What a wonderful world...

I'm singing the
Louis Armstrong
version of this track
as I put up this post for

MY WORLD
TUESDAY
~~~

Mussoorie

I see trees of green, red roses too
My room with a view

I see them bloom, for me and you

Wildflowers

And I think to myself...
What a wonderful world!

I see skies of blue, and clouds of white

Camel Back's Road

The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
A late evening moon

And I think to myself...
What a wonderful world!

The colors in the rainblow, so pretty in the sky

Sunset in the Himalayas

And also on the faces of people going by

Children residing near Company Bagh

I see friends shaking hands, saying: How do you do?
They are really saying: I love you.

Watching the world go by from the window!

I hear babies cry, I watch them grow
They'll know much more, than I'll ever know
And I think to myself...
What a wonderful world!

~ All photographs from my archives of:
Mussoorie
Uttarakhand

Saturday Smile: From Bhatta Village

Bhatta

Mussoorie-Dehradun Road
Uttarakhand
India

Other Saturday Smiles:

• Sunglasses
• Adam & Eves
• Balloon Sellers
• Andy
• Smiles from Indore

Wildflowers

Scenic Sunday
and
Today's Flowers

Valley of Flowers
Uttarakhand
India
Height from MSL:
3,200 - 6,600 meters
(10,500 - 21,600 feet)

The white gleam..
As the sun wakes...

The white fades
Into green...

And I watch in awe
As the nature breathes in
Colors...

-Signed: The Bar Girl.

(Words left behind by the Bar Girl here)

Detailed post on my trek to the Valley:
A Day in the Valley

Alaknanda, the Mountain River

Go visit Watery Wednesday for more shots and their related stories.
~~~

River Alaknanda near Badrinath

The Alaknanda is a river in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is one of the two headstreams of the Ganges. The Alaknanda begins its journey from the Himalayan mountains.

Mana Village

A 4 km walk from Badrinath along the Alaknanda river and past fields divided by dry stone walls leads to tiny Mana village as seen in the background of the above photograph. It is the last village on the borders of Indo-China region.

Mana is situated at a height of 3,200 meters (over 10,000 feet) above main sea level. This village shuts down in winter for 6 months or so as it gets snow-bound with sub-zero temperatures.

It is presumed that it was in this little Village that the sacred Indian texts of the Vedas and Puranas were compiled.

The inhabitants of Mana in the Himalayan mountains are mainly Indo-Mongolian tribals.

Shadows and Echoes

Do also visit
Shadow Shot Sunday
and
Scenic Sunday
and
One Single Impression
for more on its prompt: Echoes
~~~

Manali, Himachal Pradesh

Traversing long stretches
Along snake like roads
I discover Manali
And its imposing
Brown peaks
Glaciers tucked in
Pristine waters flowing
Peaceful and serene
Abundance of
Natural beauty
Spectrum of
Himalayan landscape
Clouds in motion
Bring change in scenery
Moving over
Mountain tops
Casting shadows
On the green valleys

Seated at Echo Point
Soaking in the beauty
Of the distant mountains
I bellow out a word
Then wait expectantly
For the echo
To reverberate
From the distance
Faithfully!

Blue Sky, White Clouds

I'm watching many more skies at Skywatch Friday.
Go have a look, and participate in the fun.
~~~

A small part of the 2,400 kms of our planet's highest mountain range, the Himalayas, as seen from two states in India.

Valley of Flowers
Uttarakhand

Manali
Himachal Pradesh

Yellow Line

Go visit

because life could be better with a splash of Yellow.

~~~

Manali, Himachal Pradesh

~~~

I drew a line
I drew a line for you
Oh what a thing to do
And it was all yellow
~ Coldplay

SWF: Himalayan Mana

This is the first time in quite a few years in summer that I am not able to make a journey to the Himalayan mountains. As I went through some old pictures in my albums, I had fond memories of some previous trips, and am posting these two pictures for this week's Skywatch.

Mountains of Mana based at a height of over 10,000 feet

These two pictures (re-publishing the first) were shot on an early morning walk from Badrinath to Mana village before the sunrise.

Set in a scenic valley, this rustic village of Mana shuts down in winter for 6 months or so as it gets snow-bound with sub-zero temperatures. Mana is situated at a height of 3,200 meters (over 10,000 feet) above main sea level.

