Chitta Katha Lake, Kashmir, Pakistan (Part 2)

Day 2:

It was very early in the morning when I woke up; I remember it was still dark outside. I got out of camp and went to the stream to freshen up a little. I was thinking to brush my teeth and wash my face and hair with fresh water of that stream. I touched the water and my hand got frozen instantly. I brushed my teeth and washed my face and shampooed my hair with that freezing water. I can still feel that chilling cold water when I think about it.

When I was almost done, Sattar came for the same purpose and I told him to get ready for the chilling surprise. Everyone else was sleeping, I sat on a huge boulder to observe sun rise, felt it for some time and then I was ready for Chitta Katha Lake.

 

Sun rise at Deck 1 on day 2

 

“Get them awake, we need to start early as rain can start anytime”, I asked Sattar.

Sattar went to the main camp and asked everyone to get up and freshen up. Everyone was up but waiting for breakfast. The local shepherd was nowhere to be seen. I think he was sleeping and if he would have been able to arrange breakfast that would have cost us two or three hours, which I could not afford.

So I told everyone, “There is no time for breakfast, if you want to wait for it, be my guest but I am going for the lake.”

Sattar agreed with me and we both started our journey to the lake. We got a bag with two water bottles, a camera and two jackets.

From deck 1 to deck 2 we needed to cross a small mountain pass which we had already crossed last day, but now we knew this was the proper track. When I was crossing that part of the mountain I saw everyone coming behind us without breakfast.

 

Me and Professor Sb at pass between Deck 1 and Deck 2 (P.C. Butt Sb)

 

Soon Sattar was gone and I was hiking with Professor Sb again. Professor Sb and Butt Sb both were with me now and we all crossed that small pass leading to Deck 2, together. From Deck1 you need to climb a little edge of a hill where there are two houses of local shepherds and from there a narrow path with lots of boulders along side with a stream which takes you to Deck 2.

A group of young adventurers passing through boulders going from Deck 1 to Deck 2

 

Deck 2:

I have had a bird’s eye view of deck 2 yesterday and have seen its beauty, but now when I was passing through it, the experience was amazing. It is a huge field of grass surrounded by mountains with stream flowing from middle of it and right in front of it there is a huge mountain wall with two beautiful waterfalls falling from both sides of this mountain wall. Behind this beautiful mountain wall we could see harry Parbat, sneaking trough the clouds.

“There is a track along waterfall on right side of that mountain wall, which goes to Chitta Katha Lake”, we were told by local shepherds. We needed to first cross the stream and there was a small beautiful bridge of tree logs to cross it.

Professor Sb and Butt Sb accompanied me to this point and then I was alone following Sattar, whom I could see like a little black dot moving in greens of Deck 2.

 

Deck 2 with a small bridge made of tree logs.

 

I saw Sattar sitting on a huge rock, he might be absorbing the vastness, calmness and wilderness of this valley, or he might have lost the way. I didn’t know what the situation was but I was with him again. Later on, we both figured it out that we had no clue where the track was, and we were lost. All we could see was debris of rocks spread all around us. We could see the waterfall falling down from right side of mountain wall but were not able to find our way to that. Sattar was going to a steep slope and I was afraid that this could be a dangerous path to follow.

“Don’t go this way, I think this is dangerous, we should go to other way”, I shouted to Sattar.

“You go that way, I want to explore this way, I think both of us will emerge at same point”, Sattar replied.

 

Mighty Harry Perbat looking down at the wall with two majestic waterfalls at both sides (locate Sattar in this picture)

 

We were separated again and after a while when I could not see Sattar emerging to the scenery I began to get worried. While I was thinking to go back and look for him, I saw him climbing up by holding just grass for his support. He had chosen to a dangerous path and to cover his mistake he explained how beautiful the view from that side was!

After a little adventure and exploration we were on the track. I saw a biscuit wrapper on the track, which usually annoy me but for the first time in my life, after seeing a wrapper on track I was happy. Wrapper meant that someone (tracker) from civilized world had passed through this wilderness and I knew that we were on the right track.

The wrapper triggered two strong feelings at same time, one was happiness and other was hunger. I was feeling hungry and was so much hungry that I was thinking to pick that wrapper up to search if there was some biscuit left in it. Then I saw a milk pack and juice pack, I knew they were also empty but I still wanted to see if there was some milk or juice left in them. This was the first time on any track I felt that much hungry. I even thought of eating grass in case I didn’t get anything to eat. Now, I was thinking I should have eaten something before starting this track and I also was cursing Sattar for not bringing anything with us. I only had water which I was drinking again and again hoping it would deceive my stomach. While I was fighting with my hunger I saw Sattar sitting and resting.

