Kaluk, Rinchengpong and Pelling

I am six months pregnant and impatient for a trip to the mountains. I realised it will be another year before I will be able to travel again. Indra too had some leaves coming up. Overriding all the objections raised by family and friends we planned ahead for our trip. Both of our parents decided to join us, just to make sure we don't overdo it.

Our destination was around five hours drive from N.J.P. We took the Padatik express and reached N.J.P around 9:00 am. It was Holy that day. Jalpaiguri was washed with colors. Soon we left the city streets behind us and entered the world of forests.The familiar sight of the Teesta river washed away all our fatigue. We stopped a little after Sevoke at a roadside restaurant for lunch. This restaurant is situated along the steep bank of Teesta. It is a beautiful spot and a convenient stop, as the only restaurant for the next couple of hour or so. After lunch we started on a very uncomfortable drive.

The road conditions were horrendous. Even in the front seat, I was very uncomfortable, with my tiny baby bump rolling back and forth with every porthole in the road. We did not expect the roads to be this bad. The driver said that after winter, the roads have been like this. However, the scenery made up for the road conditions. Far down in the valley, we could see the narrow blue strip of river Rangit flowing through the golden paddy fields. Soon the view would hide behind a seemingly impenetrable walls of the forests. The road was a tapestry of uneven patches of sun and shadow.

Soon we were in Rinchengpong, the small village before Kaluk. Kaluk is essentially a collection of three resorts, and a few shops and a taxi-stand that had developed around them. The narrow lane that leads to the resorts is more like a slide in the playground. It flows like a waterfall following the easiest route downward. According to my father-in-law, we don't need jails in the plains if we had places like this. We could just shove the prisoners down this lane and they will never be able to climb back.




Our Suite                                          Copyright@ 2011 Indranil Banerjee

After the long drive it was a relief to get settled in our rooms. We were given a beautiful suite, complete with a small kitchenette, a sitting room and a bedroom with on-suite. The  There is a small balcony leading from the bedroom, from where you could get an uninterrupted view of the mountains beyond. Tea was served in beautiful tea-cups, depicting Tibetan tales. The setting sun was casting long shadows in the mountains all around us. The birds were busy doing some last minute collection before they settled for the night.



Kaluk                                                          Copyright@ 2011 Indranil Banerjee

Our resort, the Ghonday Village Resort, is nestled in a quiet niche between two mountains, with a 270 degrees view. The mountain just in front of us is home to the city of Pelling. As night closed in, small lights appeared on the mountainside, like tiny fireflies lighting up a tree. The evening passed pleasantly as India beat West Indies by a good margin. Soon Indra and my father-in-law started their old dispute over which one is a better team (my father-in-law is a staunch supported of the West Indian team). A hot debate over steaming tea and pakoras, surrounded with family, is the best way of spending the evening.




Ghonday Village Resort                                                          Copyright@ 2011 Indranil Banerjee

The night comes suddenly in the mountains. As the wind picked up, the temperature dropped rapidly, shooing us indoors. I still risked spending sometime in the balcony. The scene before us was magical. Small lights were unevenly sprinkled all over the hill in front of us. Beyond the hill, the night sky seemed to have frozen into a thick veil of clouds, behind which hides the mighty Kanchenjunga. Sometimes the clouds would slip and a faint outline of the peaks would appear. It seemed the mountains were playing pee-a-boo with us.





The Night Sky                                                                                                           Copyright@ 2011 Indranil Banerjee

Unfortunately, the clouds decided to stay on. We woke before dawn next day to get a good view of the peaks. We only managed a sneak peak. The air was thick with an invisible mist, that blurred our vision. But we did catch the sun kissing snowy tops with its first rays.







Sunrise from Kaluk                                Copyright@ 2011 Indranil Banerjee

If you see the photograph displayed in the dining area, you will be able to appreciate the view that the lucky ones get. Kaluk offers an extremely good view of the Kanchenjunga range. Although we could not see the whole range altogether, some pockets in the passing clouds allowed us to see the individual mountains.






Mt. Kanchenjunga                                   Copyright@ 2011 Indranil Banerjee



Soon the mountains were hidden from our view and we set out in search of food. The resort offers a good choice of breakfast. However, they need to be informed beforehand about our lunch or dinner preferences, because the market is quiet faraway. The rest of the day was taken up by an excursion to Rinchenpong. Indra and my father decided to walk, while the rest of us took the car.