It is presumed that it was in this little Village that the sacred Indian texts of the Vedas and Purans were supposedly compiled. The famous epic, the Mahabharata, is also believed to have been composed in one of Mana's caves, the Vyas Gufa.

The inhabitants of Mana in the Himalayan mountains are mainly Indo-Mongolian tribals. It is the last village on the borders of Indo-China region.

Mana Village women on their way to Badrinath for work
(photograph shot at 6:21 am)

Enjoy skies and views from across the globe at Skywatch Friday here.

World Environment Day

How long does it take for plastic to decompose?

I guess no one knows for sure, but it is presumed that plastic does not begin to decompose in a landfill for at least 1,000 years and in certain types like styrofoam, it is estimated that the decomposition process can last up to a million years!

Thankfully, use of plastic is being minimized in many places now, some countries have restricted use of plastic bags and a few cities have also banned it. I am also guilty of carelessly discarding chocolate wrappers everywhere in the past but not anymore since I have taken Ecology and Tourism seriously.

~~~

Hemkund is a popular pilgrimage site for people of the Sikh religion. It is accessible only by foot from Ghangaria and is situated in the lap of higher Himalayan mountains at an altitude of 4,200 m (13,770 feet) from the sea level!

Here are some pictures taken while on my way to Hemkund after my trek to the Valley of Flowers. It was a misty day.

Himalayan Brahmakamal (Saussurea obvallata)

Himalayan Blue Poppy (a species of Meconopsis)

In the pictures above are two rare plant species. The first is the much revered Brahmakamal and the other is the Himalayan Blue Poppy.

Now look at this picture:


In this photograph is seen a raincoat irresponsibly discarded in the lush green valleys of the Himalayas!

Many pilgrims make a day trip to the Hemkund gurudwara to and from Ghangaria during the tourist season and, not mentioning other litter, I came across quite a few pieces of plastic raincoats discarded along the way to Hemkund Sahib. Pathetic.

At this rate, how long can our biodiversity last?

~~~

Today is World Environment Day. Though we should respect the environment we live in everyday, June 5 every year is highlighted to stimulate awareness of our environment and calling out for some public action to save our planet.

What did you do or intend to do to contribute on World Environment Day? I’ve put up this blog post. You could write a post too, or:

• Dispose of garbage responsibly
• Avoid littering
  
• Use public transportation as far as possible
• Use recycling facility if available
• Conserve water
• Conserve electricity
• Not disturb wildlife
• Plant a tree
• Respect nature

The list can go now, but I'll stop. I’d love to hear how you contributed in your own little way.

~~~

As I am about to publish this post, I see a person outside my window carelessly discarding a cigarette butt on the ground.

Cigarette butts are not bio-degradable due to the presence of cellulose acetate, another form of plastic, in them. These filters can leach toxic chemicals and persist in the environment like other forms of plastic. Studies have pointed out how cigarette butts pose a threat to wildlife. Cigarette filters have been found in the digestive system of birds, fish, whales and other marine creatures who mistake them for food!

It is no wonder that despite mounting efforts, the loss of world's biological diversity is continuing at an alarming rate!

On this World Environment Day, let us strive to become responsible human beings of Planet Earth.

~~~

Mussoorie's Halls of Dust

From Ruskin Bond's Mussoorie Diary in Outlook India magazine dated 17 May 2010:

"I first saw Mussoorie in 1940, when I was six years old,” I told Gautam, who is twelve. “I didn’t know you were so ancient,” said Gautam. “A bit of history,” said his sister Shristi, all of fourteen. “And what were you doing here when you were six?” asked brother Siddarth, now sixteen.

...

So I told him how the old Mussoorie once had six cinemas, right up to 1980, and now of course, there wasn’t a single cinema left in town. One by one they closed down—put out of business by television, DVDs and the entertainment tax. The halls are still there, locked up because the law prevents them from being used for anything else. Rows of empty seats gather dust while the silver screen grows green with mildew. You may not see the ghosts of Robert Taylor and Errol Flynn, but you might well meet the ghost of Arthur Fisher, who, for most of his adult life, was the proud projectionist at the Picture Palace—which is at the other end of Library—in Mussoorie.

The Electric Picture Palace, to give it its original name, opened in 1912, the year electricity came to the hill station. One of the country’s earliest cinemas, it survived for well on ninety years. Longer than Fisher, a poor Anglo-Indian who rests in a pauper’s grave in the Camel’s Back cemetery.

...

