Story: Leadership In Practice - A Trek to Sandakphu and Phalut In Darjeeling Himalayas (LeadershipInPractice01)

Story: Leadership In Practice - A Trek to Sandakphu and Phalut In Darjeeling Himalayas (LeadershipInPractice01)

Aniruddha Sarkar

20 November 2020

#LeadershipInPractice01

(Little things matter: Leadership lessons learned from a junior childhood friend who was not so privileged since he opened his eyes to this world and had to struggle at every step in his life.)

It was 1985. We, a few friends, planned a trek to the Darjeeling Himalayas. Initially, the team had half a dozen names. We all belonged to our Cultural, Literary, and Scientific Awareness Group in the Bally Rural Area, Howrah, West Bengal, India. We planned to take a morning train to New Jalpaiguri (aka NJP) in North Bengal at the foothills of the Himalayas from Howrah Railway Station at the City of Joy, Kolkata. We would then proceed to Ghum by?bus from the Siliguri Bus Stand. Ghum is the last Railway Station that connects Darjeeling to NJP by a narrow-gauge Railway Link. From Ghum, we would?proceed to Manebhanjan, a small hamlet at around six thousand feet in altitude and rest for the night.

The next morning, we would start the trek to Sandakphu at an altitude of twelve thousand feet. Here, we would halt for two nights. Then we would proceed to Phalut at around the same altitude and would stay for one more night. From Phalut the next day, we would return via Rammam to Rimbik. The trek of around ninety-two km would be over. After a night’s stay at Rimbik, we would take a morning bus to Darjeeling. After two night’s halts at Darjeeling, we would return to Siliguri and then take the next day’s train to Kolkata. Nine nights and ten days plan indeed.

It was our first trekking adventure. We were excited. All our friends were interested initially. We started further drill-down to arrive at our detailed plan. We laid down?daily walking schedules carrying a fifteen kg rucksack on the back. The daily trekking distance came around twenty km uphill on a typical day. Gradually, the initial euphoria started melting down as a few friends pulled out.

We two, Ashish and Aniruddha (the present author), went ahead with the plan. We booked reserved railway tickets to New Jalpaiguri (NJP), five hundred km from Kolkata.?

The time was mid-March, the best time for trekking on this route.

We, the two friends, had been jogging early for a few months by then. Ashish would call me around four am in the early morning. I would jump out of my bed and get ready in five minutes.

Then two of us would reach Delhi Road and start jogging to Dakshineswar Temple for four km one-way from our home. By seven am we would jog eight km and return. We two maintained this daily exercise?schedule?with no breaks for at least three months. Our stamina and confidence level were high. We also consulted a few professional trekking cum mountaineering?clubs in our nearby localities, especially in the Bally Municipal area. Those adventure sports groups encouraged us and shared a few key tips on that route. This was when I learned a bit about high altitude sickness and how to combat that.

Two weeks before departure, we would return from our respective workplaces every day and would meet at our house with the list of items to carry. It contained many things, including dry food, some medicines, day-wise dry food packets, etc. We decided not to take any porter cum guide since that would have been a costly proposition for us.

On the scheduled day, we both reached the Howrah Railway Station and boarded the Kanchenjunga Express in the morning. With second-class seat reservations that suited our budget well, we left Kolkata for the NJP station. In the evening, we got down at NJP station and checked into a Siliguri Hotel near the main bus stand. The next morning, we boarded a bus from the Tenzing Norgay Bus Terminus at Siliguri for Darjeeling, a seventy km journey that took six hours and with a gain of seven thousand four hundred and seven feet altitude.?We got down at Ghum station, eight km before Darjeeling. Then we took a shared land-rover ride towards Mirik. The driver dropped us off at Sukhiapokhri. He took a different route. However, he guided us to proceed the next six km on foot towards Manebhanjan at about six thousand three hundred and twenty-five feet altitude.?We walked past a few small settlements to reach our destination for the first night’s halt.

We took a tea break at a shop, then we approached a stone-and-mud-built house. The owner, an aged lady, provided us with one small room for staying overnight. There was no hotel in that tiny village. So, trekkers used to stay on rent for a night or two in all such houses. We had our simple dinner at the same tea joint.

The next morning, the sky was clear. It was 4 am. We started walking up the road. We had to cover thirty-two km on foot while gaining six thousand feet of altitude! On the way, as the sun started appearing, we could view the three majestic?peaks of?Mount Kanchenjunga, popularly called ‘Three Sisters.’ We kept on climbing uphill. The three snow-clad?peaks of?Kanchenjunga were now visible all along the road. The whole route was red with blooming seasonal rhododendron flowers. I was carrying a simple Agfa 200 camera. Every shot that we clicked on this journey yielded superb coloured photos, as we found out later.

