THE HAND OF GOD-AN ARDOUS PILGRIMAGE TO HEMKUND LAKE

I first went to Hemkund Lake, pilgrimage spot for the Sikhs at an elevation of app 15000 ft asl or 5000 m, when I conducted two American Embassy officials Greg Aurit and Kevin McInstry there and to the Valley of Flowers in 2010 or thereabouts.

Although it was the monsoons and the journey through the himalayan roads of the Garhwal was most intimidating on account of the landslides, and narrow escapes, the trek days themselves afforded us clear weather and that coupled with the means of setting up our own camp, meant relative luxury.

This tale however is of my trip in 2019 when my 17 year old daughter asked to go on a trek.

Not realising I was a decade older, I quickly said yes, lest she change her mind!

This it transpired was to be perhaps the shortest ever but most arduous trek of my entire life, one which was replete with long range and shorter himalayan treks.

Once again, the monsoons were on. The road was again in a deadly condition much of the way and the road widening added to the naturally unstable mountains. It tool us all of twelve hours to traverse the approximately 250 kilometres from the airport to Joshimath. We reached a small hamlet past the town and found ourselves at a scenic and quaint and very comfortable cottage. We were served a wonderful and tasty meal comprising native vegetarian dishes along with chicken.

The next morning began our gruelling three day expedition.

In trying the extend the metalled road, the highway ended up on a dirt track with a 800 foot drop below. This nerve wracking section was covered by jeep for an hour. On arrival at the "road head", we unloaded our gear and this included western saddle for the pony. I had got this for my daughter . I knew from past experience that we would need to cover some portion of the trip on pony and some on foot as the surfacing even on foot was almost a death trap with boulders that could trap one's ankles. Also, whether one was a horse rider or not, for the same reason, even a pony trek was close to torture as the trail, normal tack, and the pony boys were all rather an inconsiderate combination of service.

The mulemen all collected around to see this unusual saddle. It was different from the plain leather with two iron hoops and the stirrups different from the worn metal pieces with rope.

After much todo, a pair agreed to use this one one of their mules for my daughter. I went a class lower!

The crenallated footpath meant that while our feet were saved, our lower backs, and shoulders and wrists took the brunt of shocks as the mule negotiated the track and the young pony boys acted as if it was just another day in paradise!

After three hours of this, we dismounted and trekked the next three to the "hotel", one of just a couple in a small hamlet. The rain, slush, racing pony boys, and the damp, dark and dank conditions could not have made us more miserable or so we thought. We spent the night with a frugal meal. The next morning, instinct made me tell my daughter that we abandon the Valley of Flowers side trek and simply aim for Hemkund. I do not blame her for agreeing.

We set out after breakfast on mules for the 10 hour round trip mountain journey from approximately 8000 ft or 2500 m to 15000 ft 5000 m.

This track was relatively better maintained. nevertheless the up and down movement made it a huge effort to keep adjusting in tune with the mules movements. We reached the holy lake and went straight for the langar or community kitchen which every sikh shrine maintains. We were cold, wet inspite of our macs and miserable. We had a wonderful tea and some parsad, hot and steaming. We visited teh shrine to pay obesiance and then upon emerging saw my daughter turning blue in the hands and face. Her socks were sodden wet. I removed her socks and rubbed her feet and then gave her my socks.

This meant that I put my boots on without socks. The wet conditions then caused bleeding blisters but I had no option but to head back on foot and horse (mule). After another cold night at the "hotel" we trekked back the six hours to the road head and I had to do so again with no relief for my bleeding and naked blisters. We got to our car, had a meal at Joshimath and then headed straight to our lodge www.spashram.in with one more meal on the 12 hour journey.

We arrived at night having passed landslides with crushed cars, seasonal waterfalls and gruelling sections of mountain road. We were fortunate that there were no landslides that trapped us on the way back.

Once at Spashram RiverMountain Retreat, we had a blazing bonfire, and a hot meal. There we rested up for all of four days and repaired ourselves from one forgettable expedition!

The updside was that on the trek back on the last day the gods were kind and we had clear skies. Also my daughter who had never done any such a trip before, took all in her stride without complaint. This was my reward.

The 2019 journey with my 16 year old daughter