Himalayan Odyssey (Lahaul & Spiti Valley)

Day 1 - June 8 2008
Kasol-Manali-Batal - 200 km

After the most incredible trek of our life it was now time to go missing in the spiritual and secluded valley of Spiti. The Spiti Valley and its neighboring valleys are among the most remote in the world, lying on the border with Tibet in a seldom-traveled corner in the far north of India, smack-dab in the middle of the mystic Himalayas.

We started early from Kasol passing through the same switchbacks of Parvati valley and reached Kullu at around 9 AM. We wanted to get the bike checked once again before hitting the unknown roads of Spiti. Soon after reaching Kullu we started searching for a Bajaj mechanic and found all the shops closed as it was Sunday, but to our luck we found a Bajaj mechanic (Anantaram – PH 09817268449) near the old bridge of Kullu. Anantaram after a quick check of the bike, assured everything is fine. His assurance was more than enough for us to start our 5 day long journey. Next thing in front of us was to find an ATM in Kullu. There is one and only ICICI ATM in the city and by god’s graces it was in working condition. We didn’t wanted to take any chance hence got enough cash for our journey.

Topped up the tank and started towards Manali which is an important hill station in the Himalayan Mountains of Himachal Pradesh, near the northern end of the Kullu Valley. Manali is administratively a part of the Kullu district. The name of Manali is on the name of Lord Manu. This temple is one and only temple in the world. According to scriptures, Manu was the first man in nature. We stopped at the same small hotel at Palchan; where we had been earlier for hot parathas and tea. News from the locals was that the roads of Spiti valley is still not cleared by BRO (Border Road Organization), but it shouldn’t be a problem for bike if there aren’t any landslides on the way. With all the bike gear and confidence we started towards Rohtang, which is one of the highest passes in Himachal Pradesh. Traffic jams on the way to Rohtang are common occurrences caused due to the tight roads, rough terrain compounded with Snow/ice and large number of tourist vehicles. Luckily we got through one such jam, which caused hundreds of vehicles to line up on the Manali-Rohtang highway.

Rohtang Pass is at an alt. of 13,051 ft (3,978 m) which is two times the alt. of Manali being 6,398 ft (1,950 m). Rohtang Pass is 51 KM from Manali, which is complete uphill ride and this high mountain pass connects the Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti valleys of Himachal Pradesh. The pass is open from May to November and the BRO has maintained excellent roads even in such harsh weather conditions. Rohtang pass was ancient trade route between the people on either side of Pir Panjal and this pass has nasty reputation for being very dangerous because of unpredictable snowstorms and blizzards. The pass provides a natural divide between scenic Kullu valleys in the middle Himalayas with the dry desert uplands north of the greater Himalayas. On the southern face of this pass there is a spot called Bias Kund, which is the origin of river Beas.

It was Sunday and Rohtang Pass was filled with tourists, vehicles, hotels and what not, which looked as if there was some festival on the cold mountains. Here one can walk over and touch snow even in the peak of summer. If Rohtang pass was crammed with visitors, few meters after the pass was very soon a cold desert where we could only see the green valley dwarfed by the surrounding white-capped peaks, which caught our attention for a quick photo shoot. The downhill road was merely filled with loose gravel & mud and melted water from the mountain flowed through out the road leaving no sign of tarmac. This road condition and the cold blustery weather made riding a bit risky for Anil but he balanced the bike while I kept clicking my camera. At one curve we stopped the bike and stood watching the gigantic peaks and the thriving valleys. It looked as if The Lady – Mother Nature is resting here. Chandrabhaga River looked like a silver line in the copper field alongside of the road curveing through the flourished Spiti valley.

The descent took us to a board that read, “KAZA, SPITI Valley” was the first we came across after Rohtang Pass, which bought an immense joy and happiness within us and the desire to ride through Spiti increased. We were standing on the spot we used to point out in maps and dreamt of being there. The place is called “Gramphoo”, merely a small junction with no homes or dhaba’s we read in some travel blogs. From this junction one needs to take right to Spiti or go straight for Keylong and Leh. The valleys are accessible only a few months of the year (May to Oct) when receding snow allows traffic over 15,000-foot-high (4551M) Kunzum Pass, the only other entrance for sometimes-motor able access is habitually blocked by mud and rockslides. As we rode through the curvy, muddy road we were overwhelmed by seeing the beautiful waterfalls far inbetween the cracks of the mountain. It was 3:00 PM and we decided to give a tea stop at next village “Chatru”, which is 17KM from gramphoo according to the map. We now had to cross the first stream (NALA) on our way.

