Forests are the most attractive gift of nature. Wilderness has been attracting human beings since times immemorial. In earlier times, forests were the prime source of livelihood for humans, which is the reason why a large number of people, including tribes, have been dwelling in the forest for centuries. Apart from providing livelihood, it is also the main source of water recharge and the place where river systems originate. However, with the onset of urban life, the centuries-old relationship between man and the forest has been depleting day by day. Despite this fact, the curiosity to visit forests still remains an irrepressible desire in the hearts of people.
The canopy of forests give the impression of a living, natural painting where one can forget everything and find out the meaning of life and nature. The peace and tranquility invites one to walk down crooked forest paths and explore new domains of existence. The difference between urban life and nature's calm becomes all too apparent. It is not possible to enjoy the delights of the forest in the busy life of cities. Therefore, we provide a special opportunity to visit Indian forests and villages where one can escape from city-life into a tranquil haven for a few days.
Keeping the above factors in mind, we conduct a five-day village interaction-cum–forest trek at Kausani, distt. Almora and Bageshwar, and Uttarakhand. This is not merely a sight-seeing excursion, but provides adventure and learning that helps us to understand the multiple facets of the environment and helps reflect on various aspects of human life. That is the reason why we call it Volunteer Trekkers. It is essentially eco-tourism combined with a sense of civic responsibility and social duty.
We begin the endeavor from Uttarakhand’s remote areas. We take our volunteer trekkers on a trail of around 12 km through villages and forests. In the villages, the trekkers can interact with the locals and engage in physical labour in the fields in order to better understand village life and its challenges. During the visit, we also take them to old temples and interact with social organizations to understand the challenges of social life in the hills. We adopt some work /village/school where we can contribute our individual effort/expertise for the overall development of the village - such as cleaning the village path, educating the villagers and learning from them, as well as planting some trees & herbs etc. This is not a one-time trip either - we return after a period of time to monitor the progress of our work so that some concrete development happens in the village over a period of time. That is why we can call it duty with beauty.
The canopy of forests give the impression of a living, natural painting where one can forget everything and find out the meaning of life and nature. The peace and tranquility invites one to walk down crooked forest paths and explore new domains of existence. The difference between urban life and nature's calm becomes all too apparent. It is not possible to enjoy the delights of the forest in the busy life of cities. Therefore, we provide a special opportunity to visit Indian forests and villages where one can escape from city-life into a tranquil haven for a few days.
Keeping the above factors in mind, we conduct a five-day village interaction-cum–forest trek at Kausani, distt. Almora and Bageshwar, and Uttarakhand. This is not merely a sight-seeing excursion, but provides adventure and learning that helps us to understand the multiple facets of the environment and helps reflect on various aspects of human life. That is the reason why we call it Volunteer Trekkers. It is essentially eco-tourism combined with a sense of civic responsibility and social duty.
We begin the endeavor from Uttarakhand’s remote areas. We take our volunteer trekkers on a trail of around 12 km through villages and forests. In the villages, the trekkers can interact with the locals and engage in physical labour in the fields in order to better understand village life and its challenges. During the visit, we also take them to old temples and interact with social organizations to understand the challenges of social life in the hills. We adopt some work /village/school where we can contribute our individual effort/expertise for the overall development of the village - such as cleaning the village path, educating the villagers and learning from them, as well as planting some trees & herbs etc. This is not a one-time trip either - we return after a period of time to monitor the progress of our work so that some concrete development happens in the village over a period of time. That is why we can call it duty with beauty.
The detailed itinerary is as follows:
Day 1: Journey begins from Old Delhi Railway Station at 10.45 P.M. through Ranikhet Express to Kathgodam (the foothills of Kumaoun Himalayas) in Uttarakhand.
Day 2: Arrival at Kathgodam at around 5.45 A.M. We begin the journey to Kausani, our base camp, through a Jeep or mini-bus. On the way, we enjoy breakfast at any local joint. Kausani is around 148 km from Kathgodam via Bhimtal, Bhowali, Almora, Kosi, Halwalbagh and Someshwar. The entire journey is a picturesque one as it is along the river Kosi. We reach Kausani at around noon. After lunch and rest, we take a leisurely walk and engage in local sight-seeing. We then relish the beautiful sunset at Anasakti Ashram and a get a breath-taking view of the snow-clad Himalayan peaks like Trishul, Nanda Khat, Mektoli, Nanda Devi, Chaukhambha and Panchachulli and also a panoramic view of the Garur Valley. Anasakti Ashram is a world famous spot known for Mahatma Gandhi’s stay here during his visit to Kumaoun Hills in 1929. We wrap up the day by staying in the village, where after dinner the participants can enjoy the night atmosphere of the rural community.
Day 3: A trek from Kausani to Baijnath, a historical temple complex from the Chandra dynasty dated back to the 9th – 10thcentury AD. It will be an almost 12 km trek via villages Bagri, Jauna and Patli. The entire trek is through small hamlets, fields (where step farming is practised), forests, small waterfalls, rivers and fruit orchards. Upon arrival at the bank of River Gomti at Baijnath, the trekkers can enjoy seeing the fish in the water and observe the temple complex and its ancient architecture. If time permits, we can also visit the Kotmai temple. Returning to Kausani can be done through Jeep or mini-bus. On the way to Kausani, we can see the Tea Factory and tea gardens as well.
Day 4: This day is reserved for the village interaction trek. We will meet the village farmers, women and Gram Pradhan (head). Thereafter, we will participate in some field labour to experience the agricultural practices of Himalayan villages. Here we will also observe the traditional, natural water conservation system. The water mills (gharat) are one of the best indigenous technologies of the village. We will then relish the typical local food of the villagers. It will mainly be an open day for volunteer trekkers to interact with the villagers and try to gather maximum knowledge regarding village life. By evening we get back to Kausani and visit the Anasakti Ashram on the Estate Bungalow side.
Day 5: We take a pine tree forest trek upto Gorkha Quila or the water fall in the forest, which is a typical pine forest. We will start from the Forest Rest House via Sarla trail and reach the Water Falls. Here we will consme our packed lunch amidst the trees and gurgling water. Please note that during the summers, sometimes the days are hot and so it is advisable to carry suitable clothing and ample amount of water. Towards evening the group will visit Laxmi Ashram (Sarla Ashram) where houses almost 80 girls. The uniqueness of this Ashram is that it provides experimental education which combines book-learning with physical work in the fields and the forest. Dinner will be at this venue. Participant can sing and/ or express themselves in the assembly and interact with the students and other guests. At night, there will be an open discussion about the trip.
Day 6: The last day of the trip. Return to Kathgodam by Jeep/mini-bus. On the way, we will visit Saat Tal where the trekkers can enjoy the beautiful view and scenery. By evening we will arrive at the Kathgodam Railway Station for the return journey to Delhi.
We expect some feedback from all the participants regarding their experience and we also propose a last get-together after the journey.
For further details please contact:
Ramesh Kumar Mumukshu
Phone no. (+91)9810610400
Phone no. (+91)9810610400
(+91)9013208575
(+91)9456527232
E-MAIL: ramumukshu@gmail.com
E-MAIL: ramumukshu@gmail.com
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