Field Trip : GHNP 2008

Sainj Valley Trek - A journey into the land of vanishing wilderness

On the evening of June 20, 2008, a heterogeneous bunch of twelve individuals assembled in WWF-India’s Secretariat in Delhi to embark their Great Himalayan Adventure.

The bunch was heterogeneous mix of individuals in all terms…. in terms of their academic background, in terms of their domicile, in terms of their age bracket, in terms of their experience, in terms of their interests, in terms of their motive, in terms of their enthusiasm, and above all, in terms of their reason for being a part of the trip. The only seemingly common factor binding the bunch was their destination……an enchanting mountain landscape in the Western Himalayas.

Right in the heart of the pristine land of Himachal Pradesh, or Deva Bhoomi (the land of Gods), as it is fondly called, lies the destination, the Great Himalayan National Park.

At 6’o clock on the 20th, the heterogeneous bunch boarded a bus plying from Delhi to Manali, via Kullu. In the bus one could directly witness the colorful diversity of the bunch, and yet, one could sense a similar wave of emotion engulfing all. This emotion was the thrill of exploring the unknown…..be it the unknown landscape, the unknown serenity, the unknown accomplices or the unknown phases of one’s own personality. This thrill of exploration of the unknown proved to be an ice breaker between all members of the heterogeneous bunch, gradually integrating them into an interwoven group.

Day 1, June 21, 2008 – At around six-thirty in the morning, the group deboarded the bus at Aut, which lies on the Mandi-Manali highway and is the entry point to the Kullu Valley where the road enters the Mandi - Largi gorge. As per the plan, the group was supposed to get down at a point before the beginning of an approximately 3.5 km long tunnel, but could make it only ay the other end of the tunnel. The confusion was caused because the group arrived almost an hour prior to the slated time of arrival.

After a brief wait and a concise bird watching session, the group was introduced to Mr. Ankit Sood, the coordinator of the entire trip. The group was boarded on SUVs that headed towards Sainj Rest House for breakfast and pre-trek preparations. After a delicious breakfast, the group was briefed upon the details of the trek, the requirements and other particulars of the Sainj Valley trek. Thereafter, the group was led to Neuli, which was 1500m above sea level and was almost an hour and a half long ride.

On the way from Aut to the Sainj Rest House and from Sainj Rest House to Neuli, one could view project sites of the Parvati hydroelectric project. The power project is being developed in different phases, which is slated to alter the landscape of the area drastically.

When the group finally arrived at Neuli, the group was introduced to the facilitators of their trek- a team of highly efficient service providers who were trained to be the trekker’s guides, cum attendants, cum tent-pitchers, cum porters, cum cooks, cum entertainers, all rolled into one. It was after this that the group commenced its actual journey- the trek.

The group began its trek from Neuil and hiked upto Chenga camp site for 8 kilometers. The trail leading to the camp site was right in the middle of the Sainj Wildlife Sanctuary. By the end of the trek, everyone was exhausted and excited. The trail to Chenga had been a delight. The group had encountered numerous birds, bees and butterflies throughout the trail. The campsite was no different. The weather was pleasant and the rain gods were showering greetings upon the group.

Camping at Chenga was a delight. Over dinner, the group had an interactive session where they got to know each other even better. A concise chat with Mr. Ankit Sood was an eye opener. The group gathered interesting trivia about GHNP, some of which are:

1. The Great Himalayan National Park located in the heart of Wetern Himalayas in the upper beas region mainly comprises the catchments of Jiwa, Sainj, Tirthan and Parvati rivers, all being tributaries of River Beas.

2. In 1984, the Himachal Wildlife Project had surveyed the upper Beas region to help establish the boundaries of the park and areas comprising the watersheds of Jiwa, Sainj, Tirthan and Parvati rivers were notified as to comprise the Great Himalayan National Park initially.

3. The Park has the Tirthan Wildlife Sanctuary to its South, the Rupi Bhaba Sanctuary to the South East, Pin Valley National Park in the East and Kanawar Wildlife Sanctuary to its North. The Eco Development Area and Sainj Wildlife Sanctuary cover the western part of GHNP.

4. The GHNP is extremely rich in biodiversity. It supports a vast variety of flora and fauna. It is home to large mammals like the Himalayan Tahr, Black Bear, Goral, Bharal, to a variety of endangered pheasants like the Western Tragopan, Monal, Koklas and so on. In fact the park is known as the most important area in India for the endangered Western Tragopan.


5. There are large numbers of medicinal plants in the Sainj valley, many people enter the park to collect them. A similar problem faced in the Tirthan valley is the collection 'Guchchi' - a mushroom that is highly valued delicacy which is in turn promoting poaching of the same.

6. The Sainj Valley may be under threat due to the upcoming Power Project. The Sainj hydro-electric project has a total installed capacity of 100 MW and is located up-stream of the Parbati stage –III (520 MW) project, which at present is under construction.