The mountain wall on the right side was covered with thick ice and freezing water flowed extremely through it. I got down with a heavy backpack and told anil to take the bike other side as I walked through the unforgiving, bone chilling water. My toe’s got numb for a while and the expression on my face was horrible at that moment. With that heavy backpack it was difficult walking in that cold water, but it was extreme fun. We roughly took 15 min to cross the watercourse and relaxed for a while. Many small streams come in our way and we enjoyed crossing them. At around 4:30 PM we came near a place which looked more or less like an open field and river flowed nearby. Our legs were wet and the cold ambiance surely asked for a hot cup of tea. As we moved further a milestone read “CHATRU 0 KM”, but there was no sign of any living being around and suddenly the jubilation started to gloom. We passed a bridge and saw some tent nearby, it was nothing but an old army tent put long back. With a hope of finding some village for tea and snacks, we moved further. It was around 5:00 PM and the vegetation had completely changed.

The snow clad mountains replaced the green with gray and brown. Atmosphere was getting chilly and due to the wet shoes anil was unable to ride the bike, hence sidelined the bike and removed his shoes. Wind at this point blew awfully and we could not here each other. Now only thing in our mind was to get to our destination “BATAL” as early as possible. Road now became narrower and as it was almost 6:00 PM, sun was setting but Batal was nowhere to be seen. Our talks stopped and both felt a kind of uncertainty. Road was getting worst and was practically difficult for anil to ride through the boulders on the way. Our body started giving up for the cold and the harsh road. All the joy of the day was one side and not finding Batal yet was on the other side. Looking at the surrounding we felt as if we were in some alien territory. I now knew how a cold desert looks like and to be honest it was a bit horrifying. Both started losing patience and on top of that a long cold stream was in front of us. We had no option other than crossing it. We literally were shouting with distress “WHERE THE HELL IS BATAL” but except the icy mountains, nobody was there to listen to us.

Sun had already said good bye for the day, leaving this part of earth to freeze. Reluctantly we crossed the stream and with those numb feet we moved further. Suddenly a mile stone read Batal 10 KM. Though it was now dark, weather was freezing, road was worsening and we both were dog-tired, mile stone bought a big smile on our face. We were happy for not getting lost in the cold desert. Still the joy was not lessened and the road came to a dead end, an ice slide had blocked the further way. The killing cold left us dumb struck for a while as the only way to the other end was by crossing one more chilled stream. We now knew there is Batal at 8KM from where we stood, but were not able to move our feet any more. One of the most memorable days of our life had not yet ended showing hurdles in front of us. I reluctantly got down and moved further, luckily stream was not deep and anil could get through easily on bike. Both had no sensation in the feet but kept talking, forcefully diverting our mind. It was around 7:30 and we still had 7KM to go, which would roughly take another 45 min to reach Batal as we could ride at the speed of 10 KM/Hr only. Such was the road condition and the road, surrounding area, everything looked same in dark.

It was incredible seeing those white capped mountains at night. We did not believe our eyes but we did see the light far away. It was Batal, Our destination of first day in Spiti valley. Batal is nothing but a Dhaba (Village Hotel), where a Sherpa lives with his wife and a couple of workers. We stopped the bike and rushed inside, where an old lady was cooking in front of choolah (Village stove). She got up and left way for us to get some heat of fire as we were shivering from cold. We literally kept out feet in fire for 15 sec and only then we could feel the heat. We were lucky to escape from the frost bites.We both were shivering even after wearing multiple layers of warm cloths and hands were still numb. Maaji prepared hot tea for us, which raised our body temperature a bit. Phulke with baingan ki sabji and dal was delicious.

