Uttarakhand Diaries: Unspoken Tales from the Mountains, by Rajat Chakraborty.

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Uttarakhand Diaries:

Unspoken Tales from the Mountains

by Rajat Chakraborty.

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One of the treats is the beautiful photogphs author has given of Himalaya, ever beloved,revered, cherished by India, from the very moment of their rise from an ocean that vanished.

Legend of this churning of Oceans and rising of Himalaya is one of the most cherished treasures of knowledge of ancient India.

One of the most cherished memories of this reader is that of a journey when, returning from Manali by flight from Kullu, Himalayan ranges didn't allow a moment of sadness for departure - until our flight began its descent to Delhi Airport; I was lucky enough to have a window seat and on the correct side too, and for the duration of the journey from Kullu, sunlit peaks of Himalayan ranges were visible in their golden glory of early morning, like beloved and loving person accompanying one for a distance when one takes leave.

Author also gives a photograph of Ram Jhula across Ganga depicting Ashrams across the river. Laxman Jhula preceded Ram Jhula by decades. Latter existed in 1993, but in 1971 and before, there was only one there at Hrishikesh.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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1. My first (second) encounter with the Himalayan mountains

2. From Haridwar to Joshimath – The Entry into the Abode

3. Road trip beyond Joshimath – What awaits

4. The Hot Springs - Tapovan and Badrinath

5. The Spiritual Calling - The Mountains Summon You

6. Beyond Badrinath- What Awaits!!

7. My Surreal Encounter With Dronagiri - The Home Of the 'Sanjeevani'

8. The Frozen waterfalls of Malari Village - Defying Rules of Gravity

9. Where does the Yeti live?- The Unsolved Riddle

10. The Perfect Sunrise - Waking Up The Mystical Sunshine

11. Mystical 'Devkot' - Abode Of The Gods

12. The Mountain Alchemy - A ‘Jadi’ that will heal all ailments.

13. Through the perching forests of Niti – The last village in Uttarakhand

14. When the Ibex conquers the mountains - The Path Of The Daredevils

15. 20 feet from Wild – Face-To-Face with the Himalayan Cats!

16. Enchanting Rimkhim – The 'New' Valley Of Flowers

Epilogue - One week holiday vs. lifetime challenge

About The Author

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REVIEW

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Introduction

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Lovely, heartfelt preface by author.

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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1. MY FIRST (SECOND) ENCOUNTER

with the

Himalayan mountains

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"The Army caravan moving slowly up the twisting mountain routes, made my belly twitch. Traveling through the scenic landscapes of the North Eastern Himalayas, I encountered some of the best things life had in store for me. Unimaginable greenery, the sun’s rays filtering through the large perching tree tops, rows of wild fern plants lining up the road edges, the gushing sound of the deep sky blue waters that have travelled several kilometres downstream from the mountain tops, the occasional splash of waters from the cascading waterfalls, the infinite silence was something I was never used to before.

"Passing through the Eastern corridor, into the Sela Pass, what waits on the other side is a serendipity that will get you hooked up for life. Yaks, walking along the green lands, the mist floating almost next to your feet, the mirroring waters of the pristine Sela Lake, and the roads further extending into infinity; I was in a place that those school books never told me about."

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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2. FROM HARIDWAR TO JOSHIMATH –

The Entry into the Abode

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"Until I came here, Rishikesh and Haridwar were among the many spiritual destinations whose I often heard from the elder generation. But after I came here, I realized why they all yearned to come here once in their life."

Author makes a huge mistake, or several, in text accompanying the iconic photograph of Devaprayag.

"The first Sangam or the confluence of the three rivers happens in Rudraprayag, an entry point from where the Garhwal and Kumaon mountains separate. The distinct brown of Ganges and green of Yamuna are clearly visible – the lovers unite, yet express their own true identity, and continue flowing together."

The photograph accompanying this text is that of Devprayag (not Rudraprayag), which indeed is the first major Sangam; it is where two(not three) major tributaries of Ganga meet, which are Bhagierathie and Alakananda (not Ganga and Yamuna, which meet at Prayagraj); from here down it's Ganga.

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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3. ROAD TRIP BEYOND JOSHIMATH –

What awaits.

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Author describes journey to Malari.

" ... On most of the road bends, I could not help but ask the driver to halt, to notice the view. ... "

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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4. THE HOT SPRINGS -

Tapovan and Badrinath.

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Author talks of journey from Joshimath on further.

"Driving along the Joshimath Malari Road today, the first surprise for me was the ‘Hot springs’, at Tapovan."

This is perhaps the better known, 'other' Tapovan; but one we heard of long before the recent landslide was the one beyond Gaumukh, along the Bhagirathi glacier.

"At a height of 9000 feet, what you expect is a cold weather, hills with melting snow on the top and water cold enough to choke your voice for a week.

