Haikutimes.com

welcome to the haikutimes

Issue #61, Sanjay's Jhomalhari Classic Trek Bhutan April 2003 All poetry and photographs by Sanjay Rajan.




Sanjay's Jhomalhari Classic Trek
Bhutan April 2003

Guys...
Here are my notes
from the trek I just finished.
It has been pure delight/
fun/ecstasy.
This is long in form
but is not verbose
has only 2000 words in total.
Cheers.........Sanjay
day 1

as i walk
this beaten path
mules and horses
their bells chime
a rhythm

the sun glows
casting a deeper shadow
fields being ploughed
under dzongkha instructions




a distant bark
as prayer flags flutter
sentinel over lone home

clouds
various patterns
hues and shades

horse grunts
shades of green
turn black up paro valley
and then clouds take over

tensing and i
cross paro chuu
cantilever bridge
sways a rhythm
our feet dance
paro chuu so pure
and lime green
mules sniff and
gingerly step
onto bridge
life a rhythm




small streams
gurgle across
our footsteps
rushing
dividing land into
plots of ownership
until they join
the symphony
the rhythm
of paro chuu

chortens many
hold unknown spirits
we pay homage
seek blessings
staying to the left

paro valley narrows
the skies widen
rain drops quietly
white granite now
speckled blue
our footprints follow

lunch break
packed
french fries
fried rice
paneer
at namgay�s
humble abode
sharing powdered milk tea
and orange peel chocolate pieces
neighbor from higher ground
joins our conversation
barley bartered
gifts for daughter packed
time for pan and betel nuts




wild strawberry blooms
everywhere
so white
waiting to be pollinated
yet fruits so red

innocuous army post
morse code machine
green
our permit # 252
checked
signed off ok

pack of 9 mules
for 2 american
tourists
we have only 5

this mule ahead
no now behind
decked in red
carrying
gas cylinder
upside down
and red too




pidgin hindi
pack herder
explains
this wild plant
you first boil leaves
throw water away
and fry to eat
local delicacy
apparently

i wonder
wander

we stop
among cow bells
chiming
our camp site
blessed by paro chuu

i step on
rocks pebbles
black gray sand
my water bottle
drained empty
filled fresh
and cold
of gurgling paro chuu
so soft
so cold
so fresh
i stare
down the mouth




of white
my teeth still
numb

red tent
not ours
goes up
tenzing helping
while mules
horses
much
free
and the one
free
of the red gas cylinder
rolls in dirt
ecstasy

another bottle
refilled
i stare into
the rhythm
of the chuu
pure

bubbles form
transform
transport
south serving
humanity dogs
animals
plants
rhythm of life




himalayas
decked in snow
sheer veil of
settling fog
evening transforms
the rain passes
mountains glow

candlelight dinner
beans and potato
spiced up
red rice
soup of lentils
low on salt
wax melting
hopefully not
on my birks
smell of pig roast
nauseating
tenzing's cooking
legzhim!!
delicious

biting into chilly
salt smeared
a kick
candle rustles

day 2




my sinew ache
the mules grunt
lay us awake
hot steamy
taj mahal tea
with
korean red ginseng
the mules munch on hay
mist fog envelopes
mountains all around
cheese turnip
sizzles
stinks

steamy water
and lux soap
turkish spunge bath
among
horse shit
flowing paro chuu
and fog still holding

cross across
into jigme dorji national park
pass 3 women
same family
perhaps
tenzing woos
the eligible one
for fucking
no luck
we move on

my pencil edge
now soft




thick forests
my steps
alone
ahead
among reds^ pinks
rhodedendrons
string of blossoms
white
stamens so virile
petals sets of 3
and 6 or 7 solo ones
some dying into
shades of pink
tsaminto the name
tenzing claims

past chorten
herd of yaks
paro chuu
makes sharp turn
black chi
has been my guide
thru the whole day
benga charita
i call her
as her tail wags

evening
cold drizzle
dal
cauliflower^ carrot curry
we share some
with the charita

americans now
befriended
are also
coloradan
steamboat springs
how apt
in this wilderness
of rocks and pines