Chandra dhaba is the main junction for travelers in Spiti. Dhaba has an extra room or you can call it a den, which can accommodate 10 people. Den, because it’s merely 7 FT height with no windows and is built by stacking stones vertically. Though all the effort is made to avoid wind from blowing in, the room still remains cold as it is surrounded by snow clad mountains. Thick and warm cotton beds and blankets are specially made to withstand the extreme cold during nights, even when sometimes temperature goes below 0 degree, the blankets keep you warm. Sherpa and his wife come here early May and stay till Nov every year, and past 35 years they have been staying in Batal which is one of the most inhabited places on earth I have seen. Dhaba is not only for food and stay, it also provide all basic needs of life like Soap, Paste, Toothbrush, Sugar, Salt and many more things to the travelers. It was 9:30 PM and we were dog tired but wanted to take some snaps of moon and mountains at night. As we stepped outside the room we realized how warm the room was from inside. Believe me it was freezing outside, and pinching cold wind did not let us stay long taking pictures. First day in Spiti valley ended under the warmth of thick blankets.

The complete route map of the Himachal trip on Pulsar 150 cc is given below along with the distance. Click on the image to see the enlarged map.

Day 1 places & distance -

Kasol to Kullu - 35 KM
Kullu to Manali - 45 KM
Manali to Rohatang Pass - 51 KM
Rohtang Pass to Gramphoo - 20 KM
Gramphoo to Chatru - 17 KM
Chatru to Batal - 32 KM

Himalayan Odyssey (Manali-Kasol)

May 30 2008
Manali-Kasol

It was early morning still dark outside and I was nowhere in mood to get off the bed. Tea was already on the table. We had tea and were planning to get ready as soon as possible. I was out in that cold whether taking pictures while anil was getting ready. Captured some beautiful snaps of snow clad mountains covered in mist. Both got ready and were back on the bike for our return journey. We stopped for breakfast at the same hotel we had been last evening. It was almost 9:00 AM we started from Palchan and stopped in Manali for street beat. After doing some window shopping we were about to leave for Kasol and a board stood in front of us directing to a Monastery. Though it looked different we dint find it as a place one must visit in Manali.

Anil wanted to get the bike checked once and so we started looking for a mechanic. After bike checkup we straight headed towards Kullu. The road from Manali goes along with the beas river which was truly a pleasant ride. After riding for about 15KM we stopped near a bridge for tea. It was a bright day and the sky was clean blue. The surrounding was eye catching. Long pine trees on the river bank looked as if they were arranged in a methodical order. Beas looked ideal for white water rafting. As we were conversing with the chai wala, he suggested us to visit Naggar Palace on the way to Kullu. The road to Naggar castle was soothing one. We cruised through long pine forest and small villages. It can be said as the photographer’s paradise. Naggar is located at 2,047 meters (6,716 feet) and was the capital of Kullu Rajas in 1460 AD. In winter the temperature falls down less than 0 °C and in summers the temperature is moderate. Castle is the main attraction at Naggar. We took some pictures and started towards Kasol. Though we were at that altitude sun was showing its heat. It was around 2:00 PM when we stopped for lunch at a hotel beside Parvati River. We then went to the camp where our luggage was kept. It was now time to check all the photos we had taken in two days.

In the evening we went to Manikaran which is located in the Parvati Valley between the rivers Vyaas and Parvati at 5 KM from Kasol. Manikaran is a pilgrimage centre for Hindus and Sikhs. The Hindus believe that Manu recreated human life in Manikaran after the flood, making it a sacred area. It has many temples and a gurudwara.
Manikaran is also known for the hot springs that are situated near the bank of Parvati River. These are confined to several groups of hot water springs emerging at various locations spreading up to a distance of about 1.3 KM. along the river from the old bridge to Brahmaganga. The springs at Manikaran come out to surface with pressure and are very hot. There is no sulphur or iron mixed in the waters, but it is said to be radioactive. The water of these springs is so much hot that pulses (dal), rice, vegetables etc. can be boiled and cooked in it. Food served in gurudwara is cooked in the same hot water.

The healing properties of the Manikaran Springs are well known all over the country. Pilgrims from far come here to cure their ailments. According to a legend, when Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati were walking in the valley, Parvati dropped one of her earrings. Mani Karan means Ear Rings; the jewel was seized by Shesha, the serpent deity, who then disappeared into the earth with it. Shesha only surrendered the jewel when Shiva performed the cosmic dance, the Tandava and shot the jewel up through the water. Apparently, jewels continued to be thrown up in the waters at Manikaran until the earthquake of 1905. After returning from Manikaran it was time for the dinner at camp and the camp fire. There is much to write about Sarpass trek and hence I will dedicate a separate blog for it.

