Buran Ghati- where mountains speak

An Enigma with hope

The first thing which stuck me throughout the journey were the mountains. The Bold ancient mountains; some were chaffed, few smothered by lush grasslands and rare were the raw and bare, broken yet intimidating. They seemed so alive. as if, if I put my ears and listen harder, will hear their roaring heartbeats.

Here will take you through our 8 days journey.

Caution:

1. As you have got inking that I was obsessed with the mountains, so you will face n numbers of pics ( of mountains)

2. Going to be pretty lengthy, so grab some tea or coffee for company

Day 1: Drive to Diude/Janglik After bidding farewell to our hostel champions, we left for our pickup spot. Midway, we were arguing whether to follow google map or to go with the opinion of locals. the second option had the majority and here our chirpy selves, tucking phone inside, hopping towards Old Shimla Bus stand

we had to reach the pickup spot at 6am| we are crossing tunnels at 6.30am.

Final walk towards Hotel crystal palace. It was already 7.10am and the final 50m towards the vehicle was like walk of shame. we three decided that day, that google maps can be trusted in mountains.

As we reached the vehicle, I found one of them glanced at the watch twice and I felt terrible! I couldn't say anything then, I sincerely apologize for the delay. it was unintentional. we simply lost our ways. Here! Done! I don't care whether you accept or not 😝

Quietly entering our vehicle, we started our 9 hrs journey

Our breakfast spot

Filling our water bottles

Traffic jam

Somewhere in between, we were joined by Ravi, our slope manager

Sparkly Pabbar river and start of our photoshoot

S- what do you think they doing?

U- Trying to feel the water, nature, rocks, air

After 7 mins

S- I think they need help

U- Kya bolte ho, dhakka de?

Meanwhile,

contemplating life

us following the queen

I've never seen such multitude of wild sunflowers in my life

🤪 mountain 1

Yes yes, we will have to climb the top

while unloading bags, our Slope manager informed that he has a gift for me and like Santa he took out a HUGE apple (2.5 times than normal apple) from his bag. It was like a Christmas gift and I was smiling like a fool. I thought of sharing this apple in camp but later thought better gift it to mom

I'm not sure what our trek lead was thinking here. oh! I can guess. "Apne area mei aaye ho, sabko dekh lunga" 😂

Our finance duo

After 11 mins, joining by aspiring finance consultant

Finally, after closing the bahi khata, we gathered to hear out our TL speech

Base camp march

From base camp you will spot two rocky mountains whose peak is embraced with the Misty clouds. They never leaves the peak, be it bright sunny day or downpour rains. It seems as if stringently protecting something which is not for common eyes.

we had our formalities and intro session, where we were renamed ( with adjectives)

wrap up with dinner and where do you think you are going. not so fast

pointers

and we were done for the day

Day 2: Trek from Diude/Janglik to Dayara Altitude gain: 9,200 ft to 11,075 ft

The duo, encouraging to break rules (I won't say which one) and I relished in doing that 😂

Initial Happy faces

The building structures are fascinating. beams/ main members or primary structures are made of wood, roof while secondary/ remaining structures of rocks or shales. Its completely opposite of what we do in plains.

Temple of local deity

"Amit ji ke pehle and Ayush ke piche koi nahi rahega" 😂

Wait! don't feel bad for us ( yet) . This is just the start

Thankyou for hearing out and sharing them 🙂

Ayush helping Ujjwal to get few apricots and I got my share

Itna khush kyu hai teddy???

Break point cum photo session, where Sanket ( our TL) asked us to go to a tree and impart our mind, thoughts with them

13 people emptying their ideas, motivation, insecurities and what not to these poor creatures. what do you think happened next?

wait for few moments

almost there

😂 Here starts the rain

He would never trust me with camera again, esp with his poncho on 🤪

6 Maggi, 17 tea, 4 omelets

Here, TL shared stories on some ghost in Roopkund. you guys should stop these horror stories. I was scared hell that night, even in morning I felt as if there's some negative energy around

Kitchen

Don't go by their exp, its only for camera

never ending trails

which pose?

"I'm out of here"

I know. They are gorgeous

Nope, this is not me 😂

I don't think the mountains were interested in the offerings. I hope you have scrapped it clean.

See! Its not only me. btw I'm yet to put this tactics n use. will be using that on our official photographer 😂

After dumping our bags in tents, we had leisure time to roam around. I went uphill, to river spot. The site is grazing land and is filled with sheep, cows and horses.

It was relief to watch hills with the churlish river playing symphony in background

Here's our famous and beloved Simbha

The yellow butterfly looking thing is our tent

Whites are not stone. yeah, you need to enlarge the pics. they are sheep.

Joined by Deepak, Devanshi and Shivek (SF2😝)

Pretty mountains

makeshift lamp

Day 3: Trek from Dayara to Litham

Altitude gain: 11,075 ft to 11,737 ft

Everlasting declaration 😂💕

😂"Ayush ke baad..."

"Bacho, Please pay attention! Follow the front benchers!

HR*- Everyone, I'm deducting 2 day's pay

Everyone-

* Blue cap is HR (in actual)

"Gime BREAK"

and with our secured salaries

"Ok, if you insist"

Here, we were sent for reflection

Level of Luxury

"Bro, Stop hording the water"

Air of uncertainty..

