Dev-Deepawali in Varanasi

“You must make a visit to Benares on Dev Deepawali, it has become the biggest event in the city at present”, many had suggested me the same on my last visit to the city during Dussehra this year. Not to miss the spectacle, I had booked my train tickets to Varanasi well in advance - just to spend the evening when the characteristic riverfront of Varanasi will be lit up with thousands of ‘diyas’ (earthen oil lamps).

The Story

Varanasi Jn. Railway station was abuzz with hundreds of pilgrims when I arrived at noon. Devotees had come from faraway places to take a dip (Kartik Snan) in the holy river Ganga, and offer oil-lighted lamp to the river Ganga (Deepdan) on the auspicious day of Kartik Purnima – the full moon night in the month of Kartik as per the Hindu calendar. It is believed that the Gods descend to Earth to bathe in the Ganga on this particular day. Steps of all the 84 ghats (stepped embankment) are lit with about a million earthen lamps (diyas). Usually, the local community organization for the neighbourhood adjoining the ‘ghat’ makes all the arrangements for decorating the embankment with the lamps[1].

The Hostel

Zostel - a backpackers' hostel in Aurangabad, Varanasi

 Asking for directions on my way, I reached Zostel - a backpackers’ hostel in Aurangabad[2]. It’s conveniently located within 1.4 km walking distance from the Dashashwamedh Ghat– the main ghat. Though the hostel was full, the receptionist promised to work out some arrangement for the night. A gang of girls from IMT Ghaziabad had also checked in alongside who were also visiting the city on Dev Deepawali. Got to know some others at the hostel’s café – a journalist from Delhi; a research scholar from IIT Bombay who had come down to meet his girlfriend – a student with BHU; a politician from Romania who has travelled to Antarctica – and many others literally from different corners of the world – spanning from Brazil to New Zealand (with a notable absence of visitors from the Far East). As almost everyone was up for a boat tour in the evening, the hostel authority made the booking for a large boat (at INR 600 per person).

The Cafe' at Zostel is a great social milieu

The Sail

Feast of Lamps  at the 'ghats' (near Pandey and Raja Ghats)

The Boat from Zostel had set its sail from Raja Ghat. Locals and visitors, all alike, were engaged in lighting up the diyas (lamps) arranged on the steps to the river. The boat first sailed us to Dashashwamedh Ghat where the grand aarti (prayer) was being staged. Instead of only ten batuks who would perform the prayers on a usual evening, about thirty were there split into three rows. A replica of the War Memorial at India Gate in New Delhi (Amar Jawan Jyoti) was erected as this day is also observed as Martyr’s Day by Ganga Seva Nidhi. I would cherish the solitary moments spent on the sail- watching the aarti with apt attention; those while I was humming some of my favourite tunes.

(left) Aarti (prayers) dedicated to Holy Ganga  at Dashashwamedh Ghat; (right) 'deep-dan' - sailing of deep (lamp) in river

Aarti was being offered at several other ghats too, notably at Kedar Ghat. In order to commemorate the recent terrorist attack in Paris, a model of the Eiffel Tower was erected at a ghat, thus, adding more relevance to the festivity. The boat sailed us till Panchganga Ghat downstream and up to Assi Ghat in the upstream. As we reached the Assi Ghat, a popular oldie song by a familiar voice – ek pyaar ka nagma hai, maujo ki rawani hai­– made me jump to my feet! It was Anuradha Poudwal who was singing to a large audience which had assembled on the steps of the ghat, and the performers and the guests were atop a platform built on the river. The entire riverfront was buzzing with energy and liveliness. And to add to the masti (fun), intermittently, the dark sky was getting overcast with dazzling fireworks. The full-blown moon had cast a bright reflection on the dark waters of the river. And to add to the glitter, many had set afloat diyas (lamps) on the water. This reminded me of the following lines from the book on Benares by noted scholar E. B. Havell.