Himalayan Odyssey (Kullu-Manali)

May 29 2008
Kullu-Manali - 85 KM

It was the second day of our trip and the eagerness to see Manali made us get ready on time. Dumped our entire luggage in camp and started the most awaited journey of our life with a pair of warm cloths and a bag full of cameras and tripod. It was a cold day and the sun rays had not yet touched the ground. First pit stop came much earlier than we expected. Filled our stomach with hot Bread omelet and tea and took out the Canon SLR which was taken especially for this trip. Some photo shoots and headed towards Manali. The road cut through unfolded mountains and tall pine trees was a feast for our eyes. I kept on capturing the serene beauty in my camera. Parvati River flowing down the hill looked overwhelming. Manali is at 40 KM from Kullu and 85 KM from Kasol.

Our next tea stop was after crossing the bridge at Bhuntar. Bhuntar is where the River Parvati and Beas meet. Though sun had started heating up the ground we felt cold while on bike. Kullu was the place we used to dream about and here we are on our bike riding through its streets. We now knew why the place is known as the paradise. As we stirred further we were riding next to the splendid Beas River and we could not stop ourselves by stopping our bike for a plunge into the river. Water was crystal clear and aqua green in color. We had no idea how cold the water was but when stepped in it was like a current shock to our feet. It was ice chilled water and my foot was nearly frozen. Anil somehow got into the water and had a memorable dip of his life. Later after seeing Anil in the water, reluctantly I entered the water. I swear it was breathtaking and bone chilling. It was an experience in itself.

It was almost 1:00 PM and we were hungry like pigs after having a dip in the Beas. One can see many many dhabas and hotels on both sides of the road. We stopped our bike at one such dhaba and ordered the paranthas. Truly, it was the finest paranthas I had ever tasted along with the curd and pickle adding the taste to the feast. After the scrumptious meal it was time to start our bike and head to Manali. We took all our time to get to Manali without rushing any were but enjoying each and every curve on the road. The snow-clad mountains stood majestically in front of us. Some places were speechless and we stood with our eyes of shining expectation fixed on those colonial rocks. Roads are pretty good and well maintained by BRO. one need not worry about the food or water any were in Himachal Pradesh.

It was around 3:00 PM when we reached Manali. My expectations about Manali went wrong bearing in mind the crowded streets and concrete structures tall enough to cover the scenery around. Not wasting much time we started searching for the army transit camp. Anil being Lt in navy we were permitted to stay in the army transit camp situated at Palchan 10 KM from Manali. Me being a civilian, it was a different story although for anil to convince the commander in charge for my stay in transit camp. This army transit camp is delimited by snow clad mountains from all the sides and we can see the switch-backs that take you to Rohatang Pass. After sipping hot tea we were out with our cameras capturing the colorful flowers and grand mounts. There were so many different kind of flowers in and around transit camp. Weather was cloudy and we also experienced a light spell of rain during our journey. Weather keeps changing here. Suddenly there was bright light in the blue sky and was perfect for capturing some eye-catching photos.

It was evening and we started feeling the cold. Even in summers, Manali has recorded the min temperature going below zero. Fortunately it was around 3 to 4 degree on that day. We were again feeling hungry and rode straight to the hotel. Near Palchan we see several stalls numbered in series. All provide warm cloths, and skiing equipments for rent to those who are going to Rohatang Pass. We had yummy chawmin and were back in our room. When in Manali one should by no means fail to eat chawmin. It was now time to hit the army bar and the only dress I had was a jean and T-shirt and a jacket. Thankfully there was no dress code for the bar. Anybody who is going to a defense Bar (PUB), do remember to have a pair of formals with you. It’s a must. Temperature was freezing outside and we were in no mood to get froze hence we opted Fine brandy with hot water for the night. After gulping a couple of glasses it was time for the dinner. What a treat it was with hot Phulke and Rajma. It was a special day for me as I was dining with top ranked Indian defense personals.

Day had still not ended for Anil and me. We wanted to try out with the SLR camera and soon were out in the ground. Though we were completely covered from head to toe, we could not stand the cold of the night. Took some snaps and the next moment we were under warm Rajai (blankets). Second day was called off.

Though tourist season starts from April and ends at November, best time to visit Kullu Manali is May to Aug.