 |
|
ADVENTURE
THE Sahastradhara (a Dehra Dun Tourist spot at 3200 ft) — Dhanaulti-(9000 feet) trail in the Uttaranchal hills was a 26-km-long trek. My companion, Pankaj, and I covered it in a 10-hour stretch over two days. We started early in the morning, armed with the normal camping equipment of rucksacks, folding tent, sleeping bags and ready-to-eat food, snacks and drinks. The start was steady. We conquered the steep altitude with nimble strides. We were on our way to Surana, the first habitation on the track. The track was dry, steep, full of grime/stones and bereft of good soil cover. Vegetation was sparse, tree cover rare. The trek was disappointing. Two hours later, we were in Surana, our first real halt. About an hour later, we reached a small gushing rivulet at Bhainsakhal, crossing Chamroli en route. After the dry stretch of Surana/Chamroli, the green terraced fields watered by this river provided abundant relief. We washed our faces in the
cool water, splashed our feet, shot snaps, had paranthas and were
on our feet again. It was a steep climb. The cloud cover and the cool
wind provided a good setting for a steady climb up the second and third
hills of this stretch. The vegetation cover got thicker. The village
trail, strewn with fallen leaves, improved considerably. We came across
two Himachali youths who were accompanying their flock of sheep. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
We pitched in our tents in the village school as curious children and elders gathered around us. Upon persuasion by the villagers, we decided to stay in the house of a teenaged boy, who seemed only too happy to provide bed and supper.
There was no electricity in the village. Despite electrification, the village actually got electricity for only 40-50 hours in a month. There was no piped water supply, so WCs were out of question. There was a primary school, a local shop and a health centre manned by an allopath. Next morning, we started early, at 6. It was drizzling. It was a three-hour trek to Dhanaulti. The vegetation got thicker as we walked briskly. It was much more comfortable walking this stretch as it involved a steady climb up the last two hills to Dhanaulti than the previous day’s climb up to Surana. We spotted a few wild cocks and vultures on the way but no other animals. Rhodendrons were in full bloom. Two spirited young locals, buoyed by a local brew, were only too happy to click our photographs. A 10-minute halt and some refreshments later, we hauled ourselves for the final climb. We gained height rapidly as we crossed oak trees and reached the deodar avenues. There was a sense of achievement and relief but a little tiredness when we reached Dhanaulti amid an increasing drizzle. After breakfast we bade farewell to Dhanaulti and drove away to Mussoorie. The 10-hour trek was an exhilarating experience and the village stay provided interesting insights into the tough Garhwal village life. |
 |
|