Rinchengpong Monastery                         Copyright@ 2011 Indranil Banerjee

It is surprising how things that does not tempt us in the city, becomes irresistible in a tourist spot. We were determined to buy something for our family back home. Unfortunately, Rinchengpong is a tiny place with three or four shops. We selected a small shop which sells almost everything you can think of- umbrellas, toys, shoes, food items, cutlery's, clothes, buckets, and much more. We also noticed a bird peacefully building a nest near the roof. Apparently the bird nest only inside houses and enjoys a free reign in the shop.




Bird in the shop                                                                                                         Copyright@ 2011 Indranil Banerjee

We were interested in the tea-cups we had seen in the hotel. It was very difficult to find a pair, let alone a whole set. So, we concentrated on matching the colors. As we wrapped our shopping, Indra and my Dad came in view, closely followed by two dogs. They went on to view the Rinchenpong Monastery. But they found it locked and deserted. We returned back to the resort before lunch. It was a rest-day, so we spent the rest of the day watching birds. It would be great if I could identify these beautiful birds. I request the readers to help me identify these birds for me.


 

Birds                                                                                                                             Copyright@ 2011 Indranil Banerjee     

 

Day 3
After a day's rest, we were are all geared up for sightseeing. Our primary focus was the Pemayangtse Monastery. One the way we visited a bridge built high on the mountains and a waterfall. The bridge was allright, but the waterfall was a bit of a letdown. I always think that the falls that are selected for tourists are not impressive, mostly because they select to popularize the falls that are near the road. It is definitely more easy than building a road to a much impressive fall. However, we had a very good cup of tea in a newly built tea-shop and had a good chat with the girls minding the shop.

The Pemayangtse monastery is a fine specimen of Tibetan architecture. It is one of the oldest and important monasteries in West Sikkim. Inside, the overhanging tapestries, colorful wall painting and small candles create a magical atmosphere. It is easy to close your eyes and lose yourself in your thoughts, or not think at all. Just let the peace seep in.



Pemayangtse Monastery                                                                                                 Copyright@ 2011 Indranil Banerjee     

The monatery is built on the top of a hill overlooking a large section of the surrounding countryside. The rolling hills, covered in a thick carpet of green, will take your breath away. You can also see the ruins of the old palace, which was our next destination. My parents and Indra went to see the ruins while the rest waited in the car. The steep climb was not advisable in my condition.

We had lunch in the city of Pelling. The city also boasts a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside, it cannot rival the view of the Kanchenjunga range from Kaluk. We congratulated ourselves for the selecting Kaluk. If you wish to spend some quiet time with family, away from the city-crowd, Kaluk is a good choice.

 

Sunderbans

Day 1
We who live on the Bengal plains are very fortunate. We have the mighty Himalayas on the north and the luscious Sunderbans on the south, are rare geographical treat enjoyed by no other state in India. Infact, the great Bengal plains owe its existence to the Sunderbans, which stops the Bay of Bengal from eroding away the plains. It also bears the brunt of the storms brought in by the sea every year.

In 2009 winter, we booked a three day tour of the Sunderbans. We boarded a bus from Kolkata, which took us to the Goshaba port in 3 hrs. Then we boarded a launch bound for the our island resort. The great rive Ganges breaks into hundreds of channels before reaching the sea. These sluggish channels deposit enormous amounts of silt along its banks, sometimes creating islands. These islands are sometimes huge and some are just tiny. Some of the islands are hidden under water, creating deadly traps for the boats and launches that are the primary mode of transport in the Sunderbans. We were headed for one of the bigger, more permanent island which has villages, cultivation lands and resorts. It is one of the few islands in the Sunderbans used for commercial purposes.

We were travelling with our respective parents and a cousin. There were three other families onboard. Soon we were exchanging pleasantries and biscuits. We had the whole launch to ourselves, a stark contrast to the other passenger launches which seemed to almost dissappear under a thick cover of passengers. Theser rivers can be really dangerous in the monsoon. Even in the winter it was difficult to the see the other shore. We were travelling along the shore and I noticed that the other boats were doing the same. The Sareng (captain of the boat) told us that the middle part of the river usually holds all the hidden islands (chora). If a boat is stuck in one of these, it will have to wait for the hide tide or enlist the aid of another boat to free it. The high tide in the Sunderbans comes twice, followed by two low tides. Every high tide raises the water level by a few meters and submerges many islands and completely obliterates numerous channels.