“What happened?” I asked.

“Nothing, I am tired and hungry”, he replied.

That was the point when I asked him, “You even did not bring a candy with you?”

“I have chocolate and jelly” he replied.

What!!!! “Then what are you waiting for, eat it”, I said.

I did not ask him to give it to me though I was dying for it. I thought he was hungry and one chocolate and a jelly would only be enough for him. But then he put his hand in his pocket and here came a chocolate, he gave it to me. I thought how generous was he to give his only chocolate to me but then he put his hand again to his pocket and there was another one.

“You have two chocolates and you haven’t told me?” I shouted. He gave his signature smile and started eating his chocolate.

I took one bite of my chocolate and put rest of it in my pocket as I was not sure how far we had to go farther and that was the only meal I had. That one bite gave me enough strength to start again.

We could see the whole Deck 2 from this point and we noticed that all of us were divided into three groups. Group 1; I and Sattar, group 2; Professor Sb and Butt Sb and group 3 was the group of five young adventurers. Group 2 was in the middle of deck 2 and group 3 was very far away, busy in taking selfies. We waved to group 2, to guide them to the right track. After too much trouble and miscommunication we were able to guide group 2 to the right track. Now we were ready to start our journey again.

Soon this track led us to a point where we could see that amazing waterfall falling down with red and blue flower all around. The beauty was inexpressible, I had imagined a place like this in my dreams and now I was standing there. The clouds, flowers, mountains and waterfall of milky water all were beyond reality. I took pictures and tried to capture the breath taking beauty of that place but believe me no camera can capture the real feelings and vista of that place; you have to be there to feel and observe it.

 

A pleasant view of waterfall, on right side one can see the water streak along steep vertical track.

 

Purity! Yes purity is what you see all around you, everything is pure. In our materialistic world everything around us is contaminated, our atmosphere, food, people, relations and even feelings, nothing is pure. Those who seek for purity can cherish the feeling I had when I was there. I never wanted to leave that place but I knew there was more to see and lake was waiting for us.

I could see the whole Deck 2 from this point and clouds were coming toward us. I don’t know how to describe that feeling when you see clouds coming toward you and you are above them then suddenly they come too close and touch you and you get surrounded by clouds. The cool and soothing effect you feel when cloud touch you cannot be explained.

From this point there was literally a vertical track going up alongside that waterfall. I started to track on this steep track slowly, Sattar was still sitting there. This track was leading us to the place waterfall was coming from and we both had firm believe that up there at the end this track, there was lake.

 

Sattar standing like conqueror at magical water fall

 

 

At magnificent waterfall just before a steep track to Chitta Katha Lake (P.C. Sattar)

 

After tiring hike I was up there but to my surprise there was no lake. It was another plan area or should I say Deck 3. I could see it going up like a slope.

“Oh, I think the lake is after this slope”, I thought.

 

A view of Deck 2 from starting point of Deck 3 (P.C. Shahid)

 

When I was up to that slope there was another slope of plane going up, now I was tired and hopeless. I thought we were on wrong path; I sat there and waited for Sattar. Soon Sattar was with me, he too sat with me. This place was lush green and I haven’t seen that many colors in flowers anywhere before.

 

Flora on a slope at Deck 3: A picture cannot bring all those colors of nature to reality

 

“This is beautiful”, Sattar broke the silence.

I was still worried about lake so I said, “Yes, but I hope we are on right track”.

Now we both started our quest again. Two locals were going somewhere and I shouted, “Do you have something to eat?”

Yes! I did not ask them about lake apparently I was worried about lake but was very hungry. They reply, “There is no food with us and you cannot find any food nearby”.

Then I asked them that where was the lake, were we going on right track?

“Yes, you are going to right track, lake is almost 15 minutes away”, they said.

I know 15 minutes of locals mean at least 30 minutes for us, but I was happy that we were on right track.

 

Snow had still not melted, one can see local passing by the snow at Deck 3

 

I was moving slowly and Sattar was again ahead of me. There was again another plane slope going up and Sattar was already on other side of this slope. When I reached up to this slope Sattar was standing still on edge of a hill which clouds were touching him. I still remember how deep he was lost in that moment of calm and beauty.

