Grass Is Greener

High up in the Garhwal Himalaya, the meadows or bugyals of Ali and Bedni prove that glimpsing Himalayan alpine scenery doesn’t always require breaking into a heavy sweat.

- Parikshit Rao

Much as trekkers and bikers overrun the valleys and mountain passes in Himachal Pradesh, the neighbouring hill state of Uttarakhand is known to beckon those who like their roads less travelled. Unreliable public transport and limited tourist infrastructure turn travelling here into an intense spiritual experience—one that starts with a prayer and ends with sheer physical strength. It comes as no surprise then, that pilgrims and serious trekkers throng Uttarakhand’s untamed corners.

Being the second largest district of Uttarakhand has conferred certain bragging rights upon Chamoli. Covered in hulking mountains, steep valleys, raging rivers and deep gorges, the northern district is wild country. Apart from the temple of Badrinath, the Sikh shrine of Hemkund Sahib and the gorgeous Valley of Flowers sanctuary lying to the north, many of Chamoli’s unrestrained wonders lie to its south-east. This region is home to high-altitude meadows called bugyals, mysterious glacial lakes, and more than 50 six-thousanders! Out of these natural wonders, the bugyals intrigued me for the longest time. The thought of vast high-altitude grasslands hemmed in by snowy mountains was tremendous motivation to get going.

Green Road