"But, nature has its own ways to surprise people. ... "

"Nowhere else in the lap of nature would you find a way to survive the biting cold of the winters, yet, here, you can live through the season here. The water is so hot that it is enough to boil eggs and rice, yet, what is surprising enough is that it does not burn your skin. ... "

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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5. THE SPIRITUAL CALLING -

The Mountains Summon You.

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"The rituals in the Badrinath temple are conducted by the Nambudri Brahmin lineage of Rawals, hailing from Kerala."

Isn't Rawal a princely name from Rajasthan?

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"There is something peculiar about the Narasimha Temple. When seen carefully, one hand of Lord Narasimha is seen gradually “thinning” out.

"A day will come when the hand would have thinned out enough to break off the idol. The legends say that this will be the day, the two mountains on the either side of the Vishnuprayag entry will close upon each other, blocking the route to Badrinath forever. A day when the destruction of these mountains would begin!"

Oh no, no no no no no!!!!

NO!

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"The Rawal lineage is not only responsible for conducting the rituals here every year throughout the period of opening of the Badrinath temple but also entrusted with the duty of relocating the Badrinath Temple to a new location called the ‘Bhavishya Badri’ near Tapovan."

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A special treat for this reader is a photograph of Nilkanth peak, which also is the cover of the book.

Seen crystal clear gleaming white, behind the other, closer, rocky peaks, it's special, because when we visited Badrinath in 1993, Nilkanth was unexpectedly and clearly visible in its all beauty like a heavenly sojourner looking down.

Close and high, it was almost overhead, but the sensation on seeing it was more of a thrill at its view, in its beauty.

But before one could take out the camera and point and focus it, heavy clouds had veiled it, and stayed there, for the all too short duration of our stay!

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Author talks of Mana pass.

"The 22 km journey to the ‘Swarg Ka Dwar’ is a glimpse into the last days of the Mahabharata and is the final journey of the Pandavas to their spiritual destination."

Indeed!

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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6. BEYOND BADRINATH

What Awaits!!.

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"Reaching up to the Badrinath temple and after visiting here, I realized that what lies here is just a minuscule part of an entire source of universal energy. The Badrinath temple is just the beginning of a lifetime of unknown secrets."

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"Today, at the very lap of Badrinath Temple, I was face to face with the gushing waters of the Saraswati river, the sound so loud that two people would barely listen to each other unless they walk away from the water. Gushing out like the white foam of water, you could barely make out its color."

Oh, the colour is absolutely white, clear, and far more impressive is the torrent that gushes out of the rocky crevice, leaping down into a pool below, as one looks from Bhom Pul.

That tremendous flow, bursting forth leaping down, takes one's breath away, wiping off in half a blink all preconceived notions about the very concept of Saraswati most of us have in India - what with its being invisible throughout most of its journey from Himalaya to Prayag where its the third of the confluence of the three major rivers - of a quiet, sedate persona!

No, Saraswati is a huge torrent gushing out Bursting forth from its birth out of the rocky crevice of Himalaya, leaping down, and vanishing promptly as one sees it fall into a pool and flow below the bridge one stands on - its not visible on the other side!

Like a moment of lightening inspiration, rather than a sedate, plodding studious learner, is Saraswati.

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"Over the gushing Saraswati River is a small bridge, known as the Bhim Pul (Bridge) across which begins a journey not many dares to undertake."

One isn't allowed much further, if one recalls correctly.

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"Bhim Pul was constructed by Bhima, the mightiest in physical strength and power to enable the Pandavas and their wife Draupadi to undertake the journey to the ‘Heaven’s Door’.

"Beyond the Bhim Pul, starts the 22 Km treacherous mountainous trail to ‘Swarg Ka Dwar’, a journey that is not known to many."

"The route still remains a mystery with very few venturing into this side of the mountains. Legends say that the ‘Swarg Ka Dwar’ was the door through which, Yudhishthira, the eldest of the Pandava Brothers walked alive to heaven with his mortal body."

As visible clearly on Google maps, one of the several destinations it leads to is the origin of the three major tributaries of Ganga before it becomes Ganga, namely, Bhagierathie, Mandakini and Alakananda - which all originate from glaciers around the peak named Chaukhambha, whence the three flow down to Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, respectively.

Remote Tapovan is along Bhagirathi glacier between Chaukhambha and Gaumukh.

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Author ends the chapter with a short description of travails of Pandavas, and a photograph of Vasudhara falls visible beyond Bhim Pul.

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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7. MY SURREAL ENCOUNTER WITH DRONAGIRI -

The Home Of the 'Sanjeevani' .

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"Traveling beyond Tapovan Hot Springs, I was about to encounter the most unexpected reality of my life. As our vehicle moved further away from the civilization, I noticed that the water stream within the mountain gorges became clearer and bluer."

He's speaking, of course, of the Tapovan lower than the one along Bhagirathi glacier.

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Author gives a lovely photograph of Dronagiri, with Devdaar Pine forest that give an impression of unobtrusively charming flowers, that suddenly make the legend come alive.