Today the vast hall is almost empty, just a handful of solitary roller-skaters looking as though they would rather be elsewhere. What happened to roller-skating? There was a time when every youngster wanted a pair of roller-skates. “Would you like a pair of skates?” I asked Gautam. “No way,” he said. “But you can get me a laptop.” That says it all, I suppose.

The simpler pleasures have given way to play-stations, sophisticated video games, personal computers and the internet. Even filmstars must learn to twitter. Politicians would be wise not to."

~~~

Reading the above, I could visualise well the dilapidated state of the Picture Palace that Ruskin Bond was referring to for I was in Mussoorie in August last year.

I went through my almost 9 months old photographs and came across a few of the Picture Palace that are referred to above.

Of course, Mussoorie is not just about the dilapidated Picture Palace. Mussoorie, to begin with, is a hill station with beautiful views of the Himalayan mountains.

Like so many others, I too am a fan of Ruskin Bond (born 19 May 1934 in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, India). With subtle humor and quiet wisdom, his literary style brings out the kid in me. What I admire most about him is his unlimited enthusiasm, respect for people around him, and his deep love for nature, especially the Himalayan flora and fauna. I have not read all his books but in the few that I did, it is wonderful to read about his love for living in harmony with nature.

Though he lives in Landour since the 1960s, I was informed by the person in the photograph below that almost every Saturday, Ruskin Bond drops by at the Cambridge Book Depot. I spent just a few days in Mussoorie but did not have an opportunity to meet him.

Ruskin Bond is 76 years old today. Happy Birthday young man!

SWF: Sunset in the Himalayas

Go view a variety of beautiful skies across the world at Skywatch.

One of the most satisfying
experiences I know is fully to
appreciate an individual in the same way
I appreciate a sunset.
When I look at a sunset...
I don't find myself saying,
'Soften the orange a litle more on
the right hand corner,
and put a bit more purple along the base,
and use a little more pink in the cloud color...'
I don't try to control a sunset.
I watch it with awe as it unfolds.
~ Carl Rogers

Cheerful children in Mussorie....
appreciating them just as they are

Following my previous post, am going to share here a few more pictures of the glorious sunset in Mussorie:

Softly the evening came.
The sun from the western horizon
Like a magician extended
his golden wand o'er the landscape;
Twinkling vapors arose;
and sky and water and forest
Seemed all on fire at the touch,
and melted and mingled together.
~ H.W. Longfellow

SWF: An Evening in Mussorie

Located at a height of almost 7,000 feet above sea level, and through pine filled trees on hill slopes, scenic Mussorie commands some magnificent vistas of the extensive Himalayan mountain ranges.

I had the pleasure of viewing the changing colors of the sky while on an evening walk on the way back from the Company Bagh.

These are a few shots of early part of the sunset that evening, and the colors subsequently changed to much deeper shades of red and orange. I shall post some more pictures of the same sunset in another post.

Go view a variety of skies around the world and be a part of the community at Sky Watch here.

Home, Sweet Home

It was a scenic 6-7 km trek one early morning to Landour from the hotel I stayed in Mussoorie. Leisurely climbing most of the way to a height of more than 1,500 it took almost 4 hours to reach Landour around noon. Landour is a small cantonment adjoining Mussoorie.

The journey was rich with varied Himalayan flora along the way. After reaching Char Dukan, it was not steep anymore, and crossing the Lal Tibba, it was a pleasant walk through the mist to the Sisters Bazar.

On the way, I came across this neat little house tucked in the Himalayan mountains.

It is estimated that there are only about 100 detached private homes in Landour and under 200 buildings overall.

This home may look ordinary at first glance. However, keeping in mind that some places in Landour are at a height of up to 8,000 feet above sea level, just think of the height at which this house is built!

I also like its rustic facade and cut-stone roof with its little chimney. What do you think about it?

The mist played with the scenery, like a curtain rising and falling, giving glimpses of the vastness of the vista from that height.

I shall always cherish beautiful memories of Landour.

Valley of Flowers: A Day in The Valley

Garhwal Route covered:
Delhi – Haridwar – Rishikesh – Devprayag – Srinagar – Rudraprayag – Karnaprayag – Nandprayag – Chamoli – Pipalkoti – Joshimath – Auli – Govindghat – Ghangaria –
Valley of Flowers

"In my mountain wandering I have not seen
a more beautiful valley than this...
this valley of peace and perfect beauty
where the human spirit may find repose."
- Frank Smythe

Thanks to Google

It is almost ten months since I have returned from the Valley of Flowers. As I go around grinding through my daily life far away in another country, I have a charming place called the Valley of Flowers to think about, and am delighted to have had a chance to be there.

I’ve heard from a few visitors to the Valley that it is not as beautiful as they expected it to be. I beg to differ. Perhaps it is not difficult to please me when it comes to beauty and romance of nature.

To get a better idea of how and where I’ve reached so far, you may wish to read my Introductory Post and subsequent posts on my journey through high-altitude western Himalayan towns of Govindghat and the trek to Ghangaria.

After ascending 14 kms from Govindghat to Ghangaria, it is then mostly an uphill trek of about 4 kms to reach the Valley of Flowers. From the entrance, trekkers can explore another 3-4 km of the marked trail out of the 20 square kms of the Valley. Camping in the Valley is forbidden, so the return journey to Ghangaria, the base camp, must be done the same day.

Here’s my account of my trek to the Valley of Flowers describing how the countless images of the grandeur of the majestic mountains and the Valley of Flowers have left an indelible mark on my mind. I must add this is just an attempt for, as Helen Keller said: The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, described or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.

