Anup Sah, Nainital Mountaineering Club, Nainital
Shekhar Pathak, PAHAR, Nainital
25 September 2008

GANGOTRI-KALINDIKHAL-BADRINATH STUDY TOUR was organised by Naini Tal Mountaineering Club and PAHAR between 10 and 23 September 2008. The aim of the study tour was to understand the environment of this far flung region, to understand the impact of climate change upon different glaciers, status of floral and faunal diversity and to study the distant catchments of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda rivers. It was also our aim to know the possibilities of the opening of high Himalayan tourism/ trekking and what should be the appropriate managing system for this. We were also keen to know the status of different bio-physical constituents in the Gangotri National Park.

Our three member group - Anup Sah, Shekhar Pathak and Pradeep Pande- reached Gangotri on 10th September with our guide- Harish Rana, helper Suvinder and five porters-Chandra Bahadur, Nar Bahadur, Ram Bahadur (Kusumakar), Khimraj and Lalu Prasad Khanal. A few other friends and porters were with us up to Tapovan. Our tour organiser was Mountain Shepherds, the tour company of the young people of Uttarakhand. Most of the members of this group are trained from Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi(NIM) and also given workshops on the history and culture of the region. We already did Lata and Saini Kharak trek with them.

The camps and dates of reaching there were like this:

From Gangotri (3048m) we reached Bhojbasa (3729m) on 11 September, Tapovan (4460m) on 12th, Nandanvan (4337m) on 13th, Vasukital (4880m) on 14th, Khara Patthar (5480m) on 15th, Seta Glacier (5520m) on 16th, Kalindi Base (5570m) on 17th, after crossing Kalindikhal (5970m) reached Raj Parao (4920m) on 18th, Arwatal (3920m) and Ghastoli (3800m) on 19th/20th and Mana-Badrinath (3133m) on 21/22 September 2008. After that we stayed at Joshimath for some hours on 23 September to give our last salutes to our comrades, who died in the study tour. We reached back Nainital on 24th.

The weather suddenly changed on 17th. It was impossible to return back as Gangotri was 7 camps away and Badrinath was 4 camps ahead (ITBP camp at Ghastoli was only 3 camps ahead). So we decided to cross over the Kalindikhal (19500+ feet above sea level) on 18th morning. We did this and reached Raj Parao in the evening by roping up the group. From the evening of 18th heavy snow fall started and from 10 pm we were clearing our tents in every two hours. We did this up to the morning of 19th. On the morning of 19th at around 7.30 am we were able to inform the administration at Dehradun by using the satellite phone regarding snow fall, our over all situation and our decision to go down to Arwatal and finally to Ghastoli as the weather is worst and helicopters can not play any role for some days. Only ITBP team can help us by coming up to Arwatal. We informed the administration about the 35 + team of Austrians (6 Austrians, 1 Spanish and other porters and guides), who also need all support from ITBP.

At 8 am our guide Harish Rana and helper Suvinder started cutting the ice and making the way by using their ice axes. It was difficult and slow process and the snow fall was continuing. At many points there was confusion about the route, but Harish succeeded in locating the route. So we were able to reach Arwatal area around 3-4 pm but all were very much exhausted. Ghastoli was still 13-14 km far from that point. Now snow fall was joined by the darkness and wind. The trail was not clear due to snow and the land slides and difficult weather increased our problems. Our two team members Khimraj and Lalu Prasad remained behind due to the ill ness of other member Nar Bahadur.

We three were also remained behind as we were helping two young men – Vijay and Nitish- to walk forward. We failed to do that for long and finally we took one able to walk young man Vijay with us but in a huge landslide zone we were not able to trace the trail. We went up to the top of the landslide but it was not yet finished and below in the valley the river and its roaring tributary was not allowing us to come. It was already 7 pm and most of the people were either went beyond the landslide and towards the ITBP camp or left behind. ITBP team also helped them.

As we failed to get the signs of the trail and continuous walking for 12 hours made us hope less. The darkness, wind, snow and cold obstructed our movement. We were not thinking about water or the food but just about the shelter and the collective courage which can sustain us up to the morning. The mountaineering experiences of Anup Sah helped and he suggested us to sit down under the shadow of a big stone, which will save us from snow, rain and wind. If we can continue our body movement and stay without sleep for 8-9 hours that is up to the morning, we can survive. We did this and for around 8 hours we sing (pahari songs, prayers, bhajans, jangeets, which includes Faiz, Nirala, Ghalib, Shailendra, Girda, Viren Dangwal, Jagudi, Narendra Negi, filmi songs), did many physical movements and many kind of antaksarees (town names, personalities)etc. We had a little water and a few khajurs and all our clothes and shoes were fully wet. Anup and Pradeep did the home work for 8-9 hours and after a few attacks of sleep Shekhar also started singing. This collective sprit saved us. As Pradeep was telling that it was 50-50 between 'D' and 'L' but at many moments I felt it was more than 50 for 'D'.

