As the clock struck 6 am, I checked out of my room at the Hosteller in Kasol. Up and ready for my new adventure. A 13km trek to Kheerganga. I put my luggage in the lockers available and boarded a taxi to Barshaini. The starting point of the trek to Kheerganga. On the way to Barshaini lies Manikaran gurudwara where, I met my friend Shiv. Shiv is a young 26-year-old travel enthusiast who works for a software firm in Chandigarh. I had met Shiv a couple of years ago on one of my expeditions. We had been planning this trek since then. Now that it was happening, we couldn’t keep calm. We reached Barshaini after a 1hr drive through the mountain and head straight to a dhaba for breakfast. We settled on a corner table overlooking the mountains as Shiv explained to me the dos and don’ts for the trek. Being awestruck by the beauty of nature, I couldn’t listen to him. On top of a tiny cliff were a few wooden houses, maybe cafes or homestays. Behind the cliff was Kheerganga. Since it was summer, there was no snow on the top. But the sheer magnificence of the mountain was enough to take my breath away. With tall pine trees covering its surface and the noise of streams gushing down, it got my adrenaline pumping.
We filled up our stomachs with aloo paratha served with pickle and a dollop of butter on top and started our journey. There are two trails from Barshaini to Kheerganga. The first one via Kalgha is a bit steep, while the other one via Shiva temple is easier. We decided to go via Kalgha. The first 1km was a very steep ascend. The mud made it very tough for us to get a firm grip on the ground. The first kilometre took us close to an hour to cover. Huffing and puffing, we reached a tea shop and took a pit stop there. The tea vendor told us that the rest of the trek was pretty easy. “It’s just this ascend. The rest of the trek is pretty straight. Nothing steep.” His words worked as encouragement for us as we finished our tea, got a few snicker bars and started walking again. The vendor was correct, the path was pretty straight with a few ascends and descends here and there.
Greeting us along the way were mesmerising views of the Parvati valley. Clear blue skies merging seamlessly with the tall mountains of the Himalayas. River flowing through these mountains made for a sight to behold. No amount of picture I click were enough to justify the beauty of the place. As we continued to walk, we came across a waterfall. There was a sheepman drinking water straight from the fall. On being asked about the water, he said, “the water comes straight from the top of the mountain. It is the snow that is melting.” We trusted him and drank some water. I had never felt so fresh and energetic after drinking water as I did then. The water was cold and had a certain amount of sweetness to it. We filled up our bottles and continue treading our path. The path covered with trees on both sides is a sigh to behold in itself.
On our way lied Kalgha village, approx. 3km from Barshaini. We reached Kalgha at near about 11am. The locals in Kalgha were very warm, welcoming and friendly. As we took a seat to get some tea and refreshments, Kittu, a 7-year-old child brought us some water. Kittu, who seemed fascinated with my camera, asked me to click a few pictures of his. It was hard to refuse that apple face Kittu. His dark green eyes complemented his pink cheeks perfectly. Looking adorable in the Himachali attire completed with a cap, Kittu was a poser! After the photoshoot, we had some tea and samosas to fuel up our tanks for the hike. Shiv paid for the refreshments and were on our way again.
After a gruesome 6hr walk which included some slippery surfaces, many waterfalls and negotiating a couple of crevices in the mountains, we reached Kheerganga camp at 5 pm. The camp arranger Sam welcomes us with a heartening smile. Sam is a resident of Tosh, a nearby village. He worked with The Hosteller and was responsible for looking after the guests arriving at the camp.
Settling down in our tent, me and Shiv had a little chat with Sam who told us about the bonfire that was going to be arranged later that night. Our joints were paining because of the walk. I and Shiv decided to take a dip in the hot water spring. We took off our clothes and jump into the pool. It was relaxing. We were in the lap of mother nature and there could not be anything better than that. We remained in the pool for a good half an hour before coming out and experiencing the chill in the wind again. We dried ourselves up and went to have Maggi and tea at a stall. Our comfort food.
Filling ourselves up we returned to our camp and played with Sam’s dog, Sheru. Sheru is a pahadi dog with lots of fur which keeps him warm.
The temperature dropped significantly as the night approached. The clear, pollution-free sky was a rarity for me. I could see the milky-way with my naked eyes!
Sam lit up the bonfire and all the visitors in the camp gathered around. It was a night filled with music, dance and laughter. As the night deepened, we went into our tents. Thus, ended a long and tiring but amazing day.
The next morning began pretty early for me as I had to trek back. I sit on a chair sipping my tea looking at the mighty Himalayas. Trying to soak in as much as I could. The beauty of nature, pollution-free air, chill in the breeze. Everything about the place was enthralling. I got up to start packing my stuff and could not realize I was grinning from ear to ear, until Shiv teased me about it.
With a head full of memories and a heart yearning to stay there, I start my journey back home.
