“WHEN YOU ARE IN THE MOUNTAINS, YOU CAN COMPLETE YOUR JOURNEY ONLY IF NATURE WISHES YOU TO” – TARSAR MARSAR
Tarsar marsar is one of the prettiest places I know for trekking. It is located at an altitude of 7950 feet in Great Kashmir.
The base village for this trek is the Aru village, located 42 kms away from Srinagar. The view from the peak is utterly breathtaking. The tents are placed close to the beautiful Tarsar lake, and it makes you feel very close to nature.
The weather changes drastically at times. We experienced extreme cold, rains and light snow. At times, clouds covered the lake, which made it look like a vanishing lake.
During night times, it used to be so windy that the entire tent would shake crazily. Nights were a bit scary. But once the sunlight glinted over the top of the clouds, it made every minute worthwhile.
It was a different experience to have Gulab jamuns and Sheera at that high altitude.
However, as it is said, when you are in the mountains, you can complete your journey only if nature wishes you to; We could not reach the end to see the Marsar lake as the weather worsened and we had to come back to base.
Trekking teaches you to live close to nature, minimalistically. I had an amazing experience in this trek. You can’t stop with one trek. It makes you do more and more.
———————DR KHYATI KOTHARY (PT)
“ONCE THE TRAVEL BUG BITES YOU, THERE IS NO ANTIDOTE” – TASHI DALE
Adventures are the best way to learn! Very recently, to step out of my comfort zone, to get the “Naina” from “YJHD”, I went out on a very adventurous solo trip to Spiti valley.
Our itinerary looked something like this: Mumbai ———> Delhi ———> Manali
Chandratal Lake – No man’s land. The place where fairies visit in the night. The place where the king of gods came down on their chariot to transport Yudhistira, eldest of the Pandavas to heaven. Truly a place worth visiting.
Langza – Thes fossil village is at an altitude of 14,500 feet a 1000 year old staute of Buddha is located.
Chicham ———> Kaza ———> Key
Key monastery is the oldest training centre for the lamas.
Komic ———> Hikkim ———> Kiber
Komic literally means – Eye of a snow cock. It has the highest village in the world connected with motor able road. It has one of the world’s Highest Restaurant and cafe with organic kitchens from Spiti.
Dhankar Gue Nako
Chitkul ———> Sangla ———> Shimla
Chitkul is my personal favourite as we went out of an early morning trek with a dog and stayed in a camp with a bonfire in the evening. It is truly a place worth visiting!
I came across one of the best cultures that each and every local when they pass through each other will wait, greet and talk to each other no matter what. I don’t even have a count of how many times my car went in reverse to go back to greet the opposite driver whom we missed speaking to. This touched my heart. A lot to learn from there. Out in the mountains where is no hardly any network but they are connected so well to each other than the rest of the concrete world who is lost behind the internet’s poor connectivity. Nature is one of the most undertilized treasures in life. It has the power to destress and reconnect to our inner self.
At the end of the day my feet was hurting, my hands were cold, my hair was messy but my SOUL was HAPPY and my EYES were SPARKLING!
I want to end this with a tiny goal for all the readers out there – Once a year, go to one place you have never been before. Sounds manageable. Hahaha. You cannot stay in the summit forever.
Once the travel bug bites you, there is no antidote and I know that I shall be happily infected till the end of my life.
May your dreams be larger than the mountains and may you have the courage to scale their summits.
Julley!
——-DR PRACHI SARVAIYA (PT)
“HEAVEN ON EARTH” – KASHMIR
After nearly 18 months of being in and out of quarantine, my frustrated, cramped up family decided to go on a refreshing break. The search for a beautiful destination began, and it ended quickly on Kashmir.
Without wasting any time, we packed our backpacks and suitcases, and were ready for the vacation.
As soon as the flight reached the proximity of the Great Himalayas, the snow capped mountains welcomed us, creating more excitement in our minds while decreasing our patience.
Once we arrived, there was no doubt that the place lived up to its reputation of being deemed, “Heaven on Earth”.
