The Milam glacier teahouse trek - the details

Sadanand Kamath

Very interesting information. Thanks a lot Almoraboy.

The first idea that has struck me after reading the write-up is that it is necessary to ensure copyright/patent on the folk tales of Johar Valley. Otherwise, I am afraid, there would be many in this world to make money out of the legends of Johar Valley without any benefit accruing to its people. The patent issues of Yoga and Basmati rice are fresh in our mind.

I am very much interested in the book "Kumaon of Ithihas" if it is available in whatever form. I had purchased a book "Trekking Adventure and Environmental Scenario of Kumaon Himalaya" by Dr. Trilochan Arya in one of the book-shop in Almora in Sept.93. But this books does not through much light on the history of Kumaon.

As I said earlier, I have never visited Munsiary but I am fascinated about Munsiary and the credit must go to a couple of porters from Munsiary who accompanied us in our Chhota Kailash trek in Aug.93. These porters were exceptionally hard workers, simple, honest and most importantly proud of Munsiary. Everyday, they will pester us to make a visit to their houses at Munsiary at least for a day after completion of the trek. I still remember these two porters after getting down from the bus at Thal bidding us good-bye with their moist eyes.

Sadanand

Almoraboy

hello sk,

don't worry. stories can't be patented. regarding the book, i will try my best to make it online..but that will take time. yes, it has lots of tales of kumaon. there was an interesting agreement between the bhotias and the ppl of hun desh (tibet).
for example - if a bhotia traded with a certain hun trader, he will trade with him only the next time. this ensured that everyone in the community could do business. and u will not lose out your business partners.

also, when the ppl from tibet arrived in milam, first a local doctor came. he asked the village mukhiya (head) 3 questions -> any diseases in the village/any crime/don't remmeber the 3rd q.
if the answer was satisfactory, then they used to write it down on a sort of paper that was used in the old days. then this was wrapped around stones and a copy was kept with each side. then the tibetans would enter the village. any lies in such an agreement led to severe penalties.

will keep posting more stories of the same.
btw, do u know that when the gurkhas (which later became the pride of the british and indian) invaded kumaon, they were not able to conquer johar? the joharis proved themselves to be better fighters than the gurkhas. ultimaltely they had to send a force of 15000 ppl to subjugate this area. finally, they could not conquer it militarily, but rahter signed some political treaties.

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Trek blog over here

Sadanand Kamath

Interesting anecdotes Almoraboy.
I was aware that the fued between Garhwal and Kumaon kingdoms were exploited by Gorkhas and they intruded into some Kumaon territories. It was only when British defeated Gorkha the Kumaon region came under British administration. Some of the hill stations in Kumaon must have come during British period.

Sadanand

ks_bluechip

Rajkumar & Almoraboy:

Thanks for your responses .... I am visiting Corbett-Park next few days via Nainital.... will be back in Mumbai on 31st May ..... will take another week after that to Upload Pics and Diary of Milam Trek ..... so if look at my googlepages website (link below) after 10th June you should see same. Anyway will confirm on this forum too.

There was no snow in Milam Village ... in fact no snow/ice etc "on the trail" anywhere till milam glacier ... except for the 5 or 6 stretches of snow (now crushed hard by trekkers) of 100-200M lengths near Nahar-Devi between Budgiar and Rilkot as mentioned on my orginal post. Of course, you can see snow in many of the higher peaks and mountain sides, on either side of the trail valley along the trek path ..particularly after Martoli, Burfu.

BTW: I must say I was disappointed that ITBP post at Milam is not allowing cameras to be taken to the milam glacier!!!! They ask trekkers to deposit cameras with them and return it only during exit! I am not sure, I undertand the logic of letting trekkers to go to all the way Milam glacier and not take Pics?.... So you wont see Glacier pics on site :-(

- KS (from Bhowali Cybercafe)

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ks_bluechip [My Travel Blog] [My Flickr Photo Sets]

Almoraboy

that is strange....i took it till milam when i was last there.

maybe they r just being bossy during the tourist season. so ks, how did u find the trip to milam glacier?
how were the peaks and the views? did u get to see nanda devi from martoli village?

and did u get to taste the thick tasty rotis/chapattis that are a speciality of kumaon? yumm..i just miss them.
and i guess right now u can find hisalu, kafal, plum, adoo, etc in full bloom. do enjoy them while u r in kumoan

rajkumar

that's very disappointing KS,
The Milam Glacier trek does n't come under innerline region. And hence photography is allowed.
I am also disappointed at the behaviour of ITBP. Like Ostriches, they have buried their heads in the sands. In this era of google earth and satellite photos freely available on the net, it's just down right ludicrous and silly that these guys who are supposed to be guardians of the border do not keep up with the times.
See milam village in google earth, all individual houses and paths too can be clearly seen. And not just that, the inner line region places like dung, topidunga, lapthal are also visible down to the paths made in snow. So much for security concerns and harassing harmless trekkers.I wish someone would open their eyes to the power and reach of internet and hi res satellite photos.
I also suspect almoraboy is also right. they are just trying to show off their authority.
anyway, you have seen the place with your eyes and enjoyed it.
have a nice stay in corbett and relish the kumaoni fruits and dishes.