‘By the time the twilight fades there are hundreds of twinkling lights dotted over the river, as if holy Ganga had borrowed the stars from heaven, whence she came, to adorn her earthly robes.’ [Benares: The Sacred City (1911), pg. 104]

(left) Steps of ghats being decorated with diyas - lamps; (right) holy symbols (Om) drawn with lamps

Fireworks in the sky; radiant river-bank

(left) Model of Eiffel Tower erected in solidarity to recent attack in Paris; (right) captivated audience at Assi Ghat

The Other

(left) Kashi Railway Station (kashi sketched in Nagari script); (right) breakfast with baati-chokhha

(left) Malviya Bridge at Rajghat; (right) archaeological ruins at Rajghat

The next morning was spent at Rajghat – the northernmost tip of Varanasi beneath the railway (Malviya) bridge – quite uncharacteristic of the ghats of the city. Next to the bridge is a mound of the archaeological ruins from the past (about 600 BCE till 1700 CE) which were unearthed by a team from Benares Hindu University (BHU) during 1960 – 1969 CE. The path along the ruined site takes one to the 300 acre campus of Krishnamurti Foundation India (KFI), founded by the seer J. Krishnamurti in the year 1928 CE. It consists of a residential senior secondary school, a college for women, a study centre cum retreat, and a rural centre offering health-care to nearby villagers. The serenity of the campus and ashramite lifestyle here almost reminded me of Santiniketan set up by Rabindranath Tagore in Bengal.

Krishnamurti Foundation India campus

(left) Byayamshala - fitness center near Adi Keshav Ghat; (right) Lord Hanuman

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[1]This year, as part of the national initiative of ‘Swacch Bharat Abhiyan’ – Clean India Campaign – each ghat was adopted by some organization / institution, like banks and charitable associations, which would look after the cleanliness of the ghat.

[2] To reach Zostel from Varanasi Jn. Railway station (commonly referred to as Cantt.), one may take a shared auto-rickshaw (fare 15 INR) – either the ones going to Godoulia via Lahurabir / Nai Sarak, get down at Beniya Bagh, and walk along Purana Pan Dariba Road before taking a left turn towards Luxa Road (about 700 m walk). Otherwise, take a shared auto-rickshaw for Lanka, get down at Guru-Bagh on Luxa Road, walk upto Luxa Police Station, take left from the crossing (about 600 m walk). 

Benarasi Dussehra

Varanasi, Benares, is one of the Bengali’s most loved cities which they fondly refer to as Kashi. When I was a child, my first introduction to the holy city was made by the film - ‘Joi Baba Felunath’ (Bangla) - directed by Satyajit Ray in 1979. Since then the images of river ‘ghats’ (stepped embankment) and narrow ‘gullies’ (lanes) of this ancient city has allured me. My first visit to the city was realized much later in 2011 by the time I had completed my post-graduate studies. Durga Puja is inarguably the biggest festival for Bengalis; and it might be interesting to be in Kashi on such an occasion where Bengalis are settled in large concentrations – this is the idea which propelled me to make a quick decision to visit the city right in the middle of the Puja this year, and that too at the probable cost of missing upon the festive mood in Kolkata – the Mecca of this autumnal festival. And, now, I thank myself for having had made the switch!

Puja & Pandals

The Vibhuti Express landed me in Benares on the eighth day of the festivity – ‘Ashtami’. Having had checked into a backpackers’ hostel in Bhelupura, I got started on my look-out for how the Bengalis of Benares do celebrate their biggest festivity – the Durga Puja. Bengali populace here is concentrated in old parts of the city along the river, namely, Bangali Tola, Sonarpura, and also in Bhelupura. As per the newspaper reports, this year, Puja was organized at about 250 premises in the city-proper. This is almost nothing in comparison to the scale of the festivity in Kolkata – where I was coming from, and where the count is close to an astonishingly high 3,500! Though one would be fool in even attempting such a comparison; however, it was hard to avoid.

A large number of the pavilions were set up by blocking the narrow alleys in old quarters of the city close to the river. Arrangements made at the premises of two renowned charitable institutions-cum-‘ashrams’ founded by Bengalis, namely Bharat Sevashram Sangha at Sigra and Ramkrishna Mission on Luxa Road, attract citizens and visitors alike. Benares, being a pilgrim city, is dotted by many low-budget accommodation facilities called ‘dharamshalas’. Few community associations make arrangements for Puja by covering up the inner courtyards in such premises facilitating large congregations. Other associations come up with elaborate pandals/ pavilions set up on open-grounds or public-plazas, such as the one at the Hathuwa Market.