Yes! It was Chitta Katha Lake and soon I was standing with Sattar, silent, absorbing the splendor. We both were no more tired and feeling so much fresh.

It’s a crater surrounded by magical mountains. It is very difficult to reach to the bank of this lake as the crater is too steep from all sides. We were surrounded by clouds and lake was mysteriously sneaking through them.

Where you get the first glimpse of mysterious mountains behind Chitta katha (P.C. Shahid)

 

The magnificent Chitta Katha Lake (P.C. Basit)

 

When we reached the heavenly lake, finally! We forgot everything else and then rain reminded us that the place is beautifully dangerous. It mesmerized us and now was ready to test our limits to the end as now you had to go back through wet slippery steep mountains.

 

Me and the Lake (P.C. Sattar)

 

 

Sattar at Chitta Katha Lake just before rain

 

 

Me and Sattar sitting at lake and enjoying the moment when rain started

 

It started raining heavily and there was no shelter. We decided to go back, I was literally running now, Sattar was behind me. I was wearing a feather filled jacket, which I thought would be water proof but was not! Soon it was so heavy, full of water and water was pouring out of it. I was still running as I knew moving slow would make me feel cold. We were at deck 3 when we met group 3 (young adventurers). I did not believe on my eyes, how had they reached to this point? That was amazing. They were tired and hungry. They told us how Qadeer got fainted near the beautiful waterfall and how difficultly they managed to reach to this point while dying with hunger.

“Do you have something to eat” they asked us.

I gave them my remaining chocolate and Sattar to my surprise again put his hand in his pocket and got another chocolate, he gave it to them.

“Don’t lose your heart lake is just 15 minutes away, you have come so far don’t go back from here”, I told them.

 

Qadeer got fainted near beautiful waterfall while Basit is worried and also hungry and one of the young adventurers is busy in capturing these intense moments

 

They went towards the lake and we again started our journey to deck 2. Soon we were at that steep slope which went done beside that beautiful waterfall. We had to be careful and quick; I still remember Sattar slipped twice while coming down from that slope. We were running down in heavy rain to deck 2.

 

 

Mean while, young adventurers at Chitta Katha Lake

 

Deck 2 was filled with water and I was totally wet, even there was water in my shoes. Sattar was behind me, he was conscious now as he had slipped twice and I on the other hand was feeling good as I was ahead of him for the first time, but deep inside I was afraid and was trying my best to be safe. I think in less than 30 minutes we had crossed the deck 2 and now we were on that mountain edge which connects deck 2 with deck 1. This was muddy and wet and somehow we lost our way and reach to a dead end. We could see deck 1 from that point but we were standing at a huge mountain wall going straight down. “It is very dangerous, I thing we have come to wrong path”, I said to Sattar. We turned back and after dangerously slipping many times we managed to reach deck 1.

I didn’t have enough strength to go further down to the point where jeep could be found. I was thinking to stay overnight at deck 1 in camp and then next day go down as I was afraid that I would not be able to cross bottle neck in this rain.

“Weather will not get better for next three days, It will get even worse, you should go down now or you will get stuck here for next three days”, local shepherd told us. Two professors had already gone down to jeep track, one of them even did not attempt for deck 2 and one, the Professor Sb, came back along with Butt Sb. from the point where the steep slope starts beside the beautiful waterfall.

Butt Sb. was still at deck 1 sleeping in camp in his sleeping bag. He was having fever and his one knee was jammed and he was in deep pain. Group 3 (Five adventurers) was still up there at Chitta Katha Lake and we had no clue whether they were coming back or not? The local shepherd made us tea and said, “Take tea and go down as soon as possible”. Tea at that time was a blessing; we had some biscuits with tea and decided to go down to jeep track.

I wrung my jacket and put it in my bag. I was all wet and feeling very cold as I was wearing half sleeve T shirt and was not running anymore.

“Get up we are going down to jeep track”, we told Butt Sb. He was so warm and cozy and he didn’t want to leave his sleeping bag.

” I can’t walk I have severe pain in my leg”, he replied.

We gave him 3 tablets of Penadol and said, “Do you have a spare suit which is not wet?”

“No, I only have this suit which I am wearing all other clothes are wet”, Butt Sb replied.

“Take off these clothes and put it in your bag, it is raining outside and it too will get wet and as you don’t have any other dry clothes, you should wear a wet one”, we told Butt Sb.

I can imagine how hard that would have been for him to get out of that cozy sleeping bag and change to wet clothes with high fever and pain in the leg, but we had no other option. He changed to wet clothes and now as feeling cold so he took a shawl and rapped it on him.

