Trip to Garhwal Himals

Elaine Rati Kochar successfully blends her traditional values and social responsiblities as a housewife with a streak for knowledge, creativity, social service and exploration. She presents here the second article of a three part series on her recent trip to the Garwhal Himalayas. Her husband is a former Air Force Officer who is now a commerical pilot.

Continuing last month's saga of my trip to the Garwhal Himals, I must reassure the future traveler not to lose heart. Things can be pretty comfortable in the state of Uttar Pradesh. I had mentioned Auli, which is one of the few ski resorts outside Kashmir. Not many people know of it in India.

The view from Auli.

After clambering up rocky paths in the rain and freezing in cold, lightless rooms, I went by jeep back to Joshimath where the GMV tourist hotel welcomed me with hot soup and buttered toast. Next day it was off to where the reasonably well-heeled tourists go to enjoy their ski holidays - Auli. There is no snow now, and the resort is almost empty but the view and treks are worth the trip in September .It takes 20 minutes by cable car, peering down at oak and fir treetops, little houses with chillies and corn drying out on their roofs, the women washing clothes in the sunshine and large yellow pumpkin flowers. Suddenly everything disappears in mist. The mountains have decided to draw a veil across their faces for the morning. The car has a group of pilgrims from the Punjab, venerable white bearded Sardars and their womenfolk who argue about people and trifling woes at home while the scenery slides by.

Suddenly the cable car stops! Much consternation among the group. The electricity has gone off! We hang suspended, reassured by the attendant that the generator will be put on shortly. I understand the reluctance of most people to take the cable car trip! Fortunately there is a motorable road to Auli too, right to the doorstep of the resort. The Cable car jolts and sets off again. We sail over meadows with cows, and dogs frisking about. Everyone disembarks at Station 10, the last point where there is a café of sorts and a view of the mountains. Skiers start their run downhill from here. We sit with a chill wind blowing, in the weak sun drinking a cup of luke warm tea. The chocolates are double the price as is everything else. The higher we go the higher the prices it seems. The mountains unveil for a minute or two. The pilgrims wander around gathering wild flowers and wait for the cable car to come back in 20 minutes. We embark and I get off at Station 8. A steep descent down innumerable iron stairs down an iron tower resembling a fire escape. Not for the faint hearted. There is a chair lift to take us to the resort. There is also a ski lift going up the slopes.

The resort is a charming complex of rooms; a cafeteria and three tiers of enchanting Swiss style log cabins on the hillside. I had a choice of log cabin though a deluxe room had been booked for me. I preferred the log hut. A little veranda led into a compact room with two beds, two little velvet chairs and a table. There was a cable TV connection, presumably for skiers to pass their evenings. This room led into a dressing room with an outlet cut into the paneling for the chimney of a "bukhari", (a wood burning stove) used in the winter. There was a neat little bathroom, which even had a plug point! No geyser though, the hot water being cheerfully carried in buckets by the staff to the huts. The cafeteria offered good wholesome Indian food cooked on order and even gave me room service. I had three whole days to relax with the sound of cowbells at night to keep me company.

Log Hut at Auli.

There is a small temple above the huts looked after by a writer cum priest, Mahavir Prasad Saklani. I had, unknowingly, bought a book of his at Joshimath, written in Hindi, giving the history, myths and legends of these mountains. I walked up to the temple and while it drizzled outside I heard tales of the gods and the people. He recounted the story of the incarnation of a three-headed demon that had terrorized a village by demanding a human for his dinner everyday. The goddess Durga, heeding the complaints of the villagers defeated him in a fight and, impressed by his bravery, made him her bodyguard after cutting off two of his heads. She forbade him to eat human flesh but he begged to be able to carry on being a non-vegetarian. She allowed him one day of the year on which he would be given a whole goat to eat. His present incarnation, a man called Devsingh Wajwaari belonging to a Rajput family lives in the village below Joshimath. On a certain Saturday at the end of April or the beginning of May the people of many villages gather in Joshimath, crowding the streets and occupying ringside seats on the rooftops along the town center. This is the day the "Timurya Vir", possesses the body of Devsingh and transforming himself into the demon bodyguard, devours every shred of a raw goat, 10 kgs of raw rice and 5 kgs of "gur" (jaggery) in full view of the villagers while dancing in the streets! Then at the end of the day when the spirit departs he sits down to a perfectly normal meal with his family. And this yearly event Mr. Saklani had seen with his own eyes, he avers.

The treks above Auli are popular with foreigners and Bengalis I am told. There is a favourite three-day trek to Kuari Pass and back. The pass has the best view of the peaks of Nanda Devi, Hathi Parbat and a range of other well-known mountains. One can hire porters and guides who take the tents and other gear on mules and a pack mule can be used to ride when the going gets tough. Not equipped for a trek, I walked up with a guide to Gorson Top, the beautiful bugyal above Auli. I gasped up a steep slope through dark forests of trees, little stone shrines to the local goddess, and then further, up hillsides covered with turf fit for a football field of international standards. The grass is almost hidden by wild flowers. Fat, contented cows chew the cud, unconcerned at our intrusion. There are clear springs to drink from, trickling from the rock face, the water clearer and colder than any refrigerated mineral water. And then one emerges almost on the top of the world, with a panoramic view of the ranges all around. On the other side of Gorson Top are a herd of at least a hundred shaggy wild horses, belligerently warning us away from their territory. Lower down the government have hired shepherds to keep Australian Merino sheep. Even in the sun Gorson Bugyal is cold and breezy and enchanting.

Gorson Top

It seems in the winter the place is abuzz with tourists, skiing busily down the gentle slopes and partying in the cafeteria at night. The strobe lights fitted on the ceiling are testimony to the lively après-ski evenings. A seven day skiing course costs a little over Rs 2000 with accommodation. Clothing and ski equipment is available too. The treks around the region should be done in May or Sept - October. It takes a day from Haridwar, the train head, to Auli, by road.