A HEARTWARMING EXPERIENCE

Despite Blindness, adventure has been an integral part of my life. In fact my inability to see has only made adventure a little more adventurous for me. It was the first time that I was taking part in a trekking programme which was not designed for visually impaired person and I had the opportunity to prove that persons with visual impairment are not special and they can very easily be integrated in the main - stream of the society provided they get the opportunity to perform and a little bit of cooperation and understanding from the rest of the society.

Designed for the officers of Tata Steel and their spouse, the trekking programme started with us reporting to the hospitality of Bhandari Hotel at Uttarkashi on 12.06.98. The same evening, we were taken to the base camp at Ratwara, some 6 km from Uttarkashi. About 500 meters away from the main road into the jungle, the base camp was situated on the bank of a swift flowing rivulet.

On 14^th, after the breakfast, we were introduced to the equipment used in trekking and rock climbing and subsequently we marched towards the rock climbing area of Nehru Mountaineering Institute.

Nothing fascinates me more than rappelling and when I performed it with perfection at the NIM rock climbing area. I could overhear other members of the team expressing their dismay.

On return from the NIM's rock climbing area, I felt a little tired but enriched with new experience. I spent the evening in interaction with the very experienced instructors of TSAF. For these instructors, Himalayas is a home away from home as they spend more than three months every year in its closest proximity. Talking to these instructors was like talking to the local people. The rapport between these instructors and the people in the mountain was very cordial and this we discovered on our way to Dayara. I was amazed to find that the people living on very high altitude, cut off from the mainstream of our society, were able to recognize Ms Bachendri Pal and knew about her achievement.

When we reached Kalyani, we were welcomed by very heavy rain. Late in the evening, water started getting inside our tents and all of us did our best to see that water does not get inside. Members of the team prepared a trench around the tent and while doing so they presented with a living example of team spirit. When food was served to us inside the tent that night, it was sheer luxury for us.

By the morning of 15^th, many of us had decided to return back. My wife was feeling very sick but Ms Bachendri Pal was more determined to take us to Dayara than we were to return to Uttarkashi. And once we started marching towards Marsona through Agora, the thought of leaving the programme half way evaporated from our mind. We are afraid of things only when we have a choice. Once the choice is taken away from us, our inner self comes to the fore with all its might.

Kalyani is about five thousand feet above sea level and when we reached Agora, we were about seven thousand five hundred feet above sea level and subsequently we climbed about one thousand five hundred feet and gained about thousand feet again to reach Morsona. This was perhaps the most challenging day of trekking for us. We trekked for nothing less than 12 km and this we did in about 10 hours. I could see a lot of people grumbling at Morsona. Perhaps the comfort of Jamshedpur was to be blamed. Rain and leeches added spice to our adventure once.

We were required to cross a log bridge immediately after leaving Morsona. I was able to cross it safely with the help of Raju and Tanmay in particular. I felt proud when I was praised for balanced stepping by Ms. Pal and I realized what she meant and how honest she was in her assessment when three members of our team slipped while crossing the log bridge.

At morapara, the sky was clear and when we were sitting by the side of fire that evening, we forgot about all the hardship faced by us on the way. You will have to be at that place to understand what pollution free environment means.

When the day dawned on 17th, we were very excited as it was the day we have all been waiting for. We started by six in the morning and as we approached the tree line, we could see the trees getting smaller in size. The way was very rich with the flora and fauna of the Himalayas. By analysing the expressions of my sighted friends, I was able to form a very clear picture of the extraordinary landscape all around.

Half way to Dayara from Morapara, we had a very interesting interaction with Gujjars. These people really live a very hard life. Their only source of income is the milk products which they sell some 20 km away at a price which is not even half of the price that we pay for these products in our towns and cities.

The Gujjars requested us for some medicine and in return they offered us milk products. This reminded of the fact that most of the facilities available to us at Jamshedpur is priceless but we take it for granted.

When I reached Dayara, I was so enthused with a sense of achievement that I felt more energetic and healthier than ever before. As long as one could see, there were nothing but lush green grasses. It was an immensely rewarding experience by any standard. We camped at Dayara until the morning of 20^th.

On 20th, we trekked down to Raithal, some 12 km below Dayara. I was instructed to start going down the hill with Tanmay about 40 minutes before the rest of the team. Initially I thought that this decision was taken to see that the team's return to Raithal was not slowed due to me.

However, there were only three persons who could overtake me, one of them being my wife who was perhaps eager to see me hale and hearty. While I was able to reach Raithal at 1 p.m., 15 minutes after the first batch of three members, the last batch reached at 3 p.m. Only then could I realize as to what Ms. Pal wanted to prove by sending me a little early. From Raithal, we moved to Rawara by bus. On 21st, a feast was organized for us at Rawara and subsequently the members started to leave as per their return schedule. The programme certainly dispelled a lot of myths and I got enriched with a unique experience.

- Atul Sahay