Size of the pavilion is limited by the width of narrow lanes in Sonarpura

Benares is still not blown away by the so-called ‘theme-puja’ fever, which has taken Kolkata in its tight grip for over a decade now. ‘Puja-pandals’ in present Kolkata are largely designed as theme-based art installations, drawing large number of visitors who do not mind queuing up in front of such ornate pavilions for hours. On the other hand, in Benares, the pavilions are not too elaborate and the clay-idols are still designed in old-school style – Goddess Durga wearing red-saree, Lakshmi in pink and Saraswati in white or royal blue. It reminded me that the idols in Kolkata were also used to be draped in these particular colors, but not anymore. Somehow, it felt that Benares still holds the essence of the sacred in its festivity, which is fast declining in Kolkata – it being transformed into an annual art extravaganza.

Traditional colors of idols' clothing being retained. Puja at Bharat Sevashram Sangha, Sigra

Dharamsalas as seats of celebration (Puja organized by Young Boys' Club at Bireshwar Pandey Dharamshala, Luxa Road)

Speakers playing blaring music would announce that a puja-pandal is down the alley; a canopy of running lights would guide one along the lane. The choice of music played is good enough to indicate if the arrangements are made by a Bengali or a non-Bengali association! Interestingly, the gathering space inside the pavilion is split into two compartments for the two genders. Members of the association gather and largely spend these few days of festivity at the pavilions; hence, adequate sitting arrangements are being made. Competitions like ‘dhunuchi-naach’ (typical dance form holding clay-pot with burning incense) will be organized for the members to participate.

Running light display being quite effective to guide one along the narrow lane

Visarjan

I had an impression that immersion of clay idols in River Ganga on the tenth and final day of the festive period is an attraction. It would be accompanied by grand processions starting from the pandal till the river ghat, where the idols will be loaded in a boat and taken to the middle of the river stream and immersed into water. However, this year immersion of idols in river was banned, in compliance to an order issued by the High Court in 2013. A month back in Benares, a group’s insistence upon immersing Ganesh idol in Ganga was arrested by the police, which had sparked unrest in the city. Fearing similar commotion, a sense of tension was in the air, as the same was being discussed by almost everyone in the city. As a mark of protest, few of the organizers had worshipped ‘kalash’ (urns) instead of clay-idols.

Kalash (urn) instead of the idols in a puja-pandal at Hathuwa Market - as a mark of protest.

To cope with the situation, the city authority had identified and prepared nine water-bodies, or, ‘kunds’ to facilitate immersion. Moreover, two new tanks were being prepared, especially for immersion purpose, at Khirkiya Ghat in the north, and one beneath the Viswa-sundari Bridge in the southern end of the city. Even taking out grand processions accompanying the immersion was prohibited this year.

Immersion of idols in river Ganga was prohibited. Immersion at Lakshmi Kund. 

Ramlila

I was expecting a Dussehra-special episode of the renowned ‘Ganga-aarti’ at Dasaswamedh Ghat on the final day of the festivity; however, I was told that it’s just the same. What was special, apart from Durga Puja in this part of the year, was ‘Ramlila’, particularly the one which is being organized at the Lanka ground of Ramnagar –City of Lord Rama – across the river Ganga. ‘Ramlila’ – is the dramatic enactment of the life of Lord Rama as described in the Hindu epic ‘Ramayana’. The Ramlila tradition, including the one staged in Ramnagar, has been acknowledged by UNESCO as an oral and intangible heritage of humanity in the year 2005. This 185 years old Ramnagar-version is staged for 31 days, with a daily staging of an act from the play as penned by Goswami Tulsidas in ‘Ramcharitmanas’ – commonly referred as ‘Manas’. This particular practice in Ramnagar was initiated in the year 1830 CE by the then Kashi Naresh (King of Benares); and it has continued receiving the royal patronage. Even today, the present Kashi Naresh attends the play every evening, atop an elephant.

Ramlila at Lanka Ground in Ramnagar. World Heritage.

I was surprised to find that the staging of the play is still being held in primitive fashion; neither any electronic amplifying system, nor any electric lighting was in use at the arena – rather the typical rurally available ‘petromax lights’ atop bamboo poles were hoisted to lit up the staging area. As the play progresses, many an audience were reciting from their personal copies of the ‘Manas’ under the beam of a torch light which they were carrying. Though thousands would have been present at the ground, there was no chaos. One would be scolded by the audience if he/she wasfound chatting, talking over a phone, or clicking photographs. What I realized is that Ramlila is not a mere entertaining play; rather it’s a serious ritual which the audience adheres to every evening over a month. Unlike a usual gathering, if the audience finds something appreciable, theywould not burst into claps; rather the chants of ‘Har Har Mahadev’ or, ‘bolo Sri Ramachandra jee ki jai’ would resound in the ground. Unfortunately, I had to miss the grand show of Ravan Dahan – burning of the effigies of the demons- as it was supposed to start late in the night.

