FoRbIdDeN LaNdS - Kinnaur, Lahaul, Spiti: May 28 to June 06

'do beegha zameen aur ek khidki aasmaan...
... khwabon dekha aasmaan aur khwaab gungati ye nadiyan!'

It was a long slow day in her life when 78mm calls to say ki "ek trip karte hain!" Given that the slow monotony of everyday life was playing havoc with her rhythms she jumped at the idea... And what followed was days of planning... getting the wheels rolling... and then letting it all loose... letting the bricks fall into place in some sort of chaotic serenity!

"chhooti dehleez... choote hue paraaye" -Indian Ocean couldn't have said it better when the day dawned bright with promise and they got ready to leave. She had no idea she would become this lost to the world.. she had no idea that what she set out as is not what she would return as... and she had no idea of how her life was going to change... (she know's hers wasn't the only one).

May 26: Bengaluru to Delhi
From Namma Bengaluru to Saddi Dilli... the transition is disastrous! 3 hours to drive to Namma New Airport... A half hour tussle at the security check for keeping a bamboo knife in hand baggage... a 2 and half hour flight to Delhi... a half hour wait for luggage for the plane has landed in some remote corner of the hawai adda and by then... the wish to run away from the complications of the city and from what is oft referred to as the human zoo has is at an epitomal high.

May 27: This is the Day! Delhi to Manali
The packing happened to be the toughest for you really didn't know how cold it will be... all you knew was yes eventually there will be snow and yes eventually you will be wearing ALL the layers you are carrying! As they say.. ghar se hum chale ek back pack aur ek guitar... with one perfunctory call home to say "there may not be coverage.. i promise to call when i can but PLEASE oh PLEASE don't get worried / paranoid / hassled / stressed if i don't.. it will not be that a snow leopard has eaten me..." (of para-annoyed parents!)

Rickshaw loaded with stuff and cliimbed into to reach Namma metro.. wait... Delhi Metro! (~ i've been in south India long enough now I guess). The security guards at look at her with profound amusement as she takes the bags down and sets them up for a search.. such is the amusement at looking at warm clothes in Delhi's heat that she merrily forgets to frisk yours truly and we walk on! The guard does excalim though that it's too little luggage for 10 days and she looks at her wondering what elese she would have carried... (i am still of the belief that there was too much stuff).

Rajeev Chowk Metro Station... apparently iske peechhe hi bus stop hai... this is where a part of the fleet of soldiers going on the trip meets... and befriends... A part of the fleet has left on their bikes in Delhi's hot afternoon sun in search of cooler climes to pacify their souls... and the rest meet in Manali!

~ there's really not much to say about over night volvo journey's except that it's quite magical how you close your eyes to city lights and how the morning finds you spiralling in the mountains and staring at snow peaks from a distance little knowing that you will be there soon...

May 28: Manali
The existence of Manali can be traced back to the folklore of Mahabharata. The name 'Manali' literally means the abode of Manu. When Manu and other Gods were flooded, they were saved by the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu by towering high to dry lands.

Just as the bus crossed Kullu all around you was 'weed' and you know why it's called 'weed' instantly! Folklore has it that Marijuana cultivation was started by the American Hippies in the 70's and gained momentum in the 80's. This also gave rise to the 'Hippie' culture in Manali... traces of the culture are still visible and manifested in various forms... Some say that's what gives Green Manali more color!

Well.. this is where the entire fleet met up! Vo kehte hain ki hum hi hum hain to kya hum hain... tum hi tum ho to kya tum ho.. bas maan lijiye kuch aisa hi tha jab itne saare rang ek dusre se mile! Curious is a small word as each got to know the other a bit better...

The afternoon found us all rounded up by 78mm for a quick briefing and thereon a couple of small adventures! Worlds can be found by looking under the grass stems or at the skittering crabs in a tidal pool... she experienced a whole new world as she waded through the river to find her spot and stare into all that mommy nature had to offer... from the etchings on a stone to the gush of the river to the colors that abounded to the just plain simple EVERYTHING... she was slowly getting sure of where she wants to be...

It was time for the adventurers to prove their worth with river crossing! For most of them it was a first time deal and everyone was excited! As for her.. she let the more daring one's go first as she observed technique and figured out what to do! Ahh well! She rode a cycle in the air over the river but she made it! It was a 'do the dew' moment as the NoMaDs tried to grab the can mid river! And then there was a race!!! Jai Singh and Rathore Saab competing for the winner's slot as Jai Singh raced back to triumph!!

Lots of light hearted banter eventually found them at a dhabha gorging food hungrily! Rajma mangao... Aaloo Gobhi... Saag.. and then something and then something more and then all of it was made to repeat and then a round of satisfying chai and coffee! The chai in these parts is oversweet for a reason.. its suppossed to give you warmth and energy to be able to deal with the mountain roads.. for walking is a way of life in these parts. (Khaaye jao Khaaye jao Varun Bhaiya ke gun gaaye jaao! Varun after confessing to his luv of food was automatically made in charge of any menus that came their way and that irked Swami Raghav ji Maharaj a bit since he always ordered aaloo gobhi! [as for Swami ji.. inki kahani aage hai!]

