Sneak A Peak
It’s that time of the year when you must rekindle your affair with
the hills. But not the closest, not the easiest, not the path most taken...
A FAMOUS ENGLISH mountaineer and
author, Joe Simpson, described it as “the beckoning silence of great height”.
Some kind of “inverted gravity” that attracted people to climb massive
mountains. And if you ask the new-age travellers in India flocking to the hills,
they’ll swear they’ve felt this pull too. It’s not just the closest hill
station that’s on the radar of the Indian traveller anymore. The desire to
explore has fuelled the search for less frequented trails. Destinations that
are “offbeat” have grown in popularity with each passing year, with more people
willing to expand their travel horizons than ever before.
But at what point did this urge to
head off for the mountains become so irrepressible that it became a trend? Or
is it all an old romance given the twist of modern love? Anil Nair, news editor
of The
Outdoor Journal, a publication which
specialises in stories related to the outdoors, thinks this ‘trend’ has been
there since the ’70s. “But such travel choices were limited to single-minded
adventure seekers or travellers... there was no collective ‘movement’ as such,”
he says, and adds, “Now with the Internet and blogs, people are able to pen
down their experiences. That has contributed to this wave of new-age
explorers.” When asked what draws him personally to the mountains, Nair
promptly says, “Solitude and pure air... and no traffic jams!”
For Sankara Subramanian, a popular
travel blogger ( Be On The Road), it’s
the sheer size of the mountains and their all-encompassing vastness that
attracts him. “It’s so humbling. Also, there are so many stories in and of the
mountains, the people are so warm, always welcoming.” He says it’s always
advisable to travel with a partner, especially if you’re driving or
motorcycling to far-flung places. “I avoid travelling in large groups though. I
like to meet new people, make new memories, and just be with the solitude of
the mountains.”
This affair with the hills can
sometimes be so torrid that many contemplate leaving their jobs, just to be
able to travel. But that’s obviously not practical. Dheeraj Sharma, founder of
the widely popular online travel community Devil On Wheels, says he routinely
gets a lot of queries from people who just want to quit and travel. “I always
say that you should take a sabbatical instead. I have been travelling for close
to five years and I’ve managed to do it without quitting my job. You just need
to learn how to plan your leaves five or six months in advance.”
One facet of travelling into
lesser-known destinations is the effect it can have on the immediate ecosystem.
Mathew Kurien, art director at The Outdoor Journal, says that one must
understand the dos and don’ts while travelling and most importantly, not
pollute the environment. “First-time campers should keep sanitation issues in
mind. We’re doing a series, on how to poop responsibly while camping – you can
just dig a six-inch cathole about 200m from a river while answering nature’s
call. The point is to be responsible for the environment while travelling.”
Another often overlooked aspect,
when it comes to travelling to offbeat places, is – a bit ironically perhaps –
how a zealously guarded remote place becomes victim to mainstream tourism.
Photographer Abhishek Bali says, “As an ardent traveller, I do feel that some
places should be left as they are in their natural pristine state, that they
should not be commercialised. But it is our habit as human beings to travel to
all corners of the earth, to explore, to discover.”
And perhaps it is this inherent,
basic instinct that’s driving more and more people to seek out destinations
that were earlier just a mere blip on the tourist radar, to explore beyond the
obvious, to not just see but also experience, feel and remember.
MEESAPULIMALA
WHERE: Idduki district, Kerala HOW
TO GO: Accessible from Munnar, which is about 10 hours by bus from Bengaluru
WHEN TO GO: All year round
Okay, facts first: Meesapulimala is
the second highest peak in south India. Now chew on this: At 2,640 metres
(8,661 feet), it is the second highest point in India, after the
Himalaya-Karakoram mountain range. You need to be willing to walk, and have a
penchant for adventure to visit it.
And now, the trip and the
experience: five friends set out one November, to see what this ‘second highest
peak in South India’ looks like. Back at that time, we had already scaled a
couple of southern Indian peaks.
Fast forward to Munnar, a place
popular with ‘vacation crowds’ that gather here to drink some ‘masala chai’ and
feel the wind blow through their hair. Too crowded to handle, we escape the
rush, jump into a rather big auto rickshaw, that takes us to the starting point
of the trek, about 26km outside town. The base camp is a forest rest camp run
by Kerala Tourism, with a few tents and a friendly cook, and our guide Muthu.
Night rolls in, there’s much laughter, tales are traded, and slowly sleep comes
over us.
Next morning, we are told we should
be at the top within four hours. After walking for about an hour, through
forest meadows and springs, we come to a small camping ground in the middle of
the forest called “Rhodo Valley” – and yes, it has rhododendrons and pine
trees. As we climb up, we go through wide, undulating meadows and grasslands
strongly reminiscent of the Alpine meadows or ‘bugiyals’ of the Himalayas up north.
As we slowly segue into the landscape, we seem to become inconsequential dots
in this vast tapestry of wilderness.
Three hours we trek, up and down,
through clouds, and chest-high grass, going up the Meesapulimala ridge, which
rises steeply towards the peak. When we finally reach the top, the view reminds
me of Ladakh’s vistas. Below, there’s Kerala on one side, and Tamil Nadu on the
other.