Other communal rituals associated with Ramlila in Benares are Nakkataiya (cutting the nose of Supranakha – Ravana’s sister) and Bharat Milap. Tableaux with staging of various scenes from Ramayana would do the rounds of various parts of the city on occasion of Nakkataiya, which is famous in Chetganj in Benares. On the day next to Dashami, the reunion of Rama and Bharat is enacted at the historic site of Nati Imli in Benares where thousands gather, and so does the Kashi Naresh.

Nothing extraordinarily special at Dashashwamedh Ghat on Dusshera

Sar Pass Trek

5^th June – 22^nd June 2015

Note:   This is a travel account of the trekking expedition made to Sar Pass in Himachal Pradesh. This shouldn’t be read as a guide-book for trekkers; but simply as a personal memoir. Suggestions and feedback are welcome; if any, please send them to saha.deepanjan@gmail.com. For more visuals, please visit my Facebook page for albums titled ‘Trek to the Himalayas’, and ‘Life in the Himalayas’. Thanks.

Why Sar Pass?

On the way back from Kutch Tour in December 2014, the ‘Ghanta’ Group had decided upon Ladakh as its next destination in summer 2015. While the Ladakh Plan wasn’t getting fixed, the webpage of Youth Hostel Association of India (YHAI) was shared among the group, and we zeroed in upon Sar Pass Trek as it was supposedly the most popular, going the booking statistics. Unfortunately, all the seats were full by three months in advance. Miraculously the booking windows were made open once again with a ten days’ extension! As the seats were fast filling, we got our YHAI membership made online and booked two seats in June 2015 for I and Amrites.

A month before we would start, uncertainty loomed over my participation in the trek owing to academic requirements. I had thought of every possibilities: transferring my seat to a friend; making a partial visit; and had rang YHAI several times. Meanwhile, back from the Himalayas, my Supervisor agreed to my plan and sanctioned me leave. Amrites did all the research work by following blog accounts available online. Looking at the photographs from those trek-diaries, honestly speaking, I felt a bit nervous at the first instance!

Journey begins

On 6^th June 2015, we had reached Delhi by train; and the same day had started by bus for Bhuntar. Though we had planned to spend a day in Manali before we report to Kasol Base Camp; but abruptly changed track to Malana Village – allured by its distinct identity. En route Bhuntar to Jari by bus, we met Gulabi (Devi) Aunty who led us to her home in Jari and offered tea. A cab from Jari dropped us at the footsteps of Malana, where from a steep hike for the next two hours took us to the Village.

Malana

This isolated village in Himachal Pradesh is better known for its best quality marijuana or hashish. Interestingly, the villagers claim of Greek ancestry and speak a language different from those in the region. Cannabis plants have grown here and there as if it’s been a weed, literally! We were aware of the fact that outsiders are not supposed to touch the holy temples in the village; otherwise one ends up paying a penalty of 2,500 INR or an offering of a lamb! A pair of village boys helped us find an accommodation – a guest house outside the village. It was surprising to find the excessive use of ‘tapori’ lingo among the boys here, might be an influence of Hindi movies – thanks to television. Every male person you come across in the village will definitely enquire if you had had a smoke! The village had a noticeably poor sanitation system. Children population of the village would definitely have surpassed the adult count! Boys were playing with marbles; kids on a wooden see-saw. Though it predominantly had the traditional ‘kathakuni’ architecture of composite walling of stone and timber, houses in brick and concrete are sprouting in good numbers.

Kasol Base Camp

Having spent a night in Malana, next day we reported at the YHAI Base Camp in Kasol. Off the road to Manikaran, tents were pitched by the gushing waters of River Parvati. For the next three days it was like living in an ‘Ashram’ with the tinge of a military regime! It meant waking up to the whistle at six in the morning for tea; going for rigorous physical exercises; standing in a queue for food carrying own plate or lunch-box and a mug; washing them yourselves; participate in group activities; collecting blanket and sleeping bag; sleeping in tents with nine more persons; and lights off by ten in the night. Every day a batch of fifty will depart for the higher camps; a senior batch will be back from them; and a new one would join. About three batches have been staying in the base camp at a time. The participants in our batch were from different corners of the country with noticeable concentration from Mumbai and Bengaluru. We were hailing from a wide spectrum of disciplines and were at various stages in their respective career – few graduating; the graduated ones about to start professional career; and few in advanced stages of their career. The 39^th batch was truly a mixed bag!