~~~

It is a cold and cloudy morning in Ghangaria. Packing some nuts and raisins in my daypack, I have a quick breakfast at a tiny restaurant and in reduced visibility through the mist, I set out to the Valley of Flowers. It begins to drizzle lightly and the raincoat I bought in Govindghat becomes useful again.

A few meters away from Ghangaria, the trek path bifurcates: the one on right leads to Hemkund Sahib where most of the people passing through Ghangaria head to, and fortunately for me today, it is the path to the left. At the entrance gate of the Nanda Devi National Park, there are three friendly government officials who appear pleased to see us. I guess after watching most of the visitors to Ghangaria trudging towards Hemkund on the right, they must be glad to find at least a few nature lovers heading towards their route. After a quick registration and payment of nominal fee at the check-post, I begin the ascent to the Valley of Flowers.

Soon, I cross a make shift bridge through a stream and as I continue ascending, at each turning, I see before me magnificent mountains and low clouds hovering around their peaks.

Climb to the Valley of Flowers

In the deep ravine, the roar of the River Pushpavathi can be heard. I glance back and stop to espy the beautiful mountain town of Ghangaria from a height. I know there is no chance for exhaustion on this beautiful route.

Continuing the climb, I get closer to the River Pushpavati flowing. A short descent and I cross a bridge over the gushing waters. Then the steep ascent begins. Before long, I chance upon a remnant of a fascinating Himalayan glacier. It reminds me of a decorated cake with its icing.

Part of the glacier

As I continue ambling, I find myself on a wide shelf littered with boulders. I come across a bunch of creamy yellow fungi. They seem to be reveling in the warmth of a niche in the rocks. Other rare plants flourish on these mountains. There seems to be enough nutrients in the soil of the meadow for their sustenance.

I clamber on and stop to admire a Bhojpatra tree, and think about how its bark was used in ancient times to write on. I can recognize sal and birch, and a variety of magnolia and rhododendrons among the rich vegetation. A bird darts in and out of the trees before I am able to identify it. At one spot, I come across a swarm of butterflies, and stand spellbound watching a kaleidoscope of colour fluttering around.

Very different from the bridle path to reach Ghangaria, the path leading to Valley of Flowers is free from pilgrims, guides, porters, tents, shacks, animals and dung. Unlittered and natural, the path does not show signs of abuse and has a fragrance of freshness.

I come across very few trekkers. There are two couples from Mumbai and a few more in a small group. I can't quite describe the awesome feeling of having the entire surrounding mountains to self amongst magnificent landscape in the quietude of nature.

At the entrance of the Valley

It drizzles again and then follows the sun peeping through the clouds unexpectedly. Through the rest of the day the pattern continues: following sunlight, intermittent drizzle, mist, and more precipitation. The misty mountains through the sun rays give me glimpses of the enchanting beauty around. The continuous change in the intensity of light at that height is enthralling.

Valley view and cloud covered peaks

At every turning, there is a new surprise. The sight of the snow clad peaks particularly make my heart leap with joy. The cascading waterfalls is a sight to behold. At certain places, the path is narrow, and slippery. I see a few locals working at a spot where there has been a recent landslide because of rains. Nodding heads in acknowledgment, exchanging smiles and accepting a few word of advice from them to be cautious and to ensure an early return, I proceed further.