Raahi re! The raahi's then started on their way to trek upto a waterfall they had all been eyeing from the river bed! It was awe-inspiring within her that there she was looking up and wondering where that beautiful vagabond stream came from and then there she was looking at it gush down! 'can you take me higher!!' They discovered by the brown paper covered black sketch pen marked makeshift board that they were at Zogoni Falls! (google seems to have no trace of these)! Well Raghav sure found his moksha here by taking on a meditative pose! And then beneath a huge huge rock in a cave like formation he found his devotees as well.. hence 'Swami Raghav Ji Maharaj!'... It was shortened from the 'Sri Sri etc etc etc...'

The semi-cave was the perfect place for a semi-musical and the guitar was rolled out in all her glory as tunes were sung along to! The excitement just did not end as they climbed down sometimes slipping.. sometimes balancing and then making poses for photographs all along! Momentary pause at a bridge over the Zogoni river (?) and thereon an exploration of the tribal temple!

The trek back found them befriending Didi's from the village and also getting to know a dog called Romeo! Full hindi movie story with Romeo's Juliet maaroing date with another four legged creature! They saw pear trees and apple ones.. they were told which wood is good for fire wood and which is not... it was an endless discovery... In the words of Stephen Graham.: "As you sit on the hillside, or lie prone under the trees of the forest, or sprawl wet-legged by a mountain stream, the great door, that does not look like a door, opens. "

Crossing cafe's with myriad grafitti as we walk along... one in particular caught her attention... the less she says the more will be heard...

It was time to go a searching for bikes for more of the footsoldiers wanting to convert to riders! The 500cc Bullets which are a religion in themsleves were bestowed upon the few who had the brawn to prove 'handle-worthy' of them! A trip to the manali market thereon for last minute supplies had her and Srags witnessing an Irish Brass Band playing on the road.. the enthusisam was contagious and she almost caught herself jumping in rythm to the tunes mid market!

And as dusk turned to twilight and a night sky with a happy chill surrounded them they gathered at a camp fire...

May 29: Manali --> Aut --> Shoja
The morning found the backup vans lining up and the bikers skittering off to get their lady loves tanked up and ready to go! Meanwhile 78mm caught up with them all and as the Dew T-shirts and Bandana's got distributed all started chanting Darr Ke Aage Jeet Hai!

'Dew'ly warned that 'Every Declaration of Independence is an Act of Adventure' however adventures have their own risks and adrenaline rushes and the best way to deal with all of it is to NOT panic, the soldiers were all set and raring to go! And thus began the adventure to the FoRbIdDeN LaNdS with several lives running parallel for a while, with different aspirations but maybe similar dreams...!

First stop: 2 kms from where the 'Caravan' started: Rain Cover! Mommy Nature decided to bless her soldiers fair and square with rain pelting down on them! Thus came out Jackets and the like as the bikers decided they were still good to go!

Located 30 km from Kullu and 28 km from Gushaini, Aut is on the Mandi-Manali Highway in Kullu District. It is the entry point of Kullu valley on the northern end of Mandi-Largi gorge in the Dhaula Dhar range. It was the exit for the soldiers from Manali and thus was encountered a looooooooooooooooooooooooong tunnel! From rain unto shade.. from light unto dark... such were the paradoxes of daily life in the mountains. Drenched and soaked and shivering yet exhilarated and warm on the insides they stopped at the end of the tunnel to regroup and march on ahead!

Serpentine rivers making their way through the revered Himalayas as they stopped on and off for quick smoke breaks, to take a leak or just to revel in the glory of nature! Herds of sheep blocking their way as their eyes get mangled in the colors around and they stare awestruck! It's almost like they've been turned into frogs with big popping out eyes as they stare and stare and stare awed at what NATURE really is!

Up the hill, down a valley and eventually up a steep steep mountain! Vague childhood stories of fallen clouds and trains chugging 'I think I can' playing in her head... her heart leaps from one inspired moment to the next as the scenery changes.. changes color, terrain, life forms! As dusk touches the finer reaches of twilight they reach cold and damp to their campsite at Shoja where the first thing is a garam chai ki pyaali and the next is a campfire! More than them the socks and shoes find the campfire reassuring!

A short night walk around the campsite with her torch led her to the discovery of a porcupine quill which promptly became a bookmark! As the souls looking for warmth and maybe even a cushion in another's soul bundled together near the fire it was time to let it roll! Lights camera(S) and full on action! (~ from the first bonfire to the last... the nostalgia is such that the embers can still be smelt in her jacket!)

Dinner Time! All happy and All Hungry! The food tents are a pleasant surprise in themselves that the affair is lavish...! Imagine being served gulab jamun in the mountains!! The expectation of a a bare bones affair which teaches you survival techniques and gets you in touch with the base reality of life was countered by the sumptuous meals that were served through the trip.

May 30: Shoja --> Jalori Pass --> Rampur --> Jhyuri --> Kafnoo
The morning found them dragging themselves out of their warm sleeping bags and tents into the cold cold morning morning air! Garam chai ki pyaali's on order and the loo of the forest rest house in over drive!

The view: snow peaks and valleys, meadows and forests, rivers and streams all at the same time! Delicate purple orchids, spiky pines and a far far away view of the seruvalsar lake. They say this is the place where you encounter the Himalayan Black Bear... well luck or unlucky for the soldiers... it did not make an appearance!

This is where she started searching for her silence... she trekked down for a certain distance all by herself only to hold hands of fallen clouds and settle down in the green nettles to let her thoughts spiral out...