We soon reached a huge water body which looked like the ocean. Huge waves swept across the surface and the shore on the both sides were invisible. We were told that the ocean was still 5hrs away. We cannot help imagine how it must feel to cover this distance in a small boat in the monsoons. The people of Sunderbans lead the fiercest battle against nature in the course of their day-to-day life than any other in India.

Soon the typical vegetation of the Sunderbans came into view. The trees were short, with strong roots sticking out of the mud around them. The whole scene looked so different than any other vegetation I had seen in India. The ground looked completely full of these protuding structures with sharp points. It did not seem navigable at all by foot. Then their is the constant threat of wild animals, especially the Royal Bengal tigers. Sunderbans boasts the largest tiger population in India and each one of them is said to be a man-eater. Each year thousands of people become their victims, as they go deep into the forest in search of firewood and honey.

It was late in the afternoon when we reached our resort island. We docked in the lower jetty, which is used during the low tide. The whole stairway leading to the shore was slippery and full of mud. We reached the deck on a small wooden platform perched against the boat railing. Our resort was only a few meters away. It was a beautiful collection of one-bedroom cottages, each with its own garden. There were three little ponds full of fishes and frogs. Their was a huge dinning area where we had a great lunch. As we were not going out that day, we decided to spend our time exploring the island.

A small village path, lined by solar powered lights, led us to a small village. Indra and Rajada started a conversation with a man sitting outside his hut. Our first question was regarding the tiger. The man said that he had seen many tigers during his fishing trips. The tiger used to cross the river from the jungle across it and visit the village a long time ago. But then the river became wider, too wide for a tiger to swim across. However, the shore across the river fall under the tiger reserve-a forest reserved for the conservation of tigers.

The water in there rivers are too salty, due to the close proximity to the sea. The land consequenty becomes too salty for cultivation following any flood. For this reason, their main livelyhood comes from fishing. And this is how they become the victim of the tiger.

Day 2
The next morning was beautiful. Their was a humid chilly feel to the air, which usually comes when your are near a water body. Coupled with it was the flowers and buzzing bees. Early in the morning, a resort employee got us some fresh Khejur Rosh. This is a juice gathered from the date palm trees. It is safe to drink only in the early hours of the morning. As the day progressed, the juice ferments to form a very potent alchoholic drink, popular all across bengal.

We were to spend the whole day on the launch, so we started early. We were headed for an tiger reserve and viewing point at the southernmost tip, near the Mohana (where river meets the sea). It is said that Behula (mythological figure who set out in a boat with her husbands dead body, who died of snakebite, to bring him back from the dead) got her husband back here. It is a desolate place, where only the bravest fishermen venture out in their small boats. As were neared the place, we knew why. The wind that swept across the water gave rise to gigantic waves in which our launch seemed like a twig caught in a storm. These waters and jungles are not meant for the human. It is fit only for tigers and wild boars.

We reached the tiger reserve area safely. From the very jetty, the path is lined by high wire fences, which can be crossed only by monkeys. Infact the path is line by the tiny monkeys, which can be seen on the shores, picking tiny invisible things from the ground and straight into their mouth. Anything they get/snatch from the tourists is a bonus. The path took us to a viewpoint three stories high. We stayed their for some time but could not see anything, save the beautiful landscape. We could see the river twisting and turning around the green patches, impatient to the greenish blue horizon stretched out before us. On our way back, our guide spotted some pug marks near the fence. They said it was made the night before. One our way back, I spotted our first wildlife. I saw one beautiful deer eating the leaves of one of the trees. It was climbing on its hind legs to reach the highest branches. We saw a few more deer on the way.

Now dusk was approaching fast. As we entered one of the narrow channels, where we had seen a day old pug mark earlier, our boat go stuck. It was almost dusk and the shore was just a few metres away. In the dying light, the sharp details blurred and every bush seemed to conceal a tiger. This is what we call 'Jekhane Bagher Bhoi Shekanei Shondha Hoi' (Where there is a tiger, dusk comes quicker). If we don't get out, we will have to wait till dawn for the hightide or a boat to rescue us. The boat was open in all the sides. The cabin underneath had no doors and could not possible hold all of us. For half an hour we waited with abated breaths while the Sareng tried his best to take us out. Finally, with a mighty jerk, the boat lurched forward and we heaved a collective sign of relieft.

