“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.” - Edward Abbey
The intrigue of many a rolling stone around the world; the valley of Malana in the State of Himachal Pradesh, India, known for the extracts of a pristine variety of a specific herb amongst many others and more so for gorgeous trekking routes and a revered yet unforgiving river, Parvati; was the subject of my first visit in 2019 along with my dear friend Vir Singh Brar.
Chapter 1: Delhi to Malana Valley
We travelled from Delhi, me on a Royal Enfield Standard 500cc and him on his brand-new bike, a Triumph Bonneville 900cc.
Covering the distance in about sixteen hours, including minor setbacks, it took us a hard day’s ride to finally make it to our destination just after sunset.
Chapter 2: Vir Singh Brar
I’ve known Vir since the time I met him about a year before this trip, when he had recorded drums and percussions on our music singles Maisha Iko Sawa and Shakalaka Wagon.
To his credit is a documentary film on Malana that he had compiled many years ago as a trekking guide as well as his maturity and experience as a biker and traveller, it being our first road trip together. The footage and photography featured in this blog is his work.
Chapter 3: Negi Brothers
At Malana valley, Vir introduced me to the Negi Brothers whom he has been friends with from the age of eighteen when he first visited the valley and had become a trekking guide for two years under their guidance.
The Negi Brothers are popular in the region as `The Toughest Men In The Himalayas` for the numerous lives they save through investigative
rescue operations and trekking services offered over many decades. They also run a hotel in Malana Valley with a great view, which is where we stayed as their guests comfortably for about five days.
Chapter 4: Ashwabodhi Iris
Ashwabodhi Iris is an elderly German hippie who turned up at the hotel on the second day and was good company to have around in the coming days. As it turns out he also writes and sings his own songs and we had a great time jamming to music and intriguing conversations.
I’m sure that I’l meet him again some day at Arambol, Goa, which he frequents often during the winter season.
Chapter 5: Retrospect
In 2010, I had joined, quite spontaneously, along with a dear friend Vaijayant Paliwal, the very first Yatra or pilgrimage to the source of the river Parvati, at Mantalai Lake, by a group of holy men or babas, i.e. those who have renounced worldly lives.
In conversation with the Negi Brothers I realised that the tents and camping equipment hired by the pilgrimage management was provided by none other than the Negi Brothers.
Since Malana Valley is beside Parvati Valley which I had visited often since my college days we decided to relive some memories of the region but did not get past Barshaini owing to the challenging terrain and our eagerness to ride back to Malana Valley the same evening.
Chapter 6: Malana to Delhi
It has been many years since I had visited these parts of the State of Himachal Pradesh in India and it was discomforting to realise that the roads are just as challenging as they always have been at certain sections, requiring constant maintenance especially during the rains.
Having borne the brunt of the terrain in the afternoon we rode like the wind and made it to Delhi in the early hours of the morning.
Love
Wumbaya
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