7. In 1999, the boundaries of the park had been redefined. A portion of the park was de-notified to accommodate the hydropower project. Although there existed an EIA on paper, it had not been conducted in its true spirit. Rather the whole process had been a mere eyewash.

8. At present, there is no Park Director. The director had been transferred three days before. However, drilling of rocks and collection of rock samples for the purpose of geological study was still going on in the buffer zone, even without the permission of any authorized entity.

9. The locals were not protesting because they believed…… (or are rather made to believe) that they shall be highly benefited by developmental activities in the valley. They have been promised better infrastructure like concrete roads, schools, transportation and communication sustems, etc even to the remotest of all places.

Post dinner discussions, the group dispersed into their own tents to catch some sleep.

The rain was still pouring……

Day 2, June 22, 2008 – The group set out for yet another escapade. The destination this time was Shakti.

The trail dazzling, and so was the destination……..
Shakti is a beautiful and picturesque village which is 2100 m above sea level. The group covered a distance of almost 14 kilometers along a moderate accented trek and assembled at the Shakti Trekkers hut.

In the evening the group had a chance of visiting the Shakti Village where they came across one of the most amazing and inspiring discoveries of all… till not quite a long time ago, the children at Shakti and the neighboring villages did not have access to schools, hence, a visionary had set up a local school in a cave at the tip of the hill to educate the children.

It was awe-inspiring…..

Day 3, June 23, 2008 – Day three was the most exhausting. The trek from Shakti Village to Lapah campsite was extremely beautiful but highly strenuous…..what irony

Lapah is positioned at an altitude of 2800 meters and is situated at lower meadow bridge in Humkhani forest.

The trail to Lapah was sharp and steep extending to about 16 kilometers. Each one was asking the all rounder guides “Aur kitni door hai?” (How far is it?).

Pat came the reply,“Bas dus minute main pahunchne wale hain” (We are about to reach in ten minutes)……………………………………four and a half hours had passed………and then one of the all rounders exclaimed, “Pahunch gae. Yehi hai Lapah” (We have reached. This is Lapah)…..these were the kindest words any one had ever heard.

Though the trek was taxing, the fruits of the slog were sweeter than one could have imagined. When the group reached Lapah, the milieu one came across was simply breathtaking. The campsite was surrounded with serene mountain ranges on all sides with an aerial view of the village. At night the group had a jolly good time with the all rounder guides entertaining them with music and dance.

It was a colorful night……

Day 4, June 24, 2008 –After the tedious trek of pervious day, each one from the group was either openly or secretly praying for a much uncomplicated trail. Post breakfast and clandestine prayers, all set out to explore what was in store for them today.

Finally it turned out that their prayers had been heard. The trail was not only very beautiful but also comparatively easier to hike. The group came across thrilling sites like leopard pug marks and sightings of numerous species of birds, butterflies and geckos.

The trail led the group uphill through a thick forest to the magnificent village of Shangarh.

Though the group had witnessed unparalleled beauty all along, even then, to everyone’s surprise, the Shangadh campsite was a complete stunner. The campsite was covered with rich harvest of white blossoms. Mixed waves of shock, awe and surprise was engulfing each one.

The Shangadh village was a beauty in itself. The group came across experiences which were just out of the world. They saw a procession of the native deity (devtaa) in the village which is deemed a rare sight in itself. They got ample opportunities for interacting with local students, farmers, and weavers. The meadow spread across the Shangarh village was another soul curry. Hiking through the traditional village; sacred meadows and groves; as well as terraced fields was a heavenly experience.

It was all so overwhelming…….

Day 5, June 25, 2008 – It was a downhill hike for the group from Shangadh to Neuli. Once at Neuli, with a heavy heart, the group bid farewell to its all-rounder guides. At Neuli. the group boarded a cab for the Sai Ropa Tourist Centre. Once at the Centre, that is spread over an area of almost 3 hectares, the group went for a bio-diversity trail. The Centre had other facilities such as a Forest Rest House, dormitories, a photo exhibition, a conference room, etc.

In the evening, the group was introduced to Ms. Mamta Chandar of Jagriti.
Jagriti is a Community Based Organization working for empowerment of disadvantaged hill population, particularly women. The basic features of Jagriti are:
1. Jagriti was registered as a Society in 2003, and has since been working towards empowerment of vulnerable groups, especially women, with an aim to change and build a more equitable society.
2. It works towards ensuring equitable participation of women in decision making bodies and promotes and sustainable livelihood opportunities for them. The chief region of operation of Jagriti is the Lag and Gadsa valleys in Kullu and Chaupa.

3. The criteria of identifying a household as a poor household is based on location specific indicators like illiteracy, caste factors, remoteness of villages, land holdings, restricted livelihood options, etc. These indicators are a set of twenty pointers developed by Jagriti itself.

3. One of the basic units through which Jagriti operates is the Women's Savings and Credit Groups (WSCGs) at the village level.