The fleet finished breakfast and got ready for the adventures of the day. It was time to ask: What have we in common? Che Guevara's famous answer applied to us perfectly.. "our restlessness, our impassioned spirits, and a love for the open road"

First stop: Jalori Pass. Altitude: 3134 m. This new pass is a man made pass and is 150 m below the natural pass now permanently closed with nature having it's way with it. This zone is home to pheasants in addition to the black bear.

The air is at once thinner and the view is more exhilirating than ever. Being awed has become a way of life.. each time you turn your head and blink your eyes you are mesmerized... at the old temple at the pass.. at the houses made of slated stones with simple common sensical architecture... at the small dhabas that have mushroomed over these mountains ever willing to provide chai-naashta! Thus begins the trek to Nagin Lake. As legend has it this lake belongs to the Goddess Nagin and there is also a temple of the Goddess at the lakeside. All around the lake and across the trek route you see autumn leaves in thick layers.. yet on the lake there is not a single leaf... apparently little sparrows pick the leaves up and keep the lake clean for the Goddess... and trust her.. if you look long enough through the fog... you see 2 colors in the lake and the shape formed by the shades is the hood of a Nagin. It was a trek where the rain Gods decided to bless them yet again! A bunch of them found cover in a cave along the route and caught their breaths as the rian pelted down and the others caught up! Cold and wet they landed up at another chhoti si chai ki dukan in the middle of nowhere and relished sum garam chai and maggi while drying their caps and muffflers on the fire!

But courage again... for the lake was only another 5 minute trek.. through slush and water albeit... but the view did not fail to amaze! It was almost as if you did not want to move on... but a nomad's attachment is the journey and not the destination...! Thus we trekked back as the sun played hide and seek with us! Lunch on the mountain side amidst rocks and life simplified to the point where it is "Live while you live, when you're dead you're dead!" (Kurt V.)

It was a long long drive ahead and time was running short... everyone came into form again and got set for take off! Winding roads caused motion sickness for some.. the trek had also proved tiring... Pitstops at Rampur to tank up and then at Jheori.. Jheori is where the soldiers realize it's dark and tank up themselves with food! Gameplan to go together as much as possible.. Destination Kafnoo.

Mishap: flat tyre of a fellow biker! While backup van and mechanic set about to the fixing tasks, phones begin to go out of coverage. The night reigns supreme as the riders regularly touch base while heading towards base camp. The sights of a gorge and a hydro project with huge reservoirs on one side... a no road being driven on with the steep walls of a landslide prone mountain on the other and a starlit sky... 'star light star bright shine for me shine tonight!' A clear luminiscent moon and you look up at the sky and figure why you can't count stars! There's just so so many of them! The city smog and city lights have stolen more than nature from humanity.. they have even stolen human vision...

As they reach the camp site it's close to midnight.. all you want is some food and a place to lie down and close your eyes! That's all that you need... Of candle lights and camp fires... the minute she puts her head down is the minute she would wish she drifted off... but this is the point where her innermost sadness decides to touch her soul and she lays awake as tears trickle down and she's wondering why... the morning finds her strangely serene and she figures the mountains have worked their magic...

As she's said before.. there are 2 kinds of people in this world.. 1 who reach out to the mountains and the other to the beaches... goes without saying where her heart lay..

May 31: Kafnoo --> Wangtoo --> Karcham --> Sangla --> Rakcham --> Chitkul (and June 01)
It's mostly in the morning that Kafnoo is explored and discovered.. by night she has gazed at the stars. It's a beautiful hamlet located 18 km from Kara in Kinnaur District. Altitude 2,427 m along the Bhaba- Pin valley trek route. The morning finds her staring into the snow capped mountains that surround this tiny wonderous place and the amazement reaches a wide eyed expresssion to see the river (Bhabha river) flowing through the hamlet...! A walk down the reservoir by some of the nomads reveals the same only different!

Meanwhile there is an unrest that gradually unfolds... the drive of the night before was long... with the network for cell phones playing havoc and a couple of bikes suffering minor mishaps the anxiety of the soldiers as a whole was at a high! But there's nothing that conversation cannot solve and thus was drafted a stronger game plan with a few more pit stops (only after multiple negotiations!)

Life is too short for bad wine they say! so with breakfast with amidst the peaks and the river the soldiers were pampered with fresh kiwi and plum juice!! As they saw the sheep being bathed in the river there were evils plans of throwing whoever didn't wake up early from next time into the same cold water (well cold is an understatement!)... A search for Moksha on a t-shirt (ah if it only it was that easy) and some time to warm them up in the happy mountain sun! This is where you want to blare your voice out and sing "Rocky Mountain Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh!!"

Dearly beloved: The NoMaDs are now on their way to Sangla Valley. This is where they will fall in love with the Himalayas and wish to never return.

And thus after crossing mountains where apple trees were covered with blue nets to protect them from attack by birds, snow or falling rocks the first checkpoint is Wangtoo.


Wangtoo was essentially a non-existent hamlet town till the Wangtoo-Karcham Hydel Power project came along to Himachal. It's been made on the waters of the already heavily dammed (damned if you will) Sutlej and had several incidents of protest being marked to prevent the project from damaging the environmental beauty and peace of the area. A 1000 MW project... the quote that took the project off from the protests goes like this: "The Developmental activity utilising Sutlej waters was
started way back, when Bhakra-Nangal Project was executed" (or we've already ruined 1 place without thinking of the fall outs on the Sutlej... why should we have to think this time round?)