The next week was spent exploring the town of Pahalgam and the mountainous ranges of Sonmarg and Gulmarg. The serene beauty of Kashmir is so magnificent that the camera cannot capture it and the spectator needs to take a few minutes to behold it.
The Great Himalayan mountains make us realize how small we are while the rivers flowing through them add to their beauty.
Kashmir is incomplete without its cuisine, seasonal fruits, delicacies and local markets. The humble and welcoming nature of the local people is a major contributing factor which adds to the beauty of Kashmir and makes the place more wholesome.
On the day of departure, our minds were not willing to leave this beautiful place and go back to our hectic schedules but the promise of visiting again equipped us to leave.
———————NIHAR KATHANE, 3 BPTH
“A PARADISE FOR EVERY ADVENTURE JUNKIE” – LADAKH
When it comes to experiencing adventure, nothing can beat the rough trails and the magnificent landscapes of Leh Ladakh. This is a paradise for every adventure junkie who wants to conquer the heights of the Khardung La Pass or just escape from the hustle-bustle of the city life.
We were pretty excited and finally, we decided to head off to this paradisiacal land.
1. Sangam
One of the most arresting moils of nature in Ladakh is Sangam, the confluence of Indus, and Zanskar Rivers. Nestled between the stunning mountains of the cold desert, there is a vantage point at about 35 km from Leh, where we witnessed the picturesque Sangam of these opulent rivers.
2. Shanti Stupa
Ladakh is truly home to a vast number of monasteries. Located at an altitude of 3,600m in the Thiksey village, the architecture of this monastery and the peace enveloping it just left us mesmerized.
3. Hunder Sand dunes, Nubra Valley
They are famous because of their white rolling sands, with a river flowing close by, trees & snow-capped mountains in the distance. It is unbelievable, when one thinks of it, that a desert could exist at so high an altitude! Equally surprising is the sight of the double humped Bactrian camels, whose two humps enable them to develop resistance to cold, drought & high altitudes.
4. Pangong lake
A Ladakh trip is incomplete without visiting the Pangong Tso lake which is the gem of this hidden valley. Resting at a height of 14000 feet, trust me the pictures just can’t define the beauty of this natural treasure. With the crystal clear blue water which also changes color, this was the place which actually left us feeling enchanted.
5. Kargil war memorial, Drass
Many, including me had no idea about how the Kargil war was fought and why it is considered as one of the most intense mountainous battles of all time. The arduous terrains and the advantage for the enemy of being on the hill top can only be understood when you see it.
The museum is just out of the world where you can see actual guns, bullets, mortar, enemy captured documents and much more. The Tiger hill and Rhino’s horn is visible from that place. Special mention for Capt. Batra who conquered Tiger Hill, marking the end of the war. I have huge respect for all the soldiers who fought the war for India.
The peace and beauty of travelling in the mountains is unparalleled.
Leh Ladakh – Land of High Passes… It was a long awaited, adventurous journey. This was a glimpse of the beautiful Ladakh through my eyes.
———————POORVA MALKAR, 3 BPTH
“THE QUEEN OF HILLS” – OOTY
I am going to share my experience of a memorable trip to Ooty. I had visited this beautiful place in June 2022 with my family. Ooty is a scenic hill town in southern India. It is surrounded by the Nilgiri Hills and is popularly known as The Queen of Hills. Ooty has a unique climate and is located 7400 feet above the sea level. The climate and beauty of the hills is astounding. This place has a plethora of spices, rare animals, and birds. The whole environment of Ooty, with places like Doddabetta Peak, Sims Park, Rose Garden, Botanical Garden, Pykara Lake, Tea Garden, Coonoor etc brought us great happiness.
A visit to the tea gardens can be an educational experience for those who would like to know more on how tea and coffee is cultivated. Boating in the lake is a lot of fun, especially if you are going with a bunch of people. We took many photos in the most amazing scenery spots and those are memorable even today. The most awesome part of Ooty is the Botanical Garden. Thousands of flowers arranged in a mindblowing manner is the main reason why so many tourists visit Ooty. The best thing about Ooty is that we are in the company of nature.