There's another, spectacular photograph of snowy peaks of Himalaya seen from a valley of pine forests.

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Author talks of apples he sent home, doubled from a small orchard near Dronagiri, which were just as fresh in the fridge filling half the fridge, when he visited three months later.

He discourses about Sanjeevani, opening to the effect that its the soil, air and water that results in everything grown there live long.

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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8. THE FROZEN WATERFALLS OF MALARI VILLAGE -

Defying Rules of Gravity

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Author describes being snowed in and having to dig his way out in winter, and illustrates with beautiful photogphs of an evergreen clad and otherwise bare mountain region dressed in heavy snow.

He goes on to describe frozen waterfalls and icepicks.

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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9. WHERE DOES THE YETI LIVE?-

The Unsolved Riddle

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"The occasional peeping of the Himalayan Red Foxes from a distance was something I was used to by now. Earlier, I used to feel, they are chasing me to look for a spot from where they could attack when they had a chance. They would snipe from a distance and when eyed back, realize they are caught and go into the hiding again, only to emerge after several meters of walking distance.

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"Today, one of those hairpin bends was eerily different than the usual. I was with my team, riding up towards Malari village. At the edge of the road, a trail of huge footsteps led down from the forest on the hill slope. For a moment, everyone with me thought and tried to counter the argument that it is not a human footprint. But, then, we decided to take a closer look. As we inched closer, the imprints revealed themselves."

Chakraborty gives several separate photographs, illustrating the tale of his encounter with the footprints.

"We decided to measure them so that we know what size they actually were. On the shiny white ice floor, each pugmark measured about 18” and separated 2 meters apart. A man (or giant) of this size and stature would be about 20 feet tall, weighing more than 150 kgs."

That matches the tale of the encounter in recent decades, between US forces stationed in Kandahar and a giant living in mountain caves near Kandahar, who'd killed one, perhaps more, of them; it took much more than machine gun fire by several of them to kill him, after which he was lifted away by a US helicopter.

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"From the marks, it was evident that they were not very old, as the imprints on the snow were prominent. So, what was this creature after all? A man, a beast! A mix of both! I had no clue. All I could notice was a trail of footsteps moving down from the coniferous forests and then disappeared into the unknown.

"Was it possible that we missed it by just a few moments? What if it would have been watching us from somewhere close by? Or maybe, it noticed the sounds and smoke from the gyrating engines and decided to go into the hiding again, keeping the ever eluding mystery even more mysterious. Will I encounter this being again and what would that moment be?"

He doesn't mention if they were terrified.

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"Is there a complete civilization of people that hide from us and the world even today? Will, we ever come to know about them, or they choose to remain in the hiding for some reason? Will, they ever show themselves and tell us about themselves, become a part of our civilization or they know that it is best not to be one?

"What do they wear? What do they speak? What do they eat? How do they survive in such wilderness and such treacherous weathers?"

Colin Wilson's work on such mysteries discusses this among other similar concerns.

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Chakraborty discusses it further, telling about his questioning the villagers, and their having preferred to keep a distance.

Judging from the extensive information Colin Wilson gives, where he's given the tale of a female captured in Siberia near Central Asia and kept in captivity, the giant race is human. In fact she even had a perfectly normal human child or two, sired by humans who kept her in captivity, and they've lived a perfectly normal life in Russia since.

On the other hand the giant killed by US forces in mountains near Kandahar had not only killed but eaten at least one of them, one they'd gone to search for and in the process having discovered the giant and subsequently his lair, with bones and belongings of one of their own, and others, strewn about.

Bordering cannibalism, answering the naive queries of Chakraborty regarding how they live, whether they have a secret to a better life lived in nature.

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"It was like those grandmas bedtime stories, where she would mention different animals, birds, mountains, and springs – a fairy tale land with mysteries and adventure. I was living every page of that fairy tale book with each passing day. ... "

Having discussed after hearing and spoken of Pandavas, he might in this context have recalled Bakaasura.

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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10. THE PERFECT SUNRISE -

Waking Up The Mystical Sunshine.

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Chakraborty waxes poetic about Sunrise in Himalaya, especially in winters. He goes on to do so about other stellar beauties.

"On the Devkot Mountains of Uttarakhand, the sunrise has a different style to share. The Devkot in its silhouette appears like the crown of Shiva. At night, the Venus and the crescent moon align themselves perfectly on either side of the feature and move towards it.

"At around 04:00 am in the morning, the Venus and the crescent moon cross their paths, and for a moment, they both appear above the Devkot feature, in the same way as the crescent moon and the Venus appear together over Shiva’s crown.

"That moment remains for about 3 to 4 minutes until the moon and the Venus start to move apart again. The sun is now prepared to shine over Devkot."

He illustrates with several beautiful photogphs of sunrise over peaks, and - speaking of the only sound in Himalaya's silences - of a tributary of Ganga winding down the valley below mountain heights, of Himalaya.