rain comes down
at 23:14
namgay
shifts ground
from seeping rain
mules supposedly
on other bank
of paro chuu
are back
neighing
namgay ties
them
closer to tent
they spend nite
in rain
it finally stops

the rhythm of rain
dies slowly
on our tent
all we are left
with is paro chuu
down the ravine
hush tones

day 3
break and pickle
with butter and jam
starts day
fog lifting
slowly
jhomalhari still
elusive
in the fog
mist
clouds

have 3 dogs
for company
social scavengers
wait for more
each smiles
in this land of
Gross National Happiness
where dogs are
one step away from
becoming humans




humid
cold
sunshine can
provide respite

old lady
the chowkidar
collects
50 ngultrum
camp site fee
teeth crooked
stained red
smile wonderful

yaks come and go
patchwork
of white and black
true rastafarian look
but very meek

by army post
dilapidated
mani chorten
single barrack
with volleyball court
and beat up
dish antenna
behind
majestic mountains
snow capped
shine




stumble on
stumbling pups
3 of them
most adorable
can't stop
first
biting into
my fingers
and then following us
we shoo them
back
to the barracks

himalayan peak
unnamed
so majestic
i feel
small
i call these
the flatirons

pass chorten
on left
with funeral pyre
remnants nearby
the dead here
burnt
ashes
consecrated to
paro chuu

alpine blooms
so tiny
so blue
so perfect
yaks lazy by
bjims and baby ones too




evening fire
bumchang and
conversations
lead from peace on earth
to doing
our individual part
everyday
bhutanese dances by
horsemen^ cooks^ helpers
delight us
embers burn
thru the nite
smoke leaves
me breathless
at 13:54 things
get weird

day 4
up at 6
excited
finally
jhomalhari!!
regal
all its glory
white sheen
prayers said
hoping for peace
personal
global level
sky blue
so blue
some blue!!

benga charita
my guide
we climb
high over
jhonothang campsite
and the valley
pristine beauty
everywhere
hush of paro chuu
below
hush of breeze
above

blue sheep
spotted
heard of 25 or so
scatter
into the crags
chased by charita




sun shining
brightly
sun screen
shades
a vital necessity
along with
knee guards
and teki ultralite

destination reached
new faces known
on the way

tshophu lake
turquoise blue
sacred
prayer flags
flutter
line the flow
of water
down the valley

circumambulate
prayers on lips
understanding
hoping for
greater happiness
everywhere
and goodness
to all
on earth




yak herder family
camping out
in wilderness
for the season
exchange greetings
goodwill
and tea

trace down
satisfied
elated
life worthwhile

vegetable maggi noodles
for lunch
so satisfying

tent perched
just for me
blowing in wind




hot bath
well sorta
t shirt for towel
my skin glows
in water drops
and high sun

tent moved
to higher ground
barricaded
from wind
by rocks
and broken dzong

back at 5
by fireplace
writing
reading
benga charita
rolled up
again into a ball
ask if
she is cold
she sighs
closes her eyes
better out here
than in smoky
stonehouse

day 5
groups part
benga charita
heads down
while we head
up to lingzhi




trudge along
the mule pack
does too
higher higher
we head
reach nyeli la
pass @ 16K
breathtaking views
wind howls
crazy
prayer flags
still hold on
to their grounds
a sign
almost blown
away
seek shelter
with
tenzing
from
gusting wind
jichu drake
and
tsherm kang
peaks
shimmer in
all glory
sun pelts down
the valley open wide
ahead
below

we break
for lunch
sick of curry
and rice too
so not much eaten

trudge down
on scree
down thru
camelia i believe
shrubs
buds just opening
switchbacks
and shortcuts
we take

lingzhi dzong
majestic
stoic
solo
in distance
perched upon
mountain
ideal watch tower
to keep
tibetan armies
at bay
long time ago




down at stonehut
refuse to put
tent up
in howling wind
creaky wood
slabs forms
bed for siesta
to kill
mild altitude sickness

head up
to dzong and
village
pass chorten
our caps off
as mark of respect
namgay
ideal
companion
talks
of
painful knee joints
at 55
we talk
buddhism
bhutanese
while we
leave
lingzhi chuu
below us
tributary that
joing up north
mo chuu

