Khereyan de naal - Then and Now

"Main ni jana khereyaan de naal"

"I do not want to go with the Khera's" - says Heer to her mother. She has been fixed to marry this man from Saida Khera, but how can she? Ranjha is her love, as if since eternity, and definitely till she breathes her last. She insists that she should stay where her Ranjha is. So what if people call him a 'jogi' - an ascetic, Heer finds the Supreme Being in him.

Many of us from Northern part of Indian subcontinent have heard the tragic love story of Heer and Ranjha. Written in mid-eighteenth century by Waris Shah, a Punjabi sufi of Chishti order, it is often compared to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Some believe that the characters were inspired from real people. It has been narrated, sung and enacted so many times since then that it has become a cultural element of Punjab region, making its way to the folk. The romance comes hand-in-hand with the tragedy, and that makes it so loved by all. And since it has been a part of folk for more than some 250 years now, the story has served as grounds for a number of sufi and folk songs, by various maestros, spanning different eras, with each song undergoing many improvisations. One such song is 'Khereyaan de naal' - which I heard about 5-6 years back and it just stuck. As usual, this song also has been rendered by many famous as well as not-so-famous, expert as well as aspiring singers, but I am a fan of particularly two versions, almost a generation apart. One is rendered by Tufail Niazi sa'ab and other is from Niazi Brothers' Coke Studio album (season 7, episode 5). 

I listen to these both, and I marvel at the composition, at the depth and strength of its notes, at the fact that it hasn't lost its soul in the latter one, which sounds so evoking in the former one. The song is set in Heer's home, where Heer hears in the last hours of night, just before dawn, a flute in the distance, which reminds her of Ranjha. This has brought Ranjha's memory to her and she now insists her mother to not get her married to another man from Khera. The starting flute piece is worth commending, the way it has been recorded takes the listener to a small Punjab village, the smell of fresh earth fills the air.

The technical expertise of Tufail Niazi sa'ab anyway does not need any mention, its beyond the boundaries of words that praise. There are places (Iike in the second stanza, the line "mainnu te rabb da jamaal", the word 'jamaal' in particular) where he touches the notes that a critical listener is least expecting. And what variations! The same line is sung many times, but with different notes' combinations and formats, keeping the soul intact. The whole song has this rustic, earthy and honest feel to it, cozy and comfortable.

On the other hand, the latter version by Niazi Brothers from Pakistan is a fusion. So perfectly done and so fresh that it gives a whole new life to the story. The young ears mostly do not like the old sounds, traditional instruments and fuzzy/noisy recordings of old times, but this one has everything that a music lover of today could ask for in a composition - piano, flute, drums, strings and on top of all, high-definition digital recording.

They start in a very relaxed manner, in perfect harmony. The 'main nai jana' notes totally make your heart reach out to poor Heer. The best part of this rendition also is the flute - but unlike the former version, flute makes an entry with a grandeur in the last part. It does not impart to you the warmth that it does in the former one, instead it makes you tap your feet to the beats. The tempo keeps varying, which initially sounds very text-bookish, but beautiful nonetheless. The whole crescendo part awakens all your senses, and by the end of it, you are aware, and smiling.

I may sound exaggerating every bit of it, but I hope no true lover of music thinks such and would agree to all what I observed and shared above.

Happy Listening!

PS: There are many other versions of this song available on YouTube, among which the most famous is by Shafqat Amanat Ali, which has been attempted by a plethora of contestants in all sorts of music shows/competitions in India and Pakistan alike.

Kareri Lake - Solo Trek

It was planned for more than 2 years now. I read about it somewhere on internet, some travel blog maybe, and quickly browsed through not a lot of pictures before I finally made up my mind (only made up my mind, not really planned anything). I was already in contact via Facebook with Manoj Rajput - a tour guide from Kareri village. He worked in a travel agency in McLeodganj which arranged our trekking/camping in Triund in October 2014, that is when I met him. When I came to know he was from Kareri, I promptly gave him my word that I'd book him for my Kareri trek very soon.