He ends the chapter with another beautiful photogph of Himalaya ranges.

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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11. MYSTICAL 'DEVKOT' -

Abode Of The Gods.

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"As for Devkot, it is an inspiration one cannot easily miss out on. A mystical mountain which shows different shades in different seasons and different times of the day."

Chakraborty gives several photographs, and the first thing striking one is how very like a fort this peak does indeed look!

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" ... One peculiar thing about the Mount Devkot was this mystical cloud that would surround the crown all the time.

"No matter what part of the season, the crown was always there. Whether from the moist clouds about to pour as rain or the fog from the snow, the clouds always covered its peak. There were other features too alongside Mount Devkot, but none had this mystical feature."

But the very first photograph Chakraborty gives has the peak clear of its veil of cloud.

He gives some photographs of birds of prey floating over peaks in a clear blue sky.

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"One of the villagers from Malari mentioned - "We often hear faint tunes of the musical instruments played at a distance up there". The bakarwals (shepherds) as they are referred to here would often go rearing their sheep to the nearby mountain passes and spend their time alone there would mention about such incidents later."

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"Devkot was in a true sense – The Abode of The Gods!"

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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12. THE MOUNTAIN ALCHEMY -

A ‘Jadi’ that will heal all ailments. .

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"Before Kishan left there, he came to meet me to bid goodbye. He had got me an unusual souvenir, from the mountains – the Yartsa Gungu. He mentioned that this will help me survive through the entire season and that I must use it regularly to keep myself warm and healthy.

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"Anxiety struck me so I asked him more about it. And what he was about to tell me would shake me from the stupor. The Yartsa Gungu or the mountain caterpillars were found only on the soft and moist grasslands of the mountain peaks. With the onset of summers, the radiation levels on the mountain peaks get higher. The sun’s rays are so strong that even half a day of exposure would cause instant sunburns."

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"In summers, the heat and radiation increase even more; So much that the grasslands burn dry. The snow melts and exposes the grasslands to direct heat, and also the Yartsa Gungu that breed on these grasslands for food. They die instantly with the exposure.

"These dead caterpillars then become dry and as it happens, a light green protruded fungus extension comes out of their carcasses that appear like grass. These fungal extensions smoothly camouflage with the grasslands and can easily be misunderstood as grass.

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"The locals though are skilled enough to spot the difference. But, ignorance among the locals would cost much of this wealth smuggled into the neighboring Chinese lands along the erstwhile Silk-Routes. The natural benefits of these fungal mushrooms were not known to many. These mushroomed fungi have immense healing properties, work as an aphrodisiac, help faster recovery for athletes and sportsmen and known to naturally heal some of the worst known cancers.

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"Since it is a naturally derived medicine, it dissolves in the bloodstream like any other edibles and hence cannot be detected in blood tests. The ‘Keeda Jadi’ as the locals in Uttarakhand named it, sold for more than two lac rupees a kg and between 2008 to 2010, when it actually started becoming popular, it mostly went out on the other side of the border.

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"This was also the time when the “Beijing Olympics” was on its high. Surprisingly, the Asian Countries including China which is known for the ‘reflex sports’ won most of the categories of the ‘stamina sports’ events as well, which still remains a mystery to many. Is it likely that the reasons link back to India?"

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"The Yartsa Gungu became a sensation overnight. Among the locals, it became a major source of income because of its medicinal value.

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"The locals were well aware of where to find them and “Yartsa Gungu” collection and trading became a fast-spreading family business. As the summers would approach, the local families engaged in the collection of ‘Keeda Jadi’ which would then be sold out in the markets. Each family could gather about 2 to 3 kg of Yartsa Gungu every day, which suffices for a season’s income.

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"In 2011, almost 3 years after the revelation of this potential natural alchemic medicine, under the Uttarakhand Government’s initiative, the Yartsa Gungu was regulated for preservation and use. Yartsa Gungu is just one of the many examples of the natural wealth the Himalayas hold and are yet awaiting discovery.

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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13. THROUGH THE PERCHING FORESTS OF NITI –

The last village in Uttarakhand.

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"Taking a small detour from the Malari road, the road to Niti is a sudden change in the otherwise dry Uttarakhand mountain profile. The otherwise dry land for some time suddenly turns green, with towering treelines on either side of the road."

Chakraborty illustrates with several photographs, of evergreens, snow-clad peaks towering at ends of valleys, and indeed it's beauty most inviting.

"An infinite stretch of the mountainous landscape at the backdrop, a small village at the foothills, little bursts of smoke billowing out of the tiny houses, and a shining stream of riverine water flowing down; it was nothing less than an adventure land one sees or reads about in children’s books."

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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14. WHEN THE IBEX CONQUERS THE MOUNTAINS -

The Path Of The Daredevils .

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"There are certain experiences that you only ‘earn’ when you travel far enough to witness them. You might have read this in every motivational book that might have come across, but nothing can compare to a personal experience."