Gradually, we reached a place called Meghma, nine km from Manebhanjan, at around nine thousand five hundred feet altitude. We knew that the next destination was Tonglu, where there was a Government Rest House for night halt. We were trekking on a wide road?that would reach Sandakhphu following a circuitous route. This route was motorable with four-wheel-drive land-rovers only.

We took some rest at a tea stall. The lady there served us hot tea without sugar and milk. She added a little salt. She also told us that this was the tea that we would get all along the way.

As we started proceeding further ahead, the lady called us from behind. She admonished us for not knowing the trekking route. Then she guided us to take a shorter route via Tumling (nine thousand six hundred feet altitude) and Gairibans (eight thousand six hundred feet altitude). Both were villages on the route. Now we also learned that we had entered Nepal and would have to trek some distance before we re-entered India at Kalipokhri. This route was tougher, very narrow, full of boulders, and had occasional waterfalls. This slope had been part of a high hill. Down below, there was a dense forest. We could locate any human habitation for the next few hours. After an eleven km trek, we reached Gairibans, a small village. There was a food stall. We sat there and asked for drinking water. The owner served us a mug full of boiling water, with both tea leaves and salt added. The owner said, ‘This is what we drink.’ We were hungry. It was around two-thirty pm. So, we had our lunch here with rice and local vegetables, along with egg preparations. Then again, we started for the next stop at the Kalipokhri village at ten thousand four hundred feet altitude some six km away.

This time,?we faced a tougher elevation to climb. Somehow, we managed. But then, it was well past five pm. Daylights were fading fast. The sky was cloudy. A strong chilly wind was lashing us. We were yet to trek another six km to Sandakphu at twelve thousand feet altitude.

As we proceeded towards the last lap, it was completely dark around. The roads were almost invisible. Even with powerful torchlights, we could not distinguish between which was the road and which was not. A deadly strong wind was blowing between two hills (Gully). The wind was strong enough to sweep us away into the deep gorges a few kilometres down below. We got almost exhausted. Somehow, we dragged ourselves along. Both of us locked our hands to save us from the strong wind pushing us into the dark ditch below. Gradually we crossed the gully, some half a kilometre long, with deep gorges on both sides of this stretch of the dangerous patch. Then we took the last charge towards Sandakphu.

By seven pm, we reached Sandakphu, at twelve thousand feet altitude from sea level. It was the hilltop plateau, with no other hill visible around. Sandakphu was freezing, with extremely strong chilling wind ravaging the hilltop. We could find a few trekker’s huts. All were occupied by then.?After some searching, we received accommodation in a night shelter. It was available since the party who booked could not arrive on that date. What a stroke of luck indeed! The caretaker served two of us with hot preparation of rice and pulses (popularly known as khichdi). He served us hot. But within less than a minute, it turned cold. The outside temperature was sub-zero. In these utterly inhospitable circumstances, full-belly khichdi food was a great blessing from Heaven. We felt a Divine presence around us.

The next morning, we got up early to have an unobstructed view of Kanchenjunga. The sky was clear. Sun was rising on the horizon. First, the Top Peaks of The Three Sisters of Kanchenjunga were milky white, then gradually those peaks turned golden, then those turned red, and then we could see the sun on the horizon. Gradually we could view many more peaks, including Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu at a distance. It was a marvellous sight for half an hour. We took a few photographs.

After the breakfast, another team called us. Surprises, they were also from Bally Howrah. We knew a few of them. They started one day before us from Kolkata. Their leader Rabi da ( da meaning Dada, the elder brother in Bengali) first gave us a piece of his mind for trekking thirty-two km from six thousand feet to twelve thousand feet in one day. He then provided us with some valuable guidance: -

Never trek after three pm on treacherous trekking routes in the Himalayas.

After two pm, the weather would gradually deteriorate with strong winds, rains, and probable thunderstorms striking. Also, flying boulders from the upper reaches might hit the road.

There would be chances that a team might lose way under darkness.

Chances would be high that some wild animal might attack.

There may be a flash flood, so be extremely careful while crossing any rivulet, even if there is very little water.

Climbing down is more prone to accidents than climbing up.

As we kept listening, we both realized what we did was an act of heroics by novices.

We spent the next night also in Sandakphu. We thus got acclimatized a bit at this high altitude and both felt reasonably fit for the remaining journey.