So this year, Jun 2017, we had a long weekend for Eid-ul-Fitr. There could be no better time for this trek, when Delhi was still smoldered and no immediate relief was in sight. I called Manoj and it was decided that he'd take me there and we'd camp, it was going to be a three days trip. I needed to gear myself for it, and for that I had to buy some stuff from Decathlon. I left by a private bus that I booked from RedBus and that left from Majnu ka Tila. It was supposed to leave by 10:15 pm, but long weekend and Delhi heat practically possessed its people with mountain-mania and that accounted for a huge crowd, heavy traffic and total chaos. The bus left at 12:00 am and reached Dharamsala by 2:00 pm, as opposed to its scheduled time of 10:15 am.

Anyway, Manoj had already booked a taxi for us till Kareri Lake, so I waited for him to come and pick me from Dharamsala bus stand. Kareri has got a new road recently, so while people could only catch a bus to Ghera (about 20 km) earlier, they can now get a vehicle till Kareri village (9 km ahead of Ghera). There was a cloud-burst and some minor landslides 3 days back and the road was pretty much gone at certain places, but was duly getting repaired. 

From Ghera to Kareri Village

Road to Kareri Village

I reached Kareri village by 6 pm. I was to stay at Manoj's house that night, so he had already prepared his room for me, where I dumped my bag, quickly washed the day's fatigue, sweat and dirt off, and changed into fresh clothes. I was pretty tired and irritated because of all the travel delay. Manoj asked me if I wanted to take a stroll in and around the village, to which I readily agreed. It was mostly a clear day, with some scattered clouds here and there. I clicked some pictures and this area had very good coverage of Vodafone, so I also tried video-chat with my family to show them the beauty of the place. Not much was planned for the first day anyway, we came back to the house and had home-cooked meal for dinner - rice, chapati, vegetables and daal. We discussed about the next morning's plan and decided that we'd leave by 9:00 am for the lake (the 'dal', as they say in local language).

Manoj's house in Kareri

Manoj's house in Kareri

Manoj

Next morning I woke up fairly early, freshened-up and prepared my bag to carry for the trek by only keeping the essentials and leaving other stuff like towel, sandals and some clothes in the room. My rucksack had internal frame, a back support and two rods made of fiber to keep it straight, which made it heavier in itself. Plus, I had a hydration pack that I bought from Decathlon which, when filled, added to the weight. I had a glass of cow milk, undiluted, super-creamy and tasting like heaven - courtesy 'Somwaari', their cow (was born on a Monday which is 'Somwaar' in Hindi, hence named 'Somwaari'). And 4 chapatis for breakfast, a little too much for me but I knew I needed to fill myself up so I have all the energy for the initial part of the trek. 

Somwaari and her product

It is a 13 km, all uphill, trek till Kareri Lake which goes beside the Niyund stream (a tributary of Gaj river). The path is clearly defined for the most part and there are 3 shops on the way that serve chai and maggi (the staple trekking/camping food) with other packed snacks and drinks. You have to cross the stream more than a couple of times throughout the trek, so waterproof shoes would be good. I had a pair of Arpenaz 100 mid, novadry, waterproof shoes that I bought from Decathlon that kept my feet dry. 

I had done Triund and Serolsar Lake earlier, so I was quite prepared for a trek that had an 'easy' difficulty level. But trek to Kareri Lake is not as easy as Triund, and I'd put it under 'moderately difficult' category. You mostly have to climb boulders and steps that they have formed by placing rocks one over another. My body started resisting after the first hour itself, I was panting and sweating profusely, had to take out my handkerchief to wipe my face every minute, so I tied it on my forehead like a bandanna. I could focus on my trekking now. Walking with a pole (hiking poles from Decathlon) is also a good idea, it takes some pressure off your knees and get your arms to do something when you are walking. 

