Here's all you want to read about it - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalsubai. It's 1,646m or 5,400 ft.
I'm in Udaipur now. Actually I should be writing about today. It's day 2. But this is pending...
[after few more days...am in Jodhpur now and we are leaving later today]
What can I say about Kalsubai. It was the weekend. I felt it was becoming commercialized. As soon as Kamlesh (my driver) and I reached the base village of Baari...one man with an umbrella approached us. Asking if he could guide and come along. I said yes. His name was Khundu. His grandfather also guided people up Mt Kalsubai (he told me this later). We also ran into his father.
It must've taken 3 hours+ to reach the summit and 2 hours or less to trek down. It's quite rocky. It was also raining continuously. As a monsoon trek the weather was perfect!
Khundu was an Adivasi. He said his brother studied B.Ed but to get a govt job so much bribe has to be given (like Rs.4L) that he found it pointless. Then as a teacher all he'd get is Rs.3K salary per month and that would be pointless too. So he left everything and stayed at home. Helping with khethi. Khundu hasn't studied. But they make enough money with these weekend tourists. People ask them to cook etc. Mumbai people want them to cook country chicken in the chhoola etc. and pay based on khushi se. He was dissatisfied when I gave him his guide fees of Rs.500 and more.
We ate poha that his wife made. I found their living circumstances were very unhygienic. Last night vessels lying dirty outside. I found hair in the poha :) It wasn't that they didn't have money - money wasn't the problem. It's just that they are habituated to unclean habits.
There was no bathroom and I had to go for the big job. So on the way I wanted to stop somewhere in the fields and do my deed. He said, "sandaas saath mein karenge!" I was a bit surprised. Well, we did it together anyways. Far away of course. But I gave him sanitizer so he can clean himself before eating (which he kept munching on Ruffles wafers...obsessed with it!).
There were many, many trekkers. Mostly young people in their early 20s. Towards the summit it was a queue system. One standing behind the other. People kept saying, "yahan se zinda jaana hai" etc.
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:
I'm in Udaipur now. Actually I should be writing about today. It's day 2. But this is pending...
[after few more days...am in Jodhpur now and we are leaving later today]
What can I say about Kalsubai. It was the weekend. I felt it was becoming commercialized. As soon as Kamlesh (my driver) and I reached the base village of Baari...one man with an umbrella approached us. Asking if he could guide and come along. I said yes. His name was Khundu. His grandfather also guided people up Mt Kalsubai (he told me this later). We also ran into his father.
It must've taken 3 hours+ to reach the summit and 2 hours or less to trek down. It's quite rocky. It was also raining continuously. As a monsoon trek the weather was perfect!
Khundu was an Adivasi. He said his brother studied B.Ed but to get a govt job so much bribe has to be given (like Rs.4L) that he found it pointless. Then as a teacher all he'd get is Rs.3K salary per month and that would be pointless too. So he left everything and stayed at home. Helping with khethi. Khundu hasn't studied. But they make enough money with these weekend tourists. People ask them to cook etc. Mumbai people want them to cook country chicken in the chhoola etc. and pay based on khushi se. He was dissatisfied when I gave him his guide fees of Rs.500 and more.
We ate poha that his wife made. I found their living circumstances were very unhygienic. Last night vessels lying dirty outside. I found hair in the poha :) It wasn't that they didn't have money - money wasn't the problem. It's just that they are habituated to unclean habits.
There was no bathroom and I had to go for the big job. So on the way I wanted to stop somewhere in the fields and do my deed. He said, "sandaas saath mein karenge!" I was a bit surprised. Well, we did it together anyways. Far away of course. But I gave him sanitizer so he can clean himself before eating (which he kept munching on Ruffles wafers...obsessed with it!).
There were many, many trekkers. Mostly young people in their early 20s. Towards the summit it was a queue system. One standing behind the other. People kept saying, "yahan se zinda jaana hai" etc.
:
:
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