AN UNFORGETFUL JOURNEY

Time: 0500 Date: 11/12/2006 TREK TO TRIUND ( DHAULADHAR RANGE )

PLANNING WEATHER MONITORING

AREA OF INTREST TRIUND

GETTING THERE DELHI – DHRAMSHALA ( BY BUS) hire a cab or use public transport or jeep on shairing basis to reach Mc Lord Jung and ask for directions for Triund.

PRECAUTIONS UNBEARABLE COLS IF NOT DRESSED PROPERLY UNPRIDECTABLE WEATHER ( CHANCES OF RAIN ARE VERY HIGH )

I had been persuading my friends to join me for the trek to TRIUND and the response had not been that good. Well everyone has some limitations at some point of time, I had to take the decision as there were only few days left for the vacations to get over. I had the urge to go to TRIUND and it was not that I had not been there before I wanted to be there in the winters once its all snow so I had deliberately delayed the trek earlier so that I could be there once its cuddled in the white blanket.

The very first day once I told this to my friends they were amazed and may be called me a fool as it was bright sunshine and no trace of clouds, and my intuion said that its gonna snow in next 3 days and yes it did happen on 3rd DEC and after that the weather was clear for a couple of days and I wasn't able to make it because of several other commitments. Finally as the leave was to get over in a few days now I had a fear in my mind that I might not be able to make it as the weather has gone bad and the weather seemed to play around with me as it used to be clear once I had some important commitments.

It was on 8th Dec that I had told Anant that if the weather is okey then I will be off for the trek possibly alone. On 10th Dec as I was coming back from the granny’s house rains started and I knew it was a indication of heavy snowfall on the mountains. I and been watching the clouds that form up on the mountains and then spread over to the region and I wished to beclouds as they get to visit the place where I want to be. The formation of clouds was much more rapid and abrupt now a day and they had been gambling with me. It felt like I am being tested time and over again for the objective that I want to achieve.

10th Dec 1830hrs as my I rushed my car to my house in it grew awfully dark of the thick black clouds engulfed the sky mountains hidden behind undetected. It was when I took the diversion towards my home from the main road connecting Chamunda and Dhramshala that I told my family( in the car ) it seems very unlikely for me to trek with this sort of a weather, I know they were all happy at my decision of course the reason was the worry and love for me. And just then I made another revelation that if the weather is slightly okay then I am ready to go on 11th and that was very remote and the words which shook them were maybe I will do it on 12th ( my Bday ) if the weather permits. I know that at that time my mind had been fighting and thinking and new ideas kept sweeping in my mind so that I could somehow adjust my schedule to be there and trek the snow clad mountains. Just after dropping parents at home I went to a wedding where I would be meeting my cousin bother and sisters. Well as I reached there heavy downpour welcomed me as if the clouds were giving me a warning– BOY FORGET ABOUT THE TREK . And I was even more thoughtful thought I was in the marriage my attention was on the trek I felt cheated for a moment but then I had learned one thing from my navigating officer — Learn to respect forces of nature, you cannot fight them so learn to exploit them. The downpour was accompanied with the heavy winds and somewhere I had an intuition that may be I stand some chance. So after some time I reverted back to my normal self and that was living in present had great time with my cousins and of course enjoyed the food not to forget here are the remarks that I had received from my dear friend that I could go anywhere for food. So I did justice to my friends remarks and then was the time to leave and I was back on the driving seat with my cousins in the car. The rain had still not stopped and I was thinking about all the people who were the host for the marriges that were happening in the region, rains really spoil the show and in winters dropstemperature even further and becomes difficult for the people to focus at their work and then all they look for is a cozy corner or a source of heat to keep them going. Well we all were home in 20 mins. After all of them felt exhausted they went to sleep one by one and I was the only person awake at home doing something that was now a sort of routine for me I was transferring the data back to my lappy form my friends HDD.