The treacherous path at a few spots is kinda scary. I think to myself that no one would ever find out if ever I miss my step, and fall in the deep gorge. It would then be a case of “one blunder, and six feet under.” Oh the latter, only if the body can ever be retrieved! Twice, I take help of my hands and walk on fours for a couple of metres, and feel that time like I am doing a Jane Fonda workout for pregnant women!

Part of the trek path

Yet through it all, I enjoy myself. I guess am now so hooked to mountains and trekking that these days when I hear the name “Hillary” I think of Edmund though he is long dead and gone, rather than Mrs. Clinton and white house scandals.

I continue trudging the final ascent to reach the entrance to the Valley. A variety of flowers, dominated by pink and purple Balsam fill to the brim on either side of the narrow trek path. I reach the entrance and look up, and stop abruptly, speechless at the breathtaking sight! I hear my fellow trekker gasp and whisper, “It’s heavenly!”

Rataban peak

Picturesque mountain landscape of rich vegetation with the ephemeral clouds wrapping the mountain tops is an amazing sight. The mountains are of different shades of green, some bare and the peaks of ones at a distance, snow-clad. Within the Valley itself there are different smaller valleys. Streams of water flow right down into the River below. There are areas of treeless green meadows which are as charming as the wooded areas.

Treeless meadows

Hundreds of species of wild flowers are everywhere and these fields in the misty mountains has a mesmerizing effect on me. No matter how carefully I walk along the narrow path, a few sadly get crushed under my feet. Wild buttercups, Himalayan Knotweeds, Gentians, Rhodiolas, wild daisies, and from what I recognize, varieties of Campanula, lilies (also cobra lilies), milk parsleys, primulas, potentillas and balsam are found aplenty. I recall reading the Blue Himalayan Poppy and Brahm Kamal are rare species found only at these great heights.

Himalayan Blue Poppy (Meconopsis species)
(this picture shot on the way to Hemkund next day)

I feel sheer joy amidst the variety of flowers in the enchanting Valley. Time flies in the resplendent fields of wildflowers. I watch the snow clad Rataban peak and the gleaming Nilgiri Parbat posing majestically in the distance.

Wildflowers

As I head towards the grave of Margaret Legge, the botanist who fell to her death in the Valley while collecting plant specimens, I glance back and see the trekkers from Mumbai returning to Ghangaria right from the entrance of the Valley.

Grave of Joan Margaret Legge

Nearing the grave, before crossing a stream of clear gushing waters, I sit down on a small stone at first and then I get an urge to lie down on a small patch of grass. Initially I stretch, face upwards, and watch the sky scattered with indolent clouds. Cool breeze blows. When the sunlight gets into my eyes, I turn my face sideways and see a field of flowers: Primula, Potentillas, Geraniums, Campions, Bellflowers, Rhubarbs, Whorlflowers, Balsam, and a variety of other flowers, some quivering and others gracefully swaying in the cool breeze.

Wildflowers swaying in the Valley

The picture of the Valley with its scenery of the mist on the trail, the sea of flowers, melting glaciers, streams with gushing waters, green meadows, snow-clad mountains and their peaks looming against the horizon is aesthetically stimulating. It permanently etches a deep impression on my mind. The beauty and serenity of the place captures me in a spell. I am completely connected with the surroundings. I feel then every bit of effort that I took to get to the top is well worth the endeavour and the weary feet.

The Valley and the flowers

It is now time to get back, and I remember Ruskin Bond’s words:

...the infinity of mountains, the feeling of
space - limitless space - can only be
experienced by living in the mountains...

Though I feel like staying there forever I have to return now for I am hungry. As camping in the Valley of Flowers is prohibited I have to reach the base camp before sunset. I make my return journey, stopping often on my tracks, gazing at the magnificent mountains, absorbing in its beauty and finally descend from over 12,000 feet above sea level to Ghangaria.

~~~

At twilight that evening over cups of tea with another trekker in a tiny roadside restaurant in Ghangaria, there was more silence, than talk.

“I’ve never felt anything have such a powerful impression on my psyche,” I said.

“Mine too,” was the solemn response.

~~~

Previous Related Posts:

• Valley of Flowers: Introduction
• Valley of Flowers: Reaching Govindghat
• Valley of Flowers: The Approach

If you like this post, and wish to check out more photographs of the trek to the Valley of Flowers, click here.