TIME OF TREK : 17TH OCT,2008 TO 25TH OCT,2008

OUR TEAM MEMBERS :-

JOYDEEP KUNDU

BIDYUT KARMAKAR

RAJIB BHAR

AND

ME

ITERNARY :-

DAY 1: Started from Sealdah by WestBenagal Samparkranti Exp.

DAY 2: Reached Old Delhi station at about 1200 noon. We took two prepaid auto towards New Delhi station to take the JanShatabdi Exp. to Haridwar. We reached Haridwar at about 8:30pm. By taking a share big auto we made our journey towards the Rishikesh. After reaching Rishikesh at 10:30 pm we took a room in hotel at Sargashram.

DAY 3: After long journey we were little bit late to start towards the Ukhimath. We already contacted with Mr. Kamal Singh Negi to pickup us from the ghat at Ram ghula. After a torturous journey we reach Ukhimath at about 7:00 pm. We were staying at a hotel opposite to Bharat Sevashram Snagha.

DAY 4: After watching sunrise on the Mt. Kedarnath started for Oniyana and reached Oniyana at about 8:30 am. Immediately we started towards the Ransi. Here we were joined with us Ganga Singh as a guide cum porter. We reach Ransi at 10:00 am and took a quick visit to the old Rakeswari Devi Temple. After a sharp descend about 4 kms and a 2 kms uphill journey we reached Goundar at 12:45 pm and took lunch at Ramesh Panwar hotel. After taking lunch we started for khatara and reached kahtara at about 04:00 pm. We stayed in Panchavati Hotel owned by Devendra Singh Panwar a famous guide for Panch Kedar (by both roadway and trekking way through high passes).The hotel was splendid and decorated by a beautiful garden. Here we mate with now famous Shri Sunadar Singh Panwar who trekked with both Mr. Tapan Pandit and Mr. Ratanlal Biswas to cross the Panpatia Glacier and pass from Badrinath to Kedarnath. After reading this trekking story one can think that these people are now famous and rich. But I am sorry to that they are remaining same, where their ‘SAHAB’ are now more famous and make money through this trek. I am saying this because Sundar Singh asking for job at Kolkata as they have no job their.

DAY 5: When we wake up in the early morning, sun rays still not touched the Mandani peak which can be seen from Khatara. We started early at 07:15 am without taking breakfast for the Nanu, which is not right for trekking. After taking noodles as a breakfast at Nanu we headed to Moukham. After a 45 mins. Stiff up hill journey we reached Moukham, but without stopping we approached towards the Kunda Chatti. At Kunda Chatti after taking a cup of tea we headed towards our much waited destination, MADMAHESWAR. At last we reached at that place at about 11:30 pm. We took rooti and sabgi and going to Saraswati Kunda for a Holly Chill water bath. We were very lucky that the weather were very pleasant and clear throughout the trek. From Madmaheswar Nandikund Group of Peaks were seen at the right side of the Mandir. Just behind the mandir Kachni Peak ascending to sky. By a binocular one can be seen the trekking route to the famous Kachni Taal. At the left side of the mandir a route go to the up hill side of the Bugiyal to the BuraMadmaheswar. At evening we joined the evening prayer of Shri Madmaheswarjii. The whole prayer, the atmosphere and the Sanskrit Sloke of puja took me to such a condition that I can not describe. The night is very chilling.

DAY 6: We were waked up by Mr. Bidyut very early as he thinks that the night was clearing outside. However we proceed towards Buramadmaheswar. As always through out the trekking Bidyut rushing to BuraMadmaheswar at speed of Ben Johnson. When almost at the top of Bugiyal the Choukhamba Peaks were seen and first sun light of the morning touched his upper ridges. The whole bugiyal were covered with dew drops in ice state. So all the bugiyal looking whitish rather than green. We climbed up to the BuraMadmaheswar temple and the two beautiful ponds. Up their at the BuraMadmaheswar the whole area like a 'SWARG' in the earth. From BuraMadmaheswar the whole 360 degree panoramic view was splendid in one word. At our right side the whole Nandikunda Group of Peaks, then the Kachni Peak , the great four peaks Choukhamba, the Mandani peak and then two peaks were seen ,may be one of them is the famous Sumeru peak. The reflection of Choukhamba and Mandani at the water of the pond was great. After a great 1.5 hr of memorable time we came down to the Madmaheswar.Have a breakfast and then coming down towards the Bantoli without wasting any time as our target to halt tonight at Ukhimath.We started from Madmaheswar at 08:45 am and reached Bantoli Shri Umaprasad Mukherjee's house at 12:30 pm. After some rest Bidyut and I decided to go Goundar early as we could arrange and make ready lunch for our group because we were not ready to waste more time. After taking our lunch we were sharply descending toward Ransi at 02:15 pm. After a good running against our breathlessness we reached Ransi at 04:45 pm and without stopping there we approached forwards. At last reached to road end at 05:30 pm. That day the whole team trekked 20 kms and me more 2 kms for bringing the car from Oniyana. And as our target we reached at Ukhimath Bazaar at 07:30 pm.

SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION :-

#HARIDWAR TO UKHIMATH DIRECT BUS ( HIMGIRI ) FROM GMOU STAND 09:30 AM (DEP) & ARR. AT UKHIMATH 06:30PM.

