The winding roads of the Uttarakhand mountains seemed unnaturally endless. But I wasn’t complaining. I had traded that travel time with my curiosity to know what lay beyond the mountains.
On the way to Sari
Life is a lot of everyday adventures
Our road journey started from Haridwar, tossed through the crowded roads of Rishikesh before finally hitting the rugged roads at Devaprayag. While the raging Ganges with white water rafters provided a thrilling sight, the confluence of the emerald green Bhagirathi and the brown mud laden Alaknanda River pleased the eyes, the spotless beauty of the terraced mountains and maple trees filled us with gratitude.
Terraced Mountains of Garhwal
As we approached the Rudraprayag district, remnants of the 2013 floods flashed all around us. The Mandakini River that flowed calmly today had risen all the way up to the roads and caused immense destruction. Broken homes and uprooted trees were still seen scattered around.
A Village in the Garhwal Himalayas
Sari is a pretty village located at an altitude of 6601 feet. It is the base camp site for those who want to visit the beautiful Deoriataal lake and get some stunning views of the Chaukhambha range up close (Chaukhamba is highest peak of the Garhwal Himalayas). It is also the base site for those planning a trek to Tungnath Temple – the highest Shiva temple in the world.
Early morning at Sari Village
There is no direct bus to reach Sari village, the so best way to reach Sari is through a hired jeep or car from Haridwar. It takes 10 hours to reach Sari, but the travel is all worth it. Sari does not have any hotels, so you can either have a home stay or live in guest houses with basic facilities.
Happiness comes from small things
When we reached Sari Village, we were encouraged to take a walk to acclimatize to the high altitude. As I walked the dusty roads, I saw a group of 5-6 boys playing gully cricket with a bat carved out of a log of wood, and a ball made with rags. A small chat with them and it was evident that they were so passionate about playing cricket that not having a real bat and ball didn’t stop them from enjoying the game.
Village boys playing cricket
I promised to bring them a real bat and ball next time, but I don’t think it mattered. They were not yearning for any modern world perks. Also because they assumed it would be a while before I would visit them again.
Cricket bat and ball
The next morning I woke up with the sunrise at 6:00am to explore the village and interact with the people. For them, life begins even before the sun rises, so it was a surreal experience descending the stone path into the tiny lanes to peek into their lives and homes.
Walking through Sari
Home is where the heart is
In cities we don’t react very warmly if we see a stranger sauntering around our house. But in Sari it is different. The women are affectionate and have warm smiles, while the men are happy to guide around. Their homes are large, white washed with colorful painted and hand carved wooden doors and windows . Almost all homes have thatched roofs, but these I was told, are slowly fading away.
House in Sari
Another house in Sari
A young girl sat outside her house brushing her teeth. She called out to me to ask me where I was from. I instead asked her why she wasn’t ready for school. She laughed out loud with a mouth full of foam and said she was old enough to study in college and infact had an exam to give today. While she sat squatted near a wall brushing her teeth, I asked her if she was ambitious enough to move out of Sari. She laughed yet again and said she was happy to be in Sari and do something worthwhile there.
I looked at her enviously. People like us travel from cities to reach the mountains for stories, solitude and disconnectedness. And here they are, having everything we want.
Read, Write, Learn
Education is a powerful tool for villages in India. Not only does it impart knowledge, but also makes them confident in communication and decision making. The school in Sari is located at the far end of the village. A long walk along a narrow path in the wheat fields, and a small yellow and white building sprouted up.
School at a distance
On going closer I learnt it was the village school called Rajkiya Junior School established in 2008-09. The village also has an older secondary institution that supports education upto the 8th standard. For education beyond the 8th standard, they travel further down 23km to Ukhimath.
At the School in Sari
I decided to sit through a class to know what it really is to attend schools in villages. A group of 25-30 young boys and girls began by singing the school anthem at 9am sharp before moving into their classes. the sweetest gesture was their friendly reply to my “Good Morning” as I met them individually.
Working hard and being humble
The main source of income is through trekking. Travelers visit Sari for treks, and the village men accompany them as trek guides and helpers. The trekking season is all through the year so usually they are quite busy.
The village folk also work in the farms which grows wheat and mustard. There are patches of coriander and other such herbs which they use for home cooking.
Wheat Fields
The villagers speak Garhwali language but know Hindi really well. Strike a conversation with them and you’ll always get a friendly and smiling reply. They’ll be open to inviting you to their home and spend time with their family.
If you do plan to interact intimately with the villagers, you should maintain a good protocol and respect their culture and their trust in you.
I ended my stay at the Sari village with the most scrumptious aloo paratha with a tasty green coriander, mint and mustard chutney. Finally a warm handshake and goodbye from a one year old, and I began my 5 day trek to the Chandrashila Peak.
This visit to Sari village was undertaken while trekking to the Deoriataal and Chandrashila Peak with IndiaHikes.
This entry has been shortlisted for Holidify’s Travelogue Writing Contest in association with Linger. The content and pictures may not be used without prior permission of the author.
Submitted by: Mariam Dholkawala
The original post can be found here.