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" ... Staying at unusual heights, it is customary for normal human beings to experience hallucinations, nightmares, and intense vertigo.

"For the first few days of my stay in the high altitude, I had this eerie feeling at nights that I am falling from the sky to nothingness. It happened almost every day and I could not sleep for days together. Probably, that was one of the experiences of vertigo happening to me. However, I was not sure that it was vertigo or not."

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"From a distance, it appeared as if they were literally floating in the air as they leaped from one point to another. The ibex’s color is so deceptive that it almost camouflages with the brown of the mountain behind.

"Often, they would stop too. They would turn around and give a gaze, which would not be a direct eye contact, but as if they knew I am there. They would wait for some time and then go back into the heights where they knew I or anyone else would never pursue them."

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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15. 20 FEET FROM WILD –

Face-To-Face with the Himalayan Cats! .

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"The farmers on the hills usually practice step farming. By the end of summers, the farmers eagerly await the rainfalls on time as the best crops depend upon a healthy rainfall. In so many years though, nature has been adverse. Years of deforestation and ecological abuse have rendered drastic changes in the natural habitat and the local weather patterns.

"The snow layers have been slowly melting every year due to global warming and the changing seasonal cycles have only added to the frustration of the farmers. The erratic rainfalls damage the crops and all the hard work of that season would be wasted with little or no earnings for their livelihood that year.

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"One of the typical outcomes of such seasonal changes are the forest fires. The forest fires are a common phenomenon here due to more heat exposures. The period was also the time when the global El Nino cycles were in its moderate phase.

"Although it was just the initial stages, these weather cycles do have considerable impact on the monsoons as well as the heat patterns all over the world. The impact on Uttarakhand was no different. By the end of the year, another disaster awaited the place which would mark the beginning of the disastrous flash floods in the region.

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"Sometimes, these forest fires get out of control. Due to limited and constricted land masses in the mountains, such fires could build up rapidly, smoking up the valley in minutes and forming dense clouds.

"Such clouds soak up the moisture from the surroundings and pour down as rains. Not every time though!

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"In May 2009, the story was slightly different from the usual. Somewhere in the Kumaon Mountains, the forest fire broke out and spread like wildfire. It quickly went out of control and thick clouds of smoke filled up the Kumaon valley.

"It poured all through the night when the next day the entire Garhwal and Kumaon regions got covered in ice (and not snow). The clouds instead of pouring rainwater brought huge hailstones and ice."

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"For the farmers though, this was not a good sign. They were worried that the seeds sown would definitely not survive this season. The fire, on the other hand, was getting out of control.

"For me, the worries were different. When the weather gets cold enough, the wild animals run for their survival. They move down the mountains and seek shelter to the lesser cold places.

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"On that day too, the animals started moving down due to the treacherous cold. I guess ice is much more harmful than the snow because it sticks to the bare feet of the animals and makes it difficult for them to avoid the cold. It also gets slippery at times, especially for the vehicles as the tires lose their grip to the road surface. Snow is less harmful, at least for these animals who are accustomed to moving on the snow.

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"On that day, I was about to have an unusual encounter; one that I had never expected in my whole life before. The wildlife photographers and enthusiasts would agree to this fact that they have to spend months in the snow and treacherous cold spotting for the best wildlife shots.

"They would set up cameras in odd places in the snow just to catch a glimpse in the rarest animal species of the mountains. But the animals are smart enough in their territory to make sure they avoid every possible foreign encounter.

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"I was out on a walk the day after the unusual snowfall to view the otherwise changing weather. It was nail-biting cold but the sunrise the made things little more comforting. Although the hailstorm that happened yesterday was about to do the much-unintended damage, the sun would take care of it now, by quickly melting the ice cover. But until then, each one whether an animal or human had to survive that cold.

"I continued my walk until I hit upon a crossroad where a huge boulder stood at the edge of the road. At first, everything appeared normal, but then suddenly, things changed. From behind the boulder, a figure gently moved out and stood right in front of me.

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"Without a second thought, I knew it was a white snow leopard. It was short, sturdy and swift. I could clearly listen to the mild growl as it focused its eyes on me. Its breakfast for the day was served. Suddenly, the moment turned into an unexpected Nat Geo documentary as if I had become a part of a live shoot without a choice. I realized that in reality, it is often not that easy as it appears in documentaries. Especially, when you are out there with nothing but just a point-and-click camera.

"I knew after living here long enough that the best moments do not wait for the best cameras. They just come and go. You need to capture such moments right when they are there, or they are lost.

"We were just 20 feet from each other now. We both knew what was going to happen next. I was totally awestruck. Was it the beauty of that beast or the fear of death I don’t know. As I write this today, I still wonder about the exact feelings I had in those moments of encounter. At a temperature of -7 degrees, I could clearly feel the sweat rolling down my forehead. It was a mix of fear and excitement.