Well I was exausted too and I fell pray to the the dark queen by around 0015hrs. Morning as the destiny had something in mind I was the 1st one to be awake with the alarm buzzing in my cell I woke up mother thought didn't dare to come out of bed as it was damm cold. After about 1hrs my didi and jiju were leaving and dad was going ti drop them to the bus stop. I know it was the determination to go for the trek that had helped me out of the bed and I took out the car to drop them. I had been reading Alchemist and me getting up seemed a kind of omen to me. I saw stars to my joy indicating that that weather was good now and only one last fear what abt the weather over mountains ? Patience I said to myself and hoped that was fine too I stared the car and depressed the accelerator to the bottom as I was in the hurry to know about the weather over the ranges. I looked towards the mountains with the slight hesitation as I had a little fear about the weather. Ohh wt a sight it was as I saw the snow clad mountains shining in the dim moonlight and the stars sparking above them. I looked at my co drivers seat to fetch my camera but the jiju was there I was no more alone and the camera was at home.

I rushed back home after we chased the bus and then I told mom I am moving she knew now she cant stop me so she made a good breakfast for me. I had not prepared anyting for the trek and at this stage I missed my rucksack the most as I was no longer possessing it and hadn't been able to get a new one. Some how I managed to get a bag that could just fit in the needs for the time and then the question was the shoes that should be worn I didn't had any special shoes and it was gonna be snow walking for miles there were chances of the frost bite too on the worst side. I looked for my old leather shoes ( DMS BOOTS )- they are worne by army people and I and bought them in 11th std as I wanted to be in forces. As I took them out old memories just brushed passed me and I had no time as I was on the mission today and the time was gonna be crutial , as the clods form up by afternoon and I had to be before the clouds could spoil the show coz it was my camera that I had to protect from rain and of course me in the winters atleast .

11 dec 0700 hrs: I was once again on the drivers seat and the objective rt in front of me. I drove and then stopped at the bridge to take a picture ofmagestic mountains and damm it was so cold that the image would show a camera shake even to a layman. I dint had the luxary to stop there and improve on my pic so I moved on well I was joyed to see snow as I rushed my car towards Dhramkot the slight light on the horizon had just been changing colours form the darkness to the light and its always good ro watch the play of coulors and its rare for me to watch the transition form the dark to light. Well I couldn't help my self from freezing that moment forever within my camera and ofcourse my soul. Though it was good to see snow for the 1st tome in the season but this would mean that I would have to start the trek right in snow and I had expected that atleadt few miles will be without the snow and another indication would be that there will be a lots of snow on top and it was at that moment the thought came to my mind its gonna be very tight reaching the top. I parked my car and then moved on to the shop near by to buy the chew and a dairy milk that shall keep me going I thought.

After I was done with the little survival purchase I looked over the side to see the beautiful and breathtaking view of snow clad mountains.. Now was the time for me to start walking, I could feel the freezing atmosphere around me and knew that I had to go far so I started on the route on which I have been before but lot like today. I could see the morning sunrays kissing the snow after getting filtered through the trees I knew that by evening I wont find the snow as it will melt for sure. I had to move on as frankly speaking I wasn't even started so I just moved on and my first halt was gonna be the village that’s the last village to triund ofcourse latter you will find snowline café and the shop on top that server Maggie and omlet and juices and water.

The journey was the one that I will remember throughout my live. The mountains look magestic as they are enveloped in the blanket of snow and now I run out of words to describe the view that was vitnessed by my eyes. The trek was a never ending experience and had become much more challenging in the fresh snow and to add to the difficulties was the sun that would melt the snow and it will become much more slushy and much more slippery and to add to the concern was the chances of the weather packing up on top, as I could see the clouds forming up over the glacier which if further up.