On the way up

Usual track

It was like this almost the whole time

The weather was just perfect, it wasn't hot and sunny, wasn't dark, gloomy either. It was slightly cloudy and misty, and a little humid too (I guess because of all the vegetation). I almost twisted my ankle, slipped and fell while crossing the naala (the stream) and broke one of my hiking poles (and my bums, of course). Hydration pack was a real ease and comfort - you don't have to carry your water bottle in your hands throughout, or take it out of your bag every time you need a sip, just pull the pipe to your mouth and push the nozzle and there you go! In the first 4-5 km, I was so tired and exhausted that I had started contemplating returning to the village and call it an experience. Or maybe camping at the first campsite I encounter. But Manoj insisted that I stopped thinking of quitting and keep walking. He was always like - just 15 minutes and then we'll descend for a while and then easy trails uphill (which wasn't true by the way). 

Reoti is almost the half-way and a very beautiful campsite with running fresh water stream by the side, a bridge to cross the stream and a meadow. There is a shop that, apart from feeding the trekkers, provides accommodation in tents too. To me, this could well have been the best 'last point' where I could camp overnight and relax, and come back the next morning. I requested, then warned, Manoj to not force me to keep walking when I'm not in a very good state physically, and call it off whenever I wanted (and seriously so). He kept reminding me of the chats/talks we had over the last two years, planning for this trek and preparing for it. He was just not ready to quit it or let me quit it. Finally he said we could try trekking a little further, and if I still felt that I could not walk, we could come back to Reoti and camp there for the night, instead of going all the way back to Kareri. It sounded like a plan to me. But he said he won't return if I gave up when it was just 20-30 minutes to the lake. I said "OK".

Reoti Campsite

Chai shop at Reoti campsite

The bridge at Reoti campsite

Really? A dog?

We had our lunch there, relaxed for a while and clicked some pictures. I washed my face in the icy cold water of the stream and tried drinking from it like a tiger (some said like a dog, after the pictures came out, but whatever!). Just 20-25 minutes there had got me all re-energized. Still I asked Manoj if he could arrange somebody to carry my bag to the top for me. Luckily, his cousin Manu was around - a kid still in high school and very swift on his feet. He carried my bag to the lake and back to the village the next day. 

Manu at the lakeside

The trek after Reoti, that is the later half, was more beautiful and a little easier than the first half (that's what Manoj claimed but I did not think so). But after the Reoti break, I did not feel as exhausted and weak. A couple of trekker who were coming down also kept my motivated by claiming that it was really worth all the pain.

"Such a clichéd thing to say" - I said to myself. That is what you always hear from everybody while on a trek.

Anyway, Manoj said there was one shop right before the lake and then we're almost there. I kept looking out for a shop the whole time and that's what kept me busy I guess. And after a total of about 6 hours of trekking, we finally reached the last shop. I did not really want to spend much time there because I just wanted to get it over with.  And then I got the first glimpse of the Shiva Temple soon after we left the shop and started walking towards the lake. That glimpse of the temple was enough for me to forget about all my fatigue and the glimpse of the lake a little later had the miraculous effect of filling me with calm and peace, a divine relaxation. Now honestly, I'm sure I was still pretty tired right then, but I don't remember anything like that now. So that means it was not deep enough, that feeling of weariness.

The chai shop just before the lake

Almost there

Almost...almost

Here you go...

To the left

To the right

Minkiani Peak beyond the clouds

We pitched a tent right beside the lake, such that I had a beautiful unobstructed view of the lake and Minkiani Peak beyond. I don't feel equipped enough to be able to put the beauty of the place in words, and the experience that one has, so I'll be less words and more pictures from now on. 

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My tent

Shiva Temple

I wanted to camp at the far side, but if it rained and hailed in the night, it would have been a problem rushing back to temple for the shelter, so we camped near the temple only.

From inside the tent

Cattle grazing on the far side

Lazing in my tent

Steps from the temple to the lake

 I stepped in my tent and dozed off for a while. Getting the shoes off brought some relief to my feet. I came out of my tent after a nap, feeling fresh and light headed, and put my slippers on. It had started getting a little cold so I put my fleece jacket on too. Manu and I started talking and he accompanied me on a slow, short stroll to the far left end of the lake. There was a group of young boys and girls from Delhi and they had a singer/guitarist in the group, he held the center-stage for more than 3-4 hours and it filled the air with some melody for some time.

