Wild Himalayan Treks #4 - Kheer Ganga(Kullu) - Abode of Shiva
Hi Steemit Friends,
Trekking! I love it!
Trekking up to Kheer Ganga was one in my treks list for long, and last to last year I managed to reach there. Kheer Ganga lies in Parvati valley of Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh. Kheer-Ganga has a quite large sloped and beautiful meadow surrounded with dark green Deodar trees, and is elevated to 2960 metres of above MSL.
(On the Trek to Kheer Ganga)
One has to climb this 12-14 kilometers long trek through the dense Deodars jungle. Before telling you whole story of my trekking up to Kheer Ganga, let me explain you the name "Kheer Ganga". I love the stories attached with the place more when they have some mythological or religious angle.
(hot water water pool in back)
Why the name "Kheer Ganga"
Kheer Ganga is a Hindi name given to this place for the reason that there is this hot water spring, which has creates a whitish layer sticking at the surface at its origin. Indians prepare a dish named 'Kheer' with a mixture of milk,sugar and rice, and therefore it has a white milk color. The layer created by the spring water has similar color, and that is how the first word Kheer comes.
Second word Ganga originally is the name of the 2525 kilometers long river, which is considered sacred and worshipped by Hindus. As the story told in Hindu Puranas, given to the devastation that it could have brought into the world if it was poured directly from the galaxy- 'Akash Ganga,' Shiva received the holy river onto his dense hairs and from there after its energy was dissipated it landed calmly into earth. From that moment on Shiva and Ganga are linked to each other like the clouds and rain, sun and rays.
(Painting done on the temple wall near to hot water spring)
Given to the connection between two, water spring is named after the river Ganga. The spring water ultimately meets with the river Parvati that flows only few hundred down below this place. Parvati name originally is of the consort of Shiva, and therefore one can say that Ganga is just another incarnation of Parvati herself.
Famous for Charas(Bhaang)
No one can deny that place has become the hot spot for charas smokers. Malana- village famous world-wide for the Malan Brand can be reached on the way to Kheer Ganga.
Anyway I am not a fag, my aim was to just reach the place, sit for a while, and come back.
Introduction of Trek from Bershaini to Kheer Ganga
(Runway - airstrip at Bhunter airport- nearest airport to KheerGanga)
After reaching the famous place Mani-Karan which I can take you to in another post, you have to go another 14 kilometres along a single laned road to reach Bershaini.
(confluence of river Parvati and tosh at Bershaini- the starting point of trek)
Trek starts at Bershaini along the Parbati river to reach Kheer-Ganga with a distance of about 12-14 kilometers. At the initial stages of about 3-5 kilometers, one remains exposed to the sun-rays and meets two small villages. After the last village on the trek, the sight of the trek starts to disappear into the Deodar jungle.
(Parati valley from Bershaini to Rudra-Naag naala)
At Rudra naala(stream) it gets completely engulfed by the jungle, and also takes a very steep posture. It is this last 7 kilometers that makes one tired. Some people say that there is a trek that runs along the other(left) bank of the Parbati river, and is more dangerous.
Climate and Best Time to visit
It is always better that you know the best times of visit. Snow turned ice gets melted only in the months of April to September, and therefore that is the good time, but the best months are April and May, because in July and August the rain makes the trek slippery and therefore dangerous.
(Parvati Valley)
(Trek becomed muddy and slippery in rain)
The place is overlooked by the mighty ice capped peaks throughout the year. Kheer Ganga provides a halting spot for those who embark further to reach Man-talai or to cross the Pin-Parvati Pass.
My Own one Day Trek Experience
I was with my friend Vinod from Kullu, and we started on bikes early in the morning. My hamstrings, quadriceps, and every other muscles below my waist still pained due to previous day's trekking to Jalori pass and Sareolsar lake.
Reaching Barshani
I enjoyed the fresh air on bike our ride from Bajaura to Manikaran. It was comparably comfortable road but the last eight to ten kilometers of road from Manikaran to Barshaini was damaged at many long stretches.
