Journey to oneself

Ajay George  went through several personal problems and was seeking inner peace when his father encouraged him to travel and return refreshed. Just 22,  it was his all-time wish to reach the mighty Himalayas, so there was no second thought on the destination. His friends joined him and together, they decided to fulfil the dream.

Ajay explains, “We started our journey on June 4, 2016 from Kottayam Railway Station. I could see stars sparkling in our eyes while boarding the Delhi-bound Kerala Express.On June 6, we reached Hazrat Nizamuddin. The long journey had drained us, but we were unwilling to give up.”

The next morning, they reached Manali, where the view was rich with forests, orchards, river, mountains ranges and more. After getting down there, they hired a Tata Sumo to reach Old Manali. “The village has an exotic charm, not foreign, not entirely Indian. It is as if you have crossed into another country. Old Manali has somehow chiselled out a world of its own guarded by the Manalsu River. The village is as idle as a fairy tale but is exposed to the comfort of today’s world,” Ajay added. The hotel they had stayed was atop a mountain and from there, they watched sunrise at 4.45 am and sunset at 7.50 pm. They went  trekking to the nearby mountains.

The next day, they walked to Solang Valley that lies between Solang village and Beas Kund. It offers a beautiful view of glaciers and snow-capped mountains. Since the valley has fine ski slopes, it is a perfect place for skiing. They were surrounded by lots of green apples. Then they were at Brass Lake, where mountains surrounded them. “I literally forgot to click. I was just enjoying the moment” Ajay said.

The next day, the team moved down the hills to reach Bhrigu Lake. Trekking lasted for three days and three nights. But the real treat is the meadows, which stretch far and wide, undulating, almost like an endless carpet.

The next destination was Kullu, the ‘Valley of Gods’. Scenic views and snow-clad mountains, towering Deodar jungles, rivers and apple orchards were attractive. After some time, they headed to Kasol through Bhunthar. Stretched along the lovely Parvati River and with mountain views to the northeast, Kasol is the main traveller hang-out in the valley. It’s a small village almost overrun with reggae bars, bakeries and cheap guesthouses catering to a largely hippie/Israeli crowd.

After hogging on countless numbers of gobhi cheese parathas and bread omelettes, they left for Barshani, the base for treks like Kheerganga, Kalga and Pulga from where you can either walk the road or take a taxi to Tosh. At Kheerganga, green mountains, dotted symmetrically with ramrod straight pine trees greet around every twist and turn. Parvathy Valley was their next spot. It is the perfect brew to calm an agitated soul. The crisp mountain air with the smell of burning herbs makes up the ‘Amsterdam of India’.

Ajay was almost at the climax of his 28-day Himalayan journey. “We were like liberated, from all the worldly worries, tensions,” happiness brimmed in his words.