There is a couple of shops beside the temple that serves food. I had Rajma-Chawal for dinner and quickly went back to my tent, there was nothing else to do in the pitch dark. Yes, there was one thing there that I always look forward to at such places - a star-filled sky. And I was not disappointed. 

Trail from the temple to the grazing ground at the far side

That was where I wanted to camp

Valley on the other side

The grass was aglitter because of all the dew on them

Next morning I woke up at 5:30, it was pretty much a clear day then. I brushed my teeth and freshened-up in the only restroom arrangements there - a tin-shade structure with Indian style toilets. Water is never a problem there anyway. I wanted to take a dip in the lake too, but I don't know swimming and I am not familiar with the area either (and it was still a little cold), so I passed. I had wet tissues that I used to sponge clean myself, instead. Then I enjoyed a mealy breakfast of aloo-paratha and chai. It had started getting cloudy and suddenly a dense fog engulfed the whole area, limiting the visibility to only 10-15 ft. This made me a little worried. I asked Manoj and Manu to hurry, they packed everything quickly and we started our descent by 8:30 am.

On the way back

 I was quite up and bouncy on our way back and we covered half of the distance in less than 2 hours. Manoj was constantly encouraging, that made me sustain my speed. This ultimately proved to be a serious mistake. 

Tip: Never hurry when you are climbing down on such a trek, it can cause serious damage to your knees.

I was anyway suffering from knee pain (very little pain, though, but mostly sensation) for over a year now. I was taking multi-vitamins too. My bounce and speed on the descent aggravated the whole knee-joint issue and my knees got all heated up. The inflammation was so bad that after the Reoti campsite, I cringed every time I had to land on my right leg. I could not even manage to bend my knee without a cry. I completed the rest of the way in 2 hours and we were back in Kareri village by 1 pm, we took only two halts during our descent. 

Finally, feeling accomplished

Back to Kareri village

Back in Manoj's house, the taxi was already waiting. I took a bath at the open tap behind his house, changed into fresh clothes and had veg pulaav with desi-ghee, as pure as it can get. Now the plan was to get to McLeodganj by evening, look for a nice, cozy hotel for a night and relax the next day evening till I board my bus to Delhi. But to my dismay, it was hell crowded in the city like I had never seen. I could not find a nice room anywhere near the square and I just could not have gone for a hotel far from the square, given the condition of my legs. 

A thought came to my mind, very casually, of hiring a taxi to Delhi right then, so I did not have to 'kill' another day in McLeodganj when I did not really want to. I stepped into a travel agency in the market and asked if there was a taxi readily available. Luckily, there was one. It charged me Rs 9,500/- from McLeodganj to my house in Delhi, but I'm glad I spared myself from a night in some suffocating, dingy room and a long, boring, chaotic day in the city.

Coming from McLeodganj to Delhi in a taxi was another thing that I had never done or thought of doing. It was fun.

Final verdict - it is really worth all the physical ordeals and travel after you have witnessed the serene lake and spent a night there. I'll certainly want to do it once more, and now that I know how demanding it is, I'd be better prepared mentally.

Quick Facts:

1. Nearest interstate bus station: Dharamsala

2. Dharamsala - Ghera - Kareri village: drive time is about 2-2.5 hrs, depending on the condition of the roads.

3. Stay in Kareri - call Manoj (+91-9736136880) and he will arrange everything for you at a very nominal charge.

4. Kareri village to the Lake - 13 km trek

5. Difficulty Level - Moderate

6. Height - 2934 m above sea-level

Essentials that I carried (apart from usual clothes,medicines and electronics):

1. Good quality rucksack with internal frame and a waist belt.

2. Rain cover for bag

3. Rain poncho or jacket

4. Good quality trekking shoes, waterproof

5. Extra pair of cotton/sports socks

6. Hiking pole(s)

7. Inflatable Pillow

8. Hydration Pack

9. Wet tissues

10. Hand Sanitizer

Thanks for reading!