The Native Connection

The Native Connection

As I recall…with the height of about 3 foot, I entered the class room for the first time…somewhere back in a remote village and as my curious eyes surveyed…a calendar bought my attention. 

Cold Stone Mountains

Cold Stone Mountains

Mostly people refer Mountains as nothing but heap of granite boulder and rocks…may be true though, but these days, it is opposite!

This post is not about all Himachali folks and Indians but refers to the minority of them, who are rapidly increasing to be in the majority or are almost in majority too! This could happen anywhere in the world but it is about local! Read Here >>

Trek to Langha Mata

How to Trek to Langha Mata

Langha Mata with temple site in the lap of Green hills looked over by Dhauladhar Mountains in Palampur side. This is an easy Day Hike trek, so we advice start early in the morning.

View of Langha Mata Temple and Shiva Temple

Trek But Please Do Not Throw Your Garbage on Trail and near Temple premises, carry an extra bag to put your garbage in.

To reach the starting point of trail to Langha Mata temple, you need to reach village Nanahar, which comes after Village Kandbari and Village Khas Bari.

You can board a Himachal Roadways Transport Corporation Bus (HRTC) leaves Palampur ISBT around 07:30 AM and goes through Old Palampur Bus Stand and bus stop near Punjab National Bank at 08:00 AM (keep a watchful eye if you decide to board from Old Bus Stand), this bus will drop you near Govt Sr Sec School and Primary Health Center of Nanahar and by the side water filtration system, the starting point of this trek.

The first HRTC bus leaves Palampur ISBT at 07:30 AM, consult the bus stand authorities a day in advance, though no need of advance booking for seat. Alternatively you can drive up to Nanahar, or can board any bus for Baijnath, Manali and ask for Dramman bus stop.

From Dramman bus stop either board a shared cab up to Kandbari or hire a taxi for Nanahar (a not so good option).

Once you reach Nanahar School, climb a steep concrete road going upward North. At the end of this concrete road turn left and then after 20 meter walk, turn right up side, here this trail has a shop on to the left...post this shop the concrete trail gets divided in to two parts.

You can take any of them… (a) the trail on to left will go through a house with temple of Lord Hanuman and a right turn through fields and will end in front of homes and a Water Well with a small temple on top… (b) if you take right hand concrete trail, which is a little bit of lengthy but straight and will end in front of the same water Well.

View from Nanahar point, here the Trail is divided in two direction

View from Nanahar

From the Water Well and after a little walk from the back side of the house and livestock point, one trail goes to left and other trail goes to right hand side...take turn to right hand up side trail and after a short walk, you will notice a waterhole on left...cross over and from there the single trail starts, climb up the pebbled trail and turn right up side…..and once you reach near the water tank do not deviate either left side or right side...just look out for the trail straight up side (North)….with two rest points on trail.

Trail Coming from Palampur side

On the last rest point...you will notice a punctured water pipe and another trail going down to left and one going to right...as said earlier once you are on main trail, Avoid any trail going left or right….keep walking upside and since here trail visibility is 100% clear, so no chance of getting lost.

Last of the Climb

View of Temple from Opposite side

With a bit of common sense you will make it to the temple of Langha Mata. There are no shops on trail or near temple, so carry your lunch, water and some fruits for refreshment.

You can come back to village Nanahar bus stop by least 03:00 PM or early and better reach bus stop of village Kandbari to retreat either Palampur or Dharamsala. The last bus from Kandbari leaves at 04:30 PM

Getting Paid for Lahesh Cave Clean Up

Lahesh Cave Clean Up 2 and Payment

During our first Indrahar Pass trek we noticed badly trashed vicinity and Lahesh Cave so decided to come back and clean up some of bit. Though our First attempt to Clean Up Lahesh Cave was success but still there were plenty of bottles stuffed around and we had planned our 2nd Lahesh Cave Clean Up drive by the end of 2013 but were barred due to sudden change in weather followed by snowstorm and hence 2nd drive was postponed till 2014.

July 15th 2014, we conceptualized our second high mountain clean up drive. On July 20th left for Lahesh Cave after our sponsored (sponsored by Manu in terms of Lunch and Mat) day halt in Triund Hill we continued for SnowLine Café and Lahesh Cave.
Follow complete blog here at Triund

Dhauladhar Sun Rise

Dhauladhar Sun Rise  ~ No Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom ~ All from Dhauladhar and Mother Nature 

Help Keep Nature Clean and Green, Be A Green Hiker!

Dhauladhar Sun Rise 

How to Trek to Kareri Lake

How to Trek to Kareri Lake

Kareri Lake Trek From Dharamsala

For Kareri Lake trail you need to reach Ghera Village either using a taxi or bus leaving from Dharamsala ISBT around 07:45 AM or via a foot trail from Satowari Village.You don't need to go Chari. Bus fare is 15 INR. From Ghera Village there is a road under construction suitable only for jeeps.

The trek starts from Ghera Village. From Ghera Village you need to cross the bridge.

The Trail

Once through this bridge first you need to turn right and then take left turn on road and on third right turn there is jungle trail going upward from left hand side. Here you need to skip the road for short cut. Or you can continue on road which after 45 minutes connects to trail for (Read here all detail > Kareri Village.)

After this Wider bridge the climb from right hand side gets steep and goes through dense forest still the trail is clearly visible and after a climb of minimum 45 minutes you will come at a point where the trail divides to 2 way one going right hand with a huge boulder on wall side..and other going left side with a bended water pipe.

