THE “ CHAR DHAM” OF THE GREAT HIMALAYAN NATIONAL
PARK- I
If there is one jewel in the crown of Himachal, it has to be the the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) in Kullu, spread over 750
sq.kms. of forested valleys, gushing mountain streams and snow covered mountains: it is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a superlative repository of
Himalayan flora and fauna, a trekker's Valhalla, one of the last undisturbed areas of the state. It is drained by four magical streams, all
originating from glaciers or glacial lakes-starting from the east, the Tirthan,
Sainj, Jiwanal and Parbati. Trekking to the mystical sources of these rivers is
a once in a life time experience, and for the true nature-lover akin to a
spiritual experience, the “char dham” of a naturalistic religion, as it were! I
have been fortunate to have completed this circuit and would like to share a brief account of it with those readers who may want to learn more, or even plan to go to the GHNP. This is the first of four blogs.
[ THE TIRTHAN ]
A thatch is a clearing or glade surrounded by forests where
shepherds camp: originally covered with a prolific growth of the rare high
altitude medicinal plants and herbs, they are nowadays grazed over by sheep
whose droppings further ensure that nothing grows there except weeds and coarse
grasses. This used to be the case with Nada and Majhauni also, but ever since
the govt. banned the entry of sheep in the Park, these thatches have now made a
remarkable come-back: when I camped there in 2010 they were completely carpeted
with a rich profusion of patish, salam
panja and ratanjot , the rarest of alpine herbs. Nada thatch is a
particularly mesmerising place, completely surrounded by a thick growth of
cedar, spruce, kharsu oak, maple and dwarf rhododendron, with an abundance of
bird life- in the early dawn we were privileged to be favoured with a veritable
avian orchestra by the tragopans, monals, warblers, nut crackers and minivets !
[Moon over Nada thatch. Photo by author.]
The third day’s trek- from Nada to Majhauni- takes one down
to the river and then up again into the forests. Along the way we noticed
plenty of leopard scat, signs of bear and a troop of langurs in a grove of
taxus baccatta trees. But the climactic moment came when, just below a
watercourse, we suddenly came upon a Himalayan black bear! She was sunning
herself on a rock and, perhaps because of the sound of the water, did not hear
our approach. We had all of three or four minutes to enjoy this amazing moment
before she became aware of our presence: in an instant she sprang up, bounded
across the stream, scaled a ten meter wall of rock effortlessly and vanished
into the thick forest. She appeared to be pregnant and we wished her and her
cub all the best- may they rule this part of paradise for ever!
[ Black bear posing for us at Nada thatch! Photo by author.]
Majhauni thatch is on the right bank of the Tirthan, just
above the river and very windy and cold- the Tirath glaciers are barely 8 kms.
from here and the valley funnels the chilling winds straight down into the camp
site. Fortunately there are three huge caves in which one can take shelter. We
were now at 3600 meters, and parts of the river were covered with a thick
deposit of ice- “ice bridges”, sturdy enough to walk on, but carefully, because
the swift and freezing waters still flowed below them. They are useful while
they last, because they provide the wild life an easy means of crossing the
river. In the early morning a “kakkar”- musk deer- crossed the river on an ice
bridge from the other bank, strolled through our camp site and disappeared into
the undergrowth before we could photograph it !
[ Blue sheep on the Tirath glacier, centre of the frame. Photo by author.]
It’s a four hour trek to the Tirath glacier from the campsite, sometimes on the
ice bridges and sometimes high on the right bank of the river. After six kms or
so the valley broadens out into a verdant pasture 500 meters wide, completely
carpeted with alpine flowers of the most amazing hues. Straight ahead, to the
south and south-east are towering, snow- covered peaks and ranges, behind which
lie the massive Srikhand massif and Sarahan ranges. The flanks are covered with
huge glaciers: their melt- off runs down in slender black ribbons of water,
converging into two primary streams which join each other on the valley floor
to form the infant Tirthan. To its right, however, is a circular pool about 20
feet across, bubbling with some gas or air coming from its depths. The locals
believe that this is the real source of the Tirthan and it is customary to do a
“pooja” here and take a dip in the stream, notwithstanding the freezing
temperatures! Our real reward, however, came a little later when the sun broke
through the clouds and lit up the white mountain slopes. Lo and behold!
Straight ahead we could now see two huge herds of “bharal” or blue sheep,
about 60 in all, slowly going up the flanks! It was an unforgettable sight: the
blue sheep are rarely sighted, such is their mountain habitat and reclusive
nature. This was a double “darshan” for us- the source of the river as well as
its prime custodians. We could not have asked for more, and as we wended our
long way back to Majhauni we were content in the knowledge that the wildlife of
GHNP was doing quite well, thank you!
What a fascinating account... Himachal being lesser known has become it's USP as the allure of the unknown becomes a personal treasure to cherish and regale friends over sundowners around a bonfire! So looking forward to the sequels. Meanwhile i plan to browse through the eco-friendly customs and traditions of this area that have preserved this jewel.
ReplyDeleteA befitting mahatmya to the first GHNP Tirath!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautifully described trek to an even more beautiful place...! Avay Shukla the Naturalist is ahead of himself the Satirist! One hopes the other three places are presented sooner than the usual weekly sequence of wait. There is also the wish to see more photos as Mr. Shukla takes us through these nature trails. To complement his lucid narrations and send his readers on vicarious trips to paradisiacal lands that he has had the fortune to explore.
ReplyDeleteWas waiting for the nature lover to show up.
ReplyDeleteThis is like a breath of fresh air and right up my street too.
Can't wait for for the promised encores.
Loved the piece.
ReplyDeleteBut could you not, please, do two each week. One of your chardhm and the other for the much awaited weekly 'finger where it hurts' essay.
I for one NEED that weekly fix!
Beautiful account of Tirthan trek. On most of these treks, I serving as Director, GHNP, was accompanying Shukla Sir. Payson Stevens, an American who fell in love with the Great Himalayan National Park and built a house in the neighbouring Banjar Valley to live there summer part of the year since 2003 and trek in the Park, has been another regular on these mountain travels. Fording the streams, thigh-high in icy water, clambering from rock to rock with a sheer drop below, feeling the hard ground beneath your hips as you lie away listening to the wind rattle the tent: these are not experiences that the city provides. Once in the GHNP, we are trapped by the terrain. Modern gagets such as mobile phones, internet stop working here. In another sense, we are free: free from the demands of electronic media, free from the constant clamour of the news, constrained only by sunrise and sunset and the land itself. For some the situation may be oppressive, but for others, it is a liberation.
ReplyDeleteJai GHNP.
Magical mystery tour done by courtesy Mr. Sukla.
ReplyDeleteWhat a vivid description of an amazing trek in which benevolent nature presented almost all the fauna and flora that she holds in the divine landscape of GHNP
ReplyDelete