Trek to Roopkund - Part 2

Day 2 - 16th September : Lohajung to Didna

The next morning greets us with cloudy skies. There is no Vodafone signal at Lohajung, only Idea and BSNL. So I borrow Vaishali’s phone and call my mom to tell her not to expect any calls from me for the next 6 days. People who don’t want the added weight of their rucksacks during the trek can hire a mule to carry them. Some of us take that option. But for me, it’s just not a trek if there is no rucksack on my back. I have tried to make mine as light as possible, it weighs just about 10 kgs. I feel pretty confident I can carry it all the way.

There are many ardent bird-watchers in our group, and they are delighted when they see a variety of birds on the trees nearby. There are a lot of enthusiastic discussions about the different birds. But for me, a dove is a step brother of a pigeon, and that’s where my knowledge of birds ends. I look at the birds that are pointed out to me anyway; a Red Minivet is the only one I remember.

After breakfast, Sandeep introduces us to Sardar bhai, he’s our trek guide who’ll lead the way. At about 9 o’clock, everybody lines up along the pathway of the guest house, and Mahesh bhai cracks open a coconut as an offering to the gods. It is best to have God in your corner when out in the elements. Finally we are on our way.

Today our destination is Didna Village, which we can see on the mountain in front of us for a few seconds when the clouds clear up. So we have to descend down the mountain on which Lohajung is located, cross a river called Neel Ganga, and then ascend a mountain to reach Didna. We have not been given any packed lunch. As always, when on a trek, food is my first concern.

‘When do we get to eat next?’ I ask.

‘Lunch will be served at Didna. The sooner you reach there, the sooner you eat,’ Sandeep replies. Point taken - if you are hungry, walk fast :).

Raun Bagad

We first walk to Kuling village, from where the downward trail starts. The descent is simple enough. There is a fairly easy track of stones built by the villagers for whom this is an everyday route. Descending always makes me feel that I am paying a tribute to Dev Anand, what with all the sideways stepping and flailing arms. In about an hour, we reach Raun Bagad, where the Neel Ganga river spreads out a little forming a rock-strewn bed.  

The mule owners with their mules, carrying the tents and the kitchen equipments overtake us here. They start after us and would reach the destination and set up camp before we reach. From Raun Bagad, the ascent starts. The sun has now started to peep out of the clouds, and it is getting very hot. After a little while, when we stop for a short rest, Sandeep points out the Curzon Trail to me. Lord Curzon had explored this area; this trail starts from Lohajung, goes via Kunwari Pass all the way up to Joshimath. The Curzon Trail is one of the popular trekking trails in this part of the Himalays. We were supposed to follow it for some time, but the way is blocked because of a landslide.

The house at Didna

The trail that we have to follow instead is simple enough, and I am able to maintain a good pace and reach Didna by 2 in the afternoon. At Didna, we have to stay in a small house which is rented out to us for the night. Mahesh bhai et al have already reached there, and have the lunch ready. One by one everyone arrives. There is a small stream flowing nearby, and I decide to dip my feet into it for a little while. But I cannot keep my feet in for more than a few seconds.... the water is freezing cold.

Our very own David Blaine

Soup and roasted papads are served in the evening. Sandeep 

tells us the golden rule of mountaineering – climb high and sleep low. This simply means that for better acclimatization, one should go to a higher altitude and then return a little lower to camp and sleep. So he sends us all to take a walk up the mountain for half an hour. But being the lazy bums that we are, we come back in 10 minutes. Sandeep tries to coax us into going further, but none of us are in the mood. Now its show time. He has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, and a pack of cards is all he needs. He shows us a lot of magic tricks, which make us freak out with astonishment. We beg him to teach us those tricks, and he promises that he would when all of us reach back to Lohajung.

It has started raining slightly now, and our party moves indoors. The conversation takes a most interesting turn. Ravi tells about a village in India called Dronagiri where Lord Hanuman is not worshipped, because he uprooted the Dronagiri mountain from this village. There is a village which follows the ‘Pandav’ custom – every girl in that village has more than one husband. A village in Laddakh is believed to be inhabited by people of pure Aryan origin. There are temples of gods in India with specializations, a god for all pending court cases, and a god for visa applications. India is indeed an interesting country. It would take more than a few lifetimes to explore every nook and corner of this land. Sandeep tells us about his experiences at National Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi, where he learned mountaineering skills. I find this conversation extremely interesting, such a refreshing change from the talks of politics and scandals. As I go to sleep at night, I thank god again for letting me be in this place at this time.