The next early morning, we started for Phalut, which was at around the same altitude as Sandakphu, a trek of twenty-two km. There was snowfall the previous night. Snowflakes were hanging from the roadside shrubs. This route was relatively easy to trek, with not much variation in altitude. However, I had difficulty walking now. My left knee suddenly got locked. I could not bend my leg for a normal walk. Every step was becoming painful.

Ashish could sense that. He immediately slowed down and then took my rucksack. With the load being off; walking was less painful for me. I almost limped the last ten km at a very slow pace. Ashish kept on carrying both the rucksacks, a total weight of twenty to twenty-five kgs. On top of that, he gave me rest at every kilometre and did some soft massage to relieve the pain. He also applied the balm. Later, as I was proceeding slowly, he gave me support for the last few kilometres. I wrapped my hand around his shoulder while walking. By early evening, we two reached Phalut.?By then, it was pitch dark.

Again, there was no vacant trekker’s hut. Other groups of trekkers had occupied all. Those who had carried their tents could make their separate arrangements behind large boulders guarding the ravaging wind.

We had no place to go. This was another issue for which we were not at all prepared. My knee had swelled. The outside temperature was dipping fast, the wind was lashing us, and this treacherous wind was sweeping even small-sized stones.

Then suddenly, from nowhere, one police personnel emerged. He told us there was a police post (Chowki) at a distance uphill. We two could stay there for the night. We followed him. It was a minor post with two police personnel only. Both lamented that this was, in a way, a punishment posting for them. Food supplies would come once in two weeks on the backs of mules. Sometimes, that also would not happen because of road blockage during the rainy season. Overall, they would run out of food stock frequently. We felt so sad about their plight. This West Bengal Government Police Post was ill-equipped in the year 1985.

Both left their families long back and could not go home since no one would come to relieve them for a few days. Then they said they could have offered us tea, but they ran out of tea leaves, milk, and sugar. We assured them not to worry. Whatever ration we had, we would leave for them. Yes, we could provide them with our entire stock of tea, sugar, biscuits, and?some mixture packets (Chana Chur, a kind of testy snack, hot-sweet-sour) and other essentials like salt, matchbox, dry food, some medicines, etc. Initially, they were hesitant to accept. We assured them that this was our last night of trekking. We will not need these items anymore as we descend tomorrow and reach the locality by the next evening.

Suddenly, one police personnel disappeared. After some time,?he reappeared with a bowl full of?the milk of Yak (the hill buffaloes)! We learned from him, two km away, one shepherd boy stayed with his herd. He mentioned this boy stayed in a hut built on a large tree branch to avoid wild animal attacks. He had his dogs to guard the buffaloes. His primary job was to prepare ghee (a concentrated milk product) and then deliver the product to his employer in Darjeeling. We could imagine the hardships this boy had to sustain for his living.

We had a great tea. Then, we also had a simple but great dinner, khichdi, along with Chana Chur, the mixture. These two police personnel left the bigger spacious room for us, while they shared the smaller room. Wooden logs formed the room’s walls. There were openings between adjoining logs. An extremely chilly wind was penetrating inside, and the room temperature soon came down below freezing point.

We had an idea. We had been carrying a large polyethene sheet and long ropes. That sheet we could place appropriately to block the openings. Gradually, the room became warmer again. We slipped inside our sleeping bags.

We were about to die in the cold outside two hours back. Now, we got our worries sorted out by some magic. Was there a divine presence? Today, I can say, ‘Yes, there was.’

The next morning, we again had a wonderful view of Kanchenjunga from Phalut. This view was unhindered, with no intervening peaks in between. The two police personnel served a quick breakfast with boiled eggs and bread, followed by a great tea. Their cordiality knew no bounds. The previous night, we offered to post any letters they wanted to send to their families. Both the police personnel handed over their letters. I carried envelopes and postage stamps in case needed. Those were of instant use. Both the police personnel wrote their home addresses, and we took charge of the letters. Two days down the line, we posted those letters in the main post office at Darjeeling.

We paid them a very insignificant amount of token money for their great help and services, then bade adieu to both.

We never know from which corner, we receive help when in distress. God has His scheme of things.

It was 7 am. My knee joint swelling was still there. I had pain while walking. But the very thought that we were at the last leg of this trekking adventure was a great feeling. It kept us going. To reach Rimbik in one day, now we had to trek thirty-seven km, mostly downhill. A difficult target indeed.

We started losing altitude fast, crossed Gorkey, another village with no person/ (s) on sight,?entered the dense Rammam forest, crossed the Rammam river, and again kept on walking through the jungle. Not a single human being was in sight. At two pm, we reached Rammam village.?By then, we could trek twenty-four km in six hours. We were to cover another thirteen km! As both of us were hungry, we took a lunch break. This time, the menu was fresh chapati (hand-made flattened bread) and omelette. A village lady at her small tea stall cum residence prepared the food.

