5:30 pm, Rolla, GHNP
The sun had set behind the Himalayan shade that we were going to camp under, on the 26th night of November, 2023. An almost full moon, smiling bright at us, as the temperatures started dipping and all of us nearly cuddled with each other- the bonfire being our support and glue.
This was my first time trekking in an all-female trek (barring Stephan), let alone being led by a dashing trio of ladies! While I slid this aspect of the trek aside because I was excited more about camping in the Great Himalayan National Park, it turned out that the experience was greatly transformed because of it being women-led and by the presence of our local trek leaders β Shabnam, Ritika and Anamika in more ways than I can recount. These wonder-women had carried enough supplies for not just basics but some luxuries during the trek and made sure we had the most peaceful and comfortable time throughout.
βThe real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new sights, but in looking with new eyesβ β Marcel Proust
And with this beautiful verse, let us meet Shabnam, Ritika and Anamika! Although we trekked together to the camp site and spoke a little throughout, it took the next sunrise to really talk with the ladies and get to know them a bit better. Shabnam enjoys nature, and feels trekking is a great way to meet people and stay fit. Huge thanks to Anamika for saving sloppy me from stumbling over countless number of times while I gleamed and drooled over the surreal mountains and valleys while carrying a heavy load herself! Ritika was the most silent of the three albeit super strong. They share a common passion for the wild and for the art of trekking, and have undergone trainings for the same. They are also aware of the labyrinth of challenges that are outside of their individual capacities, but their determination to stay firm with their desires to lead treks the way their fellow male relatives, friends and community members do, deserves appreciation and support.
We had a three-course feast for a meal that night by the camp-fire, with a background of the gushing and energetic Tirth River, surrounded by the Himalayas walled up against us, silhouettes of pines and deodars poking out of the mountain heads against the full moon shine! It was mystical and magical, to say the least. We learnt about each one of us, the GNHP and how trekking is such an important part of the protected forest, and of course the challenges with female-led trekking! I learnt that indeed there exist tight constraints from the patriarchal family structures that limit girls from pursuing this as a career, but the structure of the cooperative that operates in the forest also is limiting in many ways. But the fact that we were there overcoming all challenges, is a testament to what can be achieved. After hours of conversations and stories, we un-winded for the day with sitting on rocks by the roaring river and embracing the moment that we were sharing together in the middle of the forest β a moment of a lifetime! I donβt know but sitting on rocks does something to me. That night was especially special β the cool and soothing touch of the rocks, the giant, warm, and illuminated moon reflecting against a thrashing river stream that was dictating the silence of the forest by carving a path of its very own despite multiple hurdles on its way, while we were its observers! Soon after, we crawled back into our tents and called it a night!
We woke up the next morning bright and early to fairly gloomy skies, and crafted a time-bound plan so as to reach back in time. While the ladies packed up our tents and made sure we ate a warm and cozy breakfast before starting our trek back, me along with the rest of the bunch went and explored the surrounding forests and I mentally told myself that I got to do a longer trek here, for this wasnβt something I had experienced before and letting go felt unjustified in the moment. But what had to be done, had to be done.
Day two of the trek brought with it a strange nostalgia. We had passed the ice-break moment and I was having a candid banter with the trek-leaders since morning. Somewhere, there was this felt energy of making the most of the time we had left.
On the trek back, of course, we kept a sense of time, but time felt relaxed and slower. Our leaders, despite carrying weight, opened up more about their lives and this is when I realized what it actually means to be trekkers as a female in a male-terroritised field (which can also be unorganized in so many cases). Of course, the challenges of trekking and female trekking lie, but as an individual female trekker, it calls for much more than just spirit and wishes! I could never have fathomed the complexity of this, had it not been for this trip and the subtle way in which this complexity was unlayered to me, thanks to the folks at HET and the ladies. In crisp words, female trekking groups shall work with all female groups, sometimes with an exception of taking family trekking groups along, and to keep this going, I urge all the gal-pals to hoot in their clans and go on an exploration with female trek leads. The female trek leads, much like the three ladies who were my trek leads do love trekking and understand the importance of this. But this is a sustainable career choice, or an add-on career for them only if we have demand for such female-centric trekking groups. The roots are deeply social, and there is a hanging thread of conservation and equity in this case which is one important reason why more females need to trek in these forest-mountains. I beckon you to embark on this trail and unravel all these stories yourself. You shall be spellbound in wonder β both in terms of the physical and emotional visuals. Yes, you have to be utterly respectful and cautious when treading these trails, and I am sure you know how to calmly maneuver the rocky, slippery and uneven trails, the ladies are supportive and will keep you from tripping too bad π
On our way back, we wanted stopped over at βNaniβs placeβ β Nani is the last inhabitant of the Great Himalayan National Park and lives by herself in a hut. We wanted to know about her and had asked her the day before if we could, to which she had beamed at us with a confirmation but that day it did not sit well with her and so we left her, and the woods with her without even saying goodbye.
Not generalizing, but all this while, while I have trekked with males and male trek leads if at all, I have never gotten close to who they are as individuals, which wasnβt the case here. We shared energy from one another, drawing inspiration from who we are and sharing stories from our lives which strengthened our bond as we inched closer to civilization and the realities that were going to hit us, alongside phone connectivity. We trekked back slowly, stopping to observe the various birds behind trees, making way for locals to cross, talking about the people who live near this forest, bawling over at monkey families having their own adventure in the wild, picking trash and what not! Iβm happy to say that Anamika, despite having saved me several times, approves of my βtrekking skillsβ that are βnot that badβ! Hehe
Oh and the Rhododendron squash that we had mid-trek!! I wish I could have a glass of that in this March-Mumbai-heat!
Saying goodbyes was bittersweet. After all, is there any person who has ever come back of a trek not wanting to stay back for more! Picking a brighter star among the trekking crew and the playfield β the GHNP is not a pick I can ever make. And I cannot wait to trek again with Shabnam, Anamika and Ritika!
Himalayan Ecotourism (HET) understands the importance of involving women in ensuring that conservation activities are implemented and are upheld by the local communities owing to the vast experience of Stephan (the founder of HET) working with various communities, especially in Tirthan Valley. They are currently working through their several programs to empower women of this valley through their social enterprise venture and by enabling female-led trekking groups. Their efforts not only scream equality, in what has become a hugely patriarchal and political society and business stream, but also delicately caters to environmental and ecosystem preservation.
This blog was definitely one of the more challenging ones. And as I was writing this, I spoke with some ladies in my clan to know about what they feel about trekking with fellow females. The consensus is that females enjoy learning about stories of the land that they are trekking on, the people they are trekking with and also love to push their own trekking limits. Having a group that encourages to mold the trek to include everyoneβs needs while helping each other is the support they seek and wish to provide! It is about the process of reaching the destination and learning about each other, and many times, about connecting with one another after having come back from an experience that is most cherished. Of course, the joy of summiting leaves a decadent and everlasting after taste. Shout-out to Ayshwarya, Shubhangi, Shreya, and Samridhi for sharing your thoughts on this!