There had been a steady progress as I moved towards the goal and I wasn't very sure to make it to the top as the snow was just too much , I decided to go as far as I can and ofcourse my advanced was slowed down by the photography that I kept doing along the way and I owe no regrets to it. Once I was almost midway that’s near snowline café I could have a clear view of top but the clouds by now had stared wishpring to each other as if they were doing a conspiracy against me I still decided to move further , by this time my feet were all drenched with the freezing water that was engulfed in the snow around my feet. At this moment I remembered of the guys who made it to the poles and a sudden fear came to my mind was of the frost bite, nevertheless I decided to go on. After another 45 mins or so I took a look at the top and the very purpose on being on top was like defeated as the clouds had succedded in their conspiracy against me, the top was engulfed in the clouds and now there would be no pics and the clouds were building fast. The top was now around 45 mins that included the last climb but it was not worth the efforts at the moment and the prudence told to return. So I decided to recharge my self by relaxing in my tent for 15-20 mins, the tent was rigged up and as I lied down on my back I felt like I was being engulfed by the dark beauty—sleep, how can this happen to me I thought if I sleep rt now I wont be able to make it back may be not at all ever that thought jolted me and there was a storm full of negative thoughts and if I look at it now that was intuition because as I moved out of the tent I could see the snow falling on me and the clouds seemed to be mischievous now. With the speed of lightning I furled my tent packed my stuff and just started my way back. I couldn't run there bcoz it was slippery and also because the snow was till thighs may be from the snowline café I would be able to gain mommentum. One more fear that bothered rather that was a nightmare for me was the fear of being trapped in rain as that would be a disaster. Imagine urself beingdrenched in the ice cold water and then the chilling winds brush passing my ur body sending the chills down ur nerves, and the other major concern was that of my camera getting wet so I decided to move as fast as possibe . C oming down after the café was a mix of running and brisk walking. Finally after around an hour of such exhaustion I felt that I have left the clouds behind me and then I looked back and smiled at clouds of being able to defeate them but then they also smiled back and I could read that they have kept me from reaching the top. I still had the distance to cover so I started to sprint down as I could see ppl coming till the snowline now. I could have relaxed a bit but now the small patches of snow were not looking attractive as I had just explored the vast extent of snow. Well I needed to hurry even now as Anant was waiting for me at Mac lordgunj. I made it to my car in about 15 mins from the last village and now as I stopped I could feel that my feet were slowly going out of the sinc of my body .

Ananat was in the mood of doing photography and only I understood the pain I was in, so I did a quick session of photography and off I went to our destination Bhagsu Resturant very popular with the young crowd and I was very clear in my mind that I required a quick service of momos and thupa. Believe me that tasted awesome my body could feel the enegrylevel restoring as the hot soup went inside. Well till now my feet were all drenched and were freezing so I decided to rush home ASAP and help me out with some warmth of the heater. So I raced with my car towards the termination of the wonderful time that I had had and I was feeling pitty on my friends who were not able to experience of what I had seen. The trek was awesome and the next of my plans is to cross over to CHAMBA.

frozen

THE PICTURES ARE SUPPOSED TO FREEZE THE EMOTIONS AND SO DOES THE ICE
HERE ARE SOME FOZEN MEMORIES



ENJOYYYYYYYY

 

DAS BOOT ( THE BOAT )

Das Boot

Germany’s submariners of the Second World War have long been portrayed in the media as heartless and fanatical killers, devoted to their Führer and willing to kill anyone or anything that was unlucky enough to fall before their U-boat’s torpedo tubes or gun barrels. Perhaps one of the most important steps to rehabilitation for U-boat veterans in the years after the end of hostilities came thanks to a multi-million pound film project based on a novel written by wartime propaganda photographer Lothar-Günther Buchheim. Directed by Wolfgang Petersen Released in 1981 after two years of filming 'Das Boot' (The Boat) was, at the time of production, the most expensive German film in history, costing 30 million Deutsche Marks (US$40 million). Originally shot for both cinema release and German television the full version was six hours long and closely followed the plot of Buchheim’s novel. Location shooting included segments shot in the La Pallice bunkers and also involved the construction of a full-size replica U-boat (ironically this boat was accidentally sunk during filming, later raised and used also in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'). The U-boat of the story -U96 -departed La Pallice for an Atlantic patrol to be hunted and harried by Allied aircraft and destroyers, sent crashing to the bottom twice and badly damaged attempting to force a passage through the Straits of Gibraltar. Finally the battered U-boat is sunk and most of her crew killed as they return to base in La Pallice.

The gritty realism of this film brought the realities of U-boat warfare and the Battle of the Atlantic into the realms of international cinema on a scale never before seen by movie going public. Free of propaganda and “Hollywood” tales of morality the film accurately portrayed the boredom, exhilaration and terror that went to war with Germany’s U-boat men. But what of the real U96?

