DAY VI : Mandini .....
Morning arrived and found me awake raring to go, Uemid made some hot
upma and chana for me to eat to gain strength also to have a change from what i
had been eating since the past few days . They forced me to eat well for it was
important that i has the strength to walk. Soon we started ahead while as usual
Premsingh ji would wind up the camp and follow with the rest of the team. The
path was gentle unlike the previous day and we made good progress walking in
knee length foliage which made seeing where the step was being placed a major
concern for many a time we had to walk on stones stepping over them for many metres
as the path led ahead, hence once again the key word in monsoon when the
foliage is in full growth and everything is wet and slippery, watch where the
step is placed. After around 2 kms we reached DANGJA, a local landmark which
was a small bugyal next to a flowing stream. The shepherds normally stay here
as was explained to me. It was a very pretty place with flowers and grass all around.
After a short break we again moved ahead, there was no rain this morning so we
were quite comfortable and after crossing three more ridges Umeid finally
pointed to me Mandini valley up ahead. I think the entire area may be called as
Mandini valley and not just the place where he was leading me to but then again
i am not sure, but yes the place was right at the end of the green valley for
up ahead the giant mountains of MANDINI I II III rose harsh and straight with
mighty glaciers between their folds. But for now i had to descend from where i was,
to go down into the valley floor and it was again a tricky proposition in the monsoons.
Eventually did reach down but had to cross a glacial river as the bridge had
been washed away. Umeid and Premsingh ji went along the banks searching for a
safe area to cross. After some time, they came back with a possible site and we
all walked towards it which lay in the direction of the peaks from where the
river was coming. The plan was to find a place where various streams joined to
make the big river. The site they had chosen definitely was possible with water
coming till thigh level. Soon the two young porters made their way cautiously
with the stores and then premsingh ji
and the remaining porter followed. I opened my shoes slung them around my neck tightened
all the camera gear on me taughtly and stepped into the water; the chillness
took my breath away. In an instant my feet numbed from the drop in temperature
as the team members urged me to keep moving as one felt the force of the
gushing water, slowly by slowly step by step i made my way as did Umeid and
finally we crossed the river which was around 30 mts in width.
22. Ohh the pain in
the feet it was exquisite agony as the blood flowed back again and i so badly
wanted to sit down right then and massage them but i just stamped them around,
wore my shoes and looked around. I was finally in MANDINI VALLEY, as we then
made our way back towards the area where the camp was to be erected. On
reaching the campsite we paid obeisance to MANDINI Goddess who is one of the
forms of Durga herself.
23. There is a temple
built here and we erected our camp nearby. MANDINI VALLEY, truly someone had
written that if you wish to sèe nature smile and deck herself up go to Mandini
and that is what i was seeing, surrounded by flowers after flowers ..rows of
them growing in wild abandon . I had entire following day devoted to exporing
the place and i will let the pictures do the talking (to be contd ..)
24. Mandini Valley. Truly a place to
see in the monsoons, tucked away from prying eyes it was nature at her
softness. Shielded by towering mountains on three sides and a dreary path on
the remaining side, it has been spared the onslaught that Valley of Flowers has
been subjected . The remoteness ensures that only determined few come out here
and hence there is no commercialization till date. I am lucky to have seen this
place and truly Umeid’s sentence held true “ sir agar flowering dekhni hai to mandini chalo monsoon mein; Valley of
Flower takkar bhi nahin de payega “
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