Stories Of Jalsu Pass (Part-01)

Jalsu Pass is considered an easy trek compared to other passes in the Dhauladhar mountain range. This pass is used to reach Manimahesh Kailash from Baijnath. Actually, locals also use it from Paprola to Nayagram, meaning this pass connects Kangra to Chamba. Three of us visited Manimahesh Kailash from Jalsu in the month of October.

It is October after the rains, the monsoon is retreating from the Himalayas to return again next year. Didn't go anywhere the whole rainy season, spent the whole time in Beed. We had some short treks and cycling. For centuries, Jalsu had kept the pass in his “to do list” but the problem was that he had forgotten where this list was kept.

It is the case of 15 October 2018, when three of us marched towards Jalsu with arms and ammunition. The weather was great and so were the companions. Apart from me, there was Nupur and Raja Saheb of Nagrota, names are Pahado wala, Rocky, Amit Katoch. This man has three names, it is possible that he is a king. All three of us left in Pahadowala's Pintu (Punto car). Our first stop was Paprola from where we purchased necessary items for the trek.

Soon we reached Utrala, the time was around ten thirty. It had already been decided that we would attack as soon as we got down from the car, the young blood of everyone was jumping to run on the trek, but we spent the entire 45 minutes there just for the sake of selfies. Finally, when it was time to leave, we realized that the train could go even further. We parked the car at Binwa Hydro Project and decided to start the climb from here. Although most of the people start the trek from where we had parked Pintu earlier, for memory sake the trek starts from where there is a big water body.

The steep climb started from the Hydro Project itself, the oil of all three came out first and the sweat later. Some people had told on the project that this road also meets the main road of Jalsu after crossing the village. Just now an uncle I met on the way told that first the water tank will come, then the school will come, then the village will come and after that the direct path of the fraudster will come. So all his tools up to the water tank got ruined. Crossed the school, and then came to the village. The first thought in the minds of all three after seeing the village was, “Has the migration process been completed here?” , We couldn't see anyone far and wide. After ten minutes, the voices of some children came and from the conversation it was revealed that the route of the thief passes through the village. The children went further with us. Now the route was known but it was not known where the villagers were missing.

The road is full of tunnels and big water drains. We had brought potato parathas with us from Beed and before crossing the river we did pet puja. There is a sheepherder sitting here, but he is not here right now…yes, it is very tempting to see 20-25 lambs. There is not much water in Banu Khad, the river was crossed even before taking off the shoes. After walking for about an hour it started raining, the good thing was that we were in a hut. This is Bakluddu where we also met some people, all of whom are locals and spend around 8-9 months of the year here. Well, until the rain stopped, we had a cup of tea each.

Till now the path was not very difficult, at some places there was a climb and at other places it was flat. Anyway, in Dhauladhar this trek is kept in the category of easy trek. We reached our destination before evening. This is Parai (2298 m), there are some huts built here and the walking distance from here is 10 km. It happens. This time due to heavy rains, less trekkers came to this side, hence most of the huts are empty except one. Ankil alone told that, “A Tapri had almost washed away in the fence recently. There were two people inside that hut, husband and wife, both are locals. The man has a habit of drinking alcohol, even on the day of the attack, he was drunk and slept in the shed. His wife came running from outside and pulled him out. Two out of four walls were almost washed away, that's all the damage caused to them."

Disclaimer: I have also posted the content (text and photos) posted in this blog in Hindi language on my Hindi blog 'www.himalayanwomb.blogspot.com'. The English version of the same Hindi blog on Hive has been posted here with the help of Google Translate.

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