Who Says There are No Flowers in the Valley of Flowers?

A sign at the Entrance to the Valley of Flowers (VoF) says it all
The passionate forest guard at the gate told me that he had been scolded by a senior officer that the VoF had no flowers, and that he, the forest guard, should put up a sign warning everyone so.   The experience I had was entirely different, I saw a myriad flowers blooming and a tranquil Valley.  And I thought to myself that: they are really blind those who will not see. These flowers were very different to to those I had seen on my earlier trip in August 2015, view my photographs of the earlier trip at the link here and my blog of that trip over here

Flowing water everywhere
A kilometer after buying a ticket at the forest check post, I cross the steel bridge across the Pushpawati River and begin the ascent into the VoF. The ticket is valid for three days of which I will visit on two.  The mountainsides are striated with waterfalls fed by the melting snow, which in turn feed streams, all flowing into the Pushpawati River.

A Glimpse of Snow
From the dark depths of the entrance across the bridge, I get a fleeting view of the snow clad mountains that rim the VoF.  The deeper ravines are initially dark, in the shadow of  the tall mountains around, but the sun suddenly illuminates the dark valleys, a spectacular natural light show accentuated by the sharp clear mountain air. 

Blue Poppies
Another forest guard walking by, told me that the rare Blue Poppy had begun to bloom along the way, and almost as soon as he said it this lovely plant came into view on a rocky hillside. Had he not told me, I could have easily missed this cluster as did many others walking by.

Fragile and Translucent petals
make the Blue Poppy a rare sight to behold. Blooming at only a few rocky places, one needs to know where they are to be able to enjoy their delicate beauty.  This flower is the signature plant of the area.

The Path to the Valley
When I had come to VoF in  August 2015, I was told that a major flood and landslide the previous year had caused the path to be realigned.  At that time the path had been mud which the August rains had turned to a glutinous morass. Now it is paved with meticulously laid rocks which allow the water to drain through easily.  It is an easy climb up to the Valley.

An Inquisitive Pika  
feeds on grass while watching me. There are many of  this large mouse looking animal living in the rocks along the way.  They are bold and as I stand still they come quite close.  The fur is brown and grey, with some of them having a distinct line where the colour changes, probably a thick winter coat changing to a lighter summer one.  I saw many birds, Blue Whistling Thrush, Variegated Laughing Thrush, Himalayan Bul Bul are some I could not identify.  There are the elusive Red Fox and bear in this area too.

Flowers Everywhere
Spring has come to the Valley and the flowers are blooming, predominantly blues and purples. I admire the view on a bright and sunny day over breakfast at Shepherds Rock, eating packed puris and sabzi that I am carrying from the GMVN guest house where I am staying.  This is possibly the neatest and most reasonably priced staying option in Ghangariya.

Small Flowers and Big Flowers
Ghangariya is the base from where I do my trips to VoF and Hemkund sahib.  It is at the base of two Valleys, each of which lead to either Hemkund sahib or VoF.  This year the tourist season seems less but remains crowded with pilgrims, tourists, mules, porters and many others.

Single and in Bunches 
There is an intermittent mobile signal here, mainly BSNL, but no data connectivity.  The market has many STD booths (I thought those were history!) from where one can call outwards.  The electricity can go off sometimes so make sure that your phone and camera batteries are charged at all times.  The weather has been delightful, bright and sunny every morning, with very light showers on two afternoons. A late lunch of parathas and sabzi  again at Shepherds Rock.

By the side of the path and ....
At one end of town the horses and porters line up and in the morning they waylay me.  I take a mule to Hemkund Sahib, but walk twice to VoF.  The mule I hire to take me to Hemkund eyes my rather portly frame with a resigned look, but takes me up and down rather uncomplainingly.  There are government rates for everything so one has to haggle only a little.

... on it, the stones along the path are interspersed with these little violets
There are fresh blooms and dried tall plants, presumably the relics of last year. The forest department hires people to continuously remove weeds from the Valley as these are said to threaten the indigenous flowering plants.

Who said there are no flowers?
The flowers bloom and whither in hours, days and at most two weeks. I did two hikes over 48 hours and saw Angelica buds the first time and blooms the second.  Other flowers had begun to grow, and some were slowly fading.  I don't know or remember the names of the flowers I saw, I simply reveled in their beauty. The typical 'season' is July-August, but  at this time too there are many flowers.  On my previous trip in August 2015, I saw many different flowers, clearly indicating that one must visit the Valley in different seasons.

