Saturday, December 1, 2012

How did Roopkund happen?


The Past.

 KedarTal .. The trek that seems to be more jinxed for me than anything else in this world! I am pretty sure, If you read my blog, you would come across the line “but unfortunately I had to cancel my Kedartal trek….. “ Well was jinxed again. October 2012, 23rd being a Wednesday and a holiday, it was ideally decided to take two of the days off and head to Kedartal, with me and my friend Vivek in agreement. Heck, one week before the 19th Vivek drops out due to personal reason, but I still insists that I want to do Kedartal this season no matter what! So I talk to my trek organizer and he says would cost me close to 20K from Uttarkashi-Kedartal-Uttarkashi and all that because I am alone. Too expensive, and now that I am no more single, needed to do a trek that comes light on the pocket. 

 Enter, Arshad, a co-trekker whom we met on our trek to Dodital-Dharwa Top. He had done Roopkund earlier in the year, at 8K per head. I got the details guide and co from him, planned my itinerary as per my leave schedule, compressing it as much as possible and plan in place.  For more INFO on Roopkund please check: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roopkund

 Above link will tell you facts of Roopkund. Now what locals say is an interesting story. And I quote from one local, whom I met while having my dinner at Devaal. “Once there was a king named Raja Yash Bhawan (RYB) from the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. He was traveling in these parts of Himalayas with his troop and pregnant wife who was close to delivering their baby. Once close to Roopkund, near Bhaguwasa, the mountain Gods ordered him to return back, because where they were was a sacred land, and his queen cant deliver the baby there.  RYB being so arrogant he was he ignored those orders and kept marching ahead. Finally when they reached the Roopkund they face the wrath of mountain gods, who buried the whole troop under the avalanche of snow. The remains of whom are still visible at the base of lake” 

 Now that was the legend of the mysterious skeletons, in the lake.  Next year though is not a great time to go to Roopkund, if you don’t like crowd. Why. Because theres gonna be the Nanda Raja Jat Yatra. More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanda_Devi_Raj_Jat 

 The Travel.

 You do Roopkund trek either with the Indiahikes, of whome I am not a big fan off, though love the treks they organize or you need you need to know these two people:

 1. Mr. Raju: 08979321600: He will take care of all your travels from Kathgodham to Lohjung
2. Mr. Mohan Singh Bhist:09012173647: He will take care of your trek to Roopkund.

 Firstly, let me tell you Indiahikes organizes the Roopkund trek fantastically well. What I don’t like is their itinerary and their massive groups of 20-25 people, of which many seem to be first timers. While trekking I need to be on my own or with my friends. I enjoy my trek that way. I always ask the guide to leave me on my own, and only wait for me if there is chance of me getting lost on the path or a technically difficult section to cross. 
Secondly, Mr. Raju owns a cloth shop in Devaal and is not a Travel organizer. He does that out of good will. Not sure if you should give him something. 

 Ok. I started from Delhi on the 22nd night on a bus to Kathgodham. By 7.30 I was at Kathgodham, where driver arrange by Mr. Raju waited for me. We drove to Devaal, via Gwaldham, while having sumptuous Chicken for lunch at Gwaldham. By 2.30 we were at Devaal, where I met Mr Raju at his shop. Then took a shared jeep to Lohjung which would further drive me to Van/Wan costing me 600/- again arranged by Mr. Raju. 

 Trail to Roopkund.. 

 At 7.00 pm after much stopping and dropping people, I finally reached Wan, were I first met Surendar, my guide to the trek. He escorted me to a local homestay, where I dinned and waited to meet Mohan, my trek organizer. He suggested me another guide who would join me and Surendar for Roopkund trek as he was a bit tangled with some work. Trusting him to provide good guide I went off to sleep. Surendar was just back from Roopkund a day earlier, so I was feeling confident enough. 
So here’s the layout for the trip from Gurgaon to Roopkund and back… 

The Trek Route

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