Hero Honda CBZ was not a bad choice to ride along such roads, but a bullet would have been more stable and comfortable. About the trek, I would say it is a child's play for those who have the experience of trekking to mild elevations up to 3500 metres, but some may take 5-8 hours to reach up there.
Bershaini to Rudranaag Naala via Nakthan Village
The initial gentleness of this trek can be deceiving, and it appears easy. Barshaini to Rudra-nag via the Nakthan village would be about 5 kilometers, and the gentleness ends there. At the village mid way, tea, food, water and shelter are available at Nakhthan.
I spotted children playing cricket, and you can see that cricket is such a popular sport in India. Loved the purity and simplicity. Houses are made of wood, stone, mud and slates. Constructed with slanted roofs so that snow can easily come down.
The babbling river accompanies throughout the trek. Directions are painted on the rocks and stones, so even if one is alone, they can easily reach the holy place. The trek was as busy as was the Triund Trek in Dharmshala, which I had climbed only three days earlier to the day.
(At Rudra-Naag Nala)
Rudra-Naag Nala to Kheer Ganga
After Rudranaag starts the real test of endurance. The forest is quite dense. You have the luxury of few shops in between those steep 7 kilometers.
(Vinod is totally relaxed even in this steepness of the trek, because he is a local from Kullu and trekker out of necessity)
(shops at the mid of the trek from Rudra-Naag nala to Kheer Ganga)
It was cold and sweater is necessary even in the month of June, especially when the sky is clouded.
It drizzled when we were amidst that dense jungle, we carried only one umbrella, so trees saved us when we took shelter under a big one. You have to cross few streams, and be careful they are slippery. Also the danger of a landslide can not be ignored, so wait, watch and they move on.
If you plan to go in the season of July and August, better keep an umbrella, place has a fickle climate. Night stay can be a good idea, Dharmshala or Saray rooms and tents are available, and also you can carry your own.
At Kheer Ganga
I would say, real fun lies in the trekking part, once you are at the site the fun is partly over. The moment when we stepped onto the meadow, I was partly disappointed to know that we already had reached at Kheer-Ganga, yet partly proud. We took only 2.5 hours, but people normally take 4 hours. That testified our fitness level. It was sprinkling when we reached there, and temperature was lower than that at Kullu.
(Clicked from above the meadow)
There were arrays of tents spread on the meadow, but below the origin of the spring, so as not to pollute the place considered holy.
You can stay here for night, free in sarayas but paid service at the tents.
For us the main excitement was the hot water spring. In front of the spring, there is a small water pool that is fenced from all side with a small wire meshed entry gate.
It gets closed for night, the reason was that some foreigners got into the pool naked in the night to have some romance. That hurt the religious sentiments of the local people.
We enjoyed the hot water bath. This sulpher water is good for skin, but one should not immerse for long times, as the mixture of the cold weather and hot water is reported to give headache.
Please watch the video, which I shooted while Vinod was taking the hot bath, to have the visual treat of the pool and the whole place. You will love it. We wandered the place for about 1 hour and then started out back trekking.Way Back:
Our back journey was quite fluent, with no halt at any intermediate spot.
conclusion
The whole experience was amazing, but with a little disappointment to see that people litter the place with plastic bottles. I saw them along the trek and at Kheer-Ganga itself. One should carry the water bottles or plastic bags back so as to keep the nature in its pristine form.
Note: Some photographs contains a website address embedded, this is my personal travel blog address.
Thank You!
For earlier stories from Wild Himalayan Treks Series, please click below:
Wild Himalayan Treks#2- Personal Account - Parashar Lake in Himachal (India)
Wild Himalayan Treks#1 - Visiting Tunga Mata Temple- 9 km Uphill Trek surrounded by Deodar Trees
Nice post @sanjay91422!
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Wonderful journey, thank you for sharing.
you are welcome. Thanks for reading. :)