First day will entail acclimatization walk in the adjoining forest. At a clearing in the forest, our batch-members gathered in a circle and introduced each other; a team-leader was selected; and a slogan too: ‘SP 39: Pahaar jhukana hai, Sar Pass hum-e aana hai’ [‘(We) have to make the hills bow (to us), (we) have to reach Sar Pass’]. The cause of staging a show for a batch senior, which would have been starting for higher camps the following day, had broken the ice among the group; and like kids again, we performed songs and danced with torch-lights! On the second day, I couldn’t believe myself that I would accomplish the training assignment of rock-climbing and rappelling, that too unhurt! The experience of capturing the nature around me in a sketch-book, seated on a rock in the river, was amazing.

As only five kilos is recommended to carry in your rucksack to the higher camps, we all were struggling hard to get it right; and it meant unpacking and re-packing the bags and taking it to the weighing machine several times till the magic number was reached! Excess luggage was deposited at the base camp. Having had collected the necessary items in Kasol (‘hunter’ shoes with extra in-soles, rain-sheets, woollen gloves and socks), I felt ready for the trek.

Higher Camps

Having spent three nights at the Base Camp, the following morning SP-39 marched its way forward for the higher camps, carrying the best wishes all at the base camp. It was a great feeling to cross the stretch being lined up by the two junior batches who were clapping as the whole battalion would pass through it.

A usual day in the higher camps would start be like waking up to the camp leader’s whistle for tea at six o’clock in the morning; followed by breakfast at seven; depositing individual blanket and sleeping bag; cleaning the tents; collecting ‘packed-lunch’ at eight; and ‘fall in’ by nine; and then we would resume our journey till we reach the next camp. Daily we would take a relaxed trek covering distances ranging from 8 to 14 km. covered in about five to seven hours. The journey will be punctuated by occasional resting points and a lunch point where we would consume not only the lunch taken along, but also gorge upon noodles and tea / coffee at the canteen there. Before evening we would reach our next camp where we would spend the night; have ‘welcome drink‘(litchi juice/ tea / soup); explore the campsite; collect blanket and sleeping bags; have dinner before it gets dark; and sleep.

Usually the higher camps are situated in a forest-clearing on a valley. It would comprise of seven to nine tents and a kitchen tent. The camp-site will mostly have a single water-point incessantly pouring water which would be a pipe carrying water from a far-away water-stream. The same would be supplied to the kitchen-tent; for washing our tiffin-boxes; and even to fill in jars carried to the toilets. Tented toilet-kiosks were set up few meters away from the camp. However, there were no such provision at the highest camp at 12500 ft; and one whole mountain slope was allotted to answer nature’s calls; one for the each sexes!

Grahan

The trek along the river Parvati, through a semi-dense forest, had taken us to Village Grahan – the last settlement which we would come across in the next six days. En-route, we had a long and relaxed break at the lunch point by the river bank. Lying down on a wooden log with water flowing beneath it incessantly, and looking up at the sky as clouds hover and paint the large blue canvas and birds cross it, was an indescribable experience. Rest of the journey till the Village was made in rain. Kids at the village would flock to you in search of toffees; will take you along in the silly games they play. Once the sun did set, stars started filling up the sky, gradually increasing in count till they would be infinite. Lying on the stone, gazing at a star-studded sky was something which our cities could never offer us.

Padri

The second in the series of higher camps at Padri at 9800 ft was set in a valley surrounded by forest and flanked by a hill on one side, across a thin stream, with a snow-clad mountain range as its backdrop. We were excited in having identified the most dreaded Nagaru Camp up on the ridge – the fourth and the highest in the series of higher camps.

Mingthach

Mingthach Camp at 11200 ft – the third in the series – was placed on a ridge with green slopes. Snow-clad mountain ranges were looming at the horizon, while sunlight was beaming through the clouds. On the way from Padri to Mingthach, heavy rain at the lunch point had forced all 45 of us, along with our belongings, to find shelter inside the small canteen-tent; we were completely at the mercy of Nature – which was highly unpredictable.

