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ARANYA VAAS— THE FORGOTTEN TOWN—Part -2
( Image of the old lady taken at Chashk Bhatori)
After reaching Kelad, the headquarters of Pangi Valley, we headed towards the remotest Bhatori called—'Chashk Bhatori’. After two hours road journey, we reached at a point where we had to leave our vehicle because motorable road ended there. We trekked a 5 kilometre hilly trail to reach Chashk only to find 10-12 rustic mud stone houses.
Beautiful, shy people but matchless hosts. Locals offered us tea and hazelnuts. Our team registered two homestays and issued certificates. While having tea, I saw an old lady sitting in the corner of the house. She must have been a hundred year old. I urged her son, aged about 65, to ask her mother to tell us interesting experience or story about old times. She narrated a story in Pangwali dialect which her son translated into Hindi for us. To our surprise, we found Pangwali dialect quite similar to Sanskrit language.
When she was in her teens, she along with other boys and girls used to take their cattle to high grasslands for grazing but their elders restricted them to go beyond a particular point uphill.
She further narrated that beyond those lush green grasslands, sudden change of terrain is found. 30-40 feet high but slippery and steep slate hill with 70 degree elevation! No greenery at all. Their elders told them that while camping in those grasslands at night, they heard, strange drum beats and ghostly sounds from behind that slate hill. Thus, due to the fear of unknown entity, the Panchayat unanimously decided not to go beyond a particular point and also not to stay at night there. They further even gave an imaginary name ARANAYA VAAS ( Forest Dwelling) to the area beyond the slate hill.
The boys were excited by this interesting but illogical story. We, as a team, had measured many tough hilly areas earlier also. We already had a mountaineering kit including ropes with us. Being Pahari people (high landers), it was not a big deal for us to climb that 30-40 feet high hill. We made a clandestine plan to visit and explore that restricted area.
Next morning, after half an hour trekking, we reached to the restricted area from where we could see the ridge of the slate hill. It was a normal sunny day. Cool breeze was blowing. With ample biscuit packets, peanuts and mineral water bottles in our backpacks, we began our trekking to climb on the slate hill. With the help of hooks and ropes, it took us two hours to reach to the top of long ridge of the slate hill.
As we looked across the ridge, we all were stunned. “Oh my God! Look Sir, look there.”, pointing to a particular direction, Mr. Surjeet Singh, Assistant Tourism Development Officer screamed ….
🤔🙃😧🤔
( To be continued)
— Vijay Kumar
© Truly Chambyal
After reaching Kelad, the headquarters of Pangi Valley, we headed towards the remotest Bhatori called—'Chashk Bhatori’. After two hours road journey, we reached at a point where we had to leave our vehicle because motorable road ended there. We trekked a 5 kilometre hilly trail to reach Chashk only to find 10-12 rustic mud stone houses.
Beautiful, shy people but matchless hosts. Locals offered us tea and hazelnuts. Our team registered two homestays and issued certificates. While having tea, I saw an old lady sitting in the corner of the house. She must have been a hundred year old. I urged her son, aged about 65, to ask her mother to tell us interesting experience or story about old times. She narrated a story in Pangwali dialect which her son translated into Hindi for us. To our surprise, we found Pangwali dialect quite similar to Sanskrit language.
When she was in her teens, she along with other boys and girls used to take their cattle to high grasslands for grazing but their elders restricted them to go beyond a particular point uphill.
She further narrated that beyond those lush green grasslands, sudden change of terrain is found. 30-40 feet high but slippery and steep slate hill with 70 degree elevation! No greenery at all. Their elders told them that while camping in those grasslands at night, they heard, strange drum beats and ghostly sounds from behind that slate hill. Thus, due to the fear of unknown entity, the Panchayat unanimously decided not to go beyond a particular point and also not to stay at night there. They further even gave an imaginary name ARANAYA VAAS ( Forest Dwelling) to the area beyond the slate hill.
The boys were excited by this interesting but illogical story. We, as a team, had measured many tough hilly areas earlier also. We already had a mountaineering kit including ropes with us. Being Pahari people (high landers), it was not a big deal for us to climb that 30-40 feet high hill. We made a clandestine plan to visit and explore that restricted area.
Next morning, after half an hour trekking, we reached to the restricted area from where we could see the ridge of the slate hill. It was a normal sunny day. Cool breeze was blowing. With ample biscuit packets, peanuts and mineral water bottles in our backpacks, we began our trekking to climb on the slate hill. With the help of hooks and ropes, it took us two hours to reach to the top of long ridge of the slate hill.
As we looked across the ridge, we all were stunned. “Oh my God! Look Sir, look there.”, pointing to a particular direction, Mr. Surjeet Singh, Assistant Tourism Development Officer screamed ….
🤔🙃😧🤔
( To be continued)
— Vijay Kumar
© Truly Chambyal