As we ate, we could catch a beautiful view of the Sikkim Hills on the other side of the Rammam River. Little kids from the village were thronging around us. We emptied our full stock of toffees. The kids were so happy.

We left the village by three-thirty pm. Because of my knee-locking problem, again Ashish took my rucksack and both of us were trekking at a slow pace. The sun went down soon; it was dark inside the jungle that covered the road. We came to a point where there was a road diversion near a rivulet. One road was going down towards the rivulet below where we could see a small bridge that crosses the rivulet.?The other road was the continuation of the same road that we were travelling. We could not decide on the direction.

Suddenly, from behind, a figure emerged. A shepherd?boy was going to Rimbik. We requested him to stroll and navigate us to Rimbik. The boy agreed. He then took us through the road that went down till we reached the bridge. Then he guided us to cross the bridge and then climb up to reach another road on the other side of the rivulet. He said this was a shortcut to reduce the distance. This boy all along stayed with us. As we walked, we kept on talking to him. He was carrying a loaded bag on his back and a club. On inquiry, he said, there were wild animals in the Rammam forest. He often encountered those beasts. However, with this club in hand, he could confront them well. He was carrying many bottles full of ghee on his back. Probably, he was the same shepherd boy the police personnel mentioned the day before. I asked from where he was coming. He said, Phalut. By eight-thirty pm we reached Rimbik.

There was a Pradhan Hotel, a small single-storied building where we could find tourists, mostly foreign nationals, from various countries. We got a cot and a pair of blankets. We also had dinner there and slept. The next morning, we left Rimbik by a 6 am bus to Darjeeling. We came to know that this was the only bus for the day. The same bus would return to Rimbik in the evening.

We had a sixty-five km journey to Darjeeling. It took six hours. Near Darjeeling's main Bus Stand, we checked into a hotel. This time, beautiful views of Darjeeling hills were not attracting us at all. The beauties of the wilderness were fresh in our minds. We beheld the majestic peaks of Kanchenjunga all along within our mind's eye for several days. We preferred to stay mostly indoors, barring a short stroll at the mall. My knee was also much better after this rest.

During the day, we purchased?a few woollen garments as gift items from the main market. Both of us now added a massive volume of luggage! The next morning, we returned by bus to Siliguri and stayed overnight in a hotel. In the morning, we boarded a returning Kanchenjunga Express from NJP in which we already had reservations. The majestic snow-clad mountains, the rhododendron flowers, the dense Rammam forest, and the simple hard-working village people whom we met on the way, all occupied our mind space ever since.

On our return, we developed our photo films and prepared a slide show to narrate the story to fellow enthusiasts. On watching the pictures, and after listening to the stories that we narrated, those friends who dropped out later lamented. They had missed a splendid adventure. Subsequently, we could build an adventure sports team in our Bally Rural Area and conduct a few more such high-altitude treks in the beautiful Himalayas.

We also trekked at Swarga Rohini peak up to its Glacier point from where the river Tons (aka Tamosa) starts. We also know this route as Har-Ki-Doon in the Garhwal Himalayas.

We trekked at Lahul-Spiti (up to Bara Lacha Pass) in Zanskar Ranges near Leh. We failed to complete it because of high altitude sickness. Then after a pause for two days, we resumed our trek on another route. Thus we reached the glacier point of the peak Deo-Tibba, not very far from Manali, in Himachal Himalaya.

On all subsequent treks, we learned a lot of rich lessons.

In the present story, I learned a few lessons from Ashish, who was junior to me by age, lost his father when he was a little boy. He did not receive the opportunity to pursue higher education. He joined a government job to support his family. However, he had an indomitable spirit.

Here are the lessons:

·???????? A leader shall always remain with the weakest of the team. So, we find him trailing at the back of the team on the way, while supporting the weakest.

·???????? A leader shall always try to carry extra loads of others who need support. He ensures everyone reaches the goal together as a team.

·???????? A leader never abandons the team member who needs help. The leader always stays by one’s side.

·???????? A Leader shall inspire by setting examples, and by walking the tightrope himself.

Dear Ashish, I always tried to practice the above axioms while executing my professional assignments on-site, at the customer location, with the customer, with the project team and doing the tightrope walk myself along with the team.

In the Corporate World, I could never be at ease with cultures that sometimes ran to the contrary. I derived my leadership lessons from people like you who inspire, support, stick around, and provide confidence by doing the tightrope walk themselves along with the team when the going is tough.

My dear friend, you are an outstanding leader. Please accept my heartfelt regards.

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