g Abode of Gods
CooSles, poiies and jlialboos
For journey to distant places, foot journey Is to be under-
taken for which luggage in the high Himalayas has to be carried
on backs of hired coolies, ponies or jhaboos which forms an
inseparable part of Uttarakhand scene. Excessive baggage in
the hill is like baggage to the army in war.
Sturdy ponies are also available at the starting point of
the journey at a fixed price for the varying distances of places
in the hill country. The pony as a ride is an excellent animal,
very sure-footed and by far the most suitable carrier in the
hills.
Amongst the coolies available, one class of coolie is
Dotiyal, hailing from Doti on the eastern side of Nepal.
He is one of the sturdiest carrier of loads who carries the
load on his back, supported by a rope passing round his
forehead. The strength and endurance of these men are mar-
vellous. If you give Bin's and offer occasional tea to the porter
he is your best friend. It is always better to settle rates with
them and in cases of doubt consult the local TehsiJdar or the
Sub-Divisional Magistrate. In case of large parties on long
trekking routes or mountaineering expedition, the District
Magistrate of the concerned district can be helpful. Large
trekking parties always consult them.
The pleasure of foot journey
I have done hundreds of miles of journey, through all
possible modes of transportation but the best has been foot
journey. Foot journey is pleasant because of delicious cool
breezes are encountered on the slopes and as one rises higher
and higher a feeling of exhilation possesses the mind, the
lungs are filled with pure, sweet air and a sense of liberation
is felt, after the dead land of the Indian plain is crossed.
Down below us, as we ascend up and up the zigzag road, the
deep gorges filled with sub-tropical growth and above us the
high clad peaks with pine and deodar filled forests present
surprise of the unexpected.
While walking on foot, the trekker quite frequently sees
the sight of a family with a woman seated on a jhaboo or
pony, usually over household stuff; chubby infants are also