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THE CALL OF THE MOUNTAINS AT JOSHIMATH



As I stood there, my feet numb and mind lost, I tried to identify the majestic peaks all around, but in vain...stretches of mighty white peaks which appeared intimidatingly close. There were layers of clouds at different heights of these peaks...touching one and then passing through to  the next one. Sometimes a peak, high and white, would emerge out of the clouds to be right in front...and in a while, would hid behind a new set of clouds. The weather was chilly and temperature close to freezing. For about half a day, I decided to walk around this lovely town Joshimath, getting to absorb as much as I could....the interplay of the clouds and the peaks.


During one of my earlier trips to Uttarakhand a few months back...from Mussoorie and Dhanaulti..on a clear morning, all those peaks had appeared on a single  line from east to west. From the locals, I had gathered that the white chain of mountains at a distance included the likes of Swargarohini and Bandarpoonch peaks in the west to  the Nandadevi and the Trishul  in the east...and in between were the peaks of Gangotri...including Chaukhamba, Kedarnath, Satopanth, Bhrighupanth, Thalay Sagar, Meru and Shivling. There were locals around, who claimed they could identify these peaks from a distance. Must be so, as they have co-existed with these mountains for so long. My untrained eyes had failed to identify the peaks and I had returned home with the aspiration of visiting the peaks close enough...

Next time, before my visit to Joshimath, I ensured reasonable research on each of the peaks of the Gangotri range of mountains. I was aware that most of the tributaries of the Ganga melted from their glacial origins of these peaks. The turbulent Bhagirathi, one of the two head streams, emerges from the Gangotri glacier at Gaumukh. The thirty kilometer long Gangotri originates from Chaukhamba peak and is guarded by the Kedarnath, Thalay Sagar, Meru and Shivling peaks on one side and the Satopanth and the Bhagirathi Parvat on the other side. The other head stream of the Ganges, Alaknanda takes birth from the Satopanth glacier which passes by the Chaukhamba, Satopanth, Janhukut and the Nilakantha peaks for about thirteen kilometers... before  melting into Alaknanda as she streams ahead to reach Mana and Badrinath. Another important glacier of this region is the Chorabari glacier of the Kedarnath peak. This glacier melts into the Mandakini river which flows for seventy kilometers before the confluence with the Alaknanda at Rudraprayag. 

In spite of all my  homework, walking on the narrow streets of Joshimath, I was  unable to identify the peaks to confidence. In fact, the realization dawned  that it would take months to get even the slightest understanding of these peaks and their glaciers and rivers. Nevertheless, the experience of such proximity with  these peaks was surreal. Hopefully, someday, I will get a chance to spend more time trying to decipher these enigmatic peaks, their glaciers and the origin of the mystic rivers. Hopefully, some day, I will get a chance to respond to the call of the mountains.



All around from the streets of Joshimath...

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