Many thanks Balkar ji for the information ... will be very useful for new-goers, as well very interesting to all those who have been there. Very good photos. Looking forward for the exciting fortnight.
Regards. Dinesh On Sun, Aug 19, 2012 at 11:04 AM, Gurcharan Singh <[email protected]>wrote: > Thanks Balkar ji for excellent educative introduction and lovely set of > photographs. It seemed I was actually a part of this great trip. Hope to > make one in next June-July. > > > -- > Dr. Gurcharan Singh > Retired Associate Professor > SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 > Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. > Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 > http://www.gurcharanfamily.com/ > http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ > > > On Sat, Aug 18, 2012 at 10:04 PM, Balkar Singh <[email protected]>wrote: > >> Dear All >> As announced by Dr Gurcharan Singh Ji, we are going to celebrate Valley >> of Flowers Week from August 20 to September 2, 2012. All uploads of >> your VoF trip should have a subject line "VoF >> Week:.....................(plant >> name or unique ID code (ddmmyy+initials+upload number for the day) from >> ................(Place)" As suggested By Dr Gurcharan Singh Ji. Here I >> am giving a brief intro of Valley of flowers and Hemkund Sahib. >> >> VoF and other nearby places are situated in Chamoli District of >> Uttrakhand State of India. Chamoli is the second largest district of >> Uttarakhand. >> Chamoli District is worldwide famous for its beautiful hill stations, >> picturesque spot and religious places including very famous Pilgrimage >> spots such as Badrinath <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badrinath>, >> kerdarnath, Tungnath <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tungnath> and >> Joshimath <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshimath>, Hemkund Sahib. This >> area also have option for adventures people who are fond of trekking in >> mountains such places are Devaria-Taal, Vedni-Bugyal, Auli-Bugyal, >> Gurson-Bugyal and Roopkund. Name of Chopata, Chamoli and Gvaaldam can be >> viewed as a Beautiful hill stations. >> >> Valley of Flowers, Auli and Hemkund Sahib are >> situated around Joshimath. we may reach to joshimath by local transport >> like Buses shared taxies/sumo or by own vehicle. Road from haridwar to >> joshimath is good besides having landslides at few places. Landslides are >> also not a big worry as this road is maintained by Border Road >> Organisation. After landslides BRO clears this road within hours. The >> distance from Haridwar to Joshimath is about 280 Kms. from Joshimath we may >> go towards Badrinath Dham or Auli andd towards Valley of Flowers and >> Hemkund Sahib via Govindghat. Buses Taxies etc Runs only upto Govindghat. >> You may park your car there in big parkings for 4-5 days by giving one time >> charges 500 Rs. >> >> After Govindghat for reaching Ghangriya we may hire mules @Rs >> 720 (Govt approved rate) for one mule. Or may book seat in Helicopter @ Rs >> 3500/ Or may go by foot. This distance of 13 Kms from Govindghat to >> Ghangriya can be covered in less than 5 minutes by Helicopter, in about 3-5 >> Hours by Mule and from 6-12 hours by foot (12 hours by foot if doing >> photography in the way). For this 13 kms way you can also book porter >> (Kandi) for childern and Palki (carried by 4 persons) for adults. However >> charges of the palki are higher. You also have to book your luggage on >> mules on sharing basis. >> >> In Govindghat for stay there is a big Gurudwara with all >> facilities (even better than Hotels there) and more than 100 rooms and many >> halls for groups. Hotels are available there on double or triple sharing >> basis starting from the range of Rs 100 per bed to 500 per bed per night. >> This rate may be high in june as June is the very crowded season there. In >> Ghangriya the charges of the hotels are slightly higher than Govindghat and >> here also a big Gurudwara is there with better facilities. Ghangriya is a >> base camp for both destinations ie valley of flowers and Hemkund sahib. You >> can not stay at night in Hemkund Sahib as well as in VoF. >> >> From Ghanghriya the entrance of valley of flowers is about 1 Kms >> and after this gate main valley starts after 3 kms and you may go upto 5 >> kms more (Total 1+3+5 Kms). facilities of mules are not available for VoF. >> However upto the main entrance of Valley (3Kms from Gate) we may hire Kandi >> (A porter with back basket for carrying luggage as well as persons). In >> main valley one has to go by foot only. Daily after 2:00 PM or even before >> usually rain starts (particularly from 25 June to end of August) so one >> should go as early as possible. Valley opens daily at 7 AM in Morning. The >> entry charges for Indian Nationals are Rs 150 for 3 days. The valley >> remains open from 1 June to 31 October every year. The flora of valley >> changes from June to October a lot. Flowers one can find in June will not >> be there in end of july or august. For covering whole flora of valley >> atleast 4 visits are needed first near 15 June second near 10 July >> Third around 5 August and fourth around 1 September. As per my opinion >> about 600 species of flowering plants may be there in VoF, Hemkund Sahib, >> Auli and Badrinath area (Total area of all these spots is within 50 Kms >> range in Nanda Devi Biosphere reserve). We could find about 300 species >> during this tour. Flora changes a lot from place to place. Plants were >> different in all ways ie from way to Govindghat to Ghanghriya, from >> Ghangriya to VoF, Ghanghriya to H sahib. Even plants were different in >> different areas of Valley. >> >> Trekking to Hemkund Sahib is of abut 6 Kms and mules are availble >> for Hemkund Sahib. Mule charges about 500-800 for H sahib. Trek to H sahib >> is more difficult to climb than Govindghat Ghangriya and VoF. Climbing is >> steep and zigzag. The way to H sahib is also very beautiful;l and one can >> see thousands of Brahm Kamal there. The height of Hemkund sahib >> is around 4300 meters. We could find about 80 flowers different than that >> of VoF on H sahib trek. Scenic beauty of Hemkund sahib is Picturesque. The >> Gurudwara closed daily at 2:00 Pm and all have to go to Ghanghriya daily as >> no option of stay is there in H sahib. The Langar we received there in >> Gurudwara was very good and delicious. On the way to H sahib there are many >> tea stalls for tourists where you can have snacks and beverages. >> With this mail I am attaching some pictures of Beauty of places and way. >> Hope I will be able to through some light on the flora of valley in next >> mail by today evening. >> Thanks >> >> -- >> Regards >> >> Dr Balkar Singh >> Head, Deptt. of Botany and Biotechnology >> Arya P G College, Panipat >> Haryana-132103 >> 09416262964 >> >> -- >> >> >> >> > > > > -- > > > > --
