A Gist of Tiger Solanki

 Trekking Through Nature's Unrelenting Fury

Landslides, cloudbursts, falling boulders, orange alerts, flooding rivers, broken roads, and anxiety-ridden moments made for a harrowing experience," says Asst. Prof. Dr. Santosh Kumar Bennur, an anesthesiologist at Chamarajanagar Institute of Medical Sciences.

"I've done a few treks in the past, and this one was on my bucket list. I was wondering when it would happen, and I even discussed it with my husband, who's equally enthusiastic about trekking to the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib," says Dr. Tanushree, a gynecologist at Nanjangud.

"A trek to the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib is highly sought after due to its stunning flora, fauna, and birdlife, culminating in a spiritual experience. The abundance of Brahma Kamal adds to its allure, making it a feast for pilgrims and trekkers alike," says Dr. Hema Amit, a pediatrician at K R Nagar.

On August 5, 2025, our team arrived at Dehradun Airport from Bangalore, buzzing with excitement for our trek. However, our enthusiasm was short-lived as news broke of a devastating cloudburst in Dharali village, Uttarkashi. Initially, we didn't think much of it, but as calls from home poured in, the gravity of the situation sank in. As we watched the news, footage of gushing water sweeping through the village sparked fear and anxiety among us and our families. Many urged us to return home and wait for the situation to settle. Mr. Manjunath, a photographer from Mysore, recalled the emotional moment, "It was a sentimental moment, unsure of what to do next.

In the evening, Mr. Rawat of Pahadi Adventures gave orientation about the trek and he cautioned us about the situation in the mountains.

The night of August 5, 2025, was marked by heavy rain, and the morning of August 6th brought grim news. We were ready to hit the road, but a police patrol van announced that the road was closed due to flooding, falling boulders, and roadblocks. Authorities advised us to turn back and settle in Rishikesh or make alternative plans.

However, our friend Solanki, being the determined one, found an alternate route via the Tehri Garhwal dam. We proceeded with caution and reached Srinagar, fortunate that the rains had subsided. By 7 pm, we received news that a huge boulder had blocked the road for the past hour. Hoteliers informed us that it might take until morning to clear the road, leaving us uncertain about our next steps.

Despite the uncertainty, we held onto hope. By 9 pm, we received word that the Border Road Organization had cleared the road, and we could precede. We finally reached Govindghat by 10 pm, grateful for the smooth passage.

On August 7, 2025, we began our trek to Gangaria, feeling like our prayers had reached Lord Indra. Despite cloudy skies, the trek was blissful, with stunning waterfalls along the way. However, we encountered a sobering moment when we saw a trekker from Bangalore being carried on a stretcher after getting injured while trying to avoid a landslide. This served as a stark reminder to stay alert and aware of our surroundings during the trek, keeping our senses sharp and avoiding distractions like headphones.The 11-13 km journey to Gangaria proved to be a true test of endurance, as Mr. Ajay Ganesh, an advocate from Bangalore, aptly put it.

The day had finally come for what I had dreamt of," says Shilpa, a housewife whose very first trek was to the Valley of Flowers. "I was super excited to see the flowers, and although no batches were allowed in the previous days due to an orange alert, the staff at the field noticed no signs of showers and let our batch inside the valley. As a UNESCO heritage site, I was thrilled to notice the remarkable cleanliness of the path – no plastic wrappers or mule dung in sight. It felt like trekking in another world. The path was full of different varieties of flowers, including species from families like Genus Primula, Dicots, Phylum Tracheophyta, Family Polypodiaceae, Genus Ligularia, and Angiospermae. Our mentor, Solanki, observed around 146 plants and flowers, identifying 46 of them. This trekking expedition was truly unforgettable and will remain etched in my heart forever.

As we embarked on our next destination, a pilgrimage trek to Hemkund Sahib, situated at an altitude of approximately 15,000 feet, we realized it wouldn't be an easy feat," says Dr. Preethi Alum, a doctor from Bangalore. "The steep gradient made it really challenging. However, the valley's abundance of Brahma Kamal was breathtaking. Finally, seeing what I'd been longing to see was accomplished. We paid our respects at the shrine, hoisted the tricolor near the Kund, and exclaimed 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Hip Hip Hurray!' The khichadi and tea at the langar were a perfect culmination to our efforts, a feast worth savoring," adds Dr. Jyothsna Srikant, a doctor from Bellary.

The program culminated with a visit to the Badrinath Shrine and nearby places like Mana village, the first village on the Indian side. However, the adventure didn't end there. As we returned, we were skeptical about the route, which was undulating in many places, making our journey challenging. "We traveled about 25kms and witnessed huge mountains crumbling down onto the road, a sight that sent chills down our spines," says Kishore Parekh from Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh.

Despite the challenges on the road, including falling stones, we persisted until we reached Rishikesh. At one point, the road was blocked for a long time, and we doubted whether we'd reach Rishikesh. I got down to see what was happening and landed on silt about a foot deep. Lifting my leg was a challenge in itself. Realizing the mess, I moved to the valley side, sat on the bridge, and slowly regained my composure. After washing off the silt, I reflected on the experience, which was truly harrowing," said D S D Solanki, a man who has trekked in the mountains for nearly four decades.

The team consisted of 18 trekkers from Karnataka, Maharastra and Chhattisgarh respectively.

The trekkers were Kishore Parekh, DSD Solanki, Santosh Bennur, Tanushree Jena, Amit Kumar, Hema Amit, Shilpa Nanjappa, Vindhya Veera, Sunandamma, Pavan Gowda, Ajay Ganesh, Deepa, Ujwal Shailendra, Preethi Alum, Manjunath MP and Jyothsna Srikanth.

The program was organized and coordinated by Pahadi Adventures of Uttarakhand from Aug 5-14, 2025 under the able leadership of Dr Santosh Kumar Bennur and coordinated by Mr Gaurav Rawat.