We returned to our resort to spend a nice evening full of adda and television. Little did we know what new adventures awaited us the next day.

Day 2
The day started on a sombre note as my father-in-law was not well. He decided to stay behind, accompanied with my mother-in-law.

Today we intended to take a trip to the sea. It was extremely chilli. We sat in the sun, so much that the boat tilted in that direction. The Sareng requested some of us to shift to the other side to maintain the equilibrium. We were served hot tea and were entertained with tales of the jungle. As we travelled we noticed that in some islands, a single red cloth was tied to a tree. It seemed that this red cloth indicated a human kill at the hands of the tiger, to warn off further excursions into the forest. But life is hard in the Sunderbans. We could see women wading waist-deep in water with net designed to catch crabs in that chilli weather. Every single catch is vital for thier existence.

As we neared the ocean, we ventured into a huge river, which we thought to be the ocean. But it was just another river. When we actually came to the ocean, we thought it was another river. After all that confusion and a little feeling of dissappointment,  we turned back. The Sareng took us along the shores of the islands skirting the core area. We saw a few dears, some eagles, birds and numerious kingfishers. But the legendary tiger was still elusive. The terrible noise that the boat makes is likely to drive all the wildlife away. The best way is to take a fishing boat out in the wee hours of the morning. However, that is very risky, as tigers are great swimmers and are known to pick people from their boats.

When we reached Sudhanyakhali, the day was on the wane. We paid our respects at the Banbibi mandir situated near the entry and headed for the watch-tower. We saw that some major construction work was going on inside the enclosure. Apparently they were putting up some new rooms for tourists. We failed to notice how a small pile of rubble was getting piled up on the other side of the fence, creating a small mould which almost reached the top of the fence. Two days later, back in Kolkata, we read how a tiger had climbed up this small pile of rubble and climbed over the fence, into the enclosure. It then proceeded to maul two people. It was a miracle that nobody was killed.

The watch tower is situated near the fence,with a narrow staicase leadin up to a platform two stories high. Long strips of the jungle had been cleared to from a huge plus sign, with the tower at the center. This way the torists can see the animals as they cross the clearing between the two jungle patches. Just as we climbed the stairs of the watch tower, we saw two deers drinking in the small pond just outside the fence. Sensing our presence, they scampered off in a hurry. Moments later, something resting in the shore, slid into the water with a swish. We could only see it snout protruding out of the water. Maybe it was a crocodile. We could hardly contain our excitement when a Takshak (large land lizard) curled itself in a nice ball on the shore and went to sleep. Indra's binocular was passed from hand to hand to get a better view. Soon we saw a huge wild boar in the clearing. Suddenly another Takshak came into view, painfully crossing the clearing just ahead of us. The clearing on our right was teeming with something red. We soon discovered they were wild crabs. It seemed that the whole place was teeming with wild life. We left after all the animals had disappeared and it was time to go home. The sun was setting and this was not a good time to be in the jungle.

At our request the resort had arranged of a Ban Bibi pala (a play) that night. We thoroughly enjoyed the tale of Dukhe and how he was tricked into going into the jungle to become another victim of the tiger, Dakshinray. But his mother's prayers and that of Dukhe brought the jungle goddess, Ban Bibi, to his rescue. The plot was unfolded great skill by the actors who doubled as the musicians.  What a perfect end to a wonderful day.

The next day we said goodbye to Sunderbans with a heavy heart and headed home.

Lachung-Yumthang Valley-Zero Point

Lachung
We returned back to Lachen well after lunch-time. After partaking a filling meal of  roti, dal and chicken, we headed for Lachung. We went down the same route that took us up and reached Chungthang in little over 2 hrs. Then we started climbing again keeping Lachung Cho to our right. Prakash told us that Lachung Cho is considered to be an important source of Teesta.

Lachung is pretty big for a hill village. Most of its houses offer home-stay facilities and their are some very good resorts as well. The village, like most villages on the hills, looked selft-sufficient. You can see cows and roosters in all the houses. Some houses also had small paddy fields in their courtyards. Every available space is used for cultivation.

From our room on the top of the resort we could see the jagged peaks of the opposite mountain reaching for the stars. It's jagged peaks are too steep to gather snow, so it look more like a granite wall that a mountain. However, its lower slopes sports a lush green carpet upon which we could see the tiny figures of Indian army cadets moving about. We could not see the peak of the mountain we were on, but we could see tine springs comming down form caves higher above us. Ofter the view is blocked by the coloful flags whipping crazily in the wind. In the soft hues of the setting sun, we could only get a glimpse of the beauty all around, but the promise of the morning beauty was etched deep in the surrounding landscape.

