22nd September, 2023
CHAR DHAM OF THE GREAT HIMALAYAN
NATIONAL PARK [ III ]
THE
JIVA NAL
The Jiva Nal is the least known of the four
streams of the GHNP. It drains the extreme north-west corner of the Park,
emanating from the mountains and glaciers that guard its northern frontiers,
and after covering about 65 kms, meets the Sainj at Siund. The trek to its
source and back takes seven days. Given the pristine purity of its catchment and
the wealth of wildlife there, the Park management does not encourage treks
there, and very few trekkers get to see the hidden wonders of the valley of the Jiva Nal.
The journey, for
those who are fortunate enough to obtain permission for it, begins in the Sainj valley from Neulli (the
road-head), on to Shakti (first camp-site, 2100 m), a pleasant trek of 22 kms. all along and up the river. Here one leaves the Sainj on
its right bank and climbs for seven straight hours in a northerly direction to
Satogani thatch ( 3700 m). It’s a hard slog because there is no discernible
track, the lush undergrowth reaches one’s armpits, and the tree cover gradually
changes from broad leaves to conifers and then to the kharsu oak and hill
bamboo, known as “nirgal.” The world changes, however, once the ridge line is
attained and the panorama of Satogani thatch lies spread out before one’s
unbelieving eyes like a carpet of a million hues. It’s a four kilometer long meadow that would humble the tulip
gardens of Srinagar: a carpet of geraniums, poppies, primulas, geums, the cobra
plant and the imperial brahm kamal, the favourite flower of the goddess
Parvati. Co-existing with them was the whole gamut of rare medicinal herbs:
dhoop, karu, patish, hathpanja. In all my years of trekking I have never seen
such fecundity of plant life; it’s a testimony to the rejuvenating powers of
nature once the heavy hand of Man is removed.
[The savage grandeur of the Jiva Nal valley. Photo by author]
The third day’s
trek, also about seven hours but not so strenuous, brought us first to the Satogani
pass (4300 m), which is the watershed between the Sainj and Jiva Nal valleys,
and then steeply down to the Sartu camp-site at 3700 meters. Sartu is a flat
meadow on a shelf above the left bank of the Jiva: to the north is the 18000
feet high Khandedar massif, beyond which is the Parbati valley. The eastern end
is closed in by even higher, 20000 feet ranges, and behind them lies Spiti. It
is in the snow plains and glaciers of these mountains that the Jiva Nal takes
birth, winding its way down those smooth white slopes like a necklace on the
alabaster bosom of a Nordic beauty. There are massive brown bears here, and ghoral,
Himalayan tahr and snow leopard, but we did not see any.
[The infant Jiva Nal emerging from the mountains. Photo by author]
So captivating was
the landscape that we spent two days here, though we did not press further
upstream for lack of time. On the fifth morning we rose early to cross over to
the right bank of the Jiva Nal before the snow melt made the stream impassable. The track now
veers left, to the west, following the Jiva downstream, past the iridescent
blue wonder that is the Sartu glacial pond. There are spectacular snow-bridges
and waterfalls on the way. Emily, a French girl who was part of our party, fell
while photographing a waterfall: we immediately named that cascade “ Emily
Falls” and it is now so recorded in the GHNP maps! So now you know how natural
features are named! After ten kms. one arrives at Duada (literally, “where two
roads meet”). A major gorge meets the Jiva from the north at this point- the Duada
khad- and there is an impossibly steep trekking trail up this khad which goes
to Phanchi Gallu (4664 meters). The GHNP
ends at that point, beyond which is the Parbati valley. (I was keen to do this
trek someday but could not find the time; but my good friend Sanjeeva Pandey
has done it, and his knees are now paying the price for that!). In 2010 the HP
govt. established a new national park called Kheer Ganga NP and the entire area
beyond Phanchi Gallu is included in it, forming a seamless natural reserve
right up to the Pin Parbat pass. This is one of the rare things the govt. got
right!
[ Sartu glacial pond. Photo by Sanjeeva Pandey, IFS(R)]
The legend may or
may not be true but there can be no doubt that the devtas reign supreme in these remote regions. Organised religion
has minimal influence here, thankfully, for the devtas are a force for
conservation . Each village has a devsthan
or sacred grove from where even a twig cannot be removed. The Duada devta has forbidden meat or eggs from
entering his domain, and we had to send
back our store of these! (Fortunately, there was no bar on the demon rum, which
would have been a deal breaker!) I have observed this conservationist streak in
the near animalistic beliefs throughout the remoter areas of the state and can
only humbly thank these nameless deities for their role in protecting the
natural environment.
