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| Started the journey
towards the highest motorable pass in the world on 15th of August
2002. The homework took almost three months. With the same hope
arrived at New Delhi on a hot August afternoon on the 17th.
And started the ride on my bike towards Manali. By evening found
a hotel in Ambala for the first day's rest. |
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| Plan sketched
out is somewhat like this. Start from Delhi take two days to
reach Manali, which is 534kms away. Stay in Manali for day or
two. Start for Leh(477kms from Manali)-Khardung La (41kms from
Leh, the highest motorable pass in the World). The round trip
Manali-Leh-Khardung La- Leh - Manali should take 5 days plus
2 extra days in case of bad weather and be back in Delhi by
the 30th of August. Only the execution is left now. |
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| Till Roop Nagar
which is few kilometers from Chandigarh the weather is dry and
hot. Once you enter the Himachal you will start feeling the
cold breeze, that tells you that you are in "Himachal". The
ride which is so far monotonous with the almost straight road
gets a touch of climbing hills and curves and bends. The next
days stay is in Babeli (8kms from Kullu) in a Guest house. The
kind owner who used to run guest house early now gives rooms
for only selected people as he is not in running it as business.
And it sure is wonderful to meet some gentleman who had visited
my native sometime back. You never know to whom you are talking
to. |
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| The next two days
are resting and shopping days in Manali. And ofcourse not to
forget the food tasting days also. Met a guy by name Sohan Lal,
friend of a friend, now a friend, a busy person harvesting the
apple in his orchards. Yes, the time is just right to eat a
ripe garden fresh apple. The side bags for my bike are also
looking good, heavy and ready with spares of the vehicle and
some petrol. |
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| The next day 21st
is the first day towards Leh. Observation was the weather becomes
quite unpredictable and may get worse after 1600hrs. Later I
found that I was wrong it's 1400h. From Manali itself the climb
begins to Rohtang La. The top is 51kms away from Manali and
took around 2hours in the clouds. Might take less in clear weather.
Just few kilometers after the Pass the road diverts one leading
to Batal, ChandraTaal Lake and other towards Leh. 16kms from
the top is place called Khoksar with a Police check post where
all the vehicle movements are to be registered. |
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Early yesterday while chatting
with Sohan Lal we talked about people, how peoples response
depends on how your approach is. To be friends with anyone
I say one should have sympathy for the local custom, language
and tradition. And I say these himachali's you find in villages
and small places are very friendly.
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| After ride through
few villages one sign board stops you saying "next filling station
is 364kms away". Place is Tandi with last petrol bunk after
Manali. The biggest place around is Keylong. On the banks of
a river with few Monasteries. Jispa and Darcha are the next
places. Darcha is the starting point for quite a few expeditions
in the Ladakh range. Has quite a number of dhabas. And 143kms
away from Manali. |
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| The dhabas are
places where you can stay overnight. They provide bed for a
nominal charge. (20-30 rupees a bed).And food so good and native!
The Garja Dhaba is the place for the night and choti KusumLata
who is spending the holidays away from her school in Manali
is all enthu about this stranger in dirty clothes and loads
of luggage on a two wheeler. It is nice talking to kids. It
is so much relaxing. |
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| The next days
destination is fixed. It is going to be Pang at a distance of
about 145kms. The "eat well sleep well" diet is on.
Got up at 0630h and was riding away from Darcha at 0700h. The
next place you find humans on the way is Patseo, a military
base. Few kilometers ahead is Zing Zing Bar and the climb again
begins for the Baralacha La. Then you get Bharathpur with a
stream which has broken down a small bridge and the vehicles
are crossing in the water. Good thing about these Himalayan
streams is that in the early hours of morning water is less
because of less melting of ice upstream. Bad thing is one can't
judge the force of the current just by looking at them. They
are always more powerful than one thinks. And the news is we
reached there at 1100h and everything is at moderate level.
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| After crossing
the stream the next place on the way is Sarchu. The last place
in the Himachal Pradesh. After Sarchu one enters the Jammu and
Kashmir state. The Sarchu is a plain land miles and miles in
dimension. Next part of the road is the Gata Loops. 21 Loops,
start at about 4200m and takes you to height of about 4600m.
