Deoriatal Chandrashila trek - Part 5(Last part)- Baniyakund - Tungnath- Chandrashila

📷Samrat Darda

A beautiful photograph of the moon taken from Baniyakund campsite, April 15. That day should be Saptami or Ashtami of Shukla Paksha. Because Ram Navami was on 17th April. In the intense and tranquil darkness of the beautiful night, though the full moon day was still seven or eight days away, the moon was already bright. The shining moon, occasionally hiding behind the clouds, the curiosity of the summit in our minds.. it was a very unique night.

There was going to be a two o'clock wakeup call tomorrow. we had to pack up, have breakfast, and be ready to leave for the day at three o'clock. I packed the essential things in the day pack and packed everything else in the bag to be offloaded. That bag was to kept in the main tent while leaving in the morning.

Tomorrow, in few hours we would gain an altitude of 4000 ft. I closed my eyes to sleep, but even before my closed eyes, the images of the snow-capped peaks were floating. 

I woke up at quarter to two in the morning and opened the tent without making a noise, so as not to disturb my tentmate. When I went to Sneha's tent and called her, she was already awake. Then we both went towards the bio toilets. At every campsite, there were bio toilets and they were never near our tents! After a short walk, uphill or downhill, there were the toilet tents. Baniyakund campsite was no exception. We went to the toilet tents in the pitch darkness of two o'clock in the morning. Only light was, our headlamps. Sneha felt that something is shining in the trees. But when she looked for it again, she didn't see anything. In such total darkness and in the surrounding dense forest, even if there was anything, it would not be noticed.

At two o'clock there was a wakeup call. Everyone started waking up. We had breakfast, packed our snacks. Now two friends who had gone to the toilet, came running to the main dining tent. They were out of breath after running fast. They had seen glowing eyes and some animals near the toilets. The trek leader told them that the animals won't do anything. If you don't bother them, they don't harm anyone. So to see what was there, many of us, along with trek leader went there. In the nearby bushes, there were indeed two/three animals. we couldn't see see which the animals were they, due to the insufficient light. In this way, the desire to see wild animals on the trek was also fulfilled!!

We left the campsite at three/ quarter past three. We were walking in the dark, in the light of our head lamps. Walking in a line of twenty-five gave us a sense of courage. Otherwise, the darkness, practically partially visible road, the hilly terrain, the climb, rough rocks, the valley, anyone alone would not have dared at all.

We had a time limit today. In the Himalayas and at such a height, one won't know when the season will change. If it rained a lot, stormed, or snowed, it would have taken us longer to walk. We were told that even if we did not reach Chandrashila by half past nine, we would start our return journey from wherever we were at 9.30. So no one was lingering today. I was walking at number two position in the group. The trek guide was first. So I felt a special urge to walk faster. The sooner we will reach at Chandrashila peak, the more time we would have at the summit.

After climbing a lot, after an hour we found a place where we could sit and rest for a couple of minutes. One dog was walking with us. He also stopped. Now it was 4.15a.m. 

📷Co trekker 

All this time we could not see anything around us. Because we were walking through the mountains. But now the lights of Chopta city were seen from this place. 

📷Co trekker 

Popularly known as Mini Switzerland, Chopta is a favorite tourist destination. There is a motorable road from Rudraprayag to Chopta. So everyone can go there. There are many resorts and hotels. 

After a while we crossed Chopta. We passed by many houses and hotels and a lot of garbage was also seen. When we were walking in the forest for three/ four days, we never saw any garbage. It was once again realized that man pollutes wherever he goes.

After Chopta, the road up to Tungnath was paved with stones. So even though it was uphill, it felt relatively easier than the forest paths.

Now it was half past five. The sky was now illuminated with a dash of brightness. The outlines of mountain peaks and trees were now visible.

📷Co trekker 

As we had started in the pitch dark, we could notice the difference vividly. The light was increasing literally minute by minute. The surroundings looked magical in that changing light.

📷Co trekker 

📷Sumati Dhembre 

It was now six o'clock. Now the peaks of the mountains started to glow with the light. We had not seen the sun yet.

📷Kedar Tembe 

Now we got five minutes to rest. We could see the wonderful scenery around us. The path was uphill. But it was manageable as it wasn't a very steep climb.

