed trip but it seemed like our luck had turned a corner and the troubles would lead to something good.

We were walking through a water canal fed by the snowmelt and being directed to one of the fields. Almost all the valleys of Lahaul grow a variety of exotic vegetables during the short summer season and the chief reason for the high yield of broccoli, iceberg, lettuce, leafy etc. is the ample water supply through the channels. There was a variety of wildflowers surrounding the path, white, yellow, pink, blue and different shades of other colours of flora was delightful. We stopped every few steps to admire the view in front of us and had our first glimpse of the wild rose – Sia (on this trip). There is an unsaid pleasure in revelling in nature’s delights and after 15 odd minutes of the lazy trundle, we had ascended to a path that was clearly visible. The weather was still cloudy and we were thankful that it wasn’t sunny!

Even though the lady had said that it is not more than an hour’s walk, we were quite certain that we would take at least 2 hours to make the climb all the way to Othang Gompa / Monastery. We crossed a nice grove filled with wild roses – sia and looked back to marvel at the stunning green fields of Pattan Valley with the Chandrabhaga river flowing calmly. It was an unrelenting ascent and quite stiff in some sections. We were passing through a juniper forest and the nice fragrance added to the feeling of exuberance that only the vast skies of high altitude regions give.

After about an hour or so, as we made a long climb – we came across a dirt road and quickly understood that there is also a motorable (sort of!) road to Othang Gompa. At this point the yellow roof of the monastery was clearly visible and the short-cut walking path became even more uphill.

The views kept getting better as we climbed higher and the sun also shone through the clouds. Thankfully, I had carried my hat that protected me from the full blast of the sunshine. We were huffing and puffing and were grateful to have carried water with us since it had become quite hot. We were having a gala time clicking the landscapes with the blooming wild roses reminding ourselves of the glorious days of travel in the pre-pandemic era.

On one of the climbs, I saw a car zoom on the road and before I could scamper to get to the road – it was gone. We met a shepherd who told us that it was the Lama Ji’s car that had just whizzed by and that we just missed it by a whisker. We were concerned with the opening of the monastery and now it was more or less guaranteed that the Lama Ji will be there to open the monastery doors.

At this point, the climb became almost vertical and we crossed an old mud chorten with a newly built white chorten near it. To our massive surprise, we saw a few homes just before we reached the monastery. Apparently, there are a total of some 8 houses that comprise Othang village. All the houses in Othang village seemed to be quite sizeable and had cow sheds and fields surrounding the houses. There were a number of colourful wildflowers growing near the houses and for a while the numerous paths had us confused but ultimately we ended up asking a few locals working in the fields who guided us on the right trail.

A few fields were being sown with green peas for the family home consumption. The view from this village located on a much higher altitude than the road in Pattan Valley was stunning with snowy peaks clearly visible on multiple sides and the fields below us felt like a green chess board! On the way back, I even remarked to one of the locals to convert one of the homes to a homestay since it was clearly one of the prettiest hamlets of Pattan Valley in Lahaul.

After one final turn, we were in front of the yellow roofed Othang Gompa that had a green field in front of the monastery. The windows looked very pretty with the bold coloured patterns that are a hallmark of most Buddhist monasteries. Othang Gompa is a monastery of the Gelugpa sect (Yellow hat sect) and the yellow roof signified the same. Othang Gompa is also the among the very few monasteries left in Pattan Valley and perhaps the most widely regarded as well. A tall prayer flag (Darchog) fluttered in the courtyard of the monastery and the view from the top was quite epic. Lama ji was quickly spotted and he was clad in a red goncha. Here, we saw an old building and Lama ji said that one part was the old gompa and the adjacent building was the monks’ residence.

He showed us the insides of both the old and new monasteries and said that Othang Gompa was originally built in the 15th Century. The yellow building was recently built about 5-10 odd years ago and Lama ji said that the work was completed under his supervision. The old monastery had old statues of Bodhisattvas and also housed sacred Buddhist texts and manuscripts. He was very kind and even let me light a butter lamp when I offered to pray. Lama Ji belonged to Tungri village in Zanskar but had been living at Othang Gompa since the 1970s.