"Mankind flung its advance agents ever outward, ever outward. Eventually it flung them out into space, into the colorless, tasteless, weightless sea of outwardness without end.
It flung them like stones."
— Kurt Vonnegut (The Sirens of Titan)

Oh well... time was passed with a photo shoot as the soldiers heard of another bike getting its tyres flat... (these always happened 'close' to civilization..) Well the ride was long and the day was short so without much ado they were on their way again... next brief halt at Karcham where the river changes colors from the light hues of a fresh green to the silted mountainous browns...

Ever onward to find their way into Sangla. This bewitching valley is located in Kinnaur Distict of Upper Himchal and the roads leading to it are quite challenging! Situated on the banks of river Baspa, the Sangla Valley is the perfect vantage point for the Kinner Kailash peaks which are the winter home of Lord Shiva. Hence no wonder at the Shiva Gufa the riders found on the way to the valley. A 150 m long gufa with elements of world peace growing at free will and yes.. there was light at the end of the tunnel (uh.. cave in this case!). Not only that there's also a tiny temple along the road (it's almost like a checkpoint!!) where the Hindu Temple Priest wishes us Good Luck and a Happy and safe Journey (albeit in english)!

A pit stop amidst the great Himalayas for lunch and the panorama yet again does not fail to amaze... the moment to sit down to stare all around you... its almost as if the mountains have begun to talk to you and the wind wants to tell your story! In her heart she chants the tibetan mantra of 'Om Mani Padme Hum' (ॐ मणि पद्मे हूँ) meaning independence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom to transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind.

This is the moment where she wishes anatomy wise she was guy... it's hard to find hidden places in a serpentine mountain road to take a leak! (oh well.. she managed.. and the soldiers were in their way again..)

Minutes from the lunch site they chance upon what must have been a huge overflowing river of sorts running through this vast mountain and protecting India from neighbouring China (yes they were very close). It was a small trickly stream now with the rocks of the river bed laden with the silt cover of a once existing bedrock... the wrought iron framed wooden planked bridges must have borne witness to the ravages of this one at some point during our evolution but not anymore...

It was inspiring spot for a detailed photo plus video shoot... but a NoMaDs message is 'Ever Onward'. And thus after crossing the mythical town of Rakcham where the Baspa and the Sutlej mingle to become one they reach the campsite a little before Chitkul. It is believed that the Pandavas came and resided in the land while in the exile. In ancient mythology the people of region are known as Kinners, the halfway between men and gods. And they setup camp amidst the myth and the reverence...

aur fir kya tha.. a run to the river to hear it's sounds and explore it's bed! Over small fields and through a thicket of pine trees we found our way... and the sight was overwhelming... the quiescence was all becoming and the call of the wild too strong to ignore.. a few serene moments there and an attempt at making a bonfire and demarking the place with a staff found closeby made us look at the clock which said time to collect firewood for the night!

Trekking it back she found a cows skull complete with horns and teeth... bas fir kya tha.. she was the lady queen for a few futile moments while her slaves carried big blocks of firewood! They were in for an education.. they learnt that shavings from trees scatterred all over are called 'shottu'... This ended up being called 'shock 2' soon afterwards! These are good to keep the fire going for a long time! They also learnt that one of the simplest most easiest ways to start a campfire is to first set the pine cone burning and then plonk it into the firewood setup! It's this mine of pine oil in that cone!

Next was the lesson in putting up tents and making the special knots so that it doesn't fall over... Minor points like its important to push the flexi bamboo rod and not pull it... pulling it up... setting it down.. everything! A couple of em knocked away with the hammer and nails while setting up the food tents!

As the campfire glowed and food got ready to be served the adventurers found their sweet spots and settled for the night... the liquids to keep life warm started circulating around and live in performance was iSOLATED pURITY! (Jeet with the guitar!). As he 'reached for eternal dark' she sensed a spiritual audience on the other side of the river first and then as close as the tree 10 mts away.... It was the moment where she tuned out to the sounds around the campfire to feel the energy of souls long past in these mountains...

Eventually the silences were killed by the 'spirits' and thus started an FM radio with her, Janak and Varun jumping from station to station singing in their godforsaken voices! Kisi ek ki dhang ki awaaz nahi aur sab lag raha hai ki bas is jannat ka saara sur inme hi basa hai! (~ so the torture can well be imagined to the poor souls who had no choice but to listen!)

Post dinner and with the knowledge that they had one more day to spend in this camp that had become home the nomads were back at the fire and thus began failed attempts at Plankchit.. (she silently wondered why they needed plankchit... she could still feel the energies..). And then it happened... she felt Janak's aura... all she will say here is that it was a surreal experience...

