Gaumukh - Source of the great Ganges

Day 3

18-5-09

Chirbassa - Bhojwassa - Gaumukh (and back to Gangotri)

When you are on a trip, you meet good people, not-so-good people and those in between. So far in this trip we were encountering only the second type! People who are greedy, who don't mind cheating an outsider in order to make a few more bucks. The auto driver in Haridwar, the taxi drivers (i can understand the waiting for passengers.. but filling 12 people in a Tata Sumo is murder!) the hotel owner in Gangotri and now the Chirbassa guys! They were demanding 1500/- as rent and for food! One thousand five hundred only for the small room (with no electricity or bed) and the 6 or 7 cups of tea and 1 biscuit packet. Oh.. and also the dinner for 3!

The guy was rude and said its the normal price over there. At last Varun gave a 1000 rupees and told him to take it or forget it. So long for the Rana's friends!

NOTE: This was our experience in Chirbassa. Just wanted to forewarn you people in case you also are destined to halt there. Checkout the rate in advance.

What a way to start the day! It seems god was not in the mood to listen to our prayers during this trip. Every night we pray that the next day brings better experiences. However we were having only bitter ones so far!

OK lets forget the past and look out for what the future has in store for us. 28 km of trekking in 1 day! Listening to Rana's warning that its going to be a big day and we will be stuck in the middle of nowhere if don't start early, we started at 6 AM. It was cold outside. So I covered myself with a blanket. Since I was feeling better after the night's sleep, I decided to walk in the 'woodland' once again! (Some people never learn! right?) Yeah yeah.. you are right!

After walking half a km, my legs started aching again. Thank God, my friends were not as stupid as me. They were carrying a spare slipper in case something of this sort happened. After changing to slippers, I was able to walk comfortably.

What a waste of 1700 rupees!

The first part of today's 28 km was Chirbassa to Bhojwassa (5 km). The path is mainly dry, brown and barren hill with huge rocks everywhere. At some places sign boards warning to walk carefully and look for falling rocks were seen. The view of the snow clad Shivling peak and the Bhagirathi (as the Ganges is called here) river gives you company. Chirbassa is the last place where you see greenery.

















The slippers and the cool climate made my walk easier and today I could walk along with the others (not 1 km behind like the previous day!) However, I must admit that Varun whom we call Chiru (Chiranjeevi, the Telugu Super Star) and Gokul (or simply Goks), were really the 'men of the series'. They were never tired and they always walked ahead, that too carrying the backpacks!

Bhojwassa seen from the top.

We covered the 5 km in just 1 and half hours! We reached Bhojwassa at 7:30 AM. We could see the Ashram and the GMVN Guest house and the temple in the valley.








Since our destination was Gaumukh (5 km) and not Bhojwassa, we decided to continue after a short break for taking the snaps and enjoying the scenery!









By the time we started from Bhojwassa the sun had come out and the day started getting warmer! Soon thirst took over! (That was the last thing we wanted!) Anyways as you can see, there are no shops, no houses, no pipes for drinking water anywhere! Once again we learnt the same lesson from nature like the previous day!

Always carry water with you!

Always carry sun screen and lip guard!

Luckily on the way, we came across another mountain stream with clear water. The water was so cold we couldn't even touch it with our hands. So found out this workaround for drinking water!

Varun alias Chiru

Since all of us were so tired we decided to sit there for some time. Rana had gone ahead and we knew that he would be sitting somewhere waiting for us. Gokul had made a new friend on the way, a Korean tourist. Actually he was more interested in the Nikon D80 that the former was having. He somehow convinced the gentleman and gathered the spec of the camera. He was so happy when the foreigner gave the camera to Gokul and told him to try for some time!

Gokul experimenting with Nikon D80

Shankar Dada on the Rocks!

Refreshed and recharged, we started walking once again after 15 minutes. Rana was coming back in search of us and he said he had been waiting for us in Gaumukh. We all knew that he was exaggerating too much. However we knew he was right about the time constraint. Unless we hurry a bit, we wont be able to reach Gangotri in the evening. So we agreed with him and started walking fast.

The first view of Gaumukh (Seen in the middle of the photo)

It was only us who agreed to walk fast. But our legs were totally against the decision. They protested in every way they could. Luckily the path was not just ascent all the time. Wherever we were descending, we made up for the delay.

The last 1 km was the toughest part throughout this stretch. I became the last man once again. Gokul and his new friend were some 500 mt ahead of me. The other 3 were already in Gaumukh. I somehow climbed the last hill and I could see Gaumukh clearly from there. To reach it though it was another 1 km!

Gaumukh seen from 1 km

I thought I'll just have my dharshan from here. This is the END. I gave my camera to Gokul. Told him to take some nice shots. "If I can I'll come down.. Else I will join you people on your way back"

Once they left I started feeling bad. Gaumukh was just there in front of me. I knew very well that if I don't go till the end, this trip will also be considered like the Pangong Lake trip. An incomplete journey. During that trip, I was helpless. Nothing was in my hand. However this one is. So I decided that I WILL go till the end!

With strong resolution to finish this once and for all I started walking. I knew I can never reach Gaumukh through the normal route which had two or three small ascents and descents. Instead I walked along the river which was mostly plain. In the end when was 200 mt from Gaumukh, Rana and Shankar were sitting on a big rock. Shankar was down. He said "that's it... not anymore!"