Check : Khangsar, Kwaring, Sarang, Kolong – Exploring Lahaul Valley

He said that there is another Lama from Ralakung who lives at Othang Gompa and he is in charge of the kitchen etc. So, even though he was keen to offer us tea – the Ralakung lama ji had gone to a village somewhere nearby to perform some duties. Earlier Kee Gompa was in charge of Othang Monastery, now the same is done through Karsha Gompa and that perhaps explains the monks from Zanskar at Othang Gompa.

It was a very interesting and fun conversation with Lama Ji about Zanskar, Pattan Valley and life in general and he even invited us to spend the night at the monastery itself. I asked him if the monastery offers services like a guest house but he replied that there are plenty of rooms and a big hall and some mattresses are kept so it should be a comfortable night’s sleep! He said that the lama from Ralakung made excellent food and that we would love spending the night at the monastery.

We were quite interested in the same but told him that the homestay guys will make dinner for us and that we have already booked a room at the homestay. We thanked him for the offer and I exchanged numbers with Lama ji to meet someday in Manali for a meal at Chopsticks! (Oh, in case you didn’t know when the tourists are gone from Manali, red robed lamas at Chopsticks is a regular sight!)

At that instant, we heard the sounds of a bus crossing the road behind the monastery and it simply continued on the road that climbed ahead. I asked Lama ji and he nonchalantly remarked that there is a daily evening bus to the next village. Me and Jita wondered if knowing this piece of information might have made us more laid-back and try to catch the bus rather than hiking all the way up from Jahalman!

Sometimes, it is best to not know otherwise the mind gets confused with multiple thoughts and ultimately you end up achieving nothing. We were triumphant at having come via the trekking trail to Othang Gompa. Lama ji told us that via road the distance from Othang Monastery to Jahalman was 13 kms while we would hardly take about 45 minutes via the downward sloping hiking trail.

We spotted a few bright blue lupines growing in the monastery compound and were quite astounded with the beauty. It was about 5 pm when we decided to start our walk back to the homestay in Jahalman. After initially trying to take the hiking trail, we decided to enjoy the walk on the dirt road for a few kilometres before rejoining the hiking trail somewhere along the way. That way, we would be able to savour the stunning views that were visible now that we were at a vantage point in Pattan Valley. We were able to clearly see the beautiful villages of Jobrang, Rapay and Rashil alongwith few other villages the names of which I have forgotten. Finally, we took leave of Lama ji and started our return on foot via the road only.

I was excited to see if the bus would make the return journey so that we would be able to see a different side of Pattan Valley at close quarters. As if on cue, the sun came out and made the proceedings quite hot. I had to pull my hat out once again and just when I thought it was time to put the dslr camera in, a nice frame came into the picture with the sun shining on the pink wild roses with the Othang Gompa flanked by snowy peaks in the background.

Read : Wanderings in Lahaul : Kardang Monastery

After walking for about 2-3 kms on the road, we came to one of the hairpin bends where the walking trail joined the dirt road and now opted to take the hiking trail and get back to the homestay. If we had followed the road, we would have ended up in a totally different area much farther than Jahalma.

The heavy lunch was nicely digested with the excursion. It was a very satisfactory and easy walk back and took more than an hour as we were at a relaxed pace. I remarked to Jita that for the first time in more than a year (or two) I had actually seen a place where I had not been earlier and hence felt very elated at clicking photographs with the dslr camera. With that ecstatic feeling in the heart, when we approached Jahalman village near the homestay I was already planning our next exploration in Pattan Valley.

There were a few locals working in the fields and one of them remarked that the cherries of Pattan Valley were almost ripe and if we had come a week later, we would have been able to savour those!

I am well aware of the joys of cherries and strawberries of Lahaul and asked them if those would be available in the market in Manali / Kullu?! There was another chance encounter with a contractor who was in charge of procurement of exotic vegetables from this region in the summer and he seemed pretty miserable at his plight when he had to wear a jacket in the Lahauli summer as the weather changed at the drop of a hat!