4. The measures taken up are so designed so as to develop and strengthen leadership and participation of women groups; provide environment friendly livelihood; facilitate economic and sustainable sanitation; impart awareness of one’s own rights and duties, promote cultivation, production and distribution of medicinal plants, niche products, handicraft, etc.

The group found out that as of today, Jagriti is working with twenty-five Panchayats with a total strength of over a thousand women being involved in the various WSCGs. The very recent initiatives taken up by Jagriti is the introduction of energy-saving and drudgery reducing devices namely Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Pressure Cooker and Hamam (Water heating device). These measures were adopted with an aim to liberate women from the strenuous effort of fuel-wood collection, as well as to introduce options that are more environment friendly.

Later that night, a presentation was held by Mr. Ankit Sood, who gave all the details about SAHARA (The Society for Scientific Advancement of Hills & Rural Areas) and Sunshine Himalayan Adventures.

SAHARA is an organization operating under the guidance of the regional Kullu Valley Organization. It promotes ecotourism programs by developing a paradigm wherein local villagers actually benefit from having their ancestral lands turned into a wilderness preserve. The plan also includes the training of locals in eco-tourism so as to facilitate a beneficial arrangement with them.

Similarly, Sunshine Himalayan Adventures (SHA), founded in 1996, was incorporated with the objective of promoting responsible Eco-tourism and providing such services that are not only environmentally sustainable but also economically beneficial to the local people. SHA is the only approved Tour Operator in Himachal Pradesh (HP) that is permitted to offer tours in the pristine wilderness of GHNP.


It was an informative day………

Day 6, June 26, 2008 – The day began with a mix of emotions for all. It was the last day of the tour, the end of the magnificent adventure. It was the day when everyone would be going back to their own nests, physically leaving behind the serenity and pristinely they had come to know……

The day began with the visit to one of the village women’s factions supported by Jagriti, where the group got a first hand exposure of the working of the WSCG. The women of WSCG were more than happy to interact with the group and looked tremendously excited as they divulged all details of their activities, internal co-operation and benefits. The group was exposed to many practicalities of their operations.

Thereafter, the group paid a short and enjoyable spree to Mountain Bounties, the set-up accountable for the sales and marketing of the products produced by women belonging to the WSCGs.

In the afternoon, the group was warmly greeted by Ankit’s family where a lavish feast was prepared for all. The menu comprised of several Kullu delicacies including the notorious Guchchi that is attributed to fetch a price of about twenty thousand Rupees per Kilo. After the elaborate feast, with a content stomach and heart, the group bid farewell to its courteous hosts.
Now it was time for some shopping. The group shopped at Akhra Bazar Road, the name of the street along Ankit’s house which was also the spot where the bus headed for Delhi was scheduled to come. After a final goodbye to Ankit and his family, all boarded the bus.
At night, each one was immersed in his own thoughts. Each one was reflecting one the various escapades that each had witnessed…….. as an individual and as a group. Numerous thoughts were crossing everyone’s mind. Perhaps the most vital question to ponder about was the controversial issue of ‘Environment vs. Development’, (or should we say ‘Conservation vs. Development’).
Nonetheless……..the imprints of the flawless wilderness would remain with the explorers till eternity.

A factual background on Parvati Hydel Power Project – An analysis of the facts about the premise of the Parvati hydro-project demonstrates that vide Notification No. FFE-B-F(3)-2/99, dated May 28, 1999, a segment of the GHNP was de-notified. Experts have argued that this de-notification was made only with the purpose of enabling the hydro-power project to come up in the area.
The project is slated to come up in a segment that was formerly part of the park. A segment from the Jeeva Nallah was de-notified to enable the Parvati Hydel Power Project to come up. The justification given was that the segment was not only ecologically inconsequential but also that the locals would be highly benefited by such a de-notification as they would not be forced to vacate the park since human habitation is prohibited in a National Park as per the law.

However, this justification seems hollow since in cases such as Shakti and Maror, which still has human habitat, the relevant area had been segregated out of the National Park area and has been declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary, rather than completely de-notifying it. The only apparent reason of de-notification appears to be for the enabling of Phase II the Parvati Project. This unspoken motive becomes even more obvious when one witnesses the commencement of the project regardless of the absence of a Park Director or without the permission of any other authorized entity.

Ecologists and Conservationists consider the coming up of the hydel-power project as a serious threat to the ecology of the park.

In the end, the questions that continued to haunt everyone’s minds were:

i) Is economic development justified at the cost of environmental abuse?

ii) Though the power project is slated to benefit Delhi and other States by supplying surplus power to these areas, is it justified to cause ecological damage to Himachal Pradesh so that these metros reap all benefits?

iii) To what extent will the locals be benefited in this highly ambitious project? Will the advantages of development seep in to their disposal or will they have to bear the brunt of such a development?

However, the most important question is, “What steps can we, as citizens, take in times of such crisis?”