200 Abode of Gods
American team under the leadership of Tillman and the latter
alongwith Odell succeeded in reaching the top of Nanda Devi.
In 1951, a French party, under the leadership of Roger Duplat
attempted the traverse of formidable stretch, 3 kms. in length
which links east and west summits of Nanda Devi. Duplat and
Vignes lost their lives in this venture. In the year 1974 on 13th
June, two members of the Indo-Japanese team succeeded in
traversing the ridge connecting east Nanda Devi and north
Nanda Devi.
In 1957 Major Nandu Juyal and a German party made unsuccess-
ful attempts on Nanda Devi. A party under the leadership of
Gurdayal Singh entered the inner sanctuary in 1960 with the
object of traversing the Rishi Gorge and climb Devisthan peak in
the western rim of the sanctuary. In 1961, two sherpas of the
expedition climbed the peak of Nanda Devi.
The exploration
While I was in Chamoli I had the privilege of launching
expedition parties of Nainital Mountaineering Club from time
to time. One such party was led by Anup Shah which left
Nainital on 13th September 1974 and reached Lata on 15th
September after a day's halt at Joshimath. Lata is a fairly large
village of about 50-60 houses. At a distance of nearly 10 kms.
ahead from Lata, the party could find the medicinal and aromatic
plants like Salampanja (Orchis latifolia), Kutki (Picrorhize
Kutroa), Atees (Aconitum heterophylluro), Jambu (Allium Sp.)»
Jatamasi (Nardostachys Jatamasi), Vish (Aconituns Atrox),
Gandaryan (Angelica glauca) and Guggul and Takkar could be
collected from the alpine meadows, such as Poling, Jeepur and
Lata Kharak.
The party left for Dibrugheta early in the morning of 17th
September. The weather was foggy and as we reached Bakhini
Dhar, It started raining. The plants observed on the way were
saussurea obvalata (Brahma Kamal) and Takkar, and umbelli-
ferous plant. From Bakhini Dhar the party reached Dharansi
Dhar through Satkula Dhar and Ranikhola. From Dharansi
Dhar (4500 mtrs.) there is a steep descent of about 400
mtrs. to Dibrugheta. The party reached Dibrugheta in the
night and bivouched there, as the porters carrying loads reached