At the homestay, we thanked the lady for suggesting the Othang Monastery hike and for not telling us about the bus! She mentioned that there is a curry of the local buckwheat leaves (Kathu ke patte) for dinner alongwith chapati.

We were also looking forward to tasting the local brew that she made from barley grains. She claimed to be an expert at the brew since her husband was in the habit of regular consumption! It was an eventful evening with an excellent dinner and a glass of the local brew. The night was cold and the mobile batteries would be dead since there was no electricity in Jahalman. It was a comfortable and warm room with wooden flooring. Maybe the locals forgot to inform us – but when we returned to Kullu someone asked us about visiting Hidimba Temple in Jahalman and all we could do was show blank faces!

This small prelude calls for a longer and more detailed exploration of Pattan Valley in Lahaul.

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Also read : Musings from the new Home : Winter in Kullu Valley

We had a heavy early lunch at home at about 10 am and left for Kullu. The June tourist rush meant that we were stuck in traffic and could only make it to the Lug Valley road bus stop near Dhalpur, Kullu at about 1115 am. The weather is very humid and I am reminded that whenever it has got hot in Kullu Valley, it usually rained within a day or two. I packed a few ripe plums and apricots in the daypack along-with a water bottle and perhaps for the first time embarked on a trek without any warm clothing/rain-jacket. I’ll blame it on the familiarity of laid-back living in Kullu and basically assuming that the trek to Mathasaur was an easy one.

I had collected basic information that the trek route from Bhalyani-Jathani village was the longest but the easiest as well with a well marked trail. The distance from Kullu to Bhalyani is 14-15 kms and only the last 1-2 kms have to be covered by foot as the road is still under construction. I had been to Bhalyani earlier on a drive in the summer of 2021, when we lived in Kullu Valley for about 5 months at Yuthok Homestay at Raison; which ultimately paved the way for us to find a home in the valley. At the bus stop, I asked around and got conflicting information about the next bus to Bhalyani. The local sumo drivers assured me that the next bus to Bhalyani was only at 1 pm which made us quickly reconsider an alternate idea. Someone informed me that the first bus from Kullu to Bhalyani was at 8 am and that would have been just perfect for us for embarking on the Mathasaur Day hike.

If we left at 1 pm, it would be almost impossible to get back to Kullu before it got dark. The to and fro bus journeys would take us about 45 minutes each one way. We had kept the trek time from Bhalyani to Mathasaur as 1.5 hours and return time of 1 hour while spending about 30 mins at Mathasaur and an hour for contingencies. A basic calculation indicated that we were far behind and that we had already made a mistake by not starting early in the morning.

At 1130 am, a bus headed to Kalang (a sizeable village in Lag Valley) arrived at the bus stop. I chatted with the driver and conductor and was able to convince them to drop us at a convenient point from where we would be able to hitch a ride towards Bhalyani village. They discussed amongst themselves and decided to drop us at Dadka village where the roads bifurcated in Lag Valley. The bus left Kullu at 1145 am and within no time we were dropped at the intersection of Dadka village. Honestly, I was quite disappointed since we had hardly covered 3-4 kms and it turned out that I was right because the actual road bifurcation for Bhalyani was still quite quite far from where we were dropped.

Of course, in their defence the bus guys had heard me talking about Mathasaur trek and a different road also bifurcated from Dadka village – towards Bhumtir (also Bhumteer). I had discussed the Mathasaur and Fungni Mata Temple trek idea with my landlord’s son the previous day and while he had not been to Mathasaur, he had happened to mention the name Bhumtir as an alternate and shorter (but confusing) route to Mathasaur. Now we were in a quandary about our next steps. We didn’t have to think too much as a driver of a camper stationed there took note of our confusion and said that he was headed to Bhumtir and that we can climb on the open carrier.

Meanwhile, the carrier itself was loaded with a massive stone crusher along-with plywood, cylinder and other construction materials and there was barely any space to stand. The other guy in the camper was a bit confused and 2 other villagers added to the confusion by not giving a clear decision on whether it was better for us to trek to Mathasaur from Bhumtir or from Bhalyani. Finally as it was time to leave for the camper, the driver motioned us to jump into the carrier. With great difficulty, we somehow made space to stand and the other guy also told us to be safe from the stone crusher (especially on turns).