And The destination is near Pang . The cold deserts starts to
show its beauty. A herd of Thars are really a wonderful sight
crossing the road before you and vanishing in the vastness of
the mountains. |
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| When in Pang,
stay at Sonam's Dhaba. Quite remarkable woman. Here people have
setup tents for serving food and providing night's accommodation.
Food is really good. I seemed to have developed AMS (ACute Mountain
Sickness). Whenever I see tent I feel like going in and drinking
a cup of hot tea. :) Just Kidding. But in reality at such altitude
sickness is a common fact. |
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| Next days pitch
report says everything is bright and sunny. The More Plains
start after 8kms from Pang. This is 40kms just plain flat road
at about height of 4600m amidst high mountains. Amazing. Then
the climb for the World's second Highest Pass The TangLang La
starts. The road builders here are one hell of a guys. As they
say "It is really a Matter of Pride". Most of the traffic one
finds is of trucks, and Army vehicles and some tourist four
wheelers. And ofcourse few riders on Bicycles and Motorcycles. |
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| After some hot
black tea and sharing fire with the Army people the descent
starts for Rumtse, in the coldest wind so far. As one goes down
the whole vegetation (whatever little bit one finds) changes.
You are entering Ladakh now. |
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| Me is thinking
why I am not taking many pictures. Probably me is confused which
one to photograph and which one to leave, 'cos everywhere almost
every angle poses a wonderful view. heck! Let me enjoy riding
first. :) |
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| After Rumtse the
Major place is Upshi around 50kms from Leh. From here one road
takes you to Pangong Lake and other places and the other to
Leh,Kargil Srinagar etc. Upshi is at quite low altitude around
11000ft and from here it is a nice ride to Leh through many
small villages. The major place enroute is Karu with a huge
Military Base. |
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That night stay is at Leh.
And plan is to leave all the Luggage in hotel and Leave for
Khardung La next morning. And by 1200h next day the Khardung
La ride is also over. The Leh is the biggest town in the surrounding
with a airport along with other necessary things for a tourist,
especially a tourist from abroad.
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| The Police at
check post in South Pullu is asking for a Permission letter
from the Certain Govt. official in Leh to visit Khardung La.
Who knew this? "Ok" He says "Go on! Now that you have come till
here I am letting you go on my risk. But Do leave a Identification
card". With my DL on his table the climb for the Pass begins.
Nice one. After another 40 minutes ride we are on the top. Its
quite a busy place unlike other passes. Many tourists and Army
people. |
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| Done. The first
Half of ride is finished successfully. Now shall start for Manali.
the next day early morning. |
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The day starts at 0815h.
Now I have also learnt how side bags should be for a long
ride. Where the buckles should be stitched, where the loop
goes etc. I have been working out with the bags I have, with
plastic ropes so far, well and good. Now I have purchased
some cotton strips, still better or probably the best. Rides
on the gradual ascent from Leh to Upshi is just brilliant
in the early morning hours. When I reach Rumtse it started
raining. First experience of the ride in the Himalayan rain.
Yep, it is only drizzling but still the ride is just fine
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| Met RamPravesh,
as I had promised and took his message for his friends in BLR.
He is one of the persons I met the other day a TangLang La.
Rumste is their base. Ate the apples he offered. He was generous
enough to offer lunch. If only I had time I could have had the
taste of army lunch in Himalayas. |
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| As I ascend to
TangLang La the weather still holding the same position, probably
it is snowing on the side of the Pass. I see none except a Lorry
driver. The More Plains are still the same part sunny, part
cloudy. And Now at end part is snowing and raining heavily with
all the flash and thunder. Thought is Pang is nearby If could
get there I'll be home. But what lies ahead is descent, i.e.
curves,bends etc as usual. It is raining and I have only one
brake in my bike. Oh! Yes, the other brake... |
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| I parked my bike
on a side in the Leh main bazaar and went for a chowmein. By
the time I was out I see my bikes front brake is broken, can't
use it at all. And the head lamp is broken partly. Darn some
guy must be having some fancy parking style. Believe me these
unreligious accidents hurt you most. If it was on the road or
somewhere it would have been like a warrior in the battlefield. |
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| After I descent
to Pang fully drenched the treatment I get is just wonderful.