📷Sumati Dhembre 

Now a little snow appeared occasionally. We also saw a pair of Himalayan Monal birds. Monal birds are brightly colored males and brown monochromatic females. I saw that bird for the first time.

📷Samrat Darda

Male Monal's body colour was reminiscent of a peacock, its neck and tail even more distinctly colored, the vibrant color scheme was eye-catching. The photo is not that clear. Because the bird was too far away and it was moving too fast.

Now we could see Tungnath temple and Chandrashila. 

📷Preeti Thakur 

📷Co Trekker 

He was still with us! no one would know, how many rounds he does every day! Other people were also seen on the way to Tungnath so was the garbage. Empty food packets, tissue papers, plastic bottles and many other things were thrown around. However, the Tungnath temple was still closed. Most of the shops were closed. So at present, the visitors are mostly tourists and trekkers. Still, there was so much garbage. When the temple opens in May, so will the shops. Crowd of people will increase. How much waste will there be then?

You will see in the photo that we all have yellow bags around our waists. They were eco bags provided by Indiahikes. We used to collect garbage along the way and then sort and deposit it in different bins which were kept at the campsite. Indiahikes has so far collected tons of such waste. In the mountain valleys of the Himalayas, there are no municipalities to take care of the garbage! From the campsites, once in a month, an organization collects it and takes it away. This was a glimpse of IndiaHikes' awareness and eco-friendly policies. In addition to this, we were asked to carry the personal waste that we would generate in our own bags to our respective cities.

It was now quarter to seven. We have walked on mostly uphill road. Now we were given time for snacks.

📷Preeti Thakur 

Now the snow that was visible around had increased in quantity as well as frequency.

📷Co Trekker 

Due to the steep climbs, winding roads, thinning air, some of our teammates started showing mild symptoms of high altitude sickness. They had mild headache. One of our teammates, had to go back to Baniyakund camp earlier today due to stomach cramps and nausea. We all remembered that teammate every now and then. After trekking for last 3/4 days, we felt sad that he could not make it on today's summit day. But we consoled ourselves saying that he will surely complete this trek again sometime. 

The uphill road continued. A debate was going on in the mind whether the stone-built road was easier to climb or the hilly path was easier to climb. It was decided that hilly paths are more interesting even though they are difficult to climb. While the stone path seems easy to walk but they are boring. Of course, today the scenery was so picturesque that there was no room to get bored. Snow capped peaks were visible even below our eye level. Such a vast and magnificent region spread out before us! Now, we could see sun as well. 

📷Kedar Tembe 

In this beautiful photo, the Sun, Tungnath Temple and Chandrashila peak can be seen in a row. The climate was changing every moment. Sometimes it was foggy, sometimes cloudy, so the photos were not so clear. But it was good that at least it wasn't raining or snowing and there wasn't a storm. We were hoping to stay a little longer at the summit. We had heard stories of a previous team only being able to stay on the summit for a minute due to adverse weather conditions. 

📷Kedar Tembe 

It was half past seven now. It was four hours since we started walking. But now the Tungnath temple could be seen very close by. So the excitement and stamina could be sustained.

📷Preeti Thakur 

Our trek guide Pramodji also played an important role in maintaining our enthusiasm. He was constantly motivating us by saying "keep going, keep going, push yourself, now we have almost reached!" Pramodji, Trek Leader Sahil and Trek Guide Amitji guided our team time and again and never failed to motivate us. They tried very earnestly and wholeheartedly to ensure that our trek would go smoothly.

Now everyone was huffing and puffing because the climb was very steep.

📷Preeti Thakur 

📷Co Trekker 

We were going straight to Chandrashila without stopping at the temple. We wanted to reach there before the mood of the air changed. The journey so far had gone according to plan. The journey so far had been just in time. Now it seemed that the next leg of the trek will also be covered in time. Now there was no paved road to walk on. It was hilly path. But anyways, we could not see the path as it was covered with snow! 

📷Co Trekker 

📷Co Trekker 

"You walk so slowly, I have reached and sitting here since ages!! Now let me look at the beauty of the nature for a while." Isn't the dog saying so? Is this the same one coming with us from the base i.e. Baniyakund camp or is this different dog? How to know? Both are having same black coat!!

