Part 1 The beginning
Part 2 Rishikesh to Gopeshwar
Part 4 Skiing at Auli
Part 5 Trek to Deoria Tal
Part 6 Beatles ashram and 3 sanyasis
Opened my day with a shivering bath followed by packing and loading. Tying ropes in a winter morning is what I don't like. It was around 07:00, came down in the GMVN restaurant to enjoy a hot tea. Finishing tea geared myself and left the GMVN. Avenger started with the first hit of self start. Didnt faced any cold start problem throughout the journey.
Album cover
Day 2 route map
Reached Joshimath around 12:00 in the
afternoon.
Alaknanda - Enroute Joshimath
Just as I was to start for Badrinath scene changed and dark
clouds hid the mountain.
It started drizzling and finally raining. I took shelter under a military ration building.
Playing with time and timer
ITBP training centre Joshimath
Asked to return:
That interesting guy:
His assistant was silent for all these 15 minutes. He started repeating same words when the first one went inside. But I diverted him by asking questions. From where did he come? What did he do here?
He was standing wearing a long gumboot loose shirt and a worn out trouser. This showed that he was engaged in some kind of labor work. He spoke with a true smile which made his normal words sound funny.
He belonged to a poor farming family in Jharkhand and he was here in search of employment. He said 'हम चट्टान तोड़ते हैं सरजी।' he smiled and spoke.
I asked where all have you been? He said Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Ludhiana, Imphal, Jammu, Goa, Sikkim, Himachal. A true wanderer indeed. But he loved Nagaland and Malari which is 80km from Joshimath the most.
Malari remains under snow during winters and these people are first to go there and open the roads. Either using JCB or blasting the ice. Kida Jadi. He said its very costly. As the winter comes to end local folks run back to their homes in Malari and start searching Kida Jadi. It resembles worm but actually it is kind of plant. Kida Jadi is valued at rupees 4 lakh per kilogram.
Rain slowed down in 1 hour and by the time these people were gone. Started my bike and left the place.
Towards Badrinath:
Crossing a military iron bridge and landslide zones reached Pandukeshwar, a small village considered important during yatra season. Continued riding ahead.
Iron bridge on Joshimath Badrinath route
Mountain road enroute Badrinath
One of landslide zones enroute Badrinath
House amidst beautiful surrounding - Enroute Badrinath
House amidst beautiful surrounding - Enroute Badrinath
Winding roads enroute Badrinath
Climbing mountain roads
Playing with time and timer
Witnessed 3 days old Glacier:
On moving ahead I noticed white material between two mountains. It was not as white as snow.
On a corner of the road, saw a boy standing in front of a small temple. He accepted my request to click my photos.
He was from Jharkhand and was positioned here to keep a watch on the JCBs. Pointing at the white substance he said this is glacier. It came down 3 days ago. But they give a sort of warning sound in the valley before coming down. This gives some time to move away from its route.
Rough patch enroute Lambgadh
Its freezing here
Standing on Glacier
Glacial water
Water bridge
Himalayan mountains
Himalayan scenery
Himalayan mountain ranges
Bidding him a good bye I moved further. My journey ahead stopped at Lambgadh village. I was informed that roads ahead was covered with 2 feet snow.
Returned Joshimath and went to GMVN tourist rest house. Placed my luggage in GMVN dormitory, I was alone here too :) After a quick bath went to Joshimath market.
Joshimath is good enough town. Shops are placed on both the sides of the straight long road. Petrol pump is at the end of the town on the Badrinath route. Roads to Auli and Malari goes through Joshimath.
During winters, Badrinathji's idol and palki are shifted in Joshimath.
Pure Vegetarian restaurant and hanging tandoori:
Market was bustling with people. I saw a board which read Pure Vegetarian. I was surprised to see 5 grilled chickens hanging.
I said the owner 'आपका बोर्ड आपके दुकान में लटके आइटम से मैच नहीं करता '. In a rough voice he said 'क्या चाहिए जल्दी बोलो '. Settled for Chow mein. I took another lesson, no Chow mein in Uttaranchal.
Spent my evening walking on the streets of Joshimath and watching the local life.
Part 1 The beginning
Part 2 Rishikesh to Gopeshwar
Part 4 Skiing at Auli
Part 5 Trek to Deoria Tal
Part 6 Beatles ashram and 3 sanyasis
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