When I close my eyes, I can still see those snow-capped peaks glistening in sunshine. That journey wasn’t an easy one. A lot of stamina, mental and physical, was needed to summit the top of Triund. But the spectacular sight made me forget myself, the pain in my legs, the panting in my breath and my very existence!

It was just me, the cool Himalayan air and Dhauladhar!

McLeod Ganj:

It was mid-April and the beginning of our annual Himalayan journey. We had just arrived in McLeod Ganj two days ago and had spent time acclimatising to the elevation. It was our second visit to McLeod Ganj and it was shocking to see the commercialisation of this vintage town.  

Once upon a time, McLeod Ganj was a quaint Tibetan hill station in Himachal Pradesh. Now it is packed with tourists and has undergone significant changes in cuisine and culture.

The Dalai Lama temple was just as it was 15 years ago.  The 2km circumambulation around the temple was still, calm and filled with devotion. Exploring cultural highlights of McLeod Ganj, dwelling in its history and being at the Tibetan spiritual centre was a very grounding experience. I suppose it was exactly what we needed right before Triund Trek.

Triund Trek:

At 9,350 feet, Triund isn’t India’s toughest trek. Yet somewhere between its pine forests and the last unforgiving ridge, it quietly asks whether you are willing to keep climbing. Triund trek was supposed to be 6km one way. While there are facilities to camp and stay overnight at the summit, we had planned to return. This meant that we had to start the journey as early as 7am.

The last time we did such a long trek was possibly the Tiger’s Nest Monastery trek(Taktsang Monastery) in Paro, Bhutan. Unlike last time, we were all prepared. We were older and more experienced. The trekking bag was full of snacks, emergency medicines and raincoats. The shoes and sticks were ready to endure the journey.

We drove down to Dharamkot from McLeod Ganj at around 6.30 am, as planned. Most blogs had suggested hiring a taxi from Dharamkot to Gallu Mata Mandir(temple). Unfortunately, we couldn’t find it and decided to trek to the temple. I would say that the trek to Gallu Mata Mandir was steeper than the Triund Trek itself and we were not mentally prepared to climb a typical Pahadi route early in the morning!

From Gallu Mata Mandir, we hired a guide and set out to Triund. The pathway initially was very well laid with leaves, pine cones and shady trees. Reaching the halfway point café at 3km mark was easy. There are two cafes at that point that serve maggi, bread toast and other refreshments.

After this, began the toughest part of Triund: the steep bends for the last 2kms. These bends took us across a journey of 3 mountains, ice-capped with some snow residue around us. At the last bit was a stretch where I wondered if I could even climb further. But on climbing that ridge, one first sees the green meadows, the majestic Dhauladhar right in front of you and a pathway that extends beyond Triund on both sides of the cliff.

It took us around 3 hours to climb up, 1 hour’s stay at the summit and 2 hours to return to the base. The pathway is very rocky so it might get a little tricky navigating during monsoon or snowfall.

Limitations:

While all of this indeed brought us back to nature, the issue lay in the fact that we trekked there during the infamous “heat wave” in April. This meant that even at 10000ft, Triund wasn’t as cool as one would expect it to be. Not only that, but also over-commercialisation, the lack of rest areas and washrooms made the entire journey uncomfortable.

This trek is very popular but very badly organised. While there is an entry ticket at the base, littering keeps happening everywhere; people walk with loudspeakers and blasting music, ignoring the silence that the Himalayan region offers. I hope these things change and this trek can go back to being a trekkers’ paradise rather than another chaotic, over-commercialised tourist spot infamous for insta reels.

Yet despite everything—the crowds, the noise and the unexpected warmth—the mountain had one final surprise waiting at the summit.

Experiencing Triund:

It is difficult to put up my experience in words because as I reached there, at the summit, I simply stood, fixed to the gravel, staring at the Dhauladhar in front of me. I didn’t feel the soreness in my legs nor the weight of my backpack. I sat on the bench and kept looking at the hills in front of me. My phone had no network connection and my mind was completely still. A local dog came and sat next to me, as if accompanying me in this tranquillity.

Perhaps that is what mountains do best. They ask for effort, strip away distraction, and in return, offer a silence that stays with you long after the journey ends.

I stand here,

Looking at the snow-capped peaks,

 At a loss of words & breath.

No thoughts disturb my otherwise wandering mind.

The healing Himalayan wind envelops and whispers to me

And I am one with it!