Nagaru

The highest of the camps during the trek was at 12500 ft above MSL at Nagaru. A few weeks ago the campsite was covered in snow; now in grass. It was exciting to be able to trace the complete trail till then from Nagaru. The campsite being on a slope was bordered by snow-slope at the upper edge. A melting glacial channel sloped down by the edge of the site; leading our sight to a wide view of mountain range presented in the front. Amidst the still setting offered by the mountains, the floating clouds and the dynamically changing sunshine were running the show which had left us spellbound. Water at Nagaru Camp was drawn from a melting glacial chunk which would freeze in the night; hence, we were advised to fill in our water bottles in the evening and keep it inside the blanket, otherwise it would become ice overnight!

Sar Pass

The day we were supposed to ‘conquer’ Sar Pass started in the dark of the night at 3:00 AM with morning tea; followed by breakfast at 3:30 AM; ‘dry packed-lunch’ of biscuits and sugar-coated patties. As the water-source had frozen overnight, we had no water to fill in our bottles. By 4:50 AM at dawn, while sky was gradually getting lit, we started for our special-day. It snowed on our way till we reached a flat ground at the ridge covered in snow. We had a batch photo with the tricolour.

Next was the painstaking journey of crossing the snow-covered mountain slope for the next two to three hours at a stretch. It meant moving in a single-file along a trail which had at times only space enough to place a single feet. Every single step had to placed very carefully upon finding a good grasp with the shoe into the snow; if failed one would skit and get down the snowy-slopes. Moreover, hiking up the snow-slope was literally a test of the nerves; till we reached the ridge again. Then after was the most awaited sliding down the slope – the only way to continue the trek!

Once getting down the slide, a solemn mood had filled me; it seemed the journey is over. The bunch of tiny flowers in yellow and pink did go extra length in livening me up. Next onwards, we started descending. The trail till Beskari Camp was lined by beds of Sentha flowers.  

Beskari

Tents at Beskari Campsite were pitched along the edge of a valley which immediately sloped down. Next morning, we continued with the descent. The trek was far from being over; as it made us rappel down a cliff; took us through wide green meadows to Bhandakthach Camp.

Bhandakthach

Bhandakthach was claimed to be ‘Mini Switzerland’. Though I don’t know if it truly resembled the Alpine landscape; it would surely be no less beautiful than the latter. Many had left for the base camp the same day; the heavenly campsite and meadows was to be enjoyed by only sixteen of us. Cattle would graze the meadows; followed by a family of horses who would run across the fields.

Being back

The final day we left the hills, collecting strawberries on the way, to reach motor-able road at Barshaini. Sadly the dust and concrete of a large dam-building project site had to embrace us when we were back to civilization. The ‘paranthas’ at the road-side dhaba tasted so very good, as if we were having them after ages! A bus dropped us by Manikaran – a major pilgrim town known for its hot sulphur water springs. Having hot-water bath (from the springs) after a gap of six days felt heavenly indeed! Having had ‘langar’ (communal meal) at the Gurudwara, we continued by bus to Kasol.

The Trail

Apart from the fact that we were at 13800 ft crossing Sar Pass, what had deeply influenced me were the landscapes which were changing daily along the trek over the seven day. First we were led through moderately dense forest along a river valley; having crossed numerous water-streams on the way; taking rests on the stones by the river bank. Gradually as we gained elevation with every passing day (about 2000 ft. daily), forest started thinning away to meadows with shrubs; and later to grass-slopes which are usually covered in snow for most of the months; and ultimately we crossed the snowy slopes at Sar Pass. We met a reverse pattern on our way back to lower altitudes. This cycle of thinning away of vegetation to terrains painted in white, and regaining the green cover was very interesting and made realize the aura of Nature. We met a wide variety of flora along the way: ferns and lilies to moss and lichens which grow on stone in the freezing climate at high altitudes which represent the indomitable spirit of life.

Integration

Besides what nature had to offer us during the trek, fellow trekkers play a pivotal role in shaping one’s experience along the journey. We were blessed to have a full spectrum coming from distant corners of the country; bringing in their culture and sharing their experiences. Sincere thanks to each and every member of SP-39; the staff at all the camps and YHAI. ‘SP-39: Laashyein beechha dengey!!’

It being a year around being back from Sar Pass trek, rekindling the memory with the sketches from my diary.