irises
some purple
some sky blue
bloom along path
namgay relates
bhutanese belief
for
every iris
bloom
one yak
must have
died
one for one
two for two

dzong
stately
thunder dragon flag
fluttering
desolate look
roof blown




donkey male
lazes along horses
gift to village
namgay explains
for government
mules to be produced
for village to use

school room
with 7 teachers
2 sangays greet
me
so now we are 3
with same name
namgay passes
gift from mom
of powdered milk
and yak butter
to a school teacher
shacked up
in 1 room place
shared with another teacher
3 year posting
one explains
in wilderness
life is good

solar lights
wiring on
a village event
as seems
everyone
is there

feel humble
feel ecstatic
feel belonged
in this village




dzong of course
closed
since it is sunday
sure have
lost track of time

finally not rice
for dinner
chowmein
legzhim!!
we laze
the nite away
so quiet
only hush
of embers
and bells
of mules
ringing
no chaos
of other groups
around us

day 6
up at 5:11
the blue of
twin peaks
transformed
iridiscent gold
as a balancing act
performed
between 2 stones
morning business
what beauty
himalayas that is

thin layer
frost
on everything
including yak dung
and spring grass




sky remarkably
blue
speckled by
lone raven
flying down
black

climbing up
ridge slowly
blooms waiting
to burst open

the quiet of majestic
peaks
suddenly
the thunder dragon
heard
tenzing mentions
of german climber
still frozen there
killed in 1992
the dragon
growls again

slow sure
ascent
towards nyeli la
pass
pack of dogs
ahead
scout to
hide from us




namgay and mule pack
behind
now ahead
way ahead of us

struggle
every step
cold numbs
whole body
except when i pee

hoping for no wind
less wind
trudge up
on scree
tenzing keeps
patient company
slow progress
mind says
keep going
body takes break
spirits very high
though

10:43
hit the top
ecstasy
among prayer flags
wind not
blowing crazy
pay respects
to towering
mountains
best view
world has to offer
the himalayas




1231 back
at jhongothong
sun beams
head ache
splitting
amazing
sheer grit
and determination
of about 2 hours ago

head and neck throbs
pain killer
and sleep
does trick
refuse rice
had enough of it
barter eggs for maggi noodles?
settle for thupka
and another quiet nite
as snow comes down
paro chuu
quiet hush

candlelight
write in cold
sippling black mountain rum
in tea
body now warm

day 7
6:30
ahead
downhill
fast
fingers numb
toes too
pray final time
to jhomalhari
for peace
on earth
her majestic look
awe struck
cant stop
looking back
at the peak




snow from last nite
all mountains
soaked in it
walking in valley
cold
soon
my shadow
sharpens
ah!! sun
my toes
fingers
feel the sun
so does
my back
beads of sweat
form under
layers of jackets

so many iris
blooms
down here
wonder
how many yaks
died
one for one
two for two

tiny birds
shades of blue
green
among juniper grove
every tree
more abstraction than other
smell of
morning freshness
and juniper
intense

snow thaws
paro chuu
flows along
full vigor
a frothy lime green




herds of yak
always
in state of panic
shades of black and white
marked by tags of red
scatter on my approach
big black eyes
stare and
trace my path
ensuring safety for
the younglings

marching down
suddenly
blue poppies!!
oh so blue
i sing
i dance
jump
up and down
the myth
a reality
really
these 2 blooms
just for us
tenzing reminds me
of my luck
and i say karma
the sweet smell of
fennel emanates
from the blooms
look shy
tucked away
among shurbs
shimmering
in sunlight
and dancing
blue
so different
only nature
could create
such delight

walk slow
losing altitude fast
losing yaks
to grazing cows
herder lazes
as horses graze
trees getting taller
fields turning green
sense of humanity
approaching
telegraphic poles above

now
56 km
in 11 hours
back at drukgyel dzong
where it all started
a strange sadness
a strange happiness
true elation
knowing what i left
behind
and
knowing i am heading home





solo/group kukai
drawing/writing/photography
jonathan machen