The snow-capped peaks seen everywhere, the vastness of the sky and the earth, the gigantic space, the meagreness of one's own existence, all these feelings flooded the mind. The view from Chandrashila peak is definitely amazing. But the way to Chandrashila is also very beautiful with such views.

📷Co Trekker 

📷Co Trekker 

But within a few moments, instead of looking at the scenery, we were looking at our footsteps!! Because now we had to walk through the snow. We had to tread carefully, following the footprints.

📷Co Trekker 

📷Co Trekker 

📷Co Trekker 

The snow which looks beautiful from afar tests one when walking on it. Someone like me, living in a hot and humid climate rarely gets to experience walking on snow, so it was fun. But while walking on snow, the speed automatically decreased a little. Now it was 9 o'clock. The climb was too steep. Within few minutes we reached the peak. 

https://youtube.com/shorts/wKBO6gIAjrE?feature=share

📷Samrat Darda

I can't think of appropriate words to describe the view. and the feeling. It was simply amazing, out of this world!! This peak is one of the very few places from where we can get a 360 degree view of the Himalayas. The mountain ranges of Garhwal and Kumaon can be seen from here. Many prominent peaks are visible. Nandadevi, Choukhamba, Dronagiri, Neelkanth, Trishul, Kedarkantha, Gangotri ranges and many more.

I had thought that it would be an overwhelming happiness or joyful excitement to reach there. But actually, when we reached there, I was speechless with the sight. Mind was a bit stoic. After regaining some awareness, the first feeling was of immense gratitude for being able to experience this scene.

Now of course it was photo time! As 17th April was Ram Navami, I had brought a t-shirt bearing the image of Sri Ram and Ram Janmabhoomi. I was able to have a photo in it at Chandrashila, where Ram is said to have done his tapas. 

📷Sneha Tilak 

📷Sneha Tilak 

📷Sneha Tilak 

📷Sneha Tilak 

Amitji, Vrunda, Sahil, Pramodji, Sneha, Kedar 

The Team 

We were lucky. We got about one and a half hours at the Chandrashila peak. But now it was time to leave. One by one we started to descend. I was first to climb, so of course I got down first. I turned back and while saying 'mata ne' ( Japanese term meaning,' till we meet again' ) took a photo.

पुन्हा भेटेपर्यंत... 📷Vrunda Tilak 

We started walking to Tungnath. After a while the road was like this. That thin line is the road and the dots on it are us!!

📷Co Trekker 

📷Co Trekker 

 Then we went to Tungnath temple. This temple, which is the third Kedar among the five Kedars, is thousand years old. The original temple is said to have been built by the Pandavas. This is the only temple in the world which is built at such height. 

The temple was closed when we visited. Like Kedarnath, this temple is also closed during winter as there is snow everywhere. At that time the idol(vigrah) from Tungnath is moved to Makkumath. This year the doors of the temple will be opened on May 10. 

Tungnath Mandir
📷Vrunda Tilak 

📷Sneha Tilak 

Tungnath Mandir
📷Vrunda Tilak 

We started going down from the temple. It was very hot. But as we had a paved road to walk on, it didn't seem bothersome.

I was telling the people, climbing the road to the temple, whom we met on the way, "Bas, Abhi Thoda Hi Baqi Hai." It felt great to say so!!!

We had walked this road in pitch darkness while climbing in the morning. Only the outlines of the trees were visible at that time. Now we could see that all those trees were blooming with Buransh/Rhododendron flowers. What beautiful colors shades!!! Not one, two or some tens of trees which were blooming, but there were hundreds and hundreds of such trees. On the road, in the valley, on the hillside, blossoming trees were everywhere. It was a sight to behold and cherish for lifetime.

📷Vrunda Tilak 

📷Samrat Darda 

📷Co Trekker 

https://youtu.be/RGTpzUbdKuM

Now on the way back, it was as usual a little miserable feeling. We arrived at Sari basecamp in the evening and left the next day, to Rishikesh 

But before leaving, we bought t-shirts and took pictures!!

We had become such good friends that no one would say that we were not knowing each other five days ago. We had a very cool, young, energetic and amazing team.

It is not known when I will go to Chandrashila again. But the motivation to continue trekking was there in the form of a badge. I was awarded the badge of 'Trekker for Life' . That badge will always remind me of Himalayas and trekking.

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