“Are you crazy how on earth are you going to get down from bottle neck with this wrapped shawl and it will eventual get wet in a minute, so what’s the use?” I shouted.

“I shall leave it at the point where I shall feel that it is bothering me”, But Sb. innocently replied.

We all were ready to go down; Sattar gave me his water proof jacket and wore his sweater. I was so much surprised with this altruism but next moment he asked, are you feeling ok?

“Yes!” I replied.

Any problem? He again asked.

No! I said.

“Ok then take care of Butt Sb. and bring him down with you, I am going”, he told me and in a minute he was gone with the wind.

I stood there for few second looked at him going and then looked at Butt Sb, with his injured leg I thought, “How am I going to cross bottle neck with him?”

Now I and Butt Sb were on the track going down to jeep track in rain. I was constantly looking back to that mountain part which was a small pass between deck 1 and deck 2 for five young adventures but they were nowhere to be seen. Fair well deck 1, I looked behind and said. Butt Sb. left his shawl on the way as now we were about to reach bottle neck.

It was still raining and I was standing up there at bottle neck looking down and thinking how were we going to get down this slippery and almost vertical decent. I sat down at the top and looked how could I put my foot on the next stepping stone? I somehow leaned forward and reached to the first stepping stone, Butt Sb followed me. We were going down slowly and carefully, suddenly I noticed that next stone is too far down and it was not possible for me to reach it. While I was sitting on stone looking down and figuring out, Butt Sb, shouted, “Hold my hand, I can’t come down anymore without support”. I looked back and I noticed I even could not turn myself back as the stone I was sitting on was too small and I had bag on my back. “We are definitely going to fall”, I thought. Butt Sb, with a jammed leg was not able to move a little and he was not willing to come down without my support and I knew if he would put even some of his weight on me, we both would fall down to the stream flowing way down.

“Hold my hand”, Butt Sb shouted again.

God knows better how did I managed to turn a little and offered my hand to Butt Sb and he somehow after holding my hand was able to step further down. Now when Butt Sb, felt that he was safe I told him about the next stone which was further away and even I was afraid of reaching it from the point I was sitting. We both sat there for a while, and then I noticed that there was a little stone where we could put our foot to reach the next stepping stone. It was difficult but possible and it was our only hope so I reached to that stone and from that I had to jump a little to next stepping stone, which I did and I made it successfully. Butt Sb, also bravely accomplished this task and then after few more stepping stones we were down to the track again.

Track alongside stream

This was the same track alongside the stream which I enjoyed a day before while we were going towards Chitta Katha Lake, but now I was wet, cold and tired so I don’t remember anything on that track except rain and water everywhere. Now as we were on this track and I was feeling cold, I asked Butt Sb. “Will you be to come on your own from this point?”

Yes! He replied.

“Ok, then I am going to run to the jeep track as I am feeling cold”, I told Butt Sb. and started running. By the time I reached to the house where I met that beautiful little girl, rain stopped. I crossed the large stream and now it was again accent to the jeep track. On our way to the Lake this was the beginning part and we all descended from jeep track to the bridge on the large stream with no effort but now it felt like, as if I was climbing Mount Everest. It was too windy and I was tired and now feeling very cold, I looked back, Butt Sb. had just crossed the bridge and was waving at me as if he was trying to say something. I tried to understand but couldn’t, later on he told me that he was asking to leave his packet of biscuits (which I had put in my bag on deck 1) on the way so he could eat it.

After, I don’t remember, how long (It felt like ages) I reached to the jeep track and now going to the point where jeep had dropped us. There were few camps arranged by locals for rent at the point where jeep dropped us last day. When I was finally there, Sattar, Professor Sb and Dr. Mazher (yes, Dr. Naveed, he was also with us on this trip) were in sleeping bags inside warm camp. “Chang your clothes and come in”, Sattar said. I only had one T shirt and jeans which I changed to and now I was shivering with cold.

Wind was too strong and clouds were all around us, I never felt that much cold in my life. I had two quilts but still shivering; Sattar again showed his graciousness and offered his warm jacket to me. “What will be the surprise behind this favor”, I thought but then in spite of all my curiosity I accepted this offer.

Soon Butt Sb was also with us and it was getting dark but five young adventurers were nowhere to be seen. Rain had stopped and I wanted to go to that point form where descent from jeep track starts. From that point one could see the track along with stream and I wanted to see if five young adventures were coming back? I and Sattar went out of camp, reached to that point and stayed there looked at the track, until rain started again. No one was coming back! We came back to camp and now it was dark.