It was exhilarating and a hark back to the good old travel days for us; even though age was catching up it still felt nice that we were able to take a ride in the carrier of a camper on a remote road in Himachal Pradesh. The road was full of winding turns and as expected was in a bad shape. A part of my tee-shirt had turned black from the grease of the stone crusher. There were a few sharp hairpin bends and we had to be extra careful to hold on and not get thrown off. After 4-5 kms, the camper stopped abruptly and the guy indicated to us to get down and showed us a diversion to Bhalyani.

It was essentially an uphill dirt trail and thankfully there was a local taking his cows for grazing who was able to reconfirm that the path indeed went to Bhalyani. He mentioned that we could have (should have) continued towards Bhumtir from where Mathasaur was a shorter hike compared to the current idea of us going to Bhalyani and then trekking up to Mathasaur. He even indicated an alternate route to Mathasaur through the jungle but it wasn’t clear if the trail was marked so we chose to trundle up on the excruciating climb. The sun was out in full force and it was making the hike very tiring; we stopped for a breather every few steps.

Finally the dirt trail ended and gave way to another uphill section lined with stones. Thankfully, there was a water source at this point and I was able to wash my face with cold water, sit for a while to let the sweat dry. Jita joined me at the same point a few minutes later and we wondered for a while if this was indeed the way to Bhalyani village. As we ascended on this path, we met a local who confirmed that this trail indeed led to Bhalyani. We would first cross the houses of Kharka. It was a small village and a lady even suggested that we take an alternate route to Mathasaur and that we didn’t really need to go to Bhalyani. The trail was in the midst of fields and sowing of peas and other crops had been done quite recently.

We were clear in our mind that it was best to go via the most used trail and that was the Bhalyani-Jathani (also Jethani) trail to Mathasaur and Jai Maa Fungni Temple. We kept walking and in 10 odd minutes reached a lovely grassland meadow also called Bhalyani Ground with a huge deodhar tree flanked on the Katrusi Narayan Temple (Shri Krishna Temple) on one side and open vistas in the other directions. It was incredibly beautiful and we also sat under the shade of a tree for a while enjoying the sight of the animals grazing. I relished a few freshly plucked apricots and plums that I had carried from home in Dobhi village. There was a nearby shop where I asked for directions for Mathasaur. I also went for a closer look at the Katrusi Narayan Temple and while it looked old, I got the impression that outsiders were not welcome in the temple (like most other places in Kullu Valley).

The trail for Mathasaur would first reach Jethani (Jathani) village and started just behind the grassland. We crossed a Primary Health Centre (PHC) at about 130 pm and met a lady who was heading to Chorkpin village (hope I got the spelling right) near Jathani. She had spotted me earlier asking for directions at the shop near the Bhalyani Ground and struck a conversation. There were steps on the trail and the lady remarked that there is a different trail to Mathasaur and Jai Fungni Maa Temple from almost every village near Bhalyani and Bhumtir. She mentioned that she was heading to Chorkpin village and that it was best that we went via the Jathani trail only since the Chorkpin trail would be very confusing.

One stark difference between the locals of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand is their attitude towards outsiders hiking on a trail. While the Uttarakhand guys are likely to discourage outsiders by saying the trail is difficult etc.; Himachalis usually give the required confidence and tell that the trail is not that long and to make sure we have enough water with us if there is no water source on the trail. Since it was (seemingly) a never ending uphill climb, Jita was lagging behind and the lady showed us the straight steps to Jathani before she took the path that diverted to Chorkpin. We reached Jathani village in no time and came across another Krishna Temple constructed in the traditional style of a wooden temple.

The sound of the wooden chimes of the temple was like music to the ears in the swaying wind now that a breeze had started blowing. It was excruciatingly humid and I was secretly hoping that the rain stay away on this day since we had both not carried our rain jackets or any jackets for that matter. I requested a local for drinking water and he indicated that a tap was just a few steps away. I refilled my water bottle and washed my face again to let the sweat dry. We were asked to check for the trail to Mathasaur at the last house once the village ended. There was some road construction work going on and some ladies remarked that we must take a trail to our right just before the bridge on the road. The ladies also said that after a while the trail will have a bifurcation to the right and that we are supposed to take the left path at that juncture.

