DEORIA TAAL: the lake that took the lives of mighty Pandavas

“Beware, my dear child! This Lake belongs to me, and you shall not touch the water before you answer my questions”, said the Yaksha.

Looking out of my bus window, I could see the dim evening sky giving way to the subdued glow of the moon. Once again, I was headed to the mountains and this time, to a place which has its mention in one of the ancient Hindu epics, Mahabharata. Deoria Taal, which means ‘The Lake of Gods’, is an alpine lake sitting snug between the two ridges deeper in the heights of Garhwal Himalaya region of Uttarakhand. Perched at an altitude of approximately 9,000 ft. above sea level, the lake is primarily fed by rain water during summer and melting ice during throughout winter. I had been planning to trek to this lake for long time, partially because of the folklores woven around it and partially because of the majestic landscape the trek bestows upon you.

The Trek

Trek to the lake starts from a sleepy hamlet called ‘Saari’ in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. An easy gradient trek, the 3 kms long trail to the lake winds up through the Rhododendron forest, which in full bloom, is covered with red and pink flowers, full of nectar and medicinal value. The initial steep ascend takes you on top of a ridge which imparts the grand view of the Saari village and the lesser peaks of Garhwal Himalaya. A lot of people attempt this lake as a part of the Tungnath temple-Chandrashila peak trek circuit. They take a road trip till Saari, trek to the lake and descend back the same day and head to Chopta, the base camp for Tungnath temple trek which is only 14 kms away.  If one has enough time, a beautiful two day jungle trek from Deoria Taal to Tungnath-Chandrashila peak can be attempted. The trail leads you to Chandrashila peak via Jhandidhar, Martauli Bugyal and Tungnath temple.

Once you reach the lake, breathtaking view of the mighty peaks of greater Himalaya welcomes you. On a clear day, one can see the Chaukhamba,  Janhukot, Mandani, Yeonbuk, Kharchakund, Kedarnath, Kedar Dome and other peaks of the Garhwal Himalaya. If you are lucky and if the light is right, the mirror image of the above mentioned peaks on the lake’s surface is something that would forever be etched in your memories. The beautiful meadow by the lake serves as a great campsite. Since the lake falls within the boundaries of Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary, there is a Forest department post by the lake, where you can pay a small amount of money in order to pitch your tent in the area. Littering and lighting fire is strictly prohibited around the lake and a forest ranger is always present at the post to make sure that the rules and regulations are observed by the locals and tourists alike.

The Legend of Deoria Taal

It is believed that during the 12th year of their exile, the Pandavas, while chasing an antler in the forest became thirsty. When the youngest of the brothers, Nakula set out to look for water, he came across a beautiful crystal clear lake. Right when he was about to touch the water, he heard a voice of warning from a Yaksha to not drink the lake water because it belonged to him. Yakshas are mythical creatures, who are nature spirits and caretakers of the Earth’s natural treasures. He said Nakula will have to answer his questions if he wants to drink the water from the lake. Ignoring him, Nakula drank the water and fell dead instantaneously. And like this, one by one all the Pandavas died, even the brave Arjuna and mighty Bhima did, but not Yudhisthira. Finally, when he was able to answer all the questions by the Yaksha, he promised to bring only one of his brothers back to life. When Yudhisthira asked for the resurrection of Nakula, brother from his step mother Madri. Yaksha impressed with his wisdom and sense of dharma, gave back lives to all his brothers.

How to reach

The total distance to Saari village from Delhi is approximately 425 kms. If travelling by public transport, one can take a bus to Rudraprayag from Rishikesh and a shared jeep/bus further till Ukhimath or Saari Village. The availability of public transport after Ukhimath till Saari village greatly depends on the weather condition and time of the day. Alternatively, taxis or jeeps are always available at Ukhimath.

Attractions on the way to and around Deoria Taal

Devprayag: Enroute to Saari village, one can visit the holy confluence of rivers Bhagirathi and Alaknanda at Devprayag. It is here that these two rivers meet and form the river Ganga.

Rudraprayag: After Devprayag, the next confluence is that of rivers Alaknanda and Mandakini at Rudraprayag. There is a temple right at the confluence, which was greatly damaged during the great flood during 2013.

Chopta: Also called the mini-Switzerland of India, this place turns into white heaven during winter and is a big tourist attraction during summer. ‘The red mountains of Chopta’ is what I call the phenomenon when the mountain forests are full of red and pink Rhododenron flowers during spring. The Dalkhudi meadow here serves as the campsite for Tungnath temple-Chandrashila peak trek.