No one had any clue whether they were safe or even alive out there. Our best hope was that they would have stayed at the camps on deck 1. That night was very scary. We all were worried and praying for the safety of them. I was constantly thinking that we should have not left them alone there and should have waited for them to reach deck 1. One can have many arguments but the reality is that at these places everyone is on his own. Practically everyone should take care of himself and no one is actually responsible for others, but these five young adventurers were first timers so I was feeling it was our responsibility to bring them back with us. Now we couldn’t do anything for them except for praying.

It was completely dark outside and dinner was ready, although due to tension I was not feeling hungry but I had not eaten anything for whole day except that one chocolate bite. It was mutton of a freshly slaughtered goat with chapatti. We all ate a little and then were ready to sleep. While discussing about five young adventurers and our own adventures of the day we all went to sleep one by one. I had very high fever and then sweated a lot while sleeping.

Day 3

It was early in the morning and everyone else was sleeping I got up and went out of camp. First I went to the same point from where one could see the large part of track to see if someone is coming but there was no one on the track. I stood there for a while and then came back. Someone was making Parathas and tea in a small hut near our camp. I went into that hut, and met a local Kashmiri; he warmly welcomed me and offered me a cup of tea. We chatted about Kashmir, Indian occupation, seas fire along the line of control and about local people sentiments about Pakistan over that cup of tea. That discussion opened my eyes about the issue and cleared many of my stereotypes. During this discussion I asked him that was it possible to get someone go up and find our friends? He told me that one group is about leave to Chitta Katha Lake. Then he took me to them, one of them was police officer for Gilgit Bultistan police and others were his friends and guards.

“How is the track?” The police officer asked me.”

It’s too dangerous don’t go” I insisted.

“It’s Ok for us, we are mountain people and we are used to these conditions”, he replied.

I didn’t insist further and requested them to search for our friends if they go up there. They said that they would do that. While we were talking I noticed there was another group that came to this point on bikes and there were also going to attempt lake that day. I also told them the same thing, “It’s dangerous don’t go there, you will die”, I said.

They wisely decided not to attempt and decided to go back. Reaching to that point required lot of courage and adventure so I advise they had their part of adventure.

Everyone in our camp was up and we again went to that point to see if someone is coming. There we saw our local shepherd from deck 1 coming down with two hens in his both hands. When he reached us we nervously asked him about our friends.

“They are coming behind me and they have stayed at deck 1 with me last night”, he said. We took a sigh of relief and now we were anxiously looking toward the track and then we saw one of the five young adventures coming down the track.

A group picture in camp at jeep track after everyone was united again (Yes he is Dr. Naveed sneaking behind Basit, Butt Sb is missing)

 

All of us now were sitting in our camp ready for breakfast. All young adventurers were silent as if they didn’t believe that they had reached to this point safely. Then they started telling us their story. One of them told us how he had thought about his mother that he would not be able to see her again. One of them thought about his girl friend, how he would not be able to see her smile again. All of them had thought that they would not be able to make it. One of them was having high fever and we were still too far away from home. It started raining again and there was no jeep for us.

One jeep without roof was standing near camps. I think it was to carry wood logs not passengers. That was our only hope as we could not afford to stay there anymore because of extreme weather. We negotiated with the driver and were ready to go back to Kel, where our van and driver were waiting for us. Jeep track was muddy, slippery and water was everywhere. This journey was dangerous but as compared to what we had been through it was piece of cake.

 

Another selfie at Sharda Bridge

 

 

Those who dared (from left to right: Adul Raheem, Qadeer, Myself, Abdula Sattar, Prof Yasir Sb, Asad Butt Sb, Yousaf, Shahid, Basit) Its Indian Occupied Kashmir across the river at keran

 

Amazing road along river Neelam, It is rightly said, “Kashmir is Heaven on earth”.

 

We reached Kel safely, where our driver was very worried about us. We freshened up and were all in our van in no time ready to leave for Lahore. It was still raining, the driver was careful and driving slowly. We reached Sharda and stayed there for a while for a photo shoot, as many of us did not go to the Sharda Bridge while we were going to Kel. Then we stopped at Keran where one could see India right across the river, took pictures and then we started our journey to Lahore.

On our way back from Chitta katha Lake, it was like we were going to die but then we made it and the journey became our best memory.