Page 27 - Seniors Today - May21 Issue
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shattered when we got to Kheerganga. gear, tents and provisions. Few kilometers
The beautiful place covered with tents and inside the park, and all communication with
lodgings built in the most haphazard manner the outside world are lost. You are one with
defiled and savaged the natural beauty. nature and you rely only on yourself and
Garbage, that is the norm in popular tourist your companions. Fortunately, experienced
and pilgrimage spots of India was strewn licensed guides and porters are available to
around. I had to shut my eyes and imagine the make the expedition safe and comfortable.
phenomenal beauty of the place without the The Great Himalayan National Park, a
depredation of humans. UNESCO world heritage site, located in Kullu
I then stayed for a couple of days at a district is spread across four valleys – Parvati,
beautiful house on the river in the Tirthan Tirthan, Jiwanal and Sainj, each of which
Valley, near the entrance of the great offers a wide variety of exotic flora and fauna.
Himalayan National Park. One had to cross The Himalayan Valley is home to 10% of the
the river seated in a small goods trolley that world’s and 50% of India’s endemic plant
hangs precariously on a ropeway pulled species.
manually across the river. There were houses The Bhagavad Gita, tenth discourse, shloka
along the banks, built, so as to enjoy the 2.5 reads
views of the river and hills steeply rising “Of the immovable things I am the
from the riverbed on both sides. The ride was mighty Himalayas”.
great fun. Two-and-a-half days of trekking This is one of the few places where you see
inside the National Park were breathtaking. the might of the Himalayas in all its grandeur.
I wanted to camp and spend the night here All things, like life itself are transient. I left
sleeping under the stars. This can only be the blissful surroundings and carefree life to
done after getting permits and equipping drive to Kullu and fly to the routine life back
yourself fully with camping and climbing to Mumbai.
The next trip (May 2 -13) was to the hills
above the French Med and Provence, this time
with my wife, Vandana. With Paula as my
guide, the mornings 6 am to 12.30pm were
spent hiking in the mountains, followed by a
shower, lunch, drive to the next village/town
walking around the town or relaxing and then
dinner at the hotel or other restaurant.
Starting from Nice the trip covered Flayosc,
Lorgues; Coquillade village, Gargas; Chemin
des Jeux de Mai, Mane; Crillon le Brave;
Rochegude; Avignon; and Marseille. The
hikes were - Salernes to the Waterfall; The
Grand Luberon and I’Aiguebrun River;
Mane to Saint-Michel I’Observatoire; Mont
Ventoux from the South Side; Les Dentelles
de Montmirail from Gigondas Village; Saint
Remy to Les Baux through Les Alpilles;
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #23 | MAY 2021 27