Our everyday terror. we were never this happy to score 90% even in our exams

Friendship 🙂

Live the moment

Day 4: Buffer Day- Devanshi's Birthday 🎉

It's raining like hell today. For whole day.

The dog, horses and sheep are standing outside in such a weather and I don't know how they're withstanding this. I wish there were some open shelter where they can sleep or rest without getting drenched in rain.

We couldn't do chandranahan trek today but had a fabulous day ( bonding time) with our team, playing

cards, mafia, antakshari, Munnabhai scene enacting between siddharth and Sanket and big bang boom. and also executing our previously planned high pitch chorus "Lakdi ki kathi"

Piece of advise- Sanket is musicpedia, never ever go against him in antakshari

A surprise birthday thrown by kitchen staff of IndiaHikes.

Sitting there with 36 hours of consistent rain, I wanted to go home. Somewhere these cloud covered mountains had a pull, it call sounded familiar, bit like home. Home away from home

Day 5: Excursion near Chandranahan Lake

Frantic Celebration on seeing Sun. Strong sunrise after 3days of rain.

At 11am, we started off towards chandranahan lake and had to return by 2pm

Siddharth and his controlled shortcut

We had fun crossing this turbulent current. Human chain 🙂

The liveliest of the team, Shivek. I was drowsing in kitchen tent when he kind of literally pulled me outdoors. My trek shoes were wet and I had misplaced my sleeper and medical bag, so didn't want to go outside. Ujjwal had asked earlier to come outside but I had no sleepers. Mr Shivek, miraculously did jugar (I don't remember whose sleeper) and I was outside.

I think he did to make me do the countdown 😝

Love you guys! Ice cream and baked rasgulla pakka for both you and Devanshi

Then entered Sanket, teaching unique way to drink water and here we are

No, we didn't do this many pushup to drink water. HR 😂🤪

We spent long time by river . The warm sunrays penetrated through my red woolen fleece, flushing skin with warmth. Was Mindlessly watching the water, who was sometimes rushing, sometimes flowing, sometimes struggling and many a times deliriously fighting the stream. The roar formed with the combination of their eagerness, ecstasy, confusion, scream and rebellion had such a uniform rhythm; where you cannot distinguish one emotion from another. All went down with the flow.

Shooting star 🙂

Day 6: Trek from Litham to Dhunda Altitude gain: 11,737 ft to 13,365 ft

chor aaye hum..

Only saffron attire is missing

The most competitive person in our team taking a nap

Our official photographer

Kitchen cum action tent, where every happening things occurs. Here we were briefed on D day, that's TOMORROW. It was along the line of what was shared on Janglik base camp with added catalyst called encouragement and motivation.

Dinner time, Inside the semidark tent with dead silence ( no music from cicadas), there was tension and sense of purpose in air. It was the silence before a war cry. Eyes filled with determination and smile curved with apprehension, were seeking and asserting comradeship with each other in the quietness.

Day 7: Dhunda to River campsite via Buran Ghati Altitude gain and loss: 13,365 ft to 15,000 ft to 11,800 ft

The day where you are stretched, challenged both physically and mentally and pushed beyond your limits

onset of Exhaustion

I think I can see myself, the last one 😪😁 I remember just dragging myself, having cramps, stopping and grudging over every couple of steps, wanting this to just get over. Poor Ayush was feeling trapped😂 and in those moment I had stopped caring. Was certainly not aware that 30 mins has already passed since other members had reached the pass.

The final leg

🙂

🙂🙂

Crazzy people doing pushups at 15000ft

People were asking how do you feel. To tell the truth I was feeling nothing except relief, other than that my mind was blank.

Now the fun of descent

We had snow fight in between

Lunch break

We received network here and all were busy connecting with their families

😂😂

our destination

The lone warrior, Ayush. He had given me Bramha kamal and I had tucked in my belt. on reaching tent I found it missing. must have dropped somewhere.🤦‍♀️

Roshni had made a small bouquet of wild flowers and gifted to me. I couldn't take the pic then because it was always dark. Though it's dried, it's still pretty. Thankyou 🙂

Day 8: Trek from River campsite to Barua to shimla Altitude loss: 11,800 ft to 6,700 ft

morning chores with ice kissed waters

Yo!

the pro s

Don't ask me what we are doing in next series of pics 😂

Singing while descending and Mukti single handedly leading the cleaning drive

Lady with unique name- "Premalini"

Homework left half done 🙂

After returning our rented gears and sleeping bags, we set off for shimla

Kudos to miraculous team of Indiahikes.

Thankyou Sanket and Ayush 🙂 Hopefully in next trek, I won't drag you last. Even if I do, just bear it 😝

Our 20th Sep batch, I was lucky enough to come across people with beautiful hearts and lively souls. Hope to see you guys later. and Nai, I'm not sharing ice creams.

Buran, true to its name was wind of gale force. Mystic and whimsical. It started from north and changed us somewhere in different ways. Made me learn to zoom into the present instead of wavering off. and finally, famous lines by our TL which stuck with us

" Be Humble, You cannot conquer mountains; they allow you to if you are deemed worthy"

🥂 to more adventures! Lets continue working for greener planet🙂 Keep exploring!

Pc: Deepak (official photographer), Abhishek (night pics), Ujjwal and Mukti (her go pro videos)