The Mountains Are Calling, For Your Attention And Care!

-- Priya Tripathy

As a responsible trekker, my visit to the mountains are divided in two phases. Phase 1: Clean up the path and Phase 2: The trek. Traffic or not, every mountain side reeks of the impact of humans, it is not a pretty sight. At the same time, people who travel to trek with me expect a pristine surrounding. Most of them are not Indians and find it difficult to understand why people would litter the mountains. I have never been able to find an answer to that question but I would love to hear your thoughts.

The trek to Triund from Upper Dharamshala is a well-known one and is best suited for first-timers. The easy pace of the slope combined with enchanting views as one goes higher and strategically located shops offering refreshments are exactly the kind of support system that newbies need. The lesser-known hiking trails along the main path are, to me, the real finds.

The lesser-taken paths take you deep through the jungles, away from the active main path to Triund and is best-suited for those not in a rush to get to the top. These are also the trails that are least polluted and still have much peace and calm to offer. One such favourite hiking trail turns from Moon and Sun Cafe and takes you through the densest part of the jungle and out at the Bhagsu waterfall at Shiva Cafe.

The few people you meet along this hiking trail include avid hikers, resident travellers as well as locals. This 2-km hike is truly the essence of hiking/trekking. You walk along the path, pause, meditate or simply wonder. The forest is dense but there is no fear of any wild animals. There are several deep gorges so you better watch your step though.

In the rains and in winters, the moss can be slippery and the path tricky. Summers and autumn months are the best for this hike. It is also in these very months that you get to see the wild flowers in bloom in the meadows. These flowers scattered colourfully on the meadows are nature's genius stroke of brush on this canvas.

The forest and meadows are sacred to the local people and though you may sit, lie, meditate or photograph here, it is best not to pluck flowers or fruits or damage the natural scene in any way. Even in the deepest parts of the hike, you will find dustbins (courtesy Clean Himalayas) which should be put to good use as a responsible hiker.

I usually put up at The Flourishing Flora, a responsible homestay run by an educated family just ahead of TIPA. They serve the best home-cooked food! There sitting arrangement overlooking the valley is the best place to plan my tours and definitely to ponder over life and all its meanings. Give them a go, if you are there sometime. Alternatively, connect with me here and we can plan our hike together.

If You Love Goa Then You Will Love What We Have To Share!

You have to fall in love with something to want to take care of it. Eco-consciousness came naturally to me when I saw the Arabian Sea in Goa, even as a child. You had to protect something so beautiful. Over the years, I have seen the way Goa has turned over a new and clean, green leaf. More importantly, I have seen how tourists have changed their behaviour to preserve it. Sign-boards urging people not to litter the beaches, are not necessary. When you see miles of gorgeous white sand, with nothing but crabs, sand plovers and an occasional gull, you know you have to keep that candy wrapper in your pocket, till you find a dustbin.

The inconvenience of carrying a plastic water bottle, along with the obvious damaging effects of using plastic at all, had turned me into a ‘local juice’ drinker, long time back. In Goa, drink tender coconut water. It’s good for you, it’s good for the beach and it’s good for the local economy. In central and northern parts of India, you will find sugarcane juice. Drinking local also gets you acclimatised to your location – there is a reason why gur gur chai is drunk in Ladakh and not in Goa!

Eat local. If I choose to eat rajma in Goa, I am encouraging them to transport rajma from the valleys of J&K and use gallons of fuel doing it. That’s crazy. Also, local food always tastes better because it’s fresh and cooked by people who know how to cook it. I tucked into my Kottai Idly as I watched another table eat chola (seasoned with Curry leaves!)- bhatura, in horror.

You are in Goa and not in an A/C room in Lajpat Nagar, because you want to feel the sea-breeze, I would presume. So open those windows/doors and switch off the air-conditioning. I come back from Goa all hydrated and glowing, because of the double effect of sea-breeze and the absence of skin-drying air conditioners.

The trick of being an eco-citizen is to remember that ‘What’s good for the earth, is always good for you’.

--- The author, Jayati Talapatra, is a human resource manager by profession who lives and breathes nature. A green crusader, she has been promoting exploring Delhi responsibly through her Facebook page, Dilli Meri Jaan. She can be reached at dillimeriijaan@gmail.com.