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"The chances of survival at that narrow road bend looked really slim. At high altitude, human stamina reduces by 50%. Oxygen levels are ridiculously low making one gasping for breath even at walking speeds. Even if I could run for my life at my top speed, I would die due to a shortage of breath. I still had to figure a way out.

"Luckily, my camera was on a Flash-On settings mode. I had never imagined that a simple camera with a flash could be used as a weapon in desperate times.

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"If my trick worked, I would have enough time to walk away from it. Was that flash really going to scare it off? Was it that easy? I don't know but I had no option but to take a chance. I pointed the camera at the beast and made a few flashes to show that I am not here unprepared. The flashlight from the camera was indeed scaring it, and it slowed down momentarily. This did not change its mind though!

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"It started to inch closer slowly, its hungry growl becoming louder than before. The animal must not have eaten since yesterday as everything went pell-mell due to the extreme cold. I was its first bounty of the day. I had to save my life and I had to work out the trick anyway.

"Running would not be enough as the camps were visible from a distance but I was not as fast enough as them to reach to the camps alive. My shouting for help would have only got buried in the vacuum of the mountains. As we both prepared to make our moves, something else happened from behind the same boulder. Another leopard gently walked out and stood next to the first. This time, there was no chance of playing tricks. It was now serious and I was prepared to run as fast as I could.

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"But the luck was with me that day for sure. Heavens were with me. The vacuum of the mountains not only soak up the voices from the throat but also the sound of the engines. To the best of my luck that day, in that wilderness, a vehicle was coming from the other side.

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"These rescue vehicles commuted in the hills continuously to provide support to the people who would have otherwise got stuck due to the inclement weathers.

"And neither of us was expecting that vehicle today. The leopards were about to have a grand feast today. I had started to step behind already and the leopards started to inch closer with careful steps.

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"Suddenly, at the U-bend where the boulder actually stood, a Tata-407 screeched to a stop, pulling brakes hard enough to avoid a collision. Even the driver did not expect these guests today. At that moment, it was time for the leopards to get scared. They were unprepared for this event and completely focussed on their prey. Their food was only a few inches away from their reach. But that sudden screeching sound scared the hell out of them.

................................................................................................

"What happened next was both scary and relieving for me. Without a second thought, both of them took a giant leap into the valley behind them. We stood at height of 11200 feet.

"On an almost vertical mountain, when something slips off the edge of the road from this height, there is no sound of ‘thud’ in between, but the last and final one that tells everyone (and sometimes none) that the thing has touched the ground.

................................................................................................

"I was curious to know, what plans these beasts had in mind? I ran to the edge of the road, and saw them running and hopping from one mountain edge to another with a firm footing; their long tails guiding and keeping their balance and their huge paws opening large enough to grab on to every edge they leaped upon. What a judgment they had, that they knew exactly which one to jump on so that they do not lose their ground.

"In seconds they were at the foot of the mountain, standing in the pass between the two narrow mountains. When they touched the ground, they paused for a moment and turned around. I could see them tiny enough now as they walked away into the wilderness. It took me a few moments to believe I was alive. It was a new life I got that day. The leopards would have to manage with something less unlucky today.

................................................................................................

"If I were to live this moment again, I would love to do that from a distance; take the time to know them better and not violate their rules. Snow leopards are among the rapidly depleting wildlife species."

It's unclear how, since he was only going for a walk, and most people do that for some reason or other, whether livelihood or pleasure.

Turning the encounter into a personal guilt trip, however much currently fashionable, is silly.

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"The challenges of the changing weather patterns, shortage of food and uncontrolled hunting have come hard on their survival. There is no other environment that could be artificially created for them to live long enough and even if it is done, we restrict their capabilities of surviving in a natural habitat.

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"A cat’s true trait no matter what can never be tamed. We at best behold the responsibility to preserve their original environment to make sure our children are not left to only read about them in books but also escape to this side to witness them alive and in harmony with nature."

Taming wildlife certainly would lose something, but what's required is reforestation of Himalayan regions, where British rule wreaked havoc, felling timber for every need of colonial rulers - including large fires on summer evenings as a luxury they couldn't possibly afford back home, and so wrote home about!

................................................................................................

"Life through this adverse experience had blessed me with the opportunity to meet these rare and majestic animals from that close.

"20 feet from the wild, this was one of my most memorable experiences of life!

................................................................................................

"P.S: I couldn't take a picture as I wanted to save my own life. But one day, I want to get up close to them to take my second best shot.

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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16. ENCHANTING RIMKHIM –

The 'New' Valley Of Flowers.

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"Further north of Malari is a valley that still remains hidden from civilization.

"Rimkhim- a vast stretch of plains that lies 40 km ahead of Malari village is a hike worth taking, especially when it brings forth the most blissful gifts of nature."

This is accompanied by a photograph of the valley, that looks more like an enchanting but unbelievable painting by an impressionist, what with its impossible colours - for heavens sake, a mountain in mauve, at End of the valley, before the golden peak behind it, and a blue sky in background!

