A Himalayan adventure

Illustration: Sonal Goyal Taran was travelling in Himachal Pradesh with his family. They stepped out of the taxi after a one-hour drive from Kasol. They had reached Barshaini, the starting point of the Kheerganga trek. The guide took one look at their clothes and declared, “You will need warmer clothes! Raincoat? Are those shoes waterproof? Woollen socks? Gloves? It will be zero degrees in the camp.”Just as he finished, it began to shower.“Oh no,” said Amma. “We haven’t even started and it is already raining.”The family felt grossly underprepared for the trek ahead. They rented some essentials, put on their raincoats, took up their trekking sticks and began to walk. Luckily, the sky cleared up. Soon they sighted the Barshaini dam.“The mountains are reflected in the dam waters!” Taran was spellbound, but the guide said that photography was not allowed. They kept walking through beautiful tall trees and were often stopped by sheep. Soon the ascent began.Taran turned to the guide, “How long to reach Kheerganga? Are there really hot springs there on the top?”The guide replied jauntily, “It is a 12 km trail. We should reach around 5.00 pm. You can go for a hot spring dip after the trek. It is most refreshing.”Taran wanted to know more about the hot springs, but the guide was busy walking. They passed beautiful waterfalls. The majestic Parvati River flowed by the trail. The views were spectacular. For lunch, they stopped at a little Tibetan stall selling momos. The owner had an Indian flag flying above. He politely asked all the trekkers if they liked the food.“Amma, he has the best life. Stunning views of snow-capped mountains! A little stream flowing for fresh water and momos ... all you can eat.”The man smiled, “That is true. I only go down into town once in a few months.” He waved them off, wishing them a safe trek.After lunch, the trek felt never-ending. Taran was tired. They reached the final ascent and, as expected, it was very steep. Taran and his parents used the last bit of their reserves and reached the top. It was totally worth it. Taran dropped his gear and immediately went looking for the hot springs. As he soaked, he felt his tiredness disappear. “This is amazing.”“This is a natural geothermal sulphur pool located at an altitude of 2,960 metres. It is a Nature’s miracle,” said Appa.Next, they visited a temple near the springs. The priest was happy to see children among the trekkers. “Come again, soon! Bring your friends,” he said with a parting smile and a wave. Published - September 25, 2026 10:39 am IST