Mount Ratavan in the distance
is at the head of the Valley, at the lower reaches of this mountain is the Tipra Glacier, and below that is the 'Tipra Khark', presumably the moraine. The entire Valley is about 8 kilometers long after entering and one can walk to the end, but that has to be a single minded purpose, as time does not permit one to smell the roses and walk to the end. From Ghangariya the total distance would be about 11 km each way. One can enter the VoF at 0700 and must be out by 1800 hours, overnight stays are not permitted.

Signboard on the way 
put up by the forest department indicates the bifurcation for 'Tipra Khark'  and Lady Joan Margaret  Legge's grave memorial  (Leggy as she is known here).  In 1939 Joan Margaret Legge was studying the flora of the Valley of Flowers  while traversing some rocky slopes she slipped and lost her life. Her sister created this memorial/tomb to her. The Valley is at an average height of about 3500 metres, this is high altitude and it is smart to be acclimatised, particularly if you are going up from sea level as I was.

The Path to the River
Though I could not walk to the 'Tipra Khark', on my second visit to the Valley I did some photography and then walked  to the river crossing. About 2 km short of the 'Tipra Khark'  the Pushpawati River crosses the Valley, over here the ground is more rocky and there are less flowers.  The entire path is paved with stones which have sharp edges and points, at the end of a 15 km round hike, the soles of my feet were sore.

Farewell to the Valley
as I recross the bridge to return to Ghangariya, I have to be out of the Park by 1800 hours and the gate is about a kilometer away. The water in the river has risen as the snow in the higher reaches has melted during the hot and sunny day, I stop for a few more photos before hurrying on my way...  At the gate I meet my friend the forest guard and he asks me "so, did you see any flowers?" I think the dreamy smile on my face tells him all.

Flowers don't worry about how they're going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.     

-Jim Carrey

Off the beaten track in Satpura

“We all have forests on our minds. Forests unexplored, unending. Each one of us gets lost in the forest, every night, alone.” 
― Ursula K. Le Guin, The Wind's Twelve Quarters

Alas, it is difficult to get lost in a forest in India, there are few unexplored forests left and it is difficult to be alone. However the Satpura Tiger Reserve is one such forest where the crowds are less and the resorts are sensibly made to merge into ambient nature. Our welcome by a leopard by the side of the road as we drove in at night was a wonderful precursor of the two days ahead.  The haughty animal, disdainfully looked at us and slowly walked away into the jungle.  Here is where we let go of  our  daily electronic cocoons and freed ourselves to the joys of  simply being at one with nature.

The bridge and a hut at Reni Pani Resort...
...is a perfect example of being one with nature. Local material is used on the outside  to give a natural ambience to the dwellings and community areas. The passion of the owners in keeping this large resort in harmony with the jungle yet providing comfortable and modern amenities is evident in the smallest detail.  The lighting is dim, the construction has a forest flavour; we put wifi and TV on hold in this jungle retreat and enjoyed being there.  The resort plans a 'Satpura under canvas' hike which promises to be very different. The relative inaccessibility  of the this resort and park ironically, is what preserves them from commercialisation.

Birds at Reni Pani
are attracted by the water in the pool and the Arjuna tree nearby.  By sitting still and  silent in a shaded spot by the poolside with binoculars and camera, we saw a spectacle of birds. These Jerdon's Leaf Bird,  Spotted doves, Asian Paradise Flycatcher in brown phase and White-throated Kingfisher  were among the many birds we saw.  This is one of the few game parks where one is allowed to walk in the forest.  One has to be properly escorted by trained guides during such walks.  Reni Pani Resort has a detailed training program for its naturalists which enable them to lead such walks.

A Gaur comes to drink
at a waterhole, the patriarch, he gets the first  drink before the herd steps in and muddies the water.  The animal is muscular and majestic, irreverent of us watching and photographing  the herd.  It is very hot, it can go to 45 C, but we thought it is one of the best times to visit this forest as the heat separates the ogling easy tourists from the naturalist.  Water is scarce, and the animals come down to drink at the few waterholes that are still wet, this coupled with the scant leaf cover of dry vegetation makes for great photographic opportunities. 