The night turned out to be a long one. The electricity took its cue from the sun and was soon off. Luckily we had a few candles with us. Withoutv light it is difficult for us to pass the time, especially when walking on the road becomes dangerous due to low visibility. So, we decided to call it a day.

Yumthang Valley
The Yumthang valley is famous for its flowers. The road leading to the valley is bordered with rhododendron forests, now in full bloom. The small trees were almost bowed over with the weight of the flowers. It is hard to believe that such beautiful colors are possible. Red is the most common color. But as you go uphill, you will find more colors. We passed these beautiful forests and push on higher up. Our first destination was the Zero point, or Yumesamdong, which is reputed to have snowa all round the year, a big treat for people like us who had never seen snow before. The road again took us above the treeline into a world of boulders. Just before we reached Zero Point, we had to cross a stream on car, the original bridge being swept away a few days back. We were at the mercy of nature. If the water increased on our way back, we will not be able to cross back in this way.

Zero Point
It was well worth the trouble. The beautiful vista that greeted us was simply out of this world. The black mountain backdrop made a stark contrast for the heaps of snow piled here and there. But what surprised me was the number of vendors waiting to greet the visitors. You can easily have your lunch here. Although we stopped only for some tea. after tea we set out to explore the valley in front of us. It was not full of flowers, but we could see tiny streams, sometimes covered with a thin sheet of ice, running across the valley. We walked to the nearest hillside to play in the snow for some time. It was a chilli day. Soon we were shivering in the wind that swept across the valley. Slowly we made our way to our car.

Our next stop was near the Lachung Cho stream. We spent some time near the river and had some Wai Wai in the tea-stall nearby. The whole atmosphere smelt of leisure and peace. Nobody seemed to be in a hurry. Even the day itself seemed to drag itself towards dusk. On our way back we took some beautiful photograph of the rhododendron forests, and in the process unwittingly chased away a few wild yaks. Indra gave the sole credit for this feat to me. It seems I was the most scary thing around their. Soon it was time to go home. It was our last night in Lachung. Tomorrow we will head for Gantok, and the next day we will catch our train at NJP.

Gangtok-Lachen-Thangu- Lake Gurudongmar

Reaching Gangtok

Our Gangtok tour was planned in leisure. Our main focus was lake Gurudongmar, and the rest of the trip was planned around it. Lake Gurudongmar lies in the northern part of Sikkim, just a few kilometers from the Indo-China border. As it was late April, we also hoped to see the beautiful rhododendron forests of the Yumthang valley.

To visit north Sikkim, it is always easier to go in a package-tour with one of the tour operators. The tour-package includes transport, meals and lodging. Higher up in the mountain it is very difficult to arrange for meals and transport on your own, owing to the remote conditions and high prices. We booked our tour in advance from Kolkata. However, you can get it done from Gangtok as well. The north Sikkim trip usually starts from Gangtok, which is situated in the centre of the state. We planned to spend a day Gangtok, one in Lacheng, two in Lachung and then return to back to Gangtok to spend another night there.

The primary expenditure in this trip was the transportation cost. Due to the road conditions high up in the mountains, we were advised to use a four-wheel drive. If you have a big group, the price per person goes down, provided they all fit in the same car. How ever, it was just me and Indra, so we had to spend around 20,000 per head for this three day trip. However, we were provided with a guide who turned out to be invaluable.

We boarded the Guahati bound Garibrath Express at around 10 pm in the night to start what turned out to be one of the longest and most uncomfortable train journey's of my life. Our last-moment bookings got us the upper and middle- berths on the side of the train, which generally has only two berths. So, in order to fit ourselves in the space provided, we had to curve our body in a small semi-circle, with the tips of our legs and head sticking out. We were scheduled to reach NJP by 6:00 am. But as it turned out, at 6:00am next day we were stuck in a hartaal in a station called Samsi. We were told that almost all the trains on this route were stuck, and most of them, like ours, did not have a panty. As the morning progressed, we started to get very hungry. The station's meagre resourse of banana and peanut soon ran out and as the news spread villagers started to bring whatever food they could lay their hands on and started selling them at exhorbitant prices. It seemed soon we will see merry-go-rounds, face-painting and other stalls on the platform. It was nearly noon before the lines cleared. By the time the train reached the next halt we were ready to eat the luggage. Fortunately a dosa-wallah appeared like an angel and saved us all.

