PURI - Before & After Cyclone Fani

Puri is the second home of people of Bengal. Coming back to Puri gives endless joys. And with gracious presence of Al Mighty Lord Jagannath (Puri Temple), Puri, the vast sea beach, plentiful of affordable accommodation, nearby tourist point of interests like Nandan Kanan, Surya Mandir at Konarak, Chilka Lagoon and many more - Puri is emotionally attached with Bengalis. 

Well, honest I am a frequent goer to Puri and this time on two occasion - just before and after Cyclone Fani. We witnessed the same joys that Puri offers us invariably during my visit to Puri before Fani. But after Cyclone Fani, we witnessed traces of devastating damages everywhere. From Bhubaneswar to Puri - the falling roadside trees, severely damaged homes, bent electric poles, glass windows of hotels - totally smashed, and finally the Puri Station - that's a disaster! The famous Kalpabata (The Great Banyan Tree) inside the Jagannath Temple has also broken down!

Jagannath Temple, Puri

PURI MOHANA

Jolly Di, my mother & me

PURI NEAR MOHANA

But the spirit never dies! Puri is gaining its rhythm in full momentum. Restoration works of Railway Stations, Electric Poles, Roadside Stalls, Damaged Households are on in full swing. Hope to see Puri shinning with full glory ASAP.

Few SNAPSHOTS:-

PURI BEACH

Family Moment - My Mother & Jolly Di

Evening at Puri - Prasenjit & me (After Fani)

Waiting for Dinner, Puri

Not only this hotel but also entire Puri seems to be rather unusually marooned. And finally, watch this video (Puri after Cyclone Fani)! 

Please do share your views & comments!

Gangotri - Gomukh Trek - An Unforgettable Journey Towards Gangotri Glacier

This Gangotri - Gomukh trek ends leaving behind lots of sweet memories. I have shared photos and videos in my previous posts. This is the last entry on Gangotri - Gomukh Trek! Plan for whereabouts of the next trek is already on! So, you may expect more trek stories! Plus, I'll share few orthodox THINK-AND-GO travel stories I undertook very recently. Do visit my blog and share your comments!

ENJOY!

Enjoying Snowfall

Subrata, Raju & Me

On the way! Sandipan, Sanjib & me! 

Subhra & me

Pijush Basu

Our Guide, Bipin Singh (Very knowledgeable and energetic)

Update
Bipin whatsapped me couple of days ago. Anyone interested to trek that region, please call me. I will be more than happy to share his number. I don't want to share his number in Public Blog to protect him from overdose of Sales Calls. I have already shared his contact nos. with some of my friends. And all of them are very much satisfied with his service.

Links to previous posts:-

• GANGOTRI GOMUKH TREK May 2019 - Itinerary
• Gangotri - Gomukh Trek - The Team
• Gangotri - Gomukh Trek - Haridwar to Uttarkashi
• Gangotri - Gomukh Trek - Uttarkashi to Gangotri
• Gangotri - Gomukh Trek - at Gangotri Temple
• Gangotri - Gomukh Trek - Towards Gangotri Nation Park Entry
• Gongatri - Gomukh Trek - From Gangotri National Park to Chirbasa
• Gangortri - Gomukh Trek - From Chirbasa to Bhojbasa
• Gangotri - Gomukh Trek - from Bhojbasa to Gomukh
• Gangotri - Gomukh Trek - Returning Back to Gangotri

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS & FEEDBACKS!

Gangotri - Gomukh Trek - Returning Back to Gangotri

We The Team of Seven! After completion of our project!

Any trek / expedition is a round-way journey! Return is never easy as you get tired, you have less muscular energy duly followed by lethargy to pave each step carefully as you have to negotiate the same trails, this time just in the reverse direction. More descents and less ascents! But journey way back was as amazing as the forward one!

Returning from Bhojbasa to Chirbasa

What a shade of color all around!

We walked through marvel!

Gangotri Temple - Jai Maa Ganga!

Gangotri - Gomukh Trek - from Bhojbasa to Gomukh

Today the journey must start as early as possible! We started at around 6:30 am. Walking through boulders is never easy, followed by rocky zone and eventually through the pebbles, stones, ice, and myriads of streams over Gangotri glacier to reach GOMUKH. 

But lucky we were! Fortunate we were by the grace of Ganga Maa! 

We got the clearest view of snow-peaks, Mt. Shivlinga & Bagirathi - I, II and III as the Sun on that day burst into laughter to usher His blessings over the snow-peaks all around us creating a hetherto unseen world of mesmerising natural beauty.

Morning, GMVN Camp, Bhojbasa

Everything is under SNOW Curtain, Bhojbasa to Gomukh

Few trails through boulders were really challenging!

But views like this will never get you tired!

Clear view of Bhagirathi - I, II and III Peak

Team Leader, Pijush Bose - in full control despite steep ascent and negotiating large boulders while walking towards Gomukh

Mt. Shivling

Sanjib engaging in icy activities!

Finally at GOMUKH

Me at Gomukh, finally!

We have made it finally!

NEXT : RETURN BACK TO GANGOTRI

Gangortri - Gomukh Trek - From Chirbasa to Bhojbasa

The path has become challenging. Steep ascents followed by sharp descents, turns, rock-fall zones, dusty-mountain trails, muds, frozen ice - that you have to negotiate! And to top it all - boulders! This terrain is more challenging! And you get exposed to snow peaks lying at touchable distance. 

You have to negotiate these ice - glaciers! No margin of error!

Boulders - boulders everywhere - this is what awaits you now!

Walk over the boulders, near Bhojbasa! The snow-peaks are so close!

Mesmerising Snowfall at Bhojbasa

Bhojbasa Camp : Its whitish layer of snow that creates this perfect makeover

The GMVN is best place to stay at Bhojbasa though tad pricy. They have good accommodations, the dinner is served burning hot, hot drinking water, hot teas! All that you need before taking a tedious journey through the boulders from the very onset of the Sun to reach Gomukh!

 NEXT : TREK FROM BHOJBASA TO GOMUKH

Gongatri - Gomukh Trek - From Gangotri National Park to Chirbasa

Walking down the foothills of Himalayas has its own charm! Roads are always challenging with Down / Up - Down / Up structure! It takes lungful of air to negotiate some steep ascents! But the greeneries and the 3-D panoramic views will never make you tired! Just enjoy the walk through the nature and keep going!

Crossing a temporary bridge! Needs some steady nerve for the first timers! Later on you are sure to enjoy more than anything else!

View from Chirbasa Camp Site

Guide Bipin Singh and Me, Chirbasa

NEXT TREK TO BHOJBASA FROM CHIRBASA

Gangotri - Gomukh Trek - Towards Gangotri Nation Park Entry

Today our trek starts! It does not take long to watch the Gangotri temple gradually reducing to point-size as we proceeds towards the entry point of Gangotri National Park!

Forget not to take permission from Maa Ganga

Gangotri

Memerised Sanjib

Journey starts as the Sun peeping behind the snow peak

Way to Gangotri National Park

Subrata - Yes! Keep the spirit going!

The Views That Never Makes You Tired

Gangotri National Park Entry Point

Keep the papers ready. They will check for approval from DFO. They will inspect your bags. They charged us a token amount for carrying plastic bags with the condition that the amount is refundable if we could show them the plastic garbages.

And we feel proud to confirm we have not left any plastic garbages - not even a chocolate cover - inside the forest area!

Mountains here are greener!

Blue Sheep - we did not find them!

Mountain Peaks Lying Fur Away


These peaks become visible as we approach close to GOMUKH!

NEXT: TREK TOWARS CHIRBASA