MUNSIYARI
WHERE: Pithoragarh district,
Uttarakhand HOW: Taxi/Bus from Nainital or Almora
WHEN TO GO: March to June, ideally
You’ll find Munsiyari/Munsyari where
the road ends towards the north-east of the Kumaon region in Uttarakhand, and
the trail for some mighty treks across glaciers begins. It’s a two-day drive
from Delhi, and the route takes you through Moradabad, Rampur, Haldwani,
Bhimtal, Almora, Kausani and Chaukori. One can either take a night halt at
Kausani or Chaukori. From Kausani, you get a clear view of majestic peaks such
as Trishul, Nanda Devi, Nanda Kot and Panchchuli. No wonder, Mahatma Gandhi described
it as the “Switzerland of India!”
Once you reach Munsiyari, the
Panchchuli peaks stand tall in front of you. They are grand and imposing. They
grow on you. The best part of my trip was sitting and enjoying the beauty of
Panchchuli during daybreak when the sun rises behind the soaring peaks, and
also during sunset when they are bathed in a soft warm red glow.
There is a lot to do and see around
Munsiyari for both the adventure enthusiast and someone who is just looking for
a bit of peace and tranquility. If one doesn’t want to do a strenuous trek like
the Milam glacier trek, the Khuliya Top hike is a good option in the region
which goes through pine forests and offers a panoramic view of the Panchchuli
peaks.
You can also visit Madkote village
and have a bath at the hot springs which leave a pleasant, if slightly greasy
aftereffect – it’s been known to cure skin diseases. And yes, a short hike to
the Birthi waterfall nearby to feel the mist on your face is an experience not
to be missed!
NAUKUCHIATAL
26km
from Nainital, Uttarakhand
This small hill station between
Bhimtal and Nainital has a picturesque lake with nine corners (hence, the
name). Naukuchiatal has a couple of sprawling resorts with luxurious cottages
overlooking the lake that offer a perfect relaxing atmosphere to beat the heat.
Spend an afternoon by taking a leisurely boat ride on the lake or drive to the
other lake destinations around, like Nainital and Sattal.
NARKANDA
60km
from Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
Love the queen of hill stations but
want to escape the mad rush of tourists that Shimla attracts every summer?
Narkanda will let you do exactly that. Offering spectacular views of snow-capped
mountains, dense forests and apple orchards, this little town that turns into a
ski resort in the winter is perfect for a quick summer retreat. You can hike up
to Hatu peak or even drive down to
Shimla for a lazy stroll along the
Mall Road.
LANDOUR
35km
from Dehradun, Uttarakhand
A quiet little cantonment town
nestled in the lap of dense deodar forests, Landour is a Raj-era hill station
and is the twin town to Mussoorie. It is home to Ruskin Bond, and is also known
for its homemade cheeses and wood-fire pizzas.
RAIGAD
WHERE: Approximately 150 km from Mumbai HOW:
Accessible by road from Panvel, Karjat and Pune (130 km approx); lies off the
Mumbai–Pune Expressway
PRASHAR LAKE
WHERE: North of Mandi, Himachal Pradesh HOW:
Take a bus from Mandi, but check timings before you leave. Taxis can also be
hired
PRATAPGAD
24km
from Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra
In the monsoons, this fort wears a
very menacing but come-explore-or-get-lost-in-me look, as the dark clouds and
fog hang over it. Built by Shivaji in 1656, who defeated Afzal Khan, the
commander of the Bijapur Sultanate, here, the fort is perched 1,080 metres
above sea level on a hill and is flanked by steep drops. It also has
breathtaking views of the Konkan Coast. The history lover can dwell over the fact
that they say Afzal Khan’s head is buried under the road that approaches the
fort. For the nature lover, there are beautiful ponds to stare into and long,
dark paths full of greenery to amble along.
RAJMACHI
15km from
Lonavala, Maharashtra
You can get to Rajmachi fort (built
in 1657) through two treks – the hard one includes a climb of 2,000 feet from
Kondivade, near Karjat, and the simple way is to just walk 15km from Lonavala.
But both lead to magnificent views that accompany the two citadels (Shrivardhan
and Manaranjan) that overlook waterfalls and the lush green forests of the
Sahyadri mountains. The ramparts of the fort are ideal for discussing life as
you take in the view of the Bor Ghat, which was once a trade route between
Mumbai and Pune. It’s got religious flavour too. You can either check out the
temple of Kal Bhairava, the local deity, or the Buddhist caves, dated around
200 BC.
MALSHEJ GHAT
About
130km from Pune, Maharashtra
A mountain pass, part of the Western
Ghats, Malshej Ghat has a stunning range of flora and fauna. A great spot for
birders as a host of Siberian migratory birds fly in between July and
September. If you’re lucky you can even witness the dance of flamingoes! For
the more enterprising, Shivneri Fort (the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji) is
not very far off from here.
- by Asad Ali and Satarupa Paul HTBR14JUN15
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