We thoroughly enjoyed each and every place in Ooty and felt comfortable with the food and accommodation. If you want to enjoy your summer vacation, Ooty is a great destination to go with your friends and family!
——————–LATA VENKATESH, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
“A SIGHT TO BEHOLD” – UDAIPUR
Udaipur is known as the City of Lakes. We started our tour with a beautiful boat ride on Lake Pichola. After the fun ride, we visited the City Palace. The City Palace is an architectural marvel. It has several rooms, courtyards, gateways, corridors among other things. Constructed of marble and granite, located on the banks of Lake Pichola, the City Palace is a sight to behold.
We also visited “Saheliyon Ki Badi”. It has beautiful gardens, lotus ponds, fountains and is a great place to just sit and relax.
We visited Ambrai Ghat after sunset. The golden reflections of the City Palace and the buildings in Lake Pichola was a mesmerizing view. All in all, my trip to Udaipur was amazing and I would love to visit again.
———————DURGA JATT, 4 BPTH
“A PEEP INTO THE MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE” – CERN, GENEVA.
Back in my school days I got the amazing opportunity to be part of the first ever batch of 14-15 year olds to have visited CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) in Geneva, Switzerland.
During the guided tour by one of the senior CERN scientists, Dr. Mick Storr, we took a peep into the mysteries of universe. We saw the potential of the tiniest particles of matter and novel applications into benefitting humankind! We were the first group of students from Maharashtra to have visited the largest laboratory in the world. It is a heaven of many noble laureates and an envy of all physicists and scientists across the globe.
Not only did we learn a great deal about the CMS, ATLAS, the LHC and their mechanisms, we also had an opportunity to present our own project on CERN at the CMS unit. We also got the privilege of visiting the corridor and the lab where the ‘World Wide Web’ was created by Dr. Tim Berners Lee in 1989.
We got the opportunity to see the first particle detector, the bubble chamber Gargamelle. This chamber weighs 25 tons and it made one of CERN’s major physics discoveries – the neutral current, a new kind of particle interaction. Filled with 18 tons of heavy liquid, it recorded interactions of ‘neutrinos’.
This visit was indeed an overwhelming experience, it helped me widen my horizon, and further my interest towards research studies.
———————–DISHA KENE, 3 BPTH
“NOTHING IS ACHIEVED WITHOUT HARD WORK” – KEDARKANTH
Have you ever had that moment in your life where you feel like just giving up? Where you feel like your body is just not ready for this and you will not be able to push any further? I believe it is exactly that point in our life where somehow, almost magically, we decide that we won’t let go just yet, and have this additional energy boost that lets us accomplish what we had in mind.
I had a similar experience last year in November. I’m an extremely active person, but I cannot handle the cold very well. My friends and I went trekking to a Himalayan peak called Kedarkantha. It was our first trek ever and going against everyone’s advice of taking up an easy trek, we decided to take a higher intensity one, thinking, we’re young, we will manage. I guess thinking that was exactly what gave away the fact that we were not prepared.
No one should ever underestimate a mountain. This journey of ours was very refreshing and eye opening. I always thought I was super fit, but at a height of 13,500 feet above sea level, I don’t think I can stand by that notion. I was gonna give up on the last leg of the trek, because God it was difficult. Not being able to breathe properly, shivering in -6 degree temperature with cold wind blowing, and simultaneously walking up a steep slope after having to live in a tent without a heater or even basic washroom facilities was not only tiring physically but frustrating mentally.
But when we pushed ourselves at that last moment to reach the peak, it was surreal. We all had tears in our eyes because we reached a beautiful place after so many obstacles and after we were ready to give up. That feeling of achievement and satisfaction, along with the beautiful view and cold wind hitting your faces along with a little bit of sunlight that we craved made the moment prime. This trip was like life, we think we will never reach our goal until we almost break down and then have to get up again ourselves. Nothing is achieved without hard work and perseverance. At the end of every journey, you will end up (or on a positive note, you’ll reach) a beautiful place, making some beautiful memories.
———————–SEERAT KAUR LUGGANI, INTERN
Glint 2022 