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Understanding trekking in the Himalaya - A guide to choosing your first trek

Trekking in India is fast becoming very popular activity amongst the people of all ages, especially the younger lot. The trend has picked up substantially in the last 6 to 7 years. The whole experience of getting closer to nature, break from the monotonous city life and the craving for solitude is what is attracting more and more people to the Himalaya year after year. Owing to my roots, I have been trekking since I was 16, but that was in Nepal. I still remember, way back in 2006, while on my first trek in India to Triund (Himachal Pradesh), trekking and camping scenes were absolutely different as compared to today’s day and age. Today if you visit Triund, you will at least see 8-10 tents pitched at the campsite on any given weekend and the number can rise to 20-30 tents during peak months in summer. As the time is passing, trekkers are staying away from Triund to avoid the crowd. These days, Roopkund a.k.a Skeleton Lake is the new craze. A mysterious alpine lake located at an astounding altitude of over 16,000 feet above sea level with many a legends around it sounds like a place straight out of a fantasy book. A lot of trek organising companies these days are taking hundreds and hundreds of people every season to Roopkund. Now, you must be wondering why I took the names of two random trekking destinations and explained the whole scenario? That is because Triund and Roopkund are two different types of treks which need different approach in terms of preparation and experience. Triund, is a low altitude trek which reaches up to the maximum altitude of 9,000 feet above sea level and needs almost no preparation or prior trekking experience to attempt it, whereas Roopkund is moderate grade trek which reaches up to an altitude of 16,000 feet above sea level and needs prior high altitude trekking experience with a bit of preparation. The common mistake that people make these days is they choose the wrong trek as their first trek and later pay the price in the form of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) which can cause breathlessness, headache, stomach illness, fatigue, sleep disturbance, etc. These things can kill the fun of being in the mountains under the shadow of the towering peaks.

CHOOSING YOUR FIRST TREK

Choosing your first trek is a tricky thing. People often read beautifully written articles and look at the breath-taking pictures on the internet and get influenced to attempt difficult treks. The other reason is peer pressure, as there always this one friend in every group who is little adventurous about things and is pushy as well. One thing that I would like to make clear here is that the mountains are no joke. You can’t seek adventure at the expense of your safety and wellbeing. One can only enjoy the real happiness of being in the mountains by adhering to nature’s rules and understanding your body. To attempt any level of trek, first and foremost thing one requires is ‘physical fitness’. Trekking grades/gradients are divided into 4 levels, namely easy, moderate, difficult, and technical. Usually easy to moderate level treks don’t need any experience or preparation and being physically fit is enough, but difficult to technical levels need prior experience and physical preparations.

The next thing one should not ignore is the right trekking attire and gear. I have seen people turning up for a trek in their pyjamas and sneakers. In India most of the people who trek are of the opinion that grooming comes last on their priority list while trekking which, I’m afraid, should not be the case. The right trekking gear and attire can change the whole trekking experience. A good pair of trekking boots provide good ankle support and traction which can save your feet from slipping and other troubles while traversing the tough terrains. They also reduce the effort your legs make to walk. Likewise, a good pair of hiking poles reduce compressive force on the knees by up to 30% while trekking. They propel your body forward to make walking easier. They also reduce the impact on ankles and feet. Last but not the least in a rucksack. People in India usually carry normal backpacks to the treks which needs to change, because backpack is something that you carry on your shoulders throughout the trek and it should not be a burden. So to deal with this problem, one must invest in a good rucksack. Backpacks and rucksacks are two different things. A backpack (or daypack) will invariably be smaller and a rucksack will be larger. Both terms however are often used interchangeably in India. Rucksacks which are made for outdoors come with hip belt, compression straps, back support plates, chest straps, several pocket compartments and rain cover. Around 60 to 70% of the weight of the sack will sit on your hips. An adjustable hip belt helps to secure the bag around the hip area for added support and load transfer. Compression straps on the rucksacks can be pulled tight to reduce the volume of the pack and to minimise movement of items within. A rain cover is useful for covering your rucksack to prevent the contents from getting wet in the rain. If your rucksack doesn’t come with a rain cover it is possible to buy rain covers separately. All these things and factors combined will increase you average speed during the trek and make your experience enjoyable. Similarly, right pair of trekking pants and t-shirts can help you with easy movement, quick drying and ventilation.

After experience, physical preparation, and right trekking gears comes choosing the right weather. There is no hard and fast rule for weather vis-à-vis a trek, but it is all about witnessing the beautiful landscape in all its glory, so choosing the best season for a trek is also crucial. For example, treks like Brahma Taal, Bisudi Taal in Uttarakhand and Hampta Pass, Bhrigu Lake in Himachal Pradesh give you the best experience when attempted in early winter when there is fresh snowfall or during spring when the snow starts melting and the forests are full of Rhododenron flowers with wild flower strewn green meadows adding to the beauty. Similarly, treks like Prashar Lake, Deoria Taal, etc. provide beautiful landscape when attempted during peak winter. A lot of moderate to difficult grade treks are fair-weather treks and can’t be attempted during peak winter because of excess snow deposit on the trails which makes climbing the steep stretches a very tough task as there always is the danger of slipping and falling. Likewise, for monsoon, Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand is the perfect trek. So one should never be casual while choosing the right weather for a trek if you want to witness the real beauty around.

In conclusion, I feel trekking is a sport which should be studied, practised and followed with great passion and respect. It is a mix of careful planning and execution to reach the level of adventure you seek and not by negligence and ignorance. So next time you plan to go on a trek, choose the right one for yourself!