We reached NJP at 3.00 am, we still had enough sunlight to reach Gangtok. The New Jalpaiguri station is like any other city in Bengal, full of people and smart houses. But as we left the city behind and entered the evergreen forests, the whole atmosphere changed in a moment. The road looks like a shiny strip of ribbon  circling the green hem of the foothills.

Right after you cross the doars forests you will reach the Himalayan foothills. We started climbing the hills from Sevoke, a small millitary town at on the banks of the Tista river. From there we had the river as our constant companion. As we climbed, the temperature went down and we could finally relax. The green mountains slowly turned into blue haze, and small dots of lights started appearing in the mountain villages, looking like a diyas, carefully places all along the steep slopes.

Today was clearly not our day. Just as the city of Gangtok came in view, we got stuck in a traffic jam.  We were in Ranipool at that time, a big town on the hill next to Gangtok. A major accident and a fallen tree had closed a major artery. In the mountains, a single road-block can bring the whole region into a stand-still. It took us three hours to cross what usually takes only 20 mins. We reached our hotel at 9 and immediately sat down for dinner which the restaurant staff had to kindly kept hot for us. Then it was beddiebyes for us.

Gangtok
Gangtok has many attractions. Its M.G.Marg is the shopping hub. It also has a great restaurant. It is also a great place to hunt for souvenirs. It also has a ropeway booth, which will take you across the mountain over the city. The other places of interest are the orchid show in the nursery and the Rumtek monastery a few miles away.

Reaching Lachen
In the morning we were rewarded by a clear view of the majestic Kanchenjunga. We could only see the great white peak towering over the deep green foothills, but it was enough to make our day. We went out for a walk to watch the city catch the first rays of the sun. The city fell steeply down to disappear along the curve. From what we could see, the city is extremely well planned and neat. Even the minor streets had sidewalks. The streets were lined with all sorts of shops and hotels. Even at the time in the morning, most of the city was awake, preparing for a busy day.

Later that morning our guide Prakash and driver Solong Lachungpa collected us from our hotel. We drove to a market where they loaded huge quantities of food on the car.  We were surprised and a bit daunted to see that they were even loading potatoes, sugar and rice. Indra smilingly observed that it seemed we were heading for the very edge of the civilization. After that, we stopped to get our permits. These permits were arranged by our tour operators.

We started at around 10:00 am and took the north Sikkim highway. The highway is maintained by the Army and is mostly in great condition. However, at some places we could see mountain streams flowig over the road. We stopped at some places like the Seven Sister falls and some other small falls to take some pictures. We had lunch at a small family run restaurant, which served us beautiful rotis and sabji in what turned out to be their drawing room.This house also has wonderful gardens. We found out that the house is owned by a retired botanist, who runs a nursery as well as a restaurant in his house.

The after-lunch drive put us into a fitful daze. Now and then we would wake up see the road, lined with golden fields or small huts, hiding behind the next bend. The villages here are very neat, and often we would cross school kids slowing trekking down or up the mountain to return to their homes. Prakash told us that kids here walk around 4-5 miles to attend schools everyday.

We stopped at Mangan to show our permits. It was almost 5 pm when we reached Chungthang. Chungthang is a small settlement from which the roads to Lachen and Lachung divides. We stopped here for a cup of tea. When we went to pay for some snacks we bought for the road (tea was arranged by Prakash), the lady minding the shop took joined her hands together and took the money in the same way a Buddhisht monk might accept alms. This method of collecting money or any offering is seen throughout the hills.

As we left the city, we could see the snowy peaks were already drenched in the pink hues of the setting sun. The road to Lachen rises fast, with hair-raising hair-pin bends easing the gradient. And while you are climbing, it is very common to jerk to a stop to make way for the vehicles comming down. If the road was scary in the twilight, it became nightmarish after nightfall. The only light we could see, save the occasional glimmer of lanterns comming from roadside huts, was the stars. The only thing we could hear was the water flowing down. We were told the name of the stream was Lachen Cho, where Cho means water. The darkness and the silence all around us was daunting. It seemed to take us forever to reach Lachen.