The lady at the dhaba was cooking something on the kerosene
stove. When I enter the dhaba she takes away all the wet jackets
and bags away for drying and brings the kerosene stove near
me shivering like a feather. And I get loads of hot milk tea
and 'namkeen tea'. Just wonderful people. |
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The news in the
evening is there is a small landslide on the way, I am to cover
next day. It is on a slope, only small vehicles can come from
the top. From the other side the it is difficult as it will
be like climbing a muddy hill in the rain. With a 150ft valley
on one side. The truck guys are just waiting for the army bulldozers
to clear the road. A gypsy guy and me have a plan. "If
the army guys go, they start late and we'll be late for our
next things. Let's start early in the morning and getaway from
this as soon as possible". So the plan and works out very
fine. Now all my luggage is in the gypsy and we are light and
flying.
This morning one of the most beautiful morning in
the whole event. Clear blue sky, with those typical misty white
clouds at the peaks of every snow covered mountain shining with
the morning sunlight. Words fail me. Eyeful is not enough. Sigh!
I have to go. Probably it is also one of the coldest mornings
also. |
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| And a thought
runs in my mind. What draws one near the beliefs. There are
streams here sometime uncrossable. There are landslides here
cutting you away from the world, there are storms here with
freezing cold winds and there is road itself long and winding.
All one could pray for is his or her safety, something which
could bring him or her near to his or her people again. Then
the gods are born in the minds. In the minds of the unknown
and the known, the minds which have seen the forces of the nature.
How different a life in BLR from a life in Pang in this matter? |
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| Then at the Bharatpur
tents the Gypsy guys and we separate. As they have to rush.
These tourist agency guys are always in a hurry. They say they
start at 0200h from Leh and reach Manali by 1900h. Goodness
gracious. From Here it is smooth sailing till Darcha. As soon
as we reach the rain gods are happy again and start. |
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| There is a long
bridge at Darcha over Bhaga river. As the rain pours the water
level in the river is also rising flowing a little over the
bridge. My worry is if something happens to the bridge I could
well be struck there for good 3 to 4 days. The lady at the dhaba
noticed my worry and assures me that nothing is going to happen
and I should be away from worries. And she indeed was right. |
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| Next days ride
brings me near my starting point. The only major place in between
is the Rohtang La. When we reach the top we are all in the clouds
with probably 30ft of visibility. I say to myself "wow
this is going to be great!" and as I carry further on for
another good 15to20 minutes it is real fun riding down a hairpin
bends,loops inside the cloud. But after 30 more minutes it gets
kind of boring. You see nothing, you honk, you flash lights,
look for pits, manage vehicle with one break etc etc. When I
reach Manali I say to myself "well, Never before I was
there in the clouds with my bike for an hour time. Hmmm.. things
happen!". |
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Back in Manali me and Sohan
Lal are eating delicious momoes and talking about what we
observed. We agree that the colour may change, the food habbits
might be different but basically anywhere you see in India
the family and the family system is same. The people are the
same with different languages and adoptions but their beliefs
are the same. We also talked about how good south Indians
are at sweet dishes (both making and eating) and how little
sweets Himachal has, etc. it goes on...
The rest of the story is not much interesting. Ride away from
Manali in rain to the hot dusty Delhi and be back to BLR by
train. But what's interesting is the things that are not done.
Riding in the deviations to the main road, Taking photos of
the main interesting stuff, and visiting all the places that
are reachable. I must go back again.
Now I am back in BLR, visions are running in my head. I knew
head is far away from the heart and unreachable at times and
I am learning now that it is true all the times.
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I must go back
again. As they say Himalayas will call you back, be prepared.
True, I am an atheist, still I would say if there is a something
like god the it must be Sun and the Mountains.
May the light be with me, with everyone of us. |
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"Guri beku baaLinge guri hiridu
beku
guri matta keeLaage aduve paapa,
Geluvirali, solirali Horaatave guri
ida tiLidu munde nuggo Timma".
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-- BeeChi. |
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(I have written the
above lines as I remember them. My sincere apologies if
the above words are not exact replica of BeeChi's writing.
-- ravee) |
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