We were told that it was a straightforward uphill trail and that we should reach Mathasaur and Jai Maa Fungni Temple in about an hour. At this point the time was about 150-2 pm and even though the sun was out, storm clouds could be seen brewing from a distance. We were told that there were return buses for Kullu from both Bhumtir and Bhalyani at 430 pm and we were aiming to return via Bhalyani as that was the village we had seen and I was aware of the bus stand place just before Bhalyani. The trail was quite confusing from the start itself and was a non-stop but the presence of memorial stones on the path served as a marker. We deduced that these memorial stones and places to rest had been made specifically for pilgrims heading on the Mathasaur – Jai Maa Fungni trail.

We would stop for a breather every few minutes and came at a point where the route bifurcated to the left. While logic suggested that the trekking trail to Mathasaur was the one on the right, the prior information given by the ladies meant we took the trail to the left. It didn’t lead anywhere and we ended up reaching a small meadow with a few cows grazing and a solitary home visible in some distance to our left. In the meanwhile, a light drizzle had started with thunder prompting us to wonder if we should be going ahead for the Mathasaur trek after all. We tried seeking the attention of the home but it was quite far and there was nobody to be seen so we decided to go back to the main trail and take the path continuing on the right.

After climbing a few turns, the presence of memorial stones assured us that we were indeed on the right trail. The drizzle was intermittent but the sounds of thunder kept putting doubts in our mind about the feasibility of this trek to Mathasaur and Jai Maa Fungni Temple. Anyhow, after about 40 minutes of the narrow uphill climb, we came to a sort of a meadow with multiple trails heading in different directions. The view of Lug Valley could be seen but our mind was pre-occupied with reaching Mathasaur. The storm clouds had gathered and we were praying that like the preceding week in Kullu Valley, it would just drizzle and not result in a downpour.

Pine needles were scattered everywhere and on one of the trails, the ground was littered with pine cones that felt like confetti. Although that path did not turn out to be right, I still remember the immense feeling of happiness upon seeing that sight. It was already close to 3 pm now and the weather was definitely worsening and the visibility was a bit poor as the sky was covered with clouds. Jita was looking at the maps on the phone and deduced that we were going in the right direction and that Mathasaur and Jai Maa Fungni Temple should not be more than 10-15 minutes away from where we were. We discussed a ‘Plan B’ possibility that if we are not able to reach Mathasaur or find the proper trail by 330 pm then we will reconsider our plan of action and possibly turn back.

Of course, we might not have thought otherwise but the weather conditions had really worsened and since we had not met anyone after crossing Jathani village, we were not really sure if we were on the right trekking trail to Mathasaur. To put all doubts on hold, I spotted someone coming down a slope and rushed to ask him if we were indeed close to Mathasaur. He confirmed that we were on the right trail and said that Mathasaur is hardly 5-10 minutes from there. We also asked him about the best trail to return and he suggested that Bhumtir is a shorter trail and if we had to catch the bus then there is a Bhumtir to Kullu bus at 430 pm. He said that the trail to Bhumtir can be seen from a specific hut once we descend from the right side of the Mathasaur Lake or Jai Maa Fungni Temple.

We felt very confident after meeting this gentleman and with a spring in our step quickly made good time and reached a huge meadow that housed the Mathasaur Lake and Jai Maa Fungni Temple. There were a number of cows grazing on the green grass and on a clear day the view from Mathasaur might have been impeccable. We were ecstatic upon spotting the Jai Maa Fungni Temple from afar and chose to quickly walk to that side when I was halted in my steps. I could see 2 foxes near the carcass of an animal. At first I thought they were dogs but when they saw me they slyly made their way from the scene and ran away in the jungle. We stood outside the temple, paid our respects and clicked a few photos of Mathasaur – a small lake with greenery sprouting from the water – which reminded me of Pundrik Rishi Lake in Sainj Valley.