As the wheel's just kept on rolling and the drummer in her head began to drum to the six stringed twang of the guitar folks started to call it a night... with a handful of them left at the fire now. As the fire decided it was time for the night to prevail the last fighters trudged towards the tents.. the task at hand: finding your tent! Well this one was suppossed to be a no brainer till you relaized that it's been hijacked! Then began the search for an empty tent.. found! But only to the wail of 'hey there's no sleeping bag in my tent!' Entailed search part II. As they sat awaiting the finds they began to trace shapes in the sky... someone saw a martini, someone a surfboard... and eventually they realized that Jeet was nowhere.... Thus went another brave soldier into the cold night to find him but to no avail.. (well he had a habit of getting lost beech beech me so no one was too worried..) Now after Soldier part 2 did not return, the remaining one's got up without a torch, tracing steps in the moonlight only to find the fire re-lit and silence beckoning as the four midnighters sat around it yet again...

did they sleep... ? Well they definitely woke up to a happy sunshiny morning where the entire circle of mountains around them was visible in all it's lucid glory! And then came the profound question from one of the soldiers.. 'kashmir azaad kahan kiya jaaye?' A morning where the empty bottles of water were filled with water running from the streams (and eventually chaos reigned in the puzzle of which bottle is for drinking and which for..).. spots found with the right kind of elevation and enough grass for cover behind huge rocks... the right kind of non abrasive leaves identified and then... ahh! 'toilet satisfaction is the greatest satisfaction!' and as one of them eventually went on to say.. the best part about the trip was 'nature call bahut karta hain na... it was fun to give it back to nature each time it called! ye lo.. u called.. now u deal with it!'

Brush and breakfast...! ahh.. the kiwi and plum juices were always a joy... ! And then was announced the plan for rappeling! The soldiers were tied with safety ropes and thus first began the climb turn by turn and then rappel down! She had never done it before.. the extreme pressure on her arms made her feel like she could convert all that loose muscle into hearty biceps in a jiff!

Thereon they were free... to revel in the lap of nature via a trek.. a nap in the sun.. a walk by the river... a moment to pen your thoughts... your own whim and mommy nature equipped to make you smile! She went on for a walk to view the glacier at Chitkul... by the river bed and then up the mountain... well the rain gods found her yet again! She saw the glacier in all its glory but not from too close... she was just about 10 kms away from the China border and the Indian Army in a 5 km radius has shoot at sight orders apparently if you're lurking around without permission! The road had ended... it was a bouldery, stumbly walk thereon... She met the cutest kinnauri khacchhar, saw a water mill carved out of stone, and played with a cute red cheeked kinnauri bachcha called golu!

At the very end of the tar road 5 steps under the mountain side was 'Hindustan Ka Aakhri Dhabha!' This is where they had Hindustan ki best maggi! (no pun this!)

Random photographs and yummy maggi later they headed back to camp where lunch awaited! (how much they ate!) Aur us shaam ki khoobsurat tanhaai me sab apne khwabon me lupt kahin kho se gaye...

And they waited for the morning... "What do we leave behind when we cross each frontier? Each moment seems split in two; melancholy for what was left behind and the excitement of entering a new land" ~ Ernesto 'Ché' Guevara

June 02: Rakcham --> Sangla --> Karcham --> Ribba --> Spilo --> Khab --> Nako --> Chango --> Sumdo --> Tabo
And thus began the 220 km ride to Tabo. They retraced Rakcham, Sangla and Karcham. Karcham was their checkpoint to get everyone together again and set it rolling! This place too was plagued with the dust and sounds of the reservoir under construction...

As the bikes were flagged off, the backup vehicles followed....and it was time to fuel up as a petrol pump was spotted. Signboards letting the soldiers know the alitudes they would be at and the kms they had to traverse... Next stop: breakfast at the crossroads of Ribba! Luscious bread and omlettes...!

Well... "We had started to look like outlaws inspiring admiration everywhere we went. We’d left civilization behind and we were much closer to the land"(Che).

After a long drawn professional yet naturally inspired photo session they rode on. The sights that began to surround them were that of rocks and rocky mountains... wild streams and inspired rivers... brown silt and caved roads... bridges with asbestos on both sides and wooden planks to go by with a river raising hell with it's life force as the soldiers rode accross...

An impromptu pitstop at a happy cold water stream that was too inviting too resist.. The soldiers jumped off to have what was very rare in that cold climate and goes by what they would like to call 'a bath'! And they did the dew.. (almost literally)!

And they crossed Spilo, Khab and Nako... she crossed life.. she crossed nature in all it's wonderous glory... she discovered her innermost self in the sights and sounds as they immersed her in them.. crumbling brown rocks and mountains... white mountains standing like sand cut sculptures... peaks and troughs... nature sculpting her own army to protect, to march and to befall. The serpentine roads along an equally serpentine river with it's highs, with it's lows.. with its dust devils and with roads that had no core... Makes her quote Kurt V yet again... "I want to stand as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all the kinds of things you can't see from the center."


Brazened, blackened.. and after a mud guard slipped on the rear tyre of one of their bullets and the 'holy skid' occurred, the forever hopeful the riders continued from the lake town of Nako (the largest village in the desolate Hangrang valley) surrounded by terrace farms and monasteries to the next pitstop of Chango. The holy skid was such that even as our self appointed camera man on board was hanging on for dear life as pillion he looked back with a sheepish smile and waved 'bye bye!'. There's a thing about being in mommy nature's lap.. she mothers you and our riders escaped unscathed... and the bike was ready to roll as their expert Dharmender ji let his dhai kilo ka haath loose on it's nuts and bolts!

Chango is the last village of the Kinnaur district and in its monsoon-free aridity, grow the finest apples of the area. It's the starting point for the mountainous areas towards the east, falling near the Tibetan border and gives a good whiff of what the cold desert ahead will hold...