Cubs and chicks abound
as this is spring and many animals and birds have young. We saw a mother Sloth Bear with two cubs clinging to her back at dusk and this young guy hitching a ride on his mother by day. This night-jar sat calmly  with her chicks while we photographed her. Drives in this Park are very enjoyable as one gets to see many animals and birds undisturbed by the herds of  vehicles that prevail in many of the other parks.  The fact that the fauna is not stressed by frequent visitors is plainly evident.  This park allows a mere 13 vehicles inside at a time, whereas in other parks it could be as many as 70.

Birds at the waterhole...
water is life here, literally.  Sitting still with patience at a waterhole is rewarding and allowed us to see many birds which we wouldn't otherwise  get a chance to see or photograph.  Of course it is important to respect the stress area of  these species driven to drink, despite what they perceive to be a risk to their lives.  The wild boar just would not drink while we were there, so we immediately moved away.  The naturalist with us, Erwin, is passionate about the local flora and fauna, apart from explaining what we see, he is very mindful of ensuring that we stay out of the circle of stress of the animals or birds.  Not only does he guide and protect us, but ensures we do not harm the fauna.  Reni Pani currently has a team of six naturalists.

As the sunsets over a waterhole
it is time to say goodbye to these wonderful denizens of the jungle.  While moving away from the waterholes too we saw many wonderful sights.
As the legendary photographer Ansel Adams said
“I believe the world is incomprehensibly beautiful — an endless prospect of magic and wonder.”
this is one of those places where we truly felt that deep joy of just being there.

Another Time Another Place

As the lyrics of Another time, another place go...
"Bright morning lights
Wipe the sleep from another day's eye"
Walking at Matheran and at Bhuigaon, one a hill station and another a sea side village, I see the common thread of grace and dignity running each day through the lives of local people.  The work is physically hard, monotonous, the returns are meagre and sometimes non-existent.  They do as routine what we do as 'adventure',  but they are always pleasant, courteous and industrious.

Done the washing
It is morning on a beach at Bhuigaon, the sun is up and it is breeze-less hot,  these ladies have just washed clothes and utensils, they walk home, chatting as they go, but they are not complaining. Early morning bikers have criss-crossed the beach with trails before the tide comes in to wipe the slate clean before yet another day.

The lady from below
This lady has carried a heavy load up to Matheran from a village in the plains below. She has walked nearly two hours vertically uphill and she does this every single day in the tourist season. She carries fodder for the horses that take well fed tourists for a  ride (sometimes literally).  What is matter of daily fact for this tough lady is a herculean adventure  for a group of hikers nearby, congratulating themselves at the climb they had done in over three hours,.

Maruti the milk carrier
He comes up the hill to Matheran each day, a climb of over 600 metres altitude over four kilometers, balancing about 40 litres of milk (that's forty kilos) and not spilling a drop.  He doesn't cry over spilled milk, and the climb is only getting here, after that he has yet to walk to market and supply the milk to buyers. I was told that there are 19 ways to climb up to Matheran and villagers from below come up each day. 

Perfect Balance
These ladies are off  to work at dawn.  It promises to be a hot and humid day, so they carry a  plastic bottle with water for the day.  Chatting as they go, their elegance and poise is visible in the ease with which they carry their head loads. Small loads or large ones, men and women carry them easily, the natural poise and gait this develops would teach finishing schools a thing or two.

Aged beyond his years
this fisherman balances a load on his shoulder as he heads towards his boat. He had had a neat haircut, wore clean clothes and was well turned out.  Despite the early hour I found the men and women well groomed before the day's labour. The close-to-shore fisherfolk, and I saw many women in the boats, get  just a few kilograms of fish after hours out in the broiling sun.

Off to market
these folk climb a 600 metre hill in under two hours with a huge load, then pause for a few moments to rest.  I saw a group of women and children come up, they were strung out based on their ability to climb, there were old matrons, I am guessing in their 60's, and young kids not even in their teens.   As each reached the top, she waited for those behind, finally when all had gathered at the top, they headed off into town on their business to sell fodder, act as tourist guides, or work in the many holiday homes in the hill station.  The lady in this picture hid her  walking stick in the bushes by the track,  to be picked up on her way back.