One crosses to the left bank of the Jiva below Duada and now leaves the stream to ascend to Subli (3400 m.), the day’s campsite. This is the primeval habitat of the western tragopan and at dawn the next day we could hear their calls all around us but, sadly, did not make any sighting. The sixth day’s journey is not very exciting: an hour’s trekking brings one to the Kandi Gallu pass (3700 m.), at which point we descended again into the Sainj valley. By evening we reached habitation again- the little village of Bhagikashahri, where we spent the night in a school compound. The next day it is a four hour, 12 km. hike back and down to Neulli and the Sainj river: we had completed a full circle in seven days. The Jiva Nal itself meets the Sainj 10 kms. further downstream at Siund, but it is dead long before that. Its waters have now been trapped somewhere below Duada and diverted into underground tunnels to power the turbines of the Phase I of the Parbati Project(800 MW). This power house is in Siund, whose greenery has now become one solid mass of concrete, rewriting the geology of the area, with disastrous consequences, as we witnessed in July and August this year.
The gods of commerce have arrived in this remote and pristine region to stay. But I much preferred the devta of Duada.
I was fortunate to be a part of this trekking party in July 2004. This trek is worth remembering for many things.
ReplyDeleteRains accompanied us on the steep climb up from Shakti to Satogani thatch and sticky mud that stuck to shoe soles sliding each step back and down by few inches, raising the difficulty level by several degrees. As if to reward us for this accomplishment when we were nearing the end of the cimb, a flock of Monals appeared when we came in the open area above tree line on the steep climb from Shakti to Satogani thatch in the late afternoon.
The talk of the trek was The Toilet Tent and that Toilet Seat accompanying the entire trek. The Toilet Seat was nothing but a plastic chair whose bottom was cut out creating an opening for another opening - human bottom’s and it had a proper toilet seat top ring & cover. Why on earth the seat cover was carried still remains a mystery. Our porters made fun of it having named it as “King’s Chair” and had their own jokes on it. Right on the second day, the King’s Chair was left behind at the tenting site in Satogani thatch infuriating many souls and a party had to be dispatched to fetch it which returned with the prized chair Just in Time at the next location.
On way down from Satogani pass to Sartu meadow, the ankle twisting trail through the ice shattered sharply (upwards) pointing rocks that continuously threatened the derrière of all members of the party should they dare to take eyes off the trek while walking. But yes, once cleared of that dire patch, the trek was gradual and pleasant with plenty of scenic beauties painted by hovering clouds playing with the sunshine. One witnesses dwarf yellow flowered rhododendron shrubs on way down to Sartu meadow.
At Sartu our camp ran out of flour and we borrowed from Gaddi staying a kilometre away. Apparently a nice gesture from the Gaddi but an intense debate ensued. Park Director was aghast firstly at the poor planning of ration for trek, secondly to find a Gaddi in the Park and thirdly to have to borrow from an alleged transgressor. Gaddi argued that he had ancestral rights recorded by Anderson (Settlement Officer of British era) which in his opinion were non-negotiable and non-alienable even by way of compulsory acquisition!
From Sartu we could see the Jiwa Nala crossing point. First party members after crossing the river at dawn, we noticed, were jumping and dancing reasons for which we could not decipher till we crossed it ourselves. Ice cold water nearly froze the blood in every vein in our legs right up to thighs and almost numbing it. Unless one jumped and danced, the blood refused to flow in those vessels.
River crossing was an experience in itself. Water was ice-cold coming directly from the glacier just a few hundred meters upstream; water current was so strong that it could sweep away a single person crossing it. So, we crossed it in batches holding each other hands over shoulder to form a stable bunch and the persons at two extremes used sticks in their one free hand each. And then we too jumped and danced more out of necessity than the ecstasy. The Dance of Jiwa!!!!
We had our breakfast on the banks of Sartu Glacial Pond in the pleasant morning sun and sipped our tea followed well deserved by smoke. Emily fell after this break and thereafter she kept confusing Mooli (raddish) with Neuli in the entire trek.
Contd. . . .
Some vertical rock face crossings along this trek were downright dangerous to life and limbs. But we wondered that this trek was classified by Park Authority at the relevant time merely as “Moderate” and not even as “Strenuous” forget being labeled as “Strenuous and Challenging”.
ReplyDeleteAnother enjoyable part of each trek we had together has been the Breaks after One Hour of trekking accompanied by tea, light dry snacks, joke and smoke.
