Treking in the Himalaya - by Avinash Deshpande

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 I would like to share my Himalayan trek experience in Awaas News. The experience I had covers the splendour of nature, the mystics I met, the courage people showed while facing obstacles, landslides, broken bridges, hailstorms, wild animals, the mind transcending the body, the angel-like people of the Garhwal region and the help we received when trapped. 

Some 13 years before my retirement, in 1988, I read a book                 " Wandering in the Himalay" by Shri Tapovan Maharaj, the Guru of the great modern saint, Swami Chinmayanand.  It fascinated me so much that I decided that after retirement I will also trek extensively in Himalay.  I knew that I would have to be extremely fit to start treking at the age of 60, so I stopped smoking and drinking liquor. I learnt and practiced Yoga and took daily 10km walks.


When I retired in 2001 I was raring to fulfill my dream. Luckily two of my friends were also keen. We planned the first trek of 21kms, ascending from 6000 feet to an altitude of 10,000ft. to a mysterious lake called Doddital.


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