................................................................................................

It's unclear if Chakraborty is talking about Rimkhim in Nepal, but Google maps admit no other Rimkhim.

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"The valleys get narrower beyond Malari which creates wind drafts at speeds of 40 km and more, enough to uproot a person standing on their feet."

Hereon its copious photographs.

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"But that is not the story all day long. This distance is short lived and covering a distance of 5 km until one reaches Sumna, a transit point en route."

Here's a beautiful photogph of a pass with a Vista opening out beyond, and the mauve and gold mountains at end of valley beyond.

"The dry mountains here are also among the youngest Himalayan features that are merely few lac years old and still not strong enough in their structure.

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"These near vertical mountains barely give ground to any vegetation and fine sand with rubble stones are constitute the major part of the soil profile."

Another beautiful photogph, this one all peaks near and far, all in blues and greys and white of snows, glaciers, clouds, with nearby valley in sandy gold.

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"But as one crosses over the Sumna transit, a small pass from where the routes bifurcate to Rimkhim and Lapthal, a spectacular valley awaits.

"Ahead of Sumna, is a vast plateau with moist and evergreen grasslands, and refreshing water streams that flow down from the mountains that almost touch your feet, and vivid shades of the landmass that will paint unforgettable pictures in your mind."

Photograph accompanying here is all burnt gold earth, mountainous, against a sapphire blue sky.

................................................................................................

"If there can be a moment where life can bless you with its unprecedented beauty, you undoubtedly find it here. A moment spent here is worth thousands in the city.

"As you keep climbing further, the breath challenges you more and more. Beyond Sumna, although the route climbs higher, the hike is gradual and hence, doable. Despite all this, the view in front is too mesmerizing to care about the pain and I simply overlook it and keep moving. I cannot afford to let go of the beauty of this place, no matter how much my body would ask for rest.

"It is nearing a decade now that I have seen Rimkhim, but its images and experiences still remain close to my heart."

It's quite exasperating that Google maps show no rimkhim anywhere near Malari or Lapthal. Security concerns?

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"All along, the route has mysterious rows of natural rock formations with peculiar shapes that give an impression of the existence of secret and unexplored civilizations that have not yet met the eye of the archaeological research."

And indeed the two photographs accompanying this do make one wonder if these really are natural formations.

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"The Rimkhim valley is one of the erstwhile parts of the several other roads that eventually connected to the ‘Silk Route’, from where most of the Sino-India trading and cultural exchange took place."

So, definitely not the one in Nepal.

The photograph here indeed makes one wish one could see this.

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"In 1962, the Rimkhim post was held by the paramilitary forces, which eventually fell into the hands of the Chinese forces after a brutal and decisive action."

So that's why the local name has vanished from Google maps.

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"As you move along the route, it won't be surprising to find the memoirs of the soldiers who fought to their last breath and became the unsung legends.

"Their stories of valor and courage whisper gently with the winds in the peace of these valleys."

This is accompanied by a photograph of just such a shrine.

Are there any across the border? Doubtful, what with their inability to admit attacking, or even the number of their dead in a skirmish.

It hasn't yet come to aping conduct across the other border, where they'd refused to accept bodies of their dead, until families in Northern Kashmir clamored to know where their sons were. It had been Northern Light Infantry, sent as usual in pajamas, to pretend they were tribals and not official pakis sent by the government to war against Mother India.

Galwan skirmish bodies of their soldiers attacking India, on the other hand, had fallen in the swiftly flowing Galwan river, and easy for them to deny, until evidence by satellites forced an admission of a number closer to facts.

................................................................................................

"Half-way enroute is a stopping point where the local shepherds usually halt in the temporary houses built by them."

Lovely photograph of a grassy valley with relaxing trekkers.

"No matter how good a mattress you sleep on, it can never match the comfort you can experience lying down on that soft and comforting grassland. As I lied down and I closed my eyes, I never had a moment as peaceful and refreshing as this before.

"You might wonder who would walk so far to this wilderness for the sake of adventure, but that's not the case. Many locals, young and old, including women who walk up here, for several reasons, including spiritual."

Indeed, one would love to!

If only -

................................................................................................

"A small temple stands near the halting point, where you can ring the bells and offer prayers while you also get into a momentary meditative mode. Just lie down, relax and shake off your fatigue for some time, while you prepare to take on the journey further."

Another lovely photograph, of a small temple in stone, replete with a sparkling brass bell shining softly in sunshine.

................................................................................................

With difficulty one finds a road from Malari labeled Sumna, marked only upto a point; much perseverance, and suddenly there's Sumna, marked and visible, although not found when searched by name. Veering away from Lapthal route, it takes one to Barahoti and Tun Jun Pass, beyond which there's a place marked Cakapu, written in English and Chinese.

Is that a new name for Rimkhim?

Wiping off Tibet from face of the Earth?

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"Beyond this point, the enormous plateau of Rimkhim spreads on either side. You have already climbed a considerable height of 3000 feet now and the profile gets less challenging ahead."