Our night halt site at Bhagikashahri was located adjacent to the local school which was closed for monsoon vacation. Education Department’s Bara Sahib (author of the blog) wanted to use the School toilet but it was kept locked FOR USE BY HEAD-TEACHER ONLY. Luckily the Up-Pradhan (deputy head of Panchayat) in the village had the duplicate keys for getting it cleaned regularly. So, Bara Sahib’s izzat was saved, ONLY FOR THE TIME BEING.
Being the last evening of the trek, we decided to off load the extra load and sat down to finish Old Monk till late in the evening. Half way through the session, our ration manager appeared with a saturnine look asking us to either drink on the rocks (sans water) or stop drinking because he had almost run out of potable water (just enough left for dinner and to keep in the tents) and it was too dark to send anyone near natural spring over a kilometer away where wild animals roamed. So the Bara Sahib sent them to school thinking there would be drinking water if not for poor students at least for the Head Teacher ONLY. And the bearer came back to announce rather smugly to the Boss that there is no arrangement for potable water there. Along with daroo, Sahib swallowed his pride as well head on the rocks. But then it benefitted the remote village. The kind of no non-sense officer he is, Shukla Sir got toilet for students built immediately on return and guess, with added facility for ‘drinking’ water.
Shringarishi temple on way down to Neuli, where we had lunch and rested there had a tranquility witnessed no were else. All of us felt sleepy and had a siesta in the temple’s wide verandah, which made us trek down to Neuli in the hot sun through a barren rocky slope refracting every Kelvin of the bright sunshine and thus doubly the temperature. Lying on the floor of the Shringarishi temple I reminisced about the Shringarishi Ashram in my native district (Ayodhya) which has two forests ‘Pramod Van’ and ‘Vinod Van’. We both brothers are named after those two forests. So, my destiny of becoming a Forester was determined on the day I was named just a few days from my birth!
We trekkers also pay respect to each devta, Jogini, and local deity’s temple along our trek. So we survived and completed these arduous treks with ease and without any serious injury or impediments. Coming back fully recharged from each trek always added to our efficiency at office and at home.
(Concluded).
Wonderful blog-in- blog by my good friend and colleague MMK, who prefers this pseudonym ( but has given the game away by revealing his first name!). He has added a lot of colour. and punchy anecdotes, thus enriching my blog fleshing it out. Thank you, MMK.
ReplyDeleteThe origin of the Jiva Nal…
ReplyDelete"...winding its way down those smooth white slopes like a necklace on the alabaster bosom of a Nordic beauty."...
is wondrous to read when captured with such a bewitching metaphor.
Avay Shukla deprecates himself when he confesses elsewhere to his risque quotient being high. There is the tender romantic in him who he conceals, yet occasionally sets free, as when he's describing Nature.
What an enchanting route this must be.
Avay Shukla Sir has done a stand-alone blog on Hari Datt Sharma, popularly known as Shastriji who lived in a cave above Sainj river in Shakti village and taught children of Shakti, Shagwar and Marore villages from 1989 till 2002. On a Sainj Valley trek, Shukla ji as super boss of Education Department of HP Govt facilitated conversion of the cave-school into a school building by Sainj rier where Shastri ji taught for only last 6 months of his tenure.
ReplyDeleteShastriji possesses an impressive knowledge of the local folklore, and one particular tale he recounts revolves around a shepherd boy. In this enchanting story, the young shepherd lad passionately describes the mystical qualities of Supakhani, a meadow nestled at an elevation of 3737 meters within the Sainj Valley. He also speaks of the supernatural powers attributed to the dust emanating from Khandedhar, located at approximately 4000 meters near the source of the JiwaNal river: Supakhani okti, Khandedhar ra khera, tabhe lanu bhang bharahar, aapu charanu bhera. The shepherd boy, in his persuasive manner, entices his beloved to venture into the mountains with promises of experiencing the wondrous gifts of nature. He assures her that the medicines found in Supakhani and the magical dust from Khandedhar will provide her with a delightful intoxication, all while he tends to his flock of sheep.
The above narrative captures the essence of Supakhani, the origin of the JiwaNal river, which I had the privilege of touring on three separate occasions during my tenure as Park Director. On my initial journey, I crossed the formidable Phanchi Galu pass from Dwada, on the banks of JiwaNal. Sh Avay Shukla has fondly referred to me with reference to this knee-breaking trek. The Pass stands at an imposing altitude of 4636 meters and leads towards the Parvati Valley. My objective was to investigate reports suggesting that residents of the Sainj Valley were engaged in smuggling cannabis to foreign tourists in the Parvati Valley, utilizing this arduous trail (credit to MMA for this clarification) to evade law enforcement, adding an extra layer of complexity to our mission.
