Episode 249 : The Devbhoomi Experience- Part 9

The welder's attempts to fix the broken cam are in vain. Zim's test ride hardly lasts a hundred metres; he returns shaking his head. It appears Zim will have to procure the spare part from a dealer in Dehradun. A mechanic is arranged for, but he will reach only in the night. Which means we will have to stay at Karnaprayag tonight.

Muthu then looks at me and says 'Saddle up, you join the rest. We two will stay here'

I say nothing and run off to my motorcycle. My mind is filled with a single thought- I will be alone for the next 100 kms. I enter Karnaprayag town and cross the river, taking a road that will lead me to Chamoli. The locals tell me my route is in the opposite direction. I am disappointed; the road looks invitingly steep.

60329 @ Nandaprayag

My first stop is for a cup of tea at Nandaprayag. I tell the man to make it with kali mirch. Obviously I am still enamoured by the tea the old man at Chaukori made for us.

A group of teens are huddled around a mobile phone. A show of some kind is on and they are oblivious to me, till I walk past them towards the wash basin.

'Paani nahi hai?' I ask the man making tea. Hearing me, all the boys instinctively turn around in alarm. I don't react to this sudden show of attention, but I now know what kind of show is going on in the phone.

I get my tea in a few minutes and see that the boys have moved inside the stall and are facing me, but are still concentrating on the phone.

The road to Joshimath is packed with Sumos, Qualises and buses- each transporting pilgrims to and from Badrinath. The road is broken and filled with slush, making movement difficult on the narrow path. I patiently wait for a gap that I can use.

Meanwhile, the Sumo driver in front of me picks up a petty fight with a Sumo driver going in the opposite direction. They almost come to blows much to their passengers' shock. The honking from vehicles in front of us stops it before anybody could do anything.

I spot a gap six feet wide which will let me overtake most of the vehicles ahead. My only problem is the slush. I honk a couple of times to warn the Sumo driver in front of me about my intention to overtake. He doesn't react.

After a sufficient while, I make a move. The driver sticks out his hand and demands to know what I am up to. After all the honking...

Revving alongside, I look at him and say 'Jagah hai, ja raha hoon' and speed off.

My messages and calls to Tiger, Ron and Srini remain unanswered. They must have gone to Auli, I surmise. I reach Joshimath, our stop for the day, with the sun still up. I could ride to Auli and join the rest, or hang around. I know the boys have dumped Tapovan for Auli because of insufficient time.

I look at the fuel gauge, look at the sky and make my decision.

Tapovan is only 15kms away, but in fading light and that kind of terrain, it is as bad as travelling 70kms in an hour. And, I went past the only fuel pump in Joshimath. I fervently hope I have enough fuel in reserve to return, assuming a pessimistic average of 25kms to the litre. The reserve holds 1.5 litres.

The road is under repair. It looks like a construction is also in progress. I see trucks carrying debris going towards Joshimath. I reach a bleak looking village, with less than a litre remaining in the tank.

60410 @ Tapovan

The construction workers tell me I am in Tapovan and that there is a village 30kms away towards the border. If it wasn't for the light, lack of fuel and a gnawing fear of getting stranded, I would have gone ahead until sent back by a patrol station.

I return to the village nearby and stop to have tea and biscuits. The stall is filled with local people and labourers from the nearby construction. The labourers are from the UP/Bihar area, but in my attire, I look the most out of place.

I enter Joshimath just as the sun sets completely. Tiger is yet to answer my call and I am not sure which tourist home he has booked us in. To my surprise, I see Tiger coming towards me from the opposite direction. I try to make a turn on that narrow road and lose my balance.

The car that just passed me by, holds up my saddlebag and prevents me from losing my balance completely. I just need someone to hold my motorcycle while I free my leg that's caught at an angle. However no one offers to help, thinking I can manage on my own. So I remain at an awkward half-standing, half-falling position for a few minutes till the car moves.

60426 @ Joshimath

I rejoin the boys at the turn ahead. The motorcycles get some attention while I recount the story of the day to the rest.

Muthu and Zim will meet us at Chamoli the next day. By then we would have completed going to Badrinath as well.