Another lovely photograph, but unable to locate the place on Google maps.

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"While I rested here for a while, I was drawn to the flowers on the grasslands here. The Rimkhim valleys are dotted with colorful flora and fauna that is unique to this land. The entire grassland is full of flowers- violets, whites, and yellows.

"It was as if, I had discovered a new valley of flowers.

................................................................................................

"On the way, another surprise awaited. Right on the edge of the road, a small dry branch of a tree laid idle, unattended and unknown. At the first glimpse, it appeared like any other ordinary branch from a tree. But, there was something unusual about it. When I picked it up, I could see the distinct golden color on the branch. The branch appeared to be quite old and must have survived several seasons."

The colour is quite distinct in the photograph.

"Long after I left Rimkhim, I gathered that I had actually stepped on the branch of 'Bhojpatra' tree, the most ancient source of paper for the mystics and saints.

"Along the route, there were more such trees, and probably no one knows they exist here. But, if someone would really like to know the source of the oldest form of paper, I guess, it would be worth a journey to travel to Rimkhim, for they can actually take back one for themselves as a souvenir."

................................................................................................

Hereon Chakraborty gives photographs of lovely flowers, the very first a violet hued and very like iris in shape and form, but not the same plant.

"The Rimkhim plateau ahead is full of nature's colorful gifts - the eye-soothing flowers that gently wave with the winds as if they enjoy and celebrate life here."

"Rimkhim is a journey that you heard about in your childhood from your grandparents' fairytale stories. There are flowing waters, mountains, flowers, sunshine and all that you could only picture in those childhood stories suddenly come alive and standing right in front of you."

................................................................................................

The next photograph seems to have a long-stemmed lily-like flower in a Greta Garbo-like wilting pose, but withered, while there seems to be a pineapple-like small cone hanging. The shrub itself has similarity with Aloe Vera in shape.

"The Rimkhim valleys have several varieties of plants, medicinal herbs, white and blue orchids, tulips and various other species of flowers. The violets and tulips are the most common floral varieties visible here."

................................................................................................

"Come August when the snow completely melts and the weather clears up, and you can view carpets of flowers filled up in these grasslands."

And then, a startling photograph, of a flower that can only be called sunshine smile, so very bright and happy it is!

"Somewhere, far away from the mundane of life, nature’s pristine and untouched beauty invites every traveler to reach for them."

................................................................................................

Another couple of photographs here, one a couple of bunches of little mauve star-like shaped bright flowers, another of what seems to be Brahmakamal.

"They are the nature’s way of letting us know that we still have an abundance of life to enjoy and cherish and nature has blessed every human being with precious gifts that the latter often fail to appreciate."

................................................................................................

Accompanied by a beautiful photogph of a valley flanked by mountains with frozen streams or snows in streams running fine, he says -

"Rimkhim stands at an altitude of 14000 feet where the snow cover takes its time to melt. The weather here is tough and the weather patterns are erratic."

But - didn't Chakraborty tell us thst Rimkhim is under Chinese occupation since 1962, long before he was born?

................................................................................................

"It quickly packs up, especially in the afternoons, when the sun has melted the snow cover enough to form dense clouds that then pour down as rains. Yet, our men in uniform battle nature's toughest challenges to their stride with a smile on their face."

And nation owes them gratitude.

................................................................................................

"Several streams of spring waters flow down from the mountain passes here. Waters so sparkling clean and pure you can spot the sunrays shining back from the droplets. A gentle splash on the face will drain away all the fatigue of your journey."

Indeed, there's a little stream running fine a stone slab and sparkling in sun in the photograph, with green fresh grass shoots just where stream falls off stone.

................................................................................................

"Rimkhim is one of the Indo-Chinese Roads that waited to be opened until it was finally connected with the mainstream after 2011."

Here, a final photograph in this chapter, of the army memorial of 1962.

Very moving. Especially so when one has any memories connected in any way with that war.

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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17. EPILOGUE -

One week holiday vs. lifetime challenge

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Many more beautiful photogphs.

" ... The Himalayas have its own ways to cast a spell on its visitors. ... "

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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August 28, 2022 - August 28, 2022.

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18. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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"Rajat is an Indian Armed Forces Veteran served with the 'Corps of Engineers - Bombay Sappers', an entrepreneur, and a travel blogger."

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August 29, 2022 - August 29, 2022.

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................................................................................................

Uttarakhand Diaries:

Unspoken Tales from the Mountains Kindle Edition

by Rajat Chakraborty (Author)

................................................

August 28, 2022 - August 29, 2022.

Purchased August 28, 2022.

Format: Kindle Edition

Kindle Edition

ASIN:- B07H717P67

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................................................................................................

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4948320519

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Reviews - Books I Read - DRJG

Monday, August 29, 2022

Uttarakhand Diaries: Unspoken Tales from the Mountains, by Rajat Chakraborty.

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