At the end of a day
Most of the tourists have gone,  waiting for a stray tourist, this cobbler enjoys a pensive moment at the end of the day.   Did he earn, did he not, who knows. These people at different places begin the day before dawn, work hard till sunset and sleep only to awake to the bright lights of another day. The lyrics of this song says it beautifully...
"At the end of the day
Some you win, some you don't
So I am glad that I'm here
With some friends that I know
Always there with a smile
Saying you are not alone"

Sojourn in the Sahyadris - Kalsubai

Kalsubai


“Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing.” 
― Barry Finlay, Kalsubai is the highest peak in Maharashtra, but that is not saying much; as at 1646 metres it is hardly the "Everest of Maharashtra" it is made out to be. Nevertheless it is an invigorating climb and though not a technical ascent it is steep and tests ones stamina. The panorama from the top make the arduous climb worth it.

Vishnu, the guide 
 There are many "how to" blogs on the net so I will refrain from a travelogue style, rather giving a potpourri of my experiences. Kalsubai is about an hour from Igatpuri and there are many ways of getting to Bari, the village at the base.  I drove from Igatpuri and taking a wrong turn finally ended up at Jahagirdarwadi, a few hundred metres short of Bari. It is possible to start climbing from here as well, so good luck for my guide Vishnu whom I found here, he was waiting and hoping for a stray tourist like me. I recommend that you engage a guide for two fundamental reasons, firstly you are contributing to the economy of relatively poor people; and secondly getting out of the cluster of huts in the village in the dark of early morning can be confusing. Besides, for a lone walker like me, Vishnu was great company.

The first temple about an hour into the walk
Start in the dark to avoid the heat of the day. I started at 5.30 am in January, it was pitch dark and I needed my head torch continuously  till the sun rose over the horizon at about 7.30 am.   Early in the morning at this time of the year it can be quite chill, specially before I started climbing.  I quickly warmed up into the walk and in a short while had to roll up my sleeves. 

Sunrise 
Due to the haze and hills on the horizon, the sun becomes visible a while after actual sunrise.Because I started early, I had finished the three hour climb (for me) before it became too warm. Once the sun is out it gets hot. Carry lots of water, as there is no natural source and the bottled water at the stalls en route are expensive.  I met families who had started on their "picnic" at about 10 am, I wonder how many reached the top in the heat later in the day?

The climb is steep
and there are iron ladders at three places to enable walkers to cross tricky rock walls. My walk-meter showed a climb of  900m in a little over a kilometer. Be that as it may, the steepness is evident in the thighs and calves on the return.  It took me three hours to reach the top and about two easy hours to return.  Being a Sunday, there were many people on the route, hundreds, and at some ladders one had to step aside to allow people to pass. 

Kalsubai, the top
is on a rocky promontory at the top of the hill. The rocky top is accessible by going up a steel ladder for about 20 metres.  Just before the final ladder, visible in this picture, there is a flat ground with many stalls selling food and drink.  The 'kanda bhajjia" were deliciously hot and tasty but the tea was insipid.  Most people stop for a snack here on their way down and on Sundays the crowd can be large. The flat ground around allows groups to gather and some to even camp for the night.

Kalsubai, the temple
is located at the apex, a tiny temple, but it has a flourishing economy of stalls selling "peda" and other pooja ingredients outside. During various auspicious festivals, I am told, crowds throng here for the pooja.  In this picture one can see some of the number of walkers at the top.  Some trekkers come the previous evening and camp here and around, or start climbing at 2 am so as to be at the top at sunrise.  The views from the top are breathtaking and despite the haze one can see the range of hills around. The view is enhanced by the long shadows of the hills in the range in the early morning.   

A hungry monkey
has two fruit,  one gripped in each set of paws.  Trekkers feed the monkeys who have become bold and aggressive, grabbing anything loose.  My guide told me that unattended rucksacks and water bottles  are often picked up by these animals. The route is dry and dusty at this time of the year; a fine dust is kicked up by those passing and many stall operators are seen covering their nose and mouth.

Stalls everywhere...
Most flat spaces have a local selling something, from the ubiquitous nimbu pani and  guava grown in home gardens, to the more commercial bhajjia and packeted eatables. The route is lined with commerce, a cloth spread on the ground, a table with the makings of nimbu pani and well covered stalls with tables and chairs. There is someone selling something somewhere.

