Prabuddha Jivan 2012 Year 59 Ank 01 to 12

SR No.: 525997
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Dhanvant Shah
Publisher: Mumbai Jain Yuvak Sangh
Publication Year: 2012
Total Pages: 528
Language: Gujarati
Classification: Magazine, India_Prabuddha Jivan, & India
File Size: 33 MB

Page 488

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PRABUDHHA JIVAN
THE WAY TO SERENITY: JOURNEY TO LEH
☐ SARTHAK PARIKH
Looking at Sarthak's nature we all were very much upset and hesitating to give him permission for this journey. He could have argued like a lawyer and convinced us. But we had decided not to argue with him. We just advised him to travel cautiously because he was going on his 'Royal Enfield' [motorbike] from Chandigarh to Leh and Ladakh. He had roughly about 25 kg. of lugguage with him. We were very proud and happy about his journey when he returned safely. He was a hero of our family & we also welcomed him like a hero.
The meaning of the word serenity in the dictionary is `composure', I realised another one for it in line with the dictionary fulfilment', I had dreamt and wished for a trip to LEH five years back. It was my wish for a trip to ROHATANG PASS on my own `ROYAL ENFIELD' (motor bike). I dreamt of riding down on my own machine. Today, nine days after fulfilling my dream, I still can't sink in the feeling of being in Mumbai. THE JOURNEY
I left on 2nd June 2007 by train with my bike right behind me in brake van. We got down at Chandigarh and were ready to ride on the next day. Siddharth, Dikson, Sapna, Pinky and myself. All with the dream of riding down to Leh.
On 4th June, we started from Chandigarh at around 1.30 p.m. with the dream in our mind. The thoughts going through my mind at that time are inexpressible. Oh, here I was starting my journey of my dreams'. People who had been earlier on this trail really scared us about the difficulties. We reached Bilaspur at around 7.00 p.m. after crossing a long tunnel of about 5 to 6 kms. Bilaspur was up in the hills with nice greenery all around. We had a guy named Danesh who joined us on the way. He was a seasoned rider, who had been to Leh a year back. By 4.30 p.m. on 5th of June we reached our first stop in Parvati valley also known as `Jari'. A peaceful and calm village without any noise pollution. On the way to Manikaran where there are hot springs, we detoured from the Manali road. This is the place where one should take a break to get used to the silence of the Himalayas.
We stayed for couple of days in and around Manali and enjoyed the Parvati valley's ever changing beautiful face. Here my buddy Sidharth met with an accident. He had minor injuries in his right foot. However he was in no condition to ride his byke, so he and Pinky stayed back. They joined us much later on the trail. So here we were - Dikson, Sapna and myself, off to Leh on our Movraie and Maximus. Maximus, is the name given to my ROYAL ENFIELD Standard 350 cc, while Movraie is Dikson's bike.
NOVEMBER 2012
The real journey had started today - 9th June. The first pass we cleared was `Rohtang Pass', which is at a
Pushpa Parikh, Grandma. height of 3980 m. It is a commercial place with food stalls and traffic around. Once you clear the Pass you go down to Khokson. Here we met with a group of three riders and a car. The bikes were from Ahmedabad and a car from Shimla. This is how I met Jigar, Ani, Tippu, Basi and Ramlal. Who would have thought that these guys would become my close friends in the next two days!
We crossed our first stream i.e. `Nalla' together. By the time we reached 'Tondi' the last fuel pump, before next 365 kms., it was already 6.00 p.m. We had travelled 107 kms. from Manali. By 8.00 p.m. we had our tents pitched in a clear patch we found after a little search. We stocked up the petrol and were ready for the next day journey. It was our first night in the open and we got to know how bad `AMS' i.e. acute mountain sickness can be. At only 2573 m but being cold and windy, Sapna had a breathing problem. It was terrible. She could neither breathe nor speak. We wrapped her well and hoped everything would be fine by morning. Till 2.00 a. m. everything was OK but after that wind velocity increased and it was freezing cold even in the tent. I was actually clinging to Dikson throughout the night, hoping to get some of his body warmth.
However, by next morning we had got over the effects of AMS' and extreme cold and were ready to leave. We planned to reach 'Pong' by the end of the day. The distance was a good 192 kms.
On 10th, by 7.00 a.m. we were on the road again after some difficulties in trying to start Jigar's bike. He had some peculiar problem in his bike. On the way we met a local couple telling us that the bridge at Darchu had broken and we would be stranded and indeed it was broken. Some of the planks had broken and were being repaired by Border Security Organisation (BSO). This is the elite organisation of the Indian Army, which is responsible for working and maintainig the border roads of India. It was good two and a half an hour time before we could carry on. The broken bridge was blessing in disguise for us. We met Aakash there. He was riding alone from Delhi. This Mumbai guy had picked up a friend's bike and was riding down to Leh waiting to meet his wife Garima who