Rana knew if he allowed me to walk the last 200 mt, I'll take another half an hr and that will delay everyone. When he said "let's return. I'll go and get the others", I didn't say anything. However, I had already decided that I will go till the end whatever happens.

As soon as Rana left I started walking slowly towards Gaumukh. Truly it took me almost 20 min to walk the 200 mt. Luckily Rana was having a tough time convincing Gokul to come back. But Gokul was busy capturing the Cow's mouth on camera. Rana was not so pleased seeing me there and asked me why I came this far? I said..

"You do one thing.. You, Varun and Shakar start to Bhojwassa. Once there, arrange for a horse for me. I will never make it to Gangotri on foot! After arranging the horse, you people can leave, I'll catch you guys on the way" It was OK with Rana and he left with Varun and Shankar. I spent some time at Gaumukh clicking some more pictures.

Ganges (Bhagirathi) originating from the Gaumukh glacier

The Gaumukh

Even before coming here, I had seen its picture and read from so many blogs that Gaumukh doesn't resemble the "Cow's Mouth" any more. So I was not disappointed. What really mattered was we all made it to this place! It was really amazing to realize that this is the starting point of the great Ganges I've seen so many times in the plains! I've took bath in this river in Haridwar, I've rafted through its rapids in Rishikesh and all that water was from this place! It was amazing to see big chunks of ice breaking and falling from the top with a loud noise.

Anyways it was time to leave, and once Gokul was ready we both started our return! Once again I walked along the river instead of the normal path. That was where we got separated. By the time I was back on the normal route, Gokul was just a tiny dot on the far end!

Path that leads to Tapovan

A Point to Ponder

From there I walked all alone among huge rocks and stones. At times there won't be even a single human being visible. Occasionally I would see a small group or single person going towards Gaumukh. Some of them would be walking just like me when I was going up in the morning! And some would ask just like I did "still how far do we have to walk..?", '"are we near Gaumukh yet.?" I would encouragingly say its just around the corner! "You are very near...its just a .." etc etc. I know how much joy such words would bring you when you hear it!

Repeating to myself that this is the last 2 km, last 1km and so on, I kept on walking. At last when Bhojwassa was in sight, I almost cried with joy. Since it was descent to the valley, I walked fast eager to meet the others!

Bhojwassa in sight at last!

Shankar was lying down on the mat, trying to sleep. He was also tired as I was. Varun told us to have lunch (rice and dal). Gokul and me had lunch together.

Now it was time to leave and there was another problem. Shankar was also very tired and not in the condition to walk! So was Varun. We needed atleast 3 horses but we had only 2! The horse man was asking for 825/- rupees per horse (I tried to bargain.. but there, he was the king and I didn't have any other choice)

At last Shankar and Varun said they will share the same horse. One till Chirbassa and the other after that. So that was it. Myself and Varun got on the horse and the others started walking.

On the way we met another horse man going up to Bhojwassa. We told him to come to Chirbassa with 2 horses. By the time we reached Chirbassa the other 3 were already there.

Gokul said he will walk all the way and he did not need the horse. He and Rana left. The three of us waited in Chirbassa for the second horseman. At last he came after an hr and we bid farewell to Chirbassa.

Clouds getting dark

We had to talk 1 km where it was too dangerous to go on horse

It was 5:30 pm when we reached Gangotri. Rana and Gokul were also there when we reached Gangotri. We settled the horsemen and our guide Rana and thanked him for taking us safely.

Tired and thirsty we walked back to our hotel only to know that there was another surprise waiting for us. The hotel guy said he had given the room to someone else. When asked why he did that when he knew very well that we were coming back today, he said we didn't give him the advance money. It became clear that he was angry that we did not take his room for 2 days. Instead we had kept our bags in the clock room. I told the others to wait there and went in search of another room which I got within 10 min. (As I told earlier, there is no difficulty in finding a room in Gangotri!)

When I came back, the guy told me that we could stay in his place if we wanted to and he will move the guests to some other room. We said "No thanks" and checked in our new hotel Hotel Bhagirathi, which was much better than the previous one.

One by one we took bath, and went to the temple to attend the 'Aarti' and see the 'Pooja'. We came back around 8 PM, had dinner and went to check the availability of taxi to Rishikesh or Haridwar the next day. Unfortunately there weren't any, but the drivers told us to come and check early in the morning.








We went to sleep setting the alarm for 4 AM next morning. For the past 3 days we were waking up so early, we badly wanted to sleep till 9 or 10 AM. However we knew that, we have to do it one last time in order to catch the earliest possible vehicle to the plains.

The night was too cold. However we were sleeping comfortably on soft bed covered with equally soft and thick quilts! We recollected the last three days' bad luck and bitter experiences. Nothing went as planned in this trip. From the start it was a badly or no-planned trip! Anyways its all over now. Whats remaining is to catch the first taxi or bus to Haridwar, reach there in the evening, board the midnight train to Delhi (3rd AC), have a comfortable sleep and reach Delhi the next day! Back to our sweet home, back to office, back to friends and back to the Non Veg dishes (How much I missed it these 3 days)! We slept dreaming of all those good things to come.

We couldn't be more wrong. The blow that awaited us the next day, was bigger than all bad luck we had in the past 3 days!








From The Beginning:

• Day 1
• Day 2