MAIDEN TRIP TO DEHRADUN AND MUSSOORIE
The journey backs to May,2008 when we were in 12th class. We had taken admission in a coaching institute preparing for engineering entrance exams. We thought that before studying "mood fresh" is important. I had never seen hills or mountains. It was my dream to see hills, lushed green mountains, water falls. I had never thought of experiencing cloud over mountains but it happened. Before this journey, I had gone to Haridwar so many times. I lied to my parents that we four friends are going Haridwar on a tour. One of us had won free hotel accommodation for three days. Similarly my friend Arindam also say lie to his parents but not for Haridwar, he says for Agra. Initially our Parents were not agreed but on severe request from our all friends, they agreed. Actually we three friends were going me, Arindam and Ashish. We each had taken only Rs 500 in our pocket and left for our journey.
Our goal was to reach Dehradoon. In night at 10:15 pm by mussoorie express train we left Delhi and reached Haridwar at 5:45 am. The rent for the journey in general coach was Rs72 per person. Then, we go to Har ki Pauri Ghat by foot. It is 2km from Haridwar railway station. There we take holy dip in river Ganga and came back to Haridwar railway station at 10:00 am. There we decided to go Dehradoon by train. After few hours, we got train for Dehradoon. We sat in luggage coach, both sides open. We sat on the floor of train falling our leg outside the train. Many people were shouting on us to make our leg inside the train. But we were not listening to them. We were enjoying. Slope was increasing slightly. Then round 5:00 pm, we reached Dehradoon railway station. I was excited to see hills. We had no knowledge of Dehradoon tourist places. So we go to a book shop and buy a tourist guide book. It's cost was Rs40.
Then we decided to go "Sahastradhara". It is about 12km from Dehradoon railway station. It is a very beautiful place where thousands of stream merges. We had decided to go there by foot as we had to enjoy nature fully. Initial 5-6 km was normal walk but after then every 1km was tough as the elevation was increasing sharply. After sometime, we got fully tired and decided not to go further. We were in between the journey. There were no safe halts. And then we motivated each other and started again walk (climb). At night 7:30pm, we reached Sahastradhara, there were only 4-5 tourist left who were going back. All shops were closing. Shopkeepers told us that all back buses had gone. Darkness was increasing. We were not finding any places for halt except a hotel which was expensive. We told shopkeepers that we will stay here in open sky. Then shopkeepers told us that we will not give you permission to stay here in open. It is very dangerous. Nowadays, daily rain comes in night. In night, leopard comes. Some days before, someone had killed a person and thrown the body in the stream. You please go from here. We asked them, where we will go now. The time was 11:00pm then. They find us a lodge 1/2 km far away from there. We had stayed in that lodge in night. The rent was Rs100 for three.
Next day morning, we left for Dehradoon railway station by bus. The rent was Rs8 per person. From there we decided to go Robber's Cave. Robber's Cave (locally known as Guchhupani) is a river cave, located approximately 8 km from the centre of Dehradoon city. The cave is about 600 metres long, divided into two main parts. It is a natural cave formation where river flows inside the cave with high velocity. The water level inside the cave changes frequently and hence called guchhupani. After enjoying in Robber's Cave, we reached a nearby village and asked them 'route of mussoorie' by foot. They called us, why you are going by foot, go by bus. It's ticket is very less. Then we replied them, we had come here to enjoy the natural beauty of Himalayas. So we want to go by foot. They say that the trek is very difficult, its 40km from here. Then the time was happening 5:00pm. They said, in night, Bear, leopard and other wild animals comes on the way. You people please stay in our village and in early morning go to mussoorie by bus. But we replied 'no'. We will go at any cost. Then two Army men came, both have unique personality, they were on Pulsar bike carrying hawk bird on their hand. They were so motivating, they called us to go mussoorie by foot. And then we began trekking to mussoorie. In between the way, we saw Dehradoon zoo.
After 10km trek, we saw an ancient Shiv temple and decided to halt there at night. And we halted in the Temple premises. There were so many benches outside the temple. On one side, there was deep gorge and other side high mountains. Next morning, one of my friend said plz. take bus for the remaining journey to mussoorie. And we agreed and said o.k. We reached Mussoorie early morning. We were amazed to see people wearing sweater in the month of May. This city is situated at the elevation of 2005.5m. Mussoorie is called queen of the hills. As we had no idea about mussoorie, so we asked some person about the tourist places. They said, Kempty fall is nice one. From mussoorie we take lift from a 'Tata Magic commercial vehicle' and reached Kempty fall at 8:00am (approx). Very few people were there. We had put our bag in a private locker and goes inside the fall area. At 10:00am there was huge crowd and even increasing. At that time I don't know swimming so I had taken air tube for Rs50 rent. But it was of no use to me. As the depth of the Kund is only about 1 meter. So I had given it to a lady who was in need of it.
