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6th September 2000   As there was continues rain and glaciers were breaking the return journey and farewell to the Ram took place 2 kms short of homkund. Poor thing the rams were tied to stones and left behind to die. whereas the rest of the party moved towards Sutol village. This was going to be the toughest part of the journey to cover 24 kms in a day. The first 3-4 Kms were the most difficult trek, we had to walk on a mountain with steep falls on both sides to a place called chandaniaghat. From this point Oak forest and Bhoj Patra forest started, the forest path was good and interesting for me, but due to constant rains and downpour and the pilgrims, many many people walking, the path had become slushy, muddy with mud upto the knees. I reached the outskirts of Sutol at around 4.00 p.m., the morning trek had started at 7.00 a.m. The second group of porters and my father came at around 7.00 p.m., As per practice we dispatched our two porters with torches to get the conservator, but till 10.00 p.m. he did not come. We all tried to sleep but could not as there were news that there have been accidents on the way, people have slipped and fallen down in the water, or off the cliff and our team was not complete. There were many scenes at our camping places also, with the pilgrims wanting to enter the accommodations forcibly as people were dead tired, wet, soaking and drenched in mud, and everyone, means everyone must have fallen in the slush somewhere including handsome me. We could not sleep the whole night mainly due to our team left behind and as pilgrims were coming and disturbing the peace at late nights and early mornings and searching for their lost peoples, porters, friends etc.

7th September 2000 Early morning at around 5.15 a.m, 3 porters were sent back to trace the team. All eyes anxiously waiting for some news. At around 10.30 a.m. we saw our missing team with porters returning back safe and sound. Breathed a sigh of relief.

The conservator and his team of  3 were walking, and walking, they must have covered around say 16 kms when night was approaching, so they asked someone (and no one actually knew) that how far is Sutol Village, and they got a reply of 2 kms, so they thought they'll cover it. They had a tent and a porter with them, as darkness was approaching they sent him ahead to send our team back with torches, hence at around 7.30 when it was pitch dark they could not move and the porter also was stuck as in the night is is very risky to move on the slippery path with jungle on on side and steep fall on the other. Nothing to do and loosing all hope first they just sat on the road with rain falling, then as they saw a person with torch walking they asked assistance, but were declined and left behind. This helped them to reach a semi cave type formation. They huddled inside the cave and tried to sleep, all wet, no food, shivering, insects crawling and it was a hell of a night for them. The next morning at the crack of dawn they just got up and started walking till they found our rescue team. The team rested this day and revived their energies for the trek to wan the next day another 19 kms trek. Had lavish food, that is food with 2 variety of dishes. Lots of tea and rest.

 

8th September 2000 Started early towards the first halt at a place called Kanol 10 kms, reached the place at around 12.30, as per the last days experience it was decided to wait for everyone and then only will proceed further. then rest of the team came at around 3.00 p.m., by that time we started off for Wan village. It started again raining and wet and tired we reached Wan. The first thing that I did was to take bath with hot water after 9 days, what a feeling, was feeling light and fresh by the time our complete team arrived safe and sound. Had some rum and nice meal, joke and slept very peacefully this day.

9th September 2000 This path was know to us hence we started not so early at around 9.00 a.m. and reached Lohajung our starting point at around 1.30 p.m., the rest of our team join us at around 3.00 p.m. Had some light lunch and some bad luck that the roads between Lohajung till Mandoli and Deval had been blocked due to landslide. The Forest vehicle was stuck in between the slides, hence had to further trek down 5-6 kms where we got a jeep. Now this is interesting as there was only one jeep, there were eighteen on us including porters and our luggage, we were in the same jeep and covered around 14 kms, another adventure in itself and safely reached Deval where My car was parked at 6.00 p.m. Another round of celebrations, payment to the porters and biding farewell , we slept safe and sound.   10th September 2000 We could have left for Delhi this day, but as the forest vehicle was not operational, we had to take a detour of 250 kms and drop our friend Mr. Upadhyay, the conservator back to Gopeshwar. The rest of the forest team was left behind at Gopeshwar to come back with the Forest jeep once the landslides were cleared. Reached Gopeshwar in the evening, again celebrated and retired early, so that we could reach Delhi as soon as possible the next day.   11th September 2000 Started at around 5.30 a.m. and reached Delhi safe and Sound at around 4.30.p.m in the evening.

 

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