Meet our very dear Aaryan Valley friends:
Story is going on since long but true adventure begun here. We had decided to stay back in this camp no matter what. We started crossing this long long foot over bridge. Fyi, this is India's one of the longest foot over wooden bridge and nobody knows this thankfully (Now I feel we humans, spoil all natural and olden era beauty with our carbon footprint, thus I keep writing thankfully when I realise people don't know yet)
After crossing the bridge there comes a descend again a hike type of descend, almost 45 degrees descending slope. With my artificial limb it was a definitely challenge to be conquered. Moreover my friend had blurry vision in the evening having multiple sclerosis. Yes, 2 challenger women had to conquer this battle of descending down a slope with almost 45 degrees angle. Our Macho Men gang had already went further thinking to reach before it gets dark and do some arrangement for the group.
I took a lead like Jhansi ki Rani and remembered one instruction my birding friend Bhavna Aunty had told me during my past easy hikes that While Ascending or Descending one should take Baby steps if it's difficult slope so that we focus on one step at a time and continue the trek with confidence. Holding hand of my friend and together we took baby steps down the slope and we were about to land on plains but found one difficult rock crossing which was difficult task to do together. Before I get back to my memory database and find some trick to conquer this another challenge, I found 2 angel men or you call them our saviors (One of them was Tashi who owned Payupa guest house and we came to know that on meeting).
They gave us hands and we asked them if we can take their help to reach the campsite as it's going to get dark in no time. Ofcourse they agreed and safely they brought us to the gate of campsite which looked like entry point but still campsite was far by another 10 mins walk in slow tired pace and 5 to 7 mins in good pace.
Mean while we move further we met our boys from the group on our way as they were approaching us to brief about the stay. They both were happy as they were certainly worried for us for how will we reach the site in dark as it was pitch dark with no city lights falling en-route to the camp site.
Only 1 tent for us was available and it has to be pitched if we want to stay as campsite was full with Italian guests came over for some 3 days hike. We told them that we will surely wait till tent is pitched as we don't want to go anywhere after so much stress, fatigue, hiked travel and what not.
We were warmly hosted by owner of the camp Tundup to the dinner area. Somehow food was cooked as per choice of Italian Hikers - Very bland and tasteless to my Indian Masala style taste palate :D :D
Well, Tundup did not disappoint me. He asked me if I like Mushrooms, well I love Mushrooms just that I am pure vegetarian and need some masala in my food being Pure Indian along with Pure Vegetarian 😉😋
He made amazing Mushroom masala vegetable and Roti which I am relishing even today remembering this moment. By the time we finished our dinner, our tent was ready. It was brand new tent with newest bedding which they brought from across the bridge situated one of those mountain homes. Fresh pullovers, pillows, linens and it was so good and comfortable. Before we could call it a night we asked him if we can get some warm bonfire time. Again they proved that they believed in hospitality and bonfire was started and we sang, played music and gossiped and laughed.
Suddenly at 11 PM electricity went off and boom....all stars were out. Did you imagine this sound boom? Exactly like this sound "boom" stars popped up from sky as soon as light went off. I was in true heaven I have ever experienced in my life. Every day at 11 PM electricity is cut off in this region which I came to know later on thankfully else I wouldn't have felt "boom" new stars born night like this.
After enjoying this cold starry night, we started talking about people of the Aaryan Valley, difficulty of living, education, politics, travel, etc. I learnt first time ever what is true patriotism. People of Aaryan Valley are true Maalva's of Shivaji's of Indian Army. During Kargil war they were the ones who found out that Pakistani soldiers were encroaching our land and ceasing the border protocols. As soon as details verified and war started, Aaryans of Aaryan valley helped the injured army forces to bring down to the camps for treatment and helped in many more ways for which I guess I have to write a separate blog on Aaryan's the Saviors of Kargil War. Story of Aaryans during Kargil war was very emotional to the extent both; myself and Tundup(owner of the camp) both had tears in our eyes. I saw how he almost had tears rolling down thinking of National Anthem even today if it's sung without any Republic day or Independence day.
They are so independent already I felt after this. They have choice of living with India or Pakistan and they chose us. They had a choice to whether support Army or just be spectator to them but they became unofficial partners in fighting the war of protection of our motherland. They are so joyful that they can sing and dance whenever they want on the tune of river flowing by......
Don't feel that this is all story and poetry but views are real they are living in and I will show you pictures also. Pictures? Yes, pictures which we quickly took next day morning. I went to bed with happy heart filled with gratitude towards Aaryans that I met them atleast once in my life. I had a sleep like never before in my life. Even today I think of that sleep I am craving for it.
I woke up in the morning around 6:30 with the chirping sound of birds and gusty river flowing by. It was not a forcible wake up call or anything of that sort. It was a fresh morning wake up call by nature. I lived a real beautiful dream that night after all. I had to be so happy and fresh. I went to restaurant for some Kawa (warm water with spices from the region) with snacks and saw that Hot, lip smacking Aloo Paratha's were ready for us. Before going for breakfast we took small break to explore this beautiful campsite which we missed to do it previous night. There were hundreds of trees of apricot with fresh apricot ready to be eaten as it was blossom period for Apricots. (PS: One should not eat more Apricots else you will suffer from constipation). We plucked few apricots and had them fresh. We passed by small stream that owner of the camp had made to provide the easy supply of water to the campsite. We sat on the small bridge created over this small water stream. It is all like a fairy-tale right now which we actually saw and lived and not just saw.