Dinner was served almost immediately after we reached. While we had dinner, Prakash entertained us with tales of Gurudongmar. He told us how a 70 year old gentleman from Kolkata comes every year to visit the lake. He also warned us about not to do any sudden physical exersion near the lake, as the thin air in the higher altitude takes a heavy toll on the oxygen level of the body. The stopover at Lachen is intented to acclamatize the body to the rarefied atmosphere but it is not enough. He told us how a group of young boys got very excited and started running. One of them fainted immediately and had to be rushed down to a lower altitude immediately. However, he assured us that if we feel unwell, getting back inside the car will help. He told us how the lake healing water solves most health problems and very good for couples who are trying for a baby. He looked at me when he said this. I belive in his eyes, at 28, I must be having difficulties in having a baby. In fact, in higher altitudes, infertily is common problem, and the lake waters are fabled to cure this.

Lake Gurudongmar
We started for lake Gurudongmar around 4:00 in the morning. The road wound in and out of green hills with predictable monotony until we noticed how the trees were becomming sparse. Soon we could see only tufts of grass sticking out of from the frozen earth, where the only source of movement came from the rushing water and Indian millitary. After an hour or so, spotting a blade of grass or a bird became a challenge. And all this time the snow peaks kept coming near. Suddenly we came upon a wide open space stretched between the mountain peaks towering just behind the steep hillside bordering the valley.

Nestled in this abode of Gods is a small town named Thangu. Essentially it is an odd collection of huts that serve as a resting place for the tourists. It is also a routine stop for people bound for the Gurudongmar lake, which helps in acclamatization. In the early morning sun, this place looked magical. Snowy peaks and the almost black earth contrasted sharply to give this place an out of this world look. The people too seemed a product of the earth they serve. The owner of the shop where we were served breakfast had some many lines on his face that it was difficult to distinguish his features. His daughter can be seen standing in front of a huge stove, alternately heating water and butter, which frosted over before it reached our table. Prakash and Solong also had their breakfast, huddled around the fire. The old owner told us that in winter they all move to a lower altitude. In the summer they can only grow potatoes in the barren soil. The primary source of income came from the tourists.

As we chatted, a family of five came in. The youngest member of this family was a six-month old clinging on to her mother's arm. The lady in the shop asked the mother if she intended to take the baby higher up to the lake. An affirmative answer was followed by sharp warning from the former, asking the mother to stay back. The family pushed on nonetheless. We soon followed after getting warm wishes from stall owner and his daughter. Just after we left Thangu, we started following the ri ver upstream over a sea of boulders. After around an hour we stopped again in a millitary shelter. Prakash said this was a measure to gauge the effect of altitude on the visitor. We were advised to move around to see how we were doing. Soon Indra was chatting with a jawan. He told us how desolate this place is in the winter and how the human body can survive only an year in this altitude before they are posted elsewere. What a tough life our Jawans lead to ensure our safety.

We were feeling allright, so we decided to push onwards. Now we were travelling across a huge valley full of boulders. The car hopped from one boulder to another and in this way we moved forward. Solong was unfaced. He continued to chat and laugh and hum the tune blasted from the stereo while negotiating a ground fit for the goats and yaks. This must be how the surface of Mars feels like. After going on for what seemed forever on this ground, we came upon a huge field surrounded by peaks. Prakash said that the lake lies behind the huge rise right in front of us. We sat straight in our seats. This huge field reminded me of the barren plains of Purulia, save the cold and wind. We were told that after midday the army sends all the tourists back as the wind becomes so strong that small boulders start flying.

As we crested the rise, a small clearing came into view, full of tourist vehicles. And right below it was the clear blue waters of the sacred lake. The lake surface stood absolutely still, with the sparkling snowy peaks reflected in its waters. It's beauty is hard to capture in words or picture. You can only store it in your mind, to be remembered on some bleak cloudy day, as I am doing today.

Indra climbed down the banks with Prakash to get some pictures. I stayed put on the bank to soakin the atmosphere. It is an irony that where nature makes her toughest stand, you get to see her greatest beauty. The blue sky can turn black in a moment and the crisp air can chill you to death if you are caught out without shelter. But all this seems impossible heavenly atmosphere, where the peaceful lake shines with divine grace.

Too soon it was time to go. The ticking clock and your choppy breath pulls your steps towards the car. We turn back with a solemn promise of comming back again. On the way back, each one of us, except Solang slept soundly. The altitude take a heavy toll on your resources.