And finally...
having been up and down, I drove off to a wayside dhaba and treated myself to the most delicious hot and fresh tandoori rotis and tadka dal.  The resort town of Bhandardara with its famous dam and waterfall is nearby and the route is lined with eating places big and small. Climbing is hungry business and so till my next walk I leave you with this sage advice:

“Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.”  -Edward Whymper

At Peace in Igatpuri - Rambling Through an Old Railway Cemetery

The cemetery is an open space among the ruins, covered in winter with violets and daisies. It might make one in love with death, to think that one should be buried in so sweet a place.”

― Percy Bysshe Shelley

The poet could well be describing this Cemetery in Igatpuri which is indeed a quiet place, shaded by the trees in an old Churchyard. Here, lie at peace, railwaymen, soldiers,other British officials and their families.  Each had a life, long or sometimes short; a life, young or old; each with a story to tell; each shaping the "Empire" in a way big or small.  Complete lives reduced to a few passionate words on a tombstone. The cracked stones only hinting  of exciting or mundane lives.

The oldest Stone
 I could find, dated 1868 for an unknown Ann who was just 31 years of age when she died.  She was the "deeply regretted wife of...". This is just three years after the Thal ghat section was opened, in 1865.  The church where this cemetery is located was established in 1892, a full 24 years later.  The ages of the deceased on these plaques and old gravestones elsewhere indicate that life expectancy was very uncertain in those days. Less developed medicine, war, pestilence and wild animals all contributed to premature death! 

The Church and the sign
 that drew me to the church. The church is under much needed repair and the outer eaves are completed dismantled, giving the place a feel of disrepair.  This church has stood for over 125 years and the wooden roof of the main building seems good for another century. In the verandah there is an intact coffin cart, probably still in use.  It took me a while to figure out its purpose, but the handles and tow bar gave me a hint. It has a slide with latch for the coffin and spring suspension (lest we jolt the dead awake!)

The War Memorial 
and some soldiers graves mark what appears to be a First World War memorial. These soldiers were rather far from the WWI battlefields of Europe and so are likely to have died of wounds or disease in the garrison battalion. Soldiers were stationed at most hubs to maintain colonial order and protect assets of the Empire, in this case the all important railway.

The important railway influence 
is reflected in much of the cemetery. Igatpuri was a crucial link in the GIPR, being at the top of the then difficult Thal Ghat.  The railways were the steel web that bound the Empire,  a vital form of communication before  road and air became ubiquitous.The rail encircling this cross has obviously been made in some railway workshop to honour an important person. Buried here are  railway engineers, engine drivers, guards, "ghat keepers", "ghaut driver"  and Public Way Inspectors (PWI).  

Then there the families of the railway staff, ...
 The women who accompanied their menfolk out to these remote places had a difficult existence, not used to the heat, hard life and loneliness of mofussil  they often predeceased their husbands. Some of them became useful, but most simply adhered to an almost stifling code of Victorian social conduct and withered away. Before the Suez Canal opened in 1869, it could take four to six months to sail from Britain to India, so few families came out.

There are elaborate stones,
here's one with a floral tribute carved in bas relief in marble. It has withstood the ravages of time and the carving is largely intact even if the grave below is disheveled. 

There are ornate stones,
this one has a dove with a floral theme, all indicating a peaceful hereafter. Maybe more peaceful than their temporal lives in small towns like Igatpuri, specially in the early days. 

There are stones for children
 resting here, this particularly moving carving depicts a child reaching for glory of God.  Children had a particularly tough time, their childhood exuberance was tied by the strict mores of the time which governed whom they could play with, when and how. Child mortality was high due to the lack of hygiene and high humidity of places like Igatpuri. When the children came of school going age they were sent to England if the parents could afford it, else to one of the schools in the hills.

Decrepit stones,
Not all stones are well made or kept, In fact most of the graves are in serious want of attention. The stones range from the elaborate and ornate to the simple and at many places just a square of bricks marks the spot of interment.  

Plaques on the inside church walls 
mark the memory of more important and wealthy personages.  In this case a railway engineer who was also a Lt-Col. The church is a potpourri of the old and modern, it has a lovely old wood barrel vaulted  ceiling and beams.

A parrot embellishes
a column,  maybe a more knowledgeable study would reveal the different social significance and style of decorations through the 125 years. However this church seems to have garnered funds to renovate and keep the building in a decent state of repair.  The adjoining cemetery is however not in as good condition.

In eternal rest
each stone marks a life, as the life has been snuffed out and forgotten in the shroud of time, so has the grave.

"Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust,"
 phrase from the funeral service in the Book of Common Prayer