Next pass: Sumdo, the last village of the Kinnaur district, situated in the confluence of river Spiti and Pari Chu from China. It's the entry point of Spiti valley and is also the last place on the Hindustan-Tibet road. Checkpost entries for the bikes in the wake of a sunset and a warning is issued to stay 'ever onward' while the hungarians gorge down some thukpa.

The night sky befalls as the soldiers reach the monastery town of Tabo. They have entered the cold desert region of the Spiti valley.. awed and slienced... In the reflections of a moonlight the vast plains of Spiti on one side with treacherous dry crumbly peaks on the other, as the roads narrow down to mere tracks... it makes her heart skip more than just a beat...

They drive past Tabo and reach a bridge which tells them they are crossing over.. they halt.. they have not seen their campsite which was to be setup well before they reached... they retrace.. they enter Tabo through its huge gates... they make calls in vain (for this is the region where only bsnl phones work and that too if there's sufficient voltage!)... they have run through the town situated 3050 mts above sea level at least 3 times and she knows its every nook by now... but.. no campsite. Having given up on finding the tents for the night and seeing danger in continuing driving through the night they walk into the Tabo Monastery's guest house and are pleasantly surprised to find enough rooms for all.. well insulated rooms with warm water in the bathrooms and with heavy blankets to keep them warm through the night! A few steps away is the 'Trojan Guest House' which offers them food and it is but a feast! The tired, hungry riders gorge at the food..joke at the missing camp and eventually settle in for the night...

"We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down." - Kurt V.


June 03: Tabo --> Kaza --> Rangrik --> Ki --> Kibber --> Rangrik
And the day dawns bright with promise... hamare Rathore Saab has found the camp! It just happened to forget that they were suppossed to be at Tabo and not kaza for the night! ~ sheesh! It eventually became the butt of all jokes as the nomads set about exploring Tabo... found by a great scholar Rinchen Zangpo in 996 AD this quaint little town is a centre for advanced learning. He constructed the 1500 year old Tabo Monastery out of local brown earth, gypsum, and Himalayan deodar wood... he got with him artisans from Kashmir to paint deities in saturated mineral paints: cobalt blue, cadmium, skin tones, and pure gold, all woven together into art that brings spirituality to life.

Inside the color brown, the deities of the Mahavairochana Mandala represent the pinnacle and definitive meaning of tantric Buddhism, the Vajrayana, brought to life in the corridors of Nalanda by Nagarjuna and others. Each deity has its own meaning, with five main deities representing the primary directions and colors of the mandala, bringing transformative powers to the temple:
Akshobya is water, white, winter, dawn, and transforms agression.
Ratnasambhava is yellow, autumn, earth, and transforms pride and arrogance.
Amitabha is red, spring, fire, sunset, and transforms passion.
Amoghasiddhi is green, summer, air, and transforms jealousy and envy.
Vairochana is blue, the blue of space, and transforms the ignorance of our inner truth.

Well.. the place was special to her instantaneously... this is where she found the love of her life.. a beautiful pup who was christened 'Gappi'. She decided to carry him around for quite a while till he decided to jump off and pee only to come back to her while wagging his tail!

Just outside the monastery was a small lil German Cafe which served the likes of croissants, and cinnamon rolls, and chocolate balls and all kinds of exotic sinful stuff alongwith some truly amazing filter coffee! (It beat the Coorg coffee hands down!)

An exploration where each was his own... a lot of bandanas and curios shopping... A breakfast of parathas and omlettes followed by dessert of chocolate balls later the nomads were all packed up and ready to head to Rangrik (near Kaza) to reunite with their camp!

Distance: 60 odd kms. No pit stops... just an insurance that the backup vehicle would stay last! Three bikes stopped en route for want of water first at a hand pump and then by the river side and spent some lazy moments in the sun as they feasted on a cinnamon roll Srags was carrying around! The clouds shaped to form a peacock right at the one of the peaks as they bent down to find clear water... such were the simple pleasures of feeling alive.

As they entered Kaza they were rushed to the last petrol pump in the vicinity and for the next 2 days since it would close in little more than an hour (at 5 PM). Tanked up and ready to roll they reach a bridge and sight their camp... the track is precarious to warrant no pillions... They head down and cross the river... foot soldiers on foot and bikers with their machines... and between the traversing serpents of the river is set up the long lost camp.

The first reaction is to find the man-in-charge and let him have it! As they say.. you discover the fire in you at rare, unexpected moments in life...! In summary.. "I knew that when the great guiding spirit cleaves humanity into two antagonistic halves, I will be with the people" ~ Ernesto 'Ché' Guevara

An explosion later lunch was served accompanied with the ever heartening kiwi juice and the soldiers got set to explore Ki (Kye) and Kibber.

Kye Gompa stands at an altitude of about 4,116 m above Kye village and earns the distinction of being the oldest and the biggest monastery in the valley. First it was the Mongols who attacked the Monastery in the 17th century. Later, in the 19th century three more attempts were made to ruin the structure. As a result of the continuous encroachments that Kye Gompa was subjected to, the monastery underwent several renovations, and now appears more like a fort than a monastery.


And the nomads headed upwards to Kibber... located at 4200 ft in a narrow valley on the summit of a limestone rock this is the highest motorable village of the world. There is a monastery here which is named after Serkang Rimpochhe of Tabo. The lama breathed his last in Kibber in 1983 and when he was being cremated a water source erupted from that spot. Even today the source is being used by the villagers!