The meadow was stunning and would get even more prettier in the monsoon. The locals had informed us that we are likely to meet a lot of people at Mathasaur who take their cattle for grazing but it seemed that they had either returned to their homes or chosen to stay back that day. After clicking a few pictures of the Jai Maa Fungni Temple and Mathasaur and reading the information and rules written on the signboard, we wandered around the meadow for a bit and then crossed over to the other side automatically assuming that the way to Bhumtir was from there. We started descending at around 330 pm and within no time realised there was no trail where we were.

I remembered the village guy’s directions where he had mentioned that the path to Bhumtir would be from a small water source near the temple from where a straight path would lead to a sort of a hut. He was quite confident that we would easily find the hut and thankfully I had seen the water source and mentioned it to Jita which prompted our return. We headed to the other side of the water source and saw a bunch of beautiful horses grazing and loitering around and duly spotted the stone hut. At this juncture the time was almost 330 pm and we had began thinking that it would be quite difficult to reach Bhumtir in time to catch the 430 pm bus to Kullu.

I tried my best to find a trail near the stone hut as we had been advised that the path to Bhumtir was a wide trail but to no avail. Jita looked around as well and just as it started raining we started descending via what we thought was the trekking trail to Bhumtir. We were in a dense jungle and as the rain got heavier any semblance of a path disappeared and within five minutes we had absolutely no idea of any trail. The rain got heavier and heavier and we were drenched in no time. As I mentioned earlier, we had not carried any raincoats or jackets, it quickly became a case for survival. I was worried about the camera getting wet in the rain as the small backpack would not be able to hold off the rain water for too long.

We kept descending through the jungle through any semblance of a trail we could see (Bhumtir or not). And just then when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, hailstones started coming down with full fury. For a moment I felt an eerie thought come to my mind that we were lost in the jungle and had to call for rescue but I quickly calculated that we had more than 3 hours of daylight left and since we were surrounded by villages in Lug Valley – we would surely arrive somewhere if we kept descending. After 10-15 minutes of rapid descent, I had to give up any thoughts of retracing our path to Mathasaur and going back via the same trekking trail that we came via Jathani and Bhalyani.

I was going ahead and Jita was coming behind; we were constantly speaking to each other about the next steps in case we are unable to find any headway say by 430 pm. We agreed on the fact that if we kept descending we would surely arrive somewhere if not Bhumtir! Thankfully I was wearing a panama hat that shielded me from the direct brunt of the hailstones and I was still able to see clearly through my spectacles. Jita was struggling due to water on the glasses and I would soon be in the same situation. As soon as the rainwater made it on the spectacles, it became almost impossible to navigate through the slush, mud and a slippery downhill descent.

It had suddenly got quite cold and we were just not prepared for it. At one point Jita even suggested if we should wait for a while in the jungle shielded from the rain in the shadow of a big deodhar tree and start again once the rain had subsided. He was also checking a map and said that we should soon be near a village in the next 20 odd minutes since it had only taken us about an hour to climb to Mathasaur and Jai Fungni Maa Temple. I was also feeling very cold and my jeans and tee-shirt was totally soaked. I wanted to save the phone from water and quickly put it in the small backpack and checked that no water had yet entered the insides of the bag. The hailstones fury lasted for about 10-15 minutes and we didn’t stop anywhere but kept descending.

We can call ourselves a bit lucky that some semblance of a trail had been spotted and we were quite positive about that being the right way when water had started flowing down from where we were descending. The paths in the jungle had become very slippery and at one point I was in a dire situation and had to be on all fours to get down without falling down. The mud made my fingers slippery and caused a ring to get off my finger. I realised that something was amiss even before I had taken a further step, tried to locate the ring in the nearby area with my bare eyes / watered spectacles. At that very moment I noticed that the heavy rain had sobered down to a slight drizzle and that meant I could see Jita had reached this spot too.