After 4 a.m. in the morning we saw some torch lights on the other side of the river. We used our torches and after a few minutes the torch bearers emerged at the river side below in the valley. They were Nepali porters, who came in search of their lost friends. They told us that the trail is along the river and the ITBP camp is 5-6 km away from this place at the confluence of Arwa and Saraswati rivers. This was the new life and new morning and after walking for another 3 hours we reached the ITBP camp and our lives were also saved. We reached there after around 23-24 hours of our start from the Raj Parao. By the evening we knew that after the death of Nar Bahadur young and well equipped Khimraj started walking towards ITBP camp and he died before reaching there (We want to help the families of both the friends and we shall write to friends for that).

The ITBP team was continuously working for many hours but it was not able to reach Arwatal due to worst weather and continuous landslides on the route. But due to their active involvement, expertise and the presence of their camp at Ghastoli rest of the lives saved, first aid was given to the wounded and shelter and food was given to all. Many porters were taken alive to the camp next day and six dead bodies were recovered and taken to Ghastoli than to Mana. The Head of Ghastoli camp SI Ved Pal Bharadwaj himself lead the rescue team. The Senior Officers of Government of Uttarakhand, DMs of Chamoli and Uttarkashi and Senior Officers of ITBP at Dehradun and Gauchar advised and monitored the rescue operation. So the dozens of lives were saved.

In the higher Himalaya the sudden change in the weather in a normal phenomenon. September is supposed to be the best month for this and other trans- Himalayan treks but for last some years it is becoming difficult to trek safely even in the first fortnight of September. The uncertainty of the weather is increased in last few years. 18 years ago we trekked in the Milam-Malari route in October and with a very good weather.

We will give the detailed report (covering the glaciers and flora-fauna) after some time but we want to give some suggestion immediately for the conduction of this tour in coming years:

1. The inner line permit is a must for touring in this region. The copy of the permit, list of the trekkers and guide-porters and the photos should reach not only to the District Administration of Chamoli (DM of the district and SDM of Joshimath) but also to the In Charge of the ITBP camp at Ghastoli as after Gangotri that is the only human settlement. The list of the trekkers and porters should also be sent to the Gram Pradhan of Mana as they can also do the voluntary work of maintaining the record of the civilians trekking in this route. As this trek takes 10+ days so the information can be sent to these points in time.

   If the Trekkers have done all the formalities, they must be be issued permits through 'single window clearance'. For this even the processing fees can be increased. Any delay from administration or the organisers should not be allowed. With all good arrangements the government should encourage the adventure tourism in this region.

2. Like Trekkers the Porters and Helpers should also go through a medical test. They must be well equipped with shoes, jackets, sun glasses, gloves etc. The amount given to the porters per day Rs. 260 must be increased and the porters be made free from the 'mate system', which takes Rs. 60 out of Rs. 260 of their daily earnings.
3. The lives of guides, helpers and porters must be well insured and there must not be any discrimination/differentiation between the Indian and Nepali porters. No life is less or more important than others. The life of each member of the team must be protected. In the case of tragedy compensation must be given to the families of the porters.
4. The arrangement of a satellite telephone is necessary now but it is needed to tell the team members to whom they have to bell/contact in the difficult situation. ITBP, Army, District administrations of Uttarkashi (and Bhatwari), Chamoli (and Joshimath), DMRC HQ, State Secretariate, Dehradun phone numbers and names of the contact persons should be given to them. All these can be available in the booklet, which is discussed in point number 6.
5. There is urgent need to build some shelters/ snow huts/ tin sheds around big stones and rocks in the route. Up to the Kalindikhal the area is under Gangotri National Park. Special permissions can be obtained for these smaller constructions.
6. On this region and the route there is virtually no ordinary literature is available to public. It should be the work of priority for the government (specially for the Department of Tourism) to produce literature as well as the scientific map of this region and route with the help from NIM, Survey of India, Department of Tourism and many other institutions and individuals. The exact distances and hours between two camps, physical condition and location of the camp and weather conditions should be given in this map and booklet. All do's and don'ts can also be given there.
7. In last few years due to the change in the weather (it is likely the part of larger 'Climate Change' in the Himalaya) and also shifts in the rains and snows it is advisable to organise this tour between the months of May and August and never beyond first week of September.
8. Large part of this region and the route lies in the Gangotri National Park. On the eastern side of Kalindikhal there is no park area. From Gangotri to Kalindi there is no ITBP or Army Post but after the Kalindikhal there are ITBP and Army posts are there at Ghastoli and Mana. So there is need to develop a good coordination between district administrations, ITBP, Army and Forest, Revenue and Tourism Departments.
9. As the government of Uttarakhand give permission to the foreign trekkers to travel in this region and route but in the difficult situations the non English speaking foreigners have problems of communications. This was happened with the Russians last year and with the Austrians this year. So either some one in the government office must be there who can communicate with them in their language or the presence of an English or Hindi speaking person in the trekking group should be made compulsory.