rajkumar

See these reports for the accounts of journeys by Pundits of Milam ( Nain Singh and Kishen Singh) reported in the Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of London,

Account of the Pundit's Journey in Great Tibet from Leh in Ladakh to Lhasa, and of His Return to India via Assam
H. Trotter
Vol. 21, No. 4 (1876 - 1877)
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=147...3E2.0.CO%3B2-O

Kishen Singh and the Indian Explorers
Kenneth Mason
The Geographical Journal, Vol. 62, No. 6 (Dec., 1923
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=001...3E2.0.CO%3B2-6

And the classic:

Report of a Route-Survey Made by Pundit, from Nepal to Lhasa, and Thence
Through the Upper Valley of the Brahmaputra to Its Source
T. G. Montgomerie; Pundit
Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Vol. 38. (1868), pp. 129-219.
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=026...2.0.CO%3B2-%23

Sadanand Kamath

I think that behaviour of ITBP depends upon the boss at the check post. If the boss is not amenable to the rational explanations, the subordiantes are helpless even if they are in sympathy with trekkers in regard to taking cameras. We had a pleasant expereince with ITBP in Aug.93 at Jollingkong check post. As soon as we reached their barrier at the check post, ITBP warmly welcomed us and provided tea. The KMVN fibre-glass rest house was one km further to the check post. As a courtesy, next day, I went to ITBP check post to thank them. The In-charge of post was from Mandi in HP. He gave us a couple of tinned pineapples and some rice for our use. Eventhough, we had to take inner-line permit at Dharchula, ITBP never asked us to deposit our cameras. As I said, it really depends upon the boss.

Sadanand

Sadanand Kamath

I think that behaviour of ITBP depends upon the boss at the check post. If the boss is not amenable to the rational explanations, the subordiantes are helpless even if they are in sympathy with trekkers in regard to taking cameras. We had a pleasant expereince with ITBP in Aug.93 at Jollingkong check post. As soon as we reached their barrier at the check post, ITBP warmly welcomed us and provided tea. The KMVN fibre-glass rest house was one km further to the check post. As a courtesy, next day, I went to ITBP check post to thank them. The In-charge of post was from Mandi in HP. He gave me a couple of tinned pineapples and some rice for our use. Eventhough, we had to take inner-line permit at Dharchula, ITBP never asked us to deposit our cameras. As I said, it really depends upon the boss.

Sadanand

Almoraboy

yeah, the itbp guys i met in milam glacier were pretty cool. no one even asked for the cameras.

rajkumar

hi ks and almoraboy,
ya, I agree that it all depends on the person in charge. Personally I met very nice ITBP guys, who are still in touch with me. I must say, I would n't have visited the remote posts without their help in terms of logistics and hospitality.
But you know there are sometimes the old hands whose mindset has n't changed much...with them it is a problem.

ks_bluechip

Almoraboy, Sadanand, rajkumar ... et.al.

Re: ITBP behaviour ...yes it is individually variable as with normal human beings :-) ... in fact the permit-entry guy at Bugdiar was nice and gave me tea in his Hut, whereas the one at Rilkot was in bad mood took 10 mins to come ...and asked me to sit outside and not come into the hut!

In Milam, I wanted to see the Commandant on the camera issue but he was playing cards and and didnt want to get distracted and was adamant .... said "rules are rules". I explained to him that anybody, anywhere, in the world could see each of his ITBP Hut in Milam on the Google Earth! ... but that didnt make any diff. He said he doesnt want any "paper-work" explaining to his higher ups if my pics get published somewhere! I realised no point on trying to convince him ...this issue has to be taken up with only higher authorities in ITBP in Delhi? Maybe they have some logical security reason for same?? - KS

ks_bluechip

almoraboy,
I didnt get view of Nanda Devi Peaks either from Martoli (whole day) or from opposite of Pacchu village (waited 30mts while going and coiming to Milam) because of Clouds. In fact though the weather was sunny and windy...it was cloudy around the peaks (typical May so not diappointed) .... to see peaks best is Sept. On return trip in Riltoli, Bugdiar and Lilam (22/23/24 May) the weather was very windy and raining afternoons/evening. Luckily I never got wet while walking a i was keeping early hours for trek 6am to 12noon...... The trek was really great and i really enjoyed it ... food was basic everywhere, but tasty & good due to weather, altitude and real hunger !!! ... KS

ks_bluechip

Ashutosh ... I didnt see you on the trail to Milam ... did you do that trekor did miss you?? .... KS

ks_bluechip

Hi Rajkumar, Almoraboy, SK and Others interested in Milam Trek,

After reaching home 2 days back (thank God, i was booked back by Air and not by train via Rajasthan, that are cancelled due to Reservation stirs).... I have uploaded my trek pictures onto flickr.

While the updating of my travel diary/blog will take a few more days, those interested in seeing ALL the detailed pictures of the trek can see them at:

http://www.flickr.com/
My flikr Id: ks_bluechip
I suggest you see the SET "Milam Trek" (in the sequence ... in order to see day-by-day progressive of trek)


Another simpler way is to see the pictures thru a third party (a Harvard student's) Lite slideshow at:

http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~prussell/sslite/

enter my Flickr-User-ID: ks_bluechip and once all my sets are got, select "Milam Trek" set and watch the slideshow with PLAY/Stop buttons...

- KS