Exploration and Climbing off the Pangi Valley

Sir Chris Bonington

A small British expedition explored the upper Tiaso nala and the area of the Sersank pass in late June and early July 2007.

The team, consisting of Rob Ferguson, Graham Little, Jim Lowther and myself with a support team left Delhi by road on 17 June to reach Manali after a gruelling 16 hour drive. Two days were spent in Manali and on 20 June the team crossed the Rohtang pass to reach Chery in the Chandra Bhaga gorge, some distance beyond Kilar. The road had been swept away by a major landslip and looked as if it would be some time before it was rebuilt. The gear was ferried across in the dark and the next morning two jeeps took us to the road head by the village of Bheri Bhatau — a really beautiful camp site.

It was a two easy day walk to base camp in the Hangrung nala which was established on 23 June. There seemed two possible routes up Sersank peak (Shiv Shankar peak), either up it's south ridge by a series of glaciers and snow slopes, or more direct up its northwest ridge whose lower slopes were guarded by a steep rock buttress. The latter route was chosen. An advance base was established at the top of a moraine ridge below a gully that led to a ramp that reached up to half the height of the buttress. The ramp was fix roped by Rob and Jim, supplied by our two Sherpas, Ang Tachei and Samgyal. At this point the weather broke and after four days rain and snow the team dropped back to base camp.

Above the village overlooking the approaching valley was a small ledge. The villagers by experience had discovered that by keeping their cell phones at an angle they could make calls anywhere in India or abroad. We saw them merrily chatting with family and friends lower down in the valley and for that matter anywhere in the world. We too made telephone calls learning the technique of standing at a particular angle and talking.

Next afternoon I met a chirpy girl, Minu in Tagnu village. In an hour we became friends and she began to ask several questions about life in a city, facilities and what she could expect. I told her about television, telephones, education, transport, water supply and lots of people. She thought for a while and said laughing, 'we have all these things here, only instead of people, we have trees'. My British friends teased me calling me 'Casanova Kapadia' at this interactions. In India, an elder is called 'Uncle'. To give the tenn more respect, a 'ji' is added as in 'uncle ji'. To the great amusement of my friends I was addressed as 'Kapadiaji'. I had arrived at threshold ofa mature age!

We trekked towards Buran Ghati, the pass leading into Kinnaur. After making a camp near foot of the pass by noon we were standing at Buran Ghati (4724 m). Immediately, mobiles were brought out, for at this height, we could get mobile signals from Sangla. Many of us could talk and send SMS to the amazement of our friends in India and abroad. We descended over ice and after a camp reached Sangla in the centre of Kinnaur.

We drove back via Sarahan and Shimla. We travelled in two taxis, one filled with our luggage and the other with us, all talking with a great satisfaction of a trip well made. As we visited the Mahakali temple at Sarahan, several processions of devtas filled the streets to the main temple. People were dancing, priests leading the way and, followers talking on mobiles ! By late evening it was dark and the taxi with our luggage had still not arrived. But no cause to worry, for the driver had a mobile and infonned us of his whereabouts every half an hour.

We drove back via Sarahan and Shimla. We travelled in two taxis, one filled with our luggage and the other with us, all talking with a great satisfaction of a trip well made. As we visited the Mahakali temple at Sarahan, several processions of devtas filled the streets to the main temple. People were dancing, priests leading the way and, followers talking on mobiles ! By late evening it was dark and the taxi with our luggage had still not arrived. But no cause to worry, for the driver had a mobile and infonned us of his whereabouts every half an hour.

Being mobile with a mobile has its advantages and may I add that despite mobiles and other development, these valleys are still enchanting, beautiful and people welcoming. As we had left Tagnu village, Minu asked for my phone number, which I wrote down. 'What is this number, it looks weird'. She could not understand it because it was a landline number in Mumbai, and she was familiar only with mobile numbers!

Looking seriously at me she asked, 'Don't you have mobiles in cities? We have many here.'

More such experiences were to follow on my trek with British friends in Garhwai. Visiting the holy Hindu shrine of Badrinath, we could see mobiles being used everywhere. Inside the temple priest was performing a special puja - for some old gentleman in Delhi who was listening to the proceedings live through a mobile held in the inner sanctum. We had a private audience with the traditional high priest. He ran a school next door, there was a temple where a pre recorded discourse was being played on a Bose sound system, and there was a community screen to show religious DVDs to aspiring students. We discussed history and the year that his predecessor Adi Shankracharya centuries ago would have crossed Mana pass into Tibet, if at all. As we had different points of view, out came his laptop on which he checked ancient Hindu texts which had been scanned and recorded there. Not finding the answers, he picked up his mobile and referred to his library in Delhi! That's the synthesis between traditional thoughts and modem facilities in the remote Himalaya-the best of east and west!

We were at Auli, a ski resort above 10shimath. Mobiles worked only at a point about a kilometre away. Mark Higton, immediately left for the spot with his mobile registered in England but operational here, in front of Nanda Devi. He called the London Police department. The call was diverted to an operator in Scotland. Giving his credit card number, Mark paid the fine for a traffic violation in London, to avoid penalties - it was the last day to do so. The Scottish operator murmured in amazement at the end of it all, 'Noone has paid us traffic fines from high Himalaya, Sir!'

SUMMARY

A revolution sweeping the Himalaya.

On 3 July, Graham, Jim and Rob returned to the fray while Chris decided to go for a smaller, easier peak on the ridge to the northeast of base camp. On 4 July Graham, Jim and Rob established Camp 1 at the head of the ramp on a large mushroom of snow overlooking the northeast face and started climbing the steep rocks above. After three terrifying pitches on very loose rock reaching a height of 5500 m they decided the route was too dangerous but stopped for the night at Camp 1, enjoying superb views and a great sunset.
Raj Kumar and I established a camp on the ridge above base camp at 4674 m and on the following day scrambled to the hig~est point of the ridge, an elegant little peak at a height of 5027 m.

The entire team reunited at base camp that evening, and since there was no time to reconnoitre an alternative route the team started back towards the road head reaching it on 7 July. Heavy rain on the 8th caused over twenty major land slips on the road beside the Chandrabhaga river and we had to walk out, covering 65 kilometres to Udaipur in two days. Raj Kumar, Samgyal and Manbahadur did a magnificent job carrying loads of up to 40 kilos each.

It was an eventful and very enjoyable trip up a truly beautiful unspoilt vaHey. The local people were particularly friendly and helpful.

Members: Sir Chris Bonington, Rob Ferguson, Graham Little and Jim Lowther.

SUMMARY

A visit to the unknown Lujai and Hangnmg nala, Pangi valley by a British team in June-July 2007. They attempted Sersank (Shiv Shankar) peak (6020 m). A peak of 5027 m was climbed. Sersank (Buddhist) - 'Shiva's Hom'. Shiv Shankar (Hindu) - (Shiva)

 

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