After trying some new kind of taste from a local shop, we walked back to the hotel to see a fleet of Sumos (TATA’s SUVs) lined up for our visit to Rohtang pass.
Everyone hopped on to them expecting those scenes of Rohtang only seen in movies. The TATA Sumos are always close to my heart, for about 7-8 years of school, it had me transport back and forth. The torque was amazing in these, but always keep in mind not to get near to the exhaust while it is doing its everyday feats.
Back to the ride, it was all bumpy with the roads of Manali (Himachal Pradesh, India). After half an hour of travel from the city, the roads were getting twistier and higher in altitude. The Beas river flowed through the city and was covered in pebbles and boulders on either sides. The Beas River actually orginates from the Rohtang Valley and flows towards the Punjab direction.
The first stop of the fleet of Sumos was at a local shop which rented whole body jackets. It was a pricey affair. We were told about the snow at Rohtang and that this protection was indeed needed. Now, this got me thinking, it’s like the end of summer and by the time we would reach there, the sun would be strong and it was a clear day too.
I was one of those black sheep for not buying a whole body jacket (weird colour schemes) boots and gloves. Many of my friends were talking seriously about the cold like, how harsh it is going to be and how hard it will be to walk on ice. I had my reasons not to get them and stood by them. I did buy a pair of gloves that were not for lease and thinking that might be enough protection. We all then hopped back on to our rides, with most of them looking like candy wrappers with a head, so colourful. And I was the black sheep (I had a simple black jacket that I bought the day before)
Traversing through countless hairpins and covering them were making us nauseous, but the view was getting better. As we climbed further, some people were paragliding down to the city where we came from. I was clicking photos through the window and was pumped up to see those mountains. I love them. It’s something about them, the size, the beauty, a work of nature that no man can replicate.
The roads were further getting muddier and bumpier. The BRO (Border Roads Organisation) teams could be seen removing huge boulders that fell from uphill and maintaining the traffic to Rohtang. You need have balls of steel to work in such conditions. Massive respect to them as always. And finally, there it was! A yellow milestone proclaiming that you are where you need to be. Rohtang Pass! (13,058 feet)
We looked to the right to see range, which had snow at the very top and there was no trace of snow where we stood. I was ready to give the ‘I told you so!‘ look to all my companions as they started removing all the silly colourful costumes they paid for, cursing those who made them wear it. Turns out it, the drivers and the rental people are in collab to make some extra bucks from travellers. We stopped at a roadside and got off to explore. The first sight I saw made me stand there speechless. Is this a painting? It was beauty beyond anything that I’ve seen! We were surrounded by peaks and we could frozen glaciers in most of them.
All those photos I’ve seen about these, they weren’t even close compared to what it was in reality! Honestly, I was a bit emotional at that moment, thanking whoever that made all these. We then walked along the road and towards the valley. I wanted to cover every inch of that place. Was it peace, excitement or a mix of both that I experienced? I was having the best moment of my life.
At the edge of the valley, the sight downwards was beautiful and deadly. The roads seemed like ropes laid down randomly and someone mentioned that it leads to Spiti Valley. We took a lot of pictures of us and the place. Someone brought some biscuits and only when I ate did I realise how hungry I was. Sights like these take away all kinds of *growl*
The rocks had a peculiar texture, all were made of a sheet pattern (layer kind). It was very amusing, the dry vegetation with the brownish-green spread across the valley.
Looking towards one of the peaks, the closest one with the snow on top caught my eye. We decided to climb it. No matter how pumped up I was, after all the walking down basin of the peak, I was finding hard to breath going up. This altitude was new for me. Two days before we were at the streets of Delhi scorched by the sun, now the cold and the altitude is taking its toll on the body.
I climbed with a friend who was already nauseous with the ride to Rohtang. He was exhausted and took frequent breaks. I was gasping for breath and it was already time to get back. But yet we still climbed further. We could see the top and some other guys, were playing in the snow. But alas, the body couldn’t climb any further, but the mind was still strong. I was saying myself, that I would come back to get to the top somehow. I was a bit disappointed that I couldn’t do it. Those guys at the top never saw the beauty down below. Exploring the valley and the climbing peak was too much for someone who had never trekked before. (I know, I’m complaining) We took small steps back to the Sumos.
The drivers were cursing at us for being late and I was smiling at them like an idiot and miserably tried to retort with my revolting Hindi. We got on the Sumos and I peered back to see the magical landscape once more so as to impress it on to my memory.
My head banged on the window and I woke up startled. I fell asleep the instant the sumo took off from Rohtang. The body was tired, yet the mind still…
My Part Said. 