In October 1941 a young war correspondent from the Ministry of Propaganda arrived in Saint Nazaire to accompany a combat U-boat on patrol. Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock welcomed the young reporter aboard his boat U96 as it lay inside the massive concrete pens that housed U-boats of the Saint-Nazaire based 7^th U-boat Flotilla. Lehmann-Willenbrock already carried the Knights Cross after having completed three war patrols as commander of U96. By the time naval propaganda reporter Leutnant Lothar-Günther Buchheim met Lehmann-Willenbrock and his crew they were on the eve of their seventh patrol and had already sunk 19 enemy ships amounting to 153 610-tons sent to the bottom of the sea. Buchheim made himself at home aboard the cramped Type VIIC, showing signs of wear after fourteen months of North Atlantic combat. Like the fictional correspondent Leutnant Werner of 'Das Boot', Buchheim was given the luxury of his own bunk in the Petty Officers quarters. Finally in the mid afternoon of 27^th October 1941 U96 trailed its minesweeper escort out of the towering bunker and into the turbulent waters of the Bay of Biscay.

Buchheim set to work immediately, photographing the men at their posts and the huge amount of stored food that hung from every available hook and pipe within the pitching U-boat. He and his camera were to become familiar to all the crew as they settled into their now-comfortable routine of sea duties. Propaganda men were generally tolerated by U-boat crews, rarely befriended although usually treated as no more than an extra hand for menial duties or lookout.

The myth...	...the reality.
Probably the greatest U-boat movie ever "Das Boot" was based loosely on the experiences of a young war correspondent aboard Heinrich Lehmman-Willenbrock's (right) U96. Nineteen years after its release it still enjoys massive acclaim, thanks in no small part to the superb actors led by Jürgen Prochnow (left).

U96 was directed to the wild waters of the Newfoundland Bank, considered at that time to (incorrectly) be the maximum operational distance for Type VIIC U-boats. Attached to the Stosstrupp (Shocktroop) Wolf Pack with five other U-boats they were tasked to lay in wait for convoy traffic traversing the atlantic between Halifax, Nova Scotia and the United Kingdom. On 31^st October fellow pack member U552, commanded by the 'Ace' Erich Topp, sighted the target convoy HX156 eastbound in the wildly heaving North Atlantic. Transmitting homing signals for his comrades Topp attempted to draw the rest of the Stosstrupp pack to its quarry in the face of deteriorating weather. As Lehmann-Willenbrock battled eastwards in U96 to join the pack he stumbled upon a southbound convoy OS10, heading from England to Sierra Leone, late on the 31^st and commenced his own independent attack. Dashing into a surface attack Lehmann-Willenbrock torpedoed and sank the Dutch steamer SS Bennekom before being forced away by escort destroyers. Transmitting his own homing signals, Lehmann-Willenbrock attempted to bring more U-boats to the allied ships. Only one other boat, flotilla-mate U98, arrived before contact with the convoy was lost.

There then followed a succession of depressingly monotonous and unsuccessful pack reformations and patrol lines. No allied ships were sighted and boredom began to take its toll on crews and commanders. Finally on 22^nd November U96 along with several other U-boats at sea were ordered to make all possible speed to the area around Gibraltar in preparation for an attempt to shuttle U-boats into the Mediterranean. The Commander-in-Chief of U-boats, Vizeadmiral Karl Dönitz protested vigorously against the diversion of valuable hunting U-boats from the vital battles in the Atlantic to the 'mousetrap' of the Mediterranean - an area unsuited to U-boat operations and one in which the efforts of Germany’s submariners would have little, if any, effect on the course of the war against England’s supply lifeline. However he was overruled and U-boats were diverted into the virtually land-locked sea. However they faced one appallingly difficult obstacle -the narrow and heavily guarded Straits of Gibraltar. During the night of 27^th/28^th November U96 stealthily crept into neutral Spanish waters to refuel from the 'interned' tanker Bessel in Vigo harbour. After refueling and reprovisioning, Lehmann-Willenbrock headed towards the Straits and began his attempt at passing through while remaining on the surface. However on 31^st November as U96 embarked upon its wary passage the U-boat was surprised by a radar equipped 812^th Squadron Fleet Air Arm Swordfish aircraft that was based in Gibraltar (its original home, the flight deck of the Ark Royal, having been sunk by U81 only weeks previously). Lieutenant Commander Woods brought his biplane aircraft roaring out of a glowering and dim sky to strafe and bomb U96, causing severe damage. Two 450lb depth charges exploded around the U-boat’s hull and shellfire from nearby destroyers and armed trawlers began to fall uncomfortably close. Lehmann-Willenbrock immediately ordered his boat dived and U96 plummeted to the bottom at 240-feet to make onboard repairs. After five hours of labour the U-boat managed to creep away underwater and abort its mission to return to Sainte-Nazaire, arriving at the concrete bunker mouth on 6^th December 1941.