This is the place where Yaks head towards some of the nomads and they hurriedly rush to make way! A few of the soldiers go and play gilli-danda with the children and some others just take a stroll... The place is peculiar about it's architecture and instantly enchants.

As the evening sun hides behind the high mountains its time for the headlights to come on and return to base camp! It's a cold cold night as they sit in the river bed with nothing around but vast stretches of flat land bordered by the highest peaks of the Himalayas that they can see... converstaions from day 1 to today have taken a course from being idle banter, religious discourse to ghost stories and now about how the world is at its brink with climate change and with the corporations taking over.. there is lenghty discussion on a few Michael Moore documentaries and then you can feel the soldiers slowly receding into their silences....

Well.. as twilight set it's curtain and pinned it with a star the fire went out after several desperate attempts to keep it going... still not wanting to let the day come to a close some of them stay huddled around the warm logs when eventually in the cold of this stark night she needs to answer nature's call! Lets just say you have no idea of what the experience can be unless you've actually been there, done that! That too with a fox staring at you in the face while you go through the ablutions of daily life.. only at an extremely weird hour!

It takes time thereon to recede into the night.. but a mere straightening of the body inside the sleeping bag is enough to rock her off to instant sleep!

June 04: Rangrik --> Hansa --> Losar --> Kunzum Pass --> Chandrataal (ki koshish) --> Camp before Batal

Well as they stay forever in blue jeans and have worn ALL the layers of clothing possessed by them they get ready to roll again! The day has dawned with the target and the hope of making it to Chandrataal and the hopefuls are on a look ahead!

First pitstop: Hansa. They have learnt today that rocks with the Tibetan mantra of 'Om Mani Padme Hum' painted on them need to be traversed clockwise even if it's in between a road.. it's good luck! The other way calls out to the reverse omnious forces.. and they are in a territory where women go out to work and men stay home to cook and housekeep! The collective meets at Hansa only to move on ahead...

The terrain is stark colors of brown, white and blue for the most part with patches of green! Hot country chicks are given lifts on the bikes by the riders ahead and multiple stories are spun! As they cross Losar they decide it's time for lunch! The phenomenal view of a river bed while close to the very top of the Himalayan peaks they are traversing serves as the perfect ambience for a lunch break! All they can hear is the sound of the wind and the sound of their bites into the ever satsfying food.

Next stop Kunzum Pass: and they have no idea what is in store as they move ahead! The view is now that of snow capped mountains from a distance and snow beginning to line up at the edges of the track as the very track turns to slush at the avarice of the melting snow.. The devastatingly beautiful desert region of Spiti is nearing it's end as they approach the glaciers of Kunzum. The Bara Sigri glacier shines in its unmatched glory! It is the 2nd highest glacier of the world... yes. They are here. On one side: Spiti Valley. The other: Chandra Bhaga Himalayan ranges. Altitude: 4590 mts.

The monastery shaped temple dedicted to Goddess Durga follows the same principles of awarding good luck as the holy stones they have passed along the way... Numerous tibetan flags surround this temple. The soldiers gather their bearings... they have never been this awe-struck.. though each moment has been a discovery this one has taken their breath away for many heart beats together...

And thus begins the toughest trek they have tried thus far.... there is no visible track... what is visible are huge patches of melting snow on a highly sloping peak and the zones of brown slush where the snow has just melted enough... and what awaits at the next step is not sumthing you can know... The slush tires you out as you try not to slip and slide while managing a balance of sorts and the snow tests you... the soldiers find ways through the snow be it unsuccessfully at times only to find themselves snow locked to knee deep or at times even chest deep levels... This is the way to Chadrataal...


Chandrataal: The name of the lake originates from its crescent shape. This lake is accessible on foot only for few months in a year. During the day, the lake is said to appear a prussian blue in color, and a greenish tinge appears towards the evening... It's situated over the Samudra Tapu overlooking the Chandra River which originates from a glacier near Bara-lacha-la.

The way was treacherous.. the soldiers were walking through a melting glacier... a slip here or there and you couldn't say at which end of which river down in the valleys of Himachal would you be found... but courage my friend and faith... then it happened.. the snow gave away and the soldiers stepped in ICE cold knee deep water under it while trying to make it across... socks and shoes came of instantly as they tried in vain to feel their feet again! The sun graciously changed angles figuring the need she thinks and they thawed... thawed to get back into wet shoes with wet socks... thawed only to deep freeze in seconds again! They figured the trek ahead was no longer safe and the decision was to turn back after a 1 hour trial! Ah well... they figured they needed to leave something behind for next time! The lake too was frozen over completely... There's a thin line between adventure and suicide... they decided to stay on the right side of the line.

As the frost hit into their souls / soles, they trudged backwards and the only hope they saw was that of a nice superwarm campfire...! The bikers geared up to traverse a river instead of a road as the snow melted along the tracks. It was a slow precarious ride where the road had been cleared of snow much as it could but falling blocks eventually found their way... One such particulatly huge block was cut and removed by the soldiers to make way. as they made slow steady and careful way a bullet fell to the left... the first reaction of all in the rear was to jump out and ensure safety of the riders.. yes they were ok.. a knee bruise for one and a palm bruise for the other.. they were still good to go! ~ phew!

Dusk turned to purple hues of early twilight as some of them located the camp and others stopped en route for a hot cup of tea and a quick snack of dal rice... The early birds played a prank on the others by inducing panic that the camp was another 40 kms from where they were having their benign break! The suspense was broken soon enough for want of turning to panic and that the camp was actually a 3 minute ride became known to all!