This was the view of river from foot over bridge in the evening
Camp site during morning
Woke up to this Dream sunkissed morning at Aaryan Valley
Sitting on the bridge appreciating the morning
Man Made water stream
My favorite Apricot tree
That's the bridge we walked over in the evening and road across the bridge we will go back to.
Ramjula of Aaryan Valley? :-) Decades years old hanging wooden longest bridge of India
Trekkers from Mumbai I would say :-)
Posing for a Victorious Night with Beautiful dream we lived for...
Before I cross this bridge I chose to turn on the video and record the beautiful sound of Indus river, blowing breeze and my walking steps over wooden bridge. I have posted this video for all my viewers to experience this place first hand.
Friends, this valley is a surprise packet I tell you. Journey is not ended here. I was requested by Tashi, owner of Payupa guest house to visit his home, be his guest and not to miss the Aaryan Valley's museum that they have built for giving information to visitors. Now it was my moral duty to visit Payupa guest house and see what I missed previous evening. (PS: I am in same clothes as previous day as there was no scope of taking along heavy luggage over this foot over bridge. Once if I had insisted these Aaryan friends would have done it but why to trouble them :-)
So we started our journey up to the other side of the river up the mountain in the village to see Payupa Guest house and museum. Since we were fresh and mentally prepared for where are we going to walk, we could climb up easily and with joy. Some of the narrow street walk views we passed by,
Game of light and shadow played by Apricot tree and sun light
One storey bungalow of Aaryan Valley villagers (Eco friendly villa we would say? 😀😉)
Well these Eco-friendly houses we see are cattle homes where in they give shelter to their cattle, majorly ship and goats are their main source of livelihood as they take woolen off them to make wonderful woolen items.
And there we see the 1st glimpse of Payupa guest house
After visiting this place I have decided that next time I come here, I have to make it a 2 nights stay for sure. 1 full day goes into traveling and that evening stay in the camp site and next day hike up the village and stay with Payupa guest house so that you get to see local way of living, you can eat food cooked at home or be part of their cooking session, go with locals to graze their cattle, pluck lots of Apricots (eat only few, remember?), listen to local ladies singing, see them dancing and be part of their dance team and lot more can be done if you have 2 nights to spend with Aaryans. Why did I feel all this, now you will have curiosity to know, right? Here is the reason. The house of the main coordinator of Shargole village owns this house where in he has spared few rooms on 1st floor for guests and named his homestay as Payupa Guest House. (Note - It's not accessible place for physically challenged with challenges with walking or climbing, using crutches or wheelchair. I will find the accessible place to stay in Aaryan village soon for my challenger friends)
Some of the pictures of Payupa guest house are as given below:
Stair to make your way up to the guest room
One of the guest room of Payupa Guesthouse
Enjoying the feel of being at this place
Easy conversation with friends over place and it's beauty
Dining room with Indian style sitting
Prayer room
Another perk of staying here is try traditional clothing of Aaryan Women. They really wear some amazing head gears and jackets making you look not less than a princess ready to choose her prince charming ;-) I did try myself too wearing this traditional outfit and see how beautifully I almost looked like I am one of them. (Just 1 night made me look like one of them and that is the charm of this place)
We were really overwhelmed with this beautiful get up.
Now is the time to see the Museum made by these lovely people and restored the heritage of Aaryan valley. (Important read: This museum is inaugurated by our Hon. Mr. Kiran Rijiju, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports)
This museum is known as Himalayan Museum of Labdak Culture and Heritage. These villagers are known to be Greek Descendants and that's why they also call themselves as Aaryans. They do not have any old historical remains of their elders though. Nonetheless, they have beautifully maintained the culture and discipline of their Heritage which I loved the most. By the time I could click more pictures of this museum my camera gave up and we enjoyed beauty with our eyes and clicked them to cherish forever through our eyes.
We were about to leave from this place bidding my last goodbye but then we saw Granny of the house getting her real long hairs braided by her daughter in law. She does it like this in every few months as braiding such thin braids is real task but her daughter in law does it happily (may be to keep her MIL happier). I quickly charged my camera with her permission to take her few amazing pictures which I don't want to miss to show you here.
Look how pationately aunty is braiding her MIL hair
Her eyes were really talkative and notorious like a small child, isn't it? :)
This is my personal favorite picture and I totally own credit of photo shoot of this Granny aunty <3
Before I left finally, I had a previlage to click a picture with Mrs. Tashi and his mother.
Finally after clicking lot of pictures of this Granny aunty, we left from the place again trekking through those lovely narrow lanes which are now friendly to us as we passed through this passage joyfully 😍
On our way back to the base, I met some wonderful elders of this beautiful village and how can I miss to have some memories with them!? Uncle found me alien coming from another planet to his village....😂😂
And in the meanwhile one more aunty joined our perfect picture frame and uncle got his 2 girlfriends in same frame, no wonder he was very happy then.... 😜😁😁
Along with this picture, small video taken to show you the lanes we were walking through...
We kept walking down the hill and boarded our car for further journey to Leh via Lamayuru. After driving by narrow passage of Aaryan Valley we did arrive to open planes again with roads going up and down wind and wind 😀😀😀
I am wishing you my travelers to have such amazing journey amusing you at every moment and later giving you reason to cherish it forever as I believe in - Be A Traveler & Not just A Tourist!