During May the following year Buchheim’s photographs and story appeared in the German propaganda magazine Signal and U96 and its 'laughing sawfish' insignia became famous. By then Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock had departed as commander of U96 to take control of the 9^th U-boat Flotilla in Brest. The boat made three more patrols under its new commander Oberleutnant zur See Hans Jürgen Hellriegel, sinking four more ships before retiring from combat into training duties within the Baltic in April 1943. There the veteran boat took part in exercises as part of the 24^th and 22^nd training flotillas before final retirement in Wilhelmshaven in February 1945 where she was decommissioned. It was here that the old warhorse U96 met its inglorious end. During a daylight air raid by the United States Army Air Force on Wilhelmshaven harbour during the 30^th March, U96 received a fatal near miss that fractured her hull and she slowly submerged into the murky and disturbed harbour waters, her life finally over. Eventually amid the ruins of a defeated Germany the wreck was raised and consigned to scrap.

Lothar-Günther Buchheim of course survived the war and went on to write his groundbreaking novel. He also published the full collection of his U96 photographs in a book named 'Der U-Boot Krieg' (The U-boat War). Another novel named 'Die Festung' (The Fortress) told loosely of his experiences in Brest as the city came under American siege. Sadly this novel has not yet been translated into English. Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock also survived the war. He escaped from Brest in September 1944 as the city was about to fall to the Allies aboard a barely seaworthy U256, completing a voyage to the German stronghold of Norway. There he took command of Bergen’s 11^th U-Boat Flotilla before surrendering to the Allies at the end of the war. Like many U-boat personnel he spent a year in captivity, finally released to return to Germany on 7^th May 1946.

A SUBMARINE

A Submarine
Born in the shops of the Devil,
Designed in the brains of a fiend;
Filled with acid and crude oil,
And christened "A Submarine".

The poets send in their ditties,
Of Battleships spick and clean;
But never a word in their columns,
Do you see of a submarine.

I'll try and depict our story,
In a very laconic way;
Please have patience to listen,
Until I have finished my say.

We eat where’re we can find it,
And sleep hanging up on the hooks;
Conditions under which we're existing,
Are never published in books.

Life on these boats is obnoxious,
And that is using mild terms;
We are never bothered by sickness,
There isn't any room for germs.

We are never troubled with varmints,
There are things even a cockroach can't stand.
And any self-respecting rodent,
Quick as possible beats it for land.

And that little one dollar per dive,
We receive to submerge out of sight;
Is often earned more than double,
By charging batteries at night.

And that extra compensation,
We receive on boats like these;
We never really get at all,
It's spent on soap and dungarees.

Machinists get soaked in fuel oil,
Electricians in H2SO4;
Gunnersmates with 600W,
And torpedo slush galore.

When we come into the Navy Yard,
We are looked upon with disgrace;
And they make out some new regulations,

To fit our particular case.

Now all you Battleship sailors,
When you are feelin’' disgruntled and mean;
Just pack your bag and hammock,
And go to "A Submarine"

NOTE : Got this poem on web and there was no author mentioned.It is believed that it was written in WW I.

 
 
 
  

do they convey something

 
 
 
  

fountain at night

  

IMAGES

Pictures speak more than worlds so I just try and capture the different moods.