 

 

SHIVA & SHAKTI

Minkiani Peak

Note :-  Please Trek and Enjoy the Beauty of Nature But Then Also Be Good To Nature and Avoid Throwing Trash or any kind of Garbage on Trails.

Also for this trek there should be minimum two friends, solo trekking is not advised unless you have done this trek earlier too, and Best Time is between June to October first week. 

And carry your own food stuff as there are no cafes or tea stalls on trail and clothing as per weather plus shoes with good grips. 

Kareri Village and Lake

Kareri Lake

Kareri Village is another interesting place neighboring Triund Hill. Kareri village is approximately in following co-ordinates 32° 16′ 50.93″ N  76° 16′ 50.77″ E and is just 3km from Ghera village. Total distance to Kareri village from Dharamsala ISBT is about 22km.

Lahesh Cave Clean Up

Lahesh Cave Clean Up

LaheshCave Clean up 2 https://www.facebook.com/events/636617773101329/ … from Triund to Lahesh Cave and back.

Our second clean up drive for Lahesh Cave; activity is to clean the Trash from Lahesh Cave and dispose off it in the dustbins of McLeod Ganj.

Also on retreat Put up fresh Red Arrow marks in Illaqa.

Birni Devi

Birni Devi

on February 12th, 2012

In the heights of Dhauladhars neighboring Triund is the temple of Birni Devi in Palampur.

Temple of Birni Devi is located above Gallu Langha village of Palampur and is accessible from following route Palampur–>Lohna–>upper Bundla–>Gallu Langha.

Roar of Monsoon Clouds

Roar of Monsoon Clouds

We were on a short trek on unknown trails of Dhauladhar Hills. On trails just like the silky, black and smooth hair of a women, I was in love with the lush green grass all around and then there were Columbine flowers and some snake hood like plants too

snake plant

..and we even came across the metal feeder 

Indrahar Pass

Indrahar Pass

Indrahar Pass trekking through thick fog, hail and rain.

Bhima Paani in Satchali

Bhima Paani in Satchali

Bhima Paani in Satchali ~ during the Exile Pandavs roamed Himalayas and to quench thirst of his mother Kunti, Bhima hit the mountain wall with his Gada (mace) to find water and that resulted in this little fountain and as named as Bhima Paani ~ For trekking to Satchali you may contact Gaurav Walia over +919459790810

As Indrahar Pass so is Waru Pass

As Indrahar Pass so is Waru Pass 

 

This is not about the height or difficulty level of Mountain Pass....it's more than that!
I got up early by 3:30 am to get ready for my third High Mountain but first long duration and length hike with all ration and cooking stuff on backpack. Left home around 5:40 am and was at Dramman around 06:15 am and the good thing was like election campaign days and marriage functions for all taxis were engaged so I'd to kill myself at Dramman for almost 2 hours and finally at 8:30 am got the lift up to Kandwari....I remember my first high mountain hike of Indrahar Pass in Dhauladhar Mountain Range..during my first climb and stay in Indrahar Jot the feeling I had was just like a child has once he/she sits on the shoulders of parents and seeing the views around that are generally barred owing to once height and age!

Pir Panjal Range and ManiMahesh Kailash Peak Chamba

Read Here...........

Temple of Aadi Himani Chamunda Devi

The work done to make concrete trail up to temple is also a total waste of funds as within two years the concrete pavement laid by state government has started to break and in most of parts it is already ruined…plus at some points it is more dangerous to step on some parts of trails..though the old trails is still good to follow.

Availability of water is still not dependent…you might think you will get water refill in the old water point..but that’s just a luck…you might reach the spot and find the tap dry. (that happens mostly and at times when on the opposite ridge villagers go to collect woods or grass for livestock and from the water source they untie the pipeline to drink water and leave the pipeline untied and which results in dry tap on Trail to Aadi Himani Chamunda Devi So you need to carry own water, if you want to avoid dehydration and loss of energy which is required to climb the steep trails.

Gauri Jhundha Dhauladhar Matter Horn

April 2014 Gauri Jhundha or Dhauladhar Matter Horn with bubble clouds as seen opposite to temple of Aadi Himani Chamunda Devi from Triund Hill ~ image shared by Sahil Bakshi

Triund Hill and Snowline Cafe

As the sun is reclaiming it's position in the sky the city plains are feeling the heat increasing day by day and similarly snow in Triund is also going back up in the air...shepherds have started to direct their livestock to the lower ridge of mountains which are full of fresh green grass.

Langha Mata

कृपया प्रकृति माता और लान्‍ंघा माता मंदिर परिसर और रास्ते को साफ रखें कोई प्‍लास्‍टिक या कूड़ा-कर्कट ना फेंकैं |

Since long Mountains have fascinated humans and some felt scared of them. But only within these Mountains the sage and saints find Peace. Mountains have been watching every activity down on Earth and have kept a record of all incidences and they share it with whoever comes to them and has the capability to communicate with them.

Mountains have found an honorable space with the Gaddi shepherds. As these Gaddi shepherds have been frequenting them since long time and used Mountain Trails and Passes to migrate with their livestocks from one region to other. Though at present this trend is on decline as so called future generation finds this tradition a symbol of backwardness, but they keep forgetting that the Real Life is what their parents and ancestors had.