CHAPTER XXXIX
SRINAGAR -RAWALPINDI - AMRITSAR
(i) A perilous venture
Prom Bhai Vir Singh's Kuti Raindas was escorted by
Shambunath to his house in Amirakadal, in the main bazaar
of Srinagar. Shambunath's father, mother and other rela-
tions treated him with great kindness and love. He stopped
with them for about a fortnight. In the coarse of his stay
he expressed to Shambunath that God willed that h£
should climb up the highest mountain in the range at the
front of the cave of Sri Shankarachavya hill. The idea of
hill-climbing appealed to Shambunath's imagination. He
also proposed to accompany Ramdas in the trip.
So one early morning, they started on the adventcire.
Shambunath armed himself with a thermos-flask filled
with tea and also a small bag containing biscuits, bread,
butter and fruits. As far as the foot of the hill they
travelled by motor-car. Now they commenced the ascent.
They took a path along the greatest incline and ascended
higher and higher keeping in view the peak they had to
reach. From the ground level the summit did not appear
to be of very great height but now, as they went up, they
discovered that the summit seemed to be as high up as
ever. Seven hills, one after another, were passed and at
last they came to the bottom of the peak they had ultimately
to reach.
Up to the end of the fourth hill they walked on a
rough beaten path but further on there was no track. They
had to make their way through thickets and gorges and
over rugged rocks. Except a couple of jackals, who took
to flight at the sight of them, they met no other animals.
Now the highest peak to be climbed had to be scaled either
spirally, an easier method, or right up vertically, Ram-
das adopted the latter course. He scrambled up using the