The Zen Trek - Kheerganga

Trek to Kheerganga: A Photo Story 

Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you’re no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn’t just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. - Robert M. Pirsig [ Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance ]

The hot water spring of Kheerganga has white algae carried over from the underground sulphur reservoir and thus it got its name - Kheerganga.

Kheerganga is in the Parvati Valley of Himachal Pradesh at an elevation of about 3000m. The nearest motorable road to reach Kheerganga is till Barsheni which can be reached from Bhunter which is in the Delhi-Manali Highway. [earlier post to know more]. The favourable time for the trek is from February to November.
On the morning of 19th October 2014, we started from Kasol. We boarded a bus to Barsheni, which is the apparently the last stop. After getting the supplies of water, Snickers and glucose lozenges we hit the road. As we crossed the town point and went downhill to cross the Parvati River there we meet few of the fellow trekkers. A group of students from Punjab, two lawyers from Delhi and Chandigarh and a Slovakian guy. It took us about an hour and a half to reach the first village where we halted for food and drinks. After another hour and a half, we reached the Rudra Nag. It took us about 3 hours for the final climb and by the time we reached Kheerganga it was 7 pm. After boarding in one of the cafés -, we got fresh and headed to the joint. I pushed the door and the next thing I heard is “Come as you are”  by Nirvana.
Next morning woke up pretty early and explored the place around.Soon we took a bath in the hot water spring and definitely that was the best party of the journey. The hot spring bath took away all the tiredness of the trek and rejuvenated us. After grabbing some food in the café, we started trekking down at about 12 pm and reached Barsheni by 4 pm. The trek no doubt occupies a happy fragment of my memory; it made me look into the world with a broad perspective.

 

“It's the sides of the mountain which sustain life, not the top”  - Robert M. Pirsig

Smile, please

A village on route

The whole essence of Zen consists in walking along the razor’s edge of Now – to be so utterly, so completely present that no problem, no suffering, nothing that is not who you are in your essence, can survive in you. In the Now, in the absence of time, all your problems dissolve. Suffering needs time; it cannot survive in the Now. - Eckhart Tolle [The Power Of Now]

at Rudra Nag

"Come as you are'

“The only Zen you find on tops of mountains is the Zen you bring there” -  Robert M. Pirsig

The best part of the journey has to be the bath in the hot water spring

The Shiva Temple

Dancing to Himachali Music

Kitchen of the cafe

Apple Tree

Parvati River

“You look at where you're going and where you are and it never makes sense, but then you look back at where you've been and a pattern seems to emerge” 

― Robert M. Pirsig

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Backpacking to Kasol - Challal - Choj

Kasol is a small town located in the Parvati Valley of Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh, India. 

Situated at the heart of Parvati Valley, Kasol is an offbeat retreat for backpackers. Although the nearby villages of Kasol is quaint, Kasol has sufficient modern amenities such as travel agents, internet cafe and restaurants. 

Reaching Kasol : By  flight or bus to Bhuntar.  Regular bus plies to Bhuntar from Chandigarh/Delhi which takes approximately 7-8 hours from Chandigarh and 13 hours from Delhi.

From Bhuntar bus plies every 30 minutes to Kasol.  

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Reached Kasol on the morning of 18th October, 2014 with all excitement to explore the Parvati Valley. Upon arrival in Kasol, we were startled to find touts didn't approached for hotels which is usually common in any tourist place in India. Moving on towards Manikaran for 200 meters to find an inexpensive stay we found a beautiful place, Himalayan Guest House, owned by a local family. 

Our senses evoked as soon as we opened the balcony door. The view of the Himalayas, the ripple of the Parvati River as it hopped over the stones, the chirping of the birds; everything was so calm and serene. Soon we got fresh and had our breakfast in Moonlight Cafe/German Bakery and set out to explore the Parvati Valley.

Himalayan Guest House, Kasol

 Himalayan Guest House

Approach road for Himalayan Guest House

View outside room - Himalayan Guest House- Kasol

View from our room

Toast with Peanut Butter and Coffee

Choj

Choj is a hamlet, situated at 10 minutes walk from Kasol. 

Towards Manikaran

Bridge connecting Manikaran Road and Choj village. 

Challal

After exploring Choj, we headed towards Challal. The trail to Challal takes about 30-40 minutes. Travellers and locals can be found on the way and  human inhabitation is sporadic. The terrain is rugged and it is advisable to walk at a medium pace.  

Challal is a sleepy village with few cafes. The villagers are heart warming to talk with and they are always full of ideas to make backpacker's journey comfortable.   

An alluring thing that I found among the natives of the valley is that they are happy in their own terms. Right from a child to an old man everyone seemed quite joyous and their face resounded happiness. Perhaps their understanding of comfort and luxury is far more deeper because their comfort is to share a smile and luxury is to make a backpacker's journey comfortable. 

Bridge connecting Kasol and Challal

After crossing Parvati River

Road to Challal

A traditional house on the way to Challal

Parvati River

On the way to Challal

A village lady of Challal

Kids posing from their school ! 

In the village I meet the same kid  from the previous photograph and I gave him a Cadbury Dairy Milk. 

Barn

Interior of Challal

After roaming around the village for sometime and striking conversations with the locals we had our lunch in Freedom Cafe and headed back to our room in Kasol.