I told him that a finger ring was missing and that I was certain that I had dropped it somewhere close. As we were looking around I quickly replayed the slippery stretch in my mind and spotted a shiny object shielded by a pine cone. I was mighty relieved as it was a gold ring and quickly cleaned it and put it in my pocket to avoid further trouble. In retrospect, I wonder what would we have done if we had been unable to find the ring after about 10 odd minutes of searching – given our precarious situation. All I can say now that it was serendipity that the rain had almost stopped at that very moment and I was able to spot the ring with my bare eyes since there was no way the spectacles would be clear now that everything was wet.

That moment made us lighten the mood and we let out a chuckle at our dire situation and the cold. In our defence, we had made sure to not rest and keep descending and make sure that the body heat was maintained. If we had rested we would have really felt the cold and the momentum had been lost. We joked among ourselves that someone should make a reel of the current status of this adventure in our drenched condition! I checked the camera again and saw that the inside of the bag had started getting moist and that it would not hold on for much longer. There was still no sign of any habitation or a village but now that the rain had completely stopped, we were able to see clearly and I was now trekking without my spectacles.

At about 415 pm, Jita looked at the map and said that we must reach a village anytime now. I was not sure of where we were but we had followed a trail in the jungle and now that trail had turned into a sort of a water trail. At this juncture, we came across a memorial stone and we were quickly reminded that the trekking trail from Jathani village was also exactly like this. This made me very confident and I started descending even more rapidly now (thanks to the Salomon shoes). Within 5 minutes, I spotted a house beneath us and let out a shout of joy+relief to Jita even as it started drizzling again.

I was worried about not being able to make it to Kullu by a bus and continued walking ahead. The trail crossed a few houses and I shouted at the top of my voice to ask for our whereabouts but there was nobody to be seen and I was mighty relieved when the trekking path finally ended and joined a sizeable dirt road. I was super confused in my mind and ran helter-skelter on the road and was wondering where I should go when I just spotted a lady sitting in the balcony of her house. I told her to tell my companion coming behind that I am continuing on the road itself. She told me that this is the Bhalyani side and that we have not descended by the Bhumtir way and that there is a possibility of catching the bus if we are quick enough.

I was almost running on the road when I met another woman carrying some fodder for the cows – at this point the rain had totally stopped. It was about 430 pm and she said that the road would lead to a place called Satreem where we might be able to catch the bus at a turn coming from Bhumtir. I then asked her if there were more possibilities of buses late in the evening from Bhalyani for which she pointed the walking trail to Bhalyani which I had left behind. Jita had also made it to the road and now we were both together and on the walking trail to Bhalyani. We were almost shivering with the cold but could not afford to take it slow as we had no idea of the status of the bus.

Just then we got a few houses in the village and met some school kids coming back from school. At this moment the sun also decided to come out making us feel like the gods had caused the rain and hail just for us! Someone at the house informed us that there’s a 515 pm HRTC bus from Bhalyani to Kullu and that we should easily be able to make it to Bhalyani from where we were. It was then that I realised that this village was Chorkpin (near Jathani) – where the lady in the morning had gone. We continued walking past green fields and felt nice when the sun dried a bit of our clothes and shoes and provided the much needed heat in our bodies. By about 440 we were at the Bhalyani ground near the Katrusi Narayan Temple (Shri Krishna Temple) and I heaved a sigh of relief.

We quickly went to the shop guy and I requested him if he had a polythene to keep the camera and mobile. He obliged and asked us to rush since the bus stand/road where the bus came in Bhalyani was still quite far from there. That bit of information surprised us as I had never thought Bhalyani of such a big village. On the way we met a lady who was headed to the bus stand too and now we were finally at peace knowing that the 515 pm Bhalyani to Kullu bus was not a figment of our imagination!

It was a funny coincidence when we kept walking and walking and ended up in another village at 5 pm and had apparently left the Bhalyani bus stand behind. Now that the sun had gone down and it was back to being cold, we deduced that it was better that we walk back to Bhalyani bus stand in case there is any confusion or miscommunication about the bus. The lady was happy to see us at the bus stop and the bus duly came at 520. We shivered throughout the ride to Kullu and only steaming cups of Darjeeling tea in the home in Dobhi and a change of clothes helped us get back to normalcy!

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