My second tour was to check illegal digging of herbs in the Khandedhar area. We could seize a big hoarding of Dhoop near Sartoo and arrest the culprits. The third tour with Shukla ji included interns from France, Amile and Daniel who volunteered to make a movie on the Great Himalayan National Park. This remarkable film, titled "Voices and Choices at the Great Himalayan National Park," is available for viewing on YouTube, offering viewers an insightful perspective on the park's wonders and conservation efforts.
In his capacity as Forest Secretary to the Government of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Shukla undertook significant efforts to enhance one of the most valuable aspects of the Great Himalayan National Park: its potential for expansion, creating an even more comprehensive and invaluable conservation complex. This endeavor coincided with the initiation of the process for the park's designation as a World Heritage Site, paralleled by another pivotal undertaking: the "Rationalization of Boundaries of the Protected Areas in Himachal Pradesh," which reached completion in 2012.
ReplyDeleteMr. Shukla played a key role in the establishment of the Khirganga National Park, covering an expansive area of 710 square kilometers north of the Great Himalayan National Park. This newly created park encompasses vast tracts of temperate forests, alpine pastures, and glacial terrain. Adjacent to the eastern side of the Park, the Pin Valley National Park, spanning 675 square kilometers, features extensive high-altitude desert landscapes that share many species with Tibet and Central Asia. It has held its protected status since 1988. Similarly, the Kanawar Wildlife Sanctuary (61 square kilometers) and the Rupi Bhabha Wildlife Sanctuary (503 square kilometers), located to the north and south of the Park, respectively, contribute substantial lower-elevation forest habitats to the overall Protected Area network.
The combination of these contiguous or adjacent Protected Areas (total 2854 sq km including 265 sq km of GHNP ecozone) shows that the Great Himalayan National Park is well situated to integrate the management of a much larger expanse of related Protected Areas referred to as the “jewel” of the Western Himalayan landscapes. This combining of adjacent Protected Areas will create wildlife corridors through which unhindered gene-flow of unique endemic and endangered species can be maintained.
While the Great Himalayan National Park is inherently capable of maintaining self-sustaining populations of a wide array of representative species, its interconnectedness with other Protected Areas and Reserved Forests plays a pivotal role in ensuring the long-term security of a diverse range of species, including those with expansive habitats. Consequently, the park enjoys highly favorable physical and biological links to several pre-existing contiguous and adjacent Protected Areas. This interconnectedness not only facilitates practical opportunities for further consolidation but also the expansion of the park into an even larger and significantly more valuable conservation entity.
I am indeed grateful to Sanjeeva for adding so much depth and perspective to this blog (and to the GHNP) with his comments. Foresters like Sanjeeva are rare to come by and no one has a better understanding of the GHNP, of which he was the Director for many years. It was our joint dream to create a biosphere nature reserve/ zone in this area of Kullu-Lahaul Spiti by connecting the gaps between the various Protected Areas there- GHNP, Pin Valley National Park, Kanawar WLS, Rupi Bhabha WLS, and Sainj WLS. We have succeeded to some extent with the creation of the Kheer Ganga and Inderkilla National Parks, just before I retired! It's a legacy worth treasuring, for both of us.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, Sir. These are very encouraging words for me. Great Regards.
ReplyDeleteThe outstanding ground (leg) work by Sri Sanjeeva Pandey over a couple of decades and with critical encouragement and support of Sri Avay Shukla have consolidated several prime protected areas into what is now known as the GHNP Conservation Area, a priceless jewel in the West Himalayan landscape and aptly a UNESCO World Heritage site. The GHNPCA is an immense natural, national treasure sustaining which in turn brings enormous responsibility, principally on the Widlife Wing of the Forest department. Like all natural treasures, the GHNPCA is also very fragile and vulnerable to biotic and climate change. Tourism, as is presently being pushed could quickly threaten its core values and status.
ReplyDeleteWhile so much of the GHNPCA "jewel" status has been driven by remarkable individual efforts, there appears to be an urgent need to review and shore up the institutional - management structure to provide multi-disciplinary back up necessary to successfully handle the many challenges and looming risks that lie ahead.
Interesting read. Like you said, "it is truly a testimony to the rejuvenating powers of nature." The only sore thumb I found was "The gods of commerce have arrived ........ " First time here and hope to catch up on some more blog posts.
ReplyDelete