Emergency need: A camp fire and garama garam chai to set the soul moving and the soles thawed! The wet socks and shoes were stripped and they surrounded the camp fire almost like a laxman rekha.. a rekha which would seldom find itself in the danger of getting burnt due to changes in wind speed! The fire was such that it was more smoke than fire with the culprit being wind again.. yet they sat enduring it with eyes and nose covered to feel themselves again... This was last night at camp with base being Manali for the next day again.. and there was a lot of nostalgia!

She found herself tuning out yet again at this point as the fire brought her back in touch with herself and thinking about the day... it had been a brave set of troops and a brave crew!

"Me, I'm not the same me, at least not the same spiritual me." - Che.

A night with winds blowing fiercely and temperatures at minus 5 degrees... a night with a myriad of restless thoughts... a night which gave her the direction she had been searching...


June 05: Batal --> Gramphoo --> Rohtang Pass --> Manali
And so she's on her second cup of tea as the morning finds her for want of getting the system rolling enough to get a call from nature! A fellow soldier identifies the bordering cliff as the requisite Siachen for the said activity!

Thereon she is the camerman's guinea pig for the day as he finds the right backdrop, far from the madding crowd and sets up a chair for her and goes on ahead with his questions.. not to mention his retakes! The retakes have a fame all their own by now..! She's not all complaining.. she is camera conscious to a certain extent but he was good and his questions were simple and fun...

Next up soon after breakfast was another soldiers diary gathering notes... a blank page and a pen handed at you to fill it the way you want... such was the creation of myriad memories..

As the frost cover of bikes was cracked and the nomads got packed and ready for the winning stretch it was time for the camera to find a group photograph! As the air reverberated with the spirit of Every Declaration of Independence being an Act of Adventure they gathered together cast and crew!


'I like to move it move it'! Thus began the ride unto Manali via Rohtang Pass. Well.. it was far from the end.. the adventure had only just peaked and they rode through rivers of slush and 12 feet walls of snow on both sides of the road that the bulldozers had freshly cut and made their way through... jam packed and rolling! Needless to say.. Firang chick driving a jeep loaded with people catches the attention of the riders.. !

The terrain gradually changes to brown from white and acquires a green with streams jumping out of the mountains at various gaps... some of them are still ice and the icicles are clearly visible be it from a distance... idle banter begins to replace the acquired quiesence.. slowly enough to not be intruding... The weather changes to storm like from being bright and sunny as they take the left towards Rohtang and lo and behold are snow covered slopes yet again... The difference is that nature has been ravaged in the name of 'tourist attraction' and snow scooters, khachhars giving rides, Sardars in purple fur coats, small stalls, a never ending row of slow moving vehicles all abound! (well the dude in the purple furcoat is one of a kind!)

A fellow following biker has braved another flat tyre and there has been induced a 2 hour lag between the first and last... our expert mechanic has arrived to save the day as usual! The firsts have seen the beginning of a blizzard as they make slow and steady way through the jam of Rohtang while the lasts rode through the blizzard.. some with the bond-pana of doing so without gloves!

The terrain has come back to being a lush green and as they go on in their downward spiral the sounds of the river come up yet again to greet them... back in Manali.. back in network coverage she makes two quick 2 sentenced calls to mom and dad to let them know she's alive and kicking and that's the only sounds she can deal with over the phone... technology as she knows it can take a hike for still more time... she's in no hurry to turn back to it!

Well... the evening is still bright and they get to witness a special Kulvi dance! The instruments are rythmic and the sounds have a vague semblance to metal... The soldiers have a mug of warm tea nursing them back to warmth through the rythms of the dance and then it is time to head to their barracks for the night! The plan that stems is to not call it a night at all.. food is set in a beautiful setting to sit down and eat.. the food manager is at his best again... and the hungarians gorge it all down! A room is made base camp.. They have fed themsleves well.. it is time now to bathe after 10 days for some 5 for the others... and Manali now seems warm... after thorough clean up jobs they arrive at base camp room and there are photographs, videos and idle banter talking of best moments and worst moments and sacriest moments of the trip! (these my friend are on video.. video to be rolled out soon..!)

Close to dawn the spirits of life have lulled them all to sleep and the morning finds evereyone in packup mode! She has always been terrible with goodbyes... well.. Srags came with the jeans he had worn for the length of the trip with graffitii from everyone written on it.. and she wrote 'we all walk the long road'!

She gradually packed up as well and then set about exploring Manali... some shopping.. a tattoo with Neena... and thus the bus beckoned...

Profound words uttered by Rathore Saab as quoted by Baba:
"this is the end.... my beautiful friend... the end.
and though its a new beginning... this is the end.
let us rejoice these tears... because no matter how hard life will hit us in times to come... when we look back at these memories... all we'll find is not a sorrow of missing those times... but a resilience to hit back at now "

"And I asked myself about the present: how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep." Kurt V.

For 10 days... the soldiers lived, breathed and braved the Himalayas. "They abandoned the safe cocoon of their computer screens. Stopped the excessive shopping as a therapy. Dropped off from the highway onto a deserted trail with grave sized potholes. They stopped being predictable... They did not let their spirit become a disposable resource." THE NOMADS DISCOVERED LIFE.