#HIMGIRI FROM UKHIMATH : DEP: 05:00 AM.
#OR, HARIDWAR TO KUNDA BY GOURIKUNDA HEADED VEHICLE. THEN FROM KUNDA TAKE SHARE JEEP TO UKHIMATH.
#OR, HIRE A CAR : RENT OF THE TATA SUMO : RS. 3500-4500/-
#PHONE NO. :- GMOU HARIDWAR : 01334-226886,226719. GMOU RISHIKESH : 01382 – 2430076.
#HARIDWAR DRIVER( QUALIS) : MR. RANA: 09319005377. (0135) 2493492
#ANOTHER DRIVER AT RISHIKESH ( WITH WHOME WE ARE TRAVELLING) : MR. KAMAL SING NEGI : 09410102050.
#AT ONIYANA THERE ARE MANY GUIDES AND HORSE MEN AVAILABLE
#RAMESH PANWAR : GUIDE : 09411389274
#PORTER: NARAYAN RAWAT : 09411355009
#DEEPAK : MAHIDRA MAX DRIVER (UKHIMATH) : 09412115702.
#EXPERIENCE GUIDE : DEVENDRA SING PANWAR ( OF PACHWATI HOTEL, KHATARA), VILL + PO RANSI, GUPTAKASHI, DIST. RUDRAPRAYAG, U.T. PIN CODE - 246439. CONTACT : 09411155244. (HE IS EXPERINCED GUIDE APPLYING FOR REGISTRATION .HIS SPECIALLITY IS PANCHA KEDAR ,BOTH BY ROADWAYS AND BY HIGH PASSES,BASUKI TAAL,VISHALEE PASS, EANGBOOK COL, KACHNI PASS, GHEEBINAYAK PASS, PANDU SHERA,BANSHIVINAYAK PASS, MAWALI PASS ETC.)
#ANOTHER EXPERICED GUIDE (GUIDE OF RATANLAL BISWAS TO THE PANPATIA PASS) : SUNDAR SINGH PANWAR, VILL GOUNDAR, PO RANSI. DIST. RUDRAPRAYAG, PIN CODE - 246439.

DISTANCES:-

UKHIMATH TO 1 KMS ADV. FROM UNIYANA : 13 KMS ( BY CAR )

TO RANSI : 2 KMS ( BY TREK)
RANSHI TO GOUNDAR : 5 KMS ( BY TREK)

GOUNDAR TO BANTOLI(5906 FT.) : 1 KM ( BY TREK)

BANTOLI TO KHATARA(6890 FT.): 2 KMS ( BY TREK)

KHATARA TO NANU (7745 FT.): 2 KMS ( BY TREK)

NANU TO MOUKHOM (8630 FT.): 1.5 KMS ( BY TREK)

MOUKHOM TO KUNDA CHATTI : 1.5 KMS ( BY TREK)

KUNDA CHATTI TO MADMAHESWAR(11470 FT.) : 4 KMS. ( BY TREK)

LODGING:-

UKHIMATH : BHART SEVASHRAM , TEWARI I LODGE, GMVNRANSHI : BHATT LODGE

GOUNDAR : KAILASH TOURIST LODGE, SOME OTHER LODGES.

BANTOLI : BISWA LODGE

KHATARA : PANCHAVATI HOTEL(DEVINDAR SINGH )

NANU : ONE LODGE HAS

MOUKHOM : ANKITA LODGE

MADMAHESWAR : MANDIR COMMITTEE GUEST HOUSE, MANY OTHER LODGES

BATHING GHAT OF RISHIKESH

RUDRAPRAYAG

DEVAPRAYAG

MT. KEDARNATH FROM UKHIMATH BRIDGE OVER MADMAHESWAR GANGA TOWARDS ONIYANA
VIEW FROM TRAIL BEFORE RANSI

RAKESWARI DEVI TEMPLE AT RANSI

A SMALL WATER FALLS

BANTOLI

JUST FRONT OF MR. UMAPRASAD MUKHERJEE'S GUEST HOUSE

BANTOLI LODGEA BENGALEE HOUSEWIFE AGED 80 YEARS WITH HER SON PANCHAWATI LODGE AT KHATARAME WITH JOYDEEP AND RAJIBDA

GUIDE SUNDAR SINGH PANWAR BEAUTIFUL GARDEN OF PANCHAWATI LODGEMOUKHAM CHATTIA VERY BRAVE CHILLED WATER BATH AT MADMAHESWARTOWARDS THE NANDIKUND GROUP OF PEAKSME IN FRONTOF SHREE MADMAHESWAR TEMPLETEMPLE GUEST HOUSECHOUKHAMBHA WITH FIRST RAY OF SUNCHOUKHAMBHA AND MANDANI PEAKS AS SHOWN FROM BURAMADMAHESWARFROZEN WATER LAYER OF LAKE AT BURAMADMAHESWARBURA MADMAHESWAR JIME IN FRONT OF THE GREAT REFLECTIONTHE GREAT REFLECTION AT THE LAKE AT BURAMADMAHESWARTHE TRAILS THIS MAN OPERATE A HOTEL AT GOUNDAR JUST AFTER THE RAMESH PANWAR HOTELTHIS EX ARMY MAN OPERATE A TEA STALL BETWEEN RANSI & GOUNDARMADMAHESWAR TAALTHIS IS OUR DRIVER SHRI KAMAL SINGH NEGI ME IN FRONT OF LAXAM JHULA

HAR KI PAURI GHAT AT HARIDWAR AFTER THE EVENING PRAYER