Let Nothing Stop Your Dreams: My Trek from Mcleodganj to Triund

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” – John Muir

This is a quote that I relate with immensely! Most of us, I suppose, at one time or another have had the impulse to leave behind our daily routine and responsibilities and seek out, temporarily, a new life. A few weeks ago with the same thought in mind I decided to go searching for this proverbial .

Writing this article has meant giving words to one of the most memorable journeys of my life. I have 90% Cerebral Palsy and I went for a trek. My friends and I decided to go trekking from Mcleodganj up to Triund. My adventure began right at Delhi when I had to run to catch a bus from the Kashmiri Gate Metro Station to ISBT. It was a bit disconcerting to discover that I was not comfortable in my new pair of shoes while I was running, but I cracked up when I boarded the bus and discovered that I was wearing different coloured socks that were clearly visible!  

After a long bus journey full of sharp turns up the mountains we finally reached our hotel in Mcleodganj. Our hotel was called The Pink Room and was down in the valley. The hotel had a beautiful painting right at the entrance and as we were to later find out the reception of the hotel was located on the roof. With 50 stairs to climb up, I found myself trekking before the real trek actually began. The moment I opened the balcony door upon reaching my room, I was swept away by the stunning views. There were majestic mountains dotted with tiny houses and hotels. Ironically, we were one of the dots on those mountains too.

My friends and I spent the day exploring Mcleodganj. We started from the Dalai Lama Temple, and then visited the monasteries and markets. As night fell the city lit up and looked beautiful. We had booked a guest house in Triund and at the last moment we got a call from our travel agent saying they would have to cancel our reservation since a politician was visiting. We then went to the market to look for alternative arrangements.

We were finally told that there were only two hotels at the peak for which we should’ve booked in advance. Since there was no guarantee that we’d get a room there it was advisable that we take a tent along. Since we didn’t like the thought of freezing in temperatures that can fall to 5 degrees Celsius, we decided to go with the tent. That night sitting with my friends in the market feasting on Momos while admiring the mountain peaks we were about to trek to the following day is an experience I will never forget.

We began our trek at six the next morning. I’d like to thank the Himachal Pradesh government for putting up very appropriate direction signs everywhere in the forests. Otherwise crisscross, the path straightened up once we’d crossed the direction boards. After walking for a few metres we met people who were returning from Triund to Mcleodganj. They took one look at me and had a look of disbelief on their faces. To them a boy taking the support of his friends and trekking was like an alien walking on earth! Some of them even stopped us and told us not to go up. All this while I kept telling myself that I had to reach the top come what may. Even though many people tried to discourage me during this trek there were many who said I was an inspiration to them. Accepting, or rejecting their suggestions was up to me and I chose the positive approach.

Half way up the mountain we had reached “Magic View Point” where we stopped for Maggi noodles. There is a tiny little shop here where you can find nice food to eat. Eating steaming hot Maggi surrounded by mountains on all sides is truly a beautiful experience. Triund Peak was four kilometers from where we were and when I looked back at the distance I’d covered I was surprised that I’d come this far, crossing the rocky terrain. At this point I’d like to thank my friends, Hulk aka Sanchit, Lara Croft aka Tanvi, Punjabi Kukkad aka Hardik and my helper Mukesh for supporting me during each step of the way.

Horses make their way up this narrow steep climb to deliver food and other essentials and at one point I fell down and a horse ran over my leg. I still didn’t lose hope and carried on. There were times during the trek that I was convinced I’ll slip and fall again, but I kept going.

By the evening we had reached the top of Triund and the view is so beautiful that I have no words to describe it. The gigantic mountains, the clear blue sky and the tiny houses dotting the hills- a gorgeous view you can admire for hours. The trek is tough no doubt, but the view at the end of it is totally worth the climb and you’ll forget how tired you are. At nightfall we sat and admired the full moon lighting up the snowcapped peaks.

The next morning we started our descent back to Mcleodganj. It was as challenging as the trek up- the same rocky terrain and people passing by with a shocked look on their faces. The only thing we were missing was the excitement we were feeling on our way up. We were going back to the daily grind, where we probably won’t be able to see the moon shine so bright on a clear, starry night. On our way back, a horse began to chase me again, but this time I ran as fast as I could and stood in a safe place.

Before I undertook this journey one of my relatives told me “Tu paagal hai, trekking normal log nahi kar paate, tu kya karega!” The moment I returned back I called the same relative and said “Mujhe nahi pata normal log kar pate hai ya nahi, magar mene trekking karli”. After all life is about chasing your dreams right!

I will end with my favourite dialogue from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani- “Main udna chahta hoon, daudna chahta hoon, girna bhi chahta hoon ... bus rukna nahi chahta.”