Pukur Para Trekking: Day-4

This is the continuation from Day-3

Saturday, 30 April 2011

Well it was the fourth day of our tour. Unfortunately our day started with a pain. All of us waked up before 3:30 at morning! Our today’s plan was to reach at Boga Lake. But Hasnat(হাসনাত), Muntasir(মুনতাসির) and Milon(মিলন) wanted to reach at Ruma Bazar(রুমা বাজার) before 1:00 at day, and wanted to reach Dhaka as early as possible.

Around 4:00 at morning, we have started our trekking after thanking our host at Pukur Para(পুকুর পারা). Milon was one of the fittest trekker from our team. He was having a fever from last night and having difficulties during walking. I was wondering whether he could reach at Ruma before 1:00 or not.

Clouds were flowing around us and sometimes covering the mountains. Also no sun was at the sky till then. But I was sweating like a day time. After a 45 minutes of uphill trekking we have reached at the top of the hill where we have taken our break two days back. Still no sun at the sky. We were waiting for the sun to rise over the mountain at far sight.

When the sun started to show his face after the mountains, it was an excellent view. It was rising faster and the rays from the sun were totally in golden colored. The clouds around us were changed into slightly reddish color. Everything around us were golden colored. I have experienced such thing during the sunset over Padma(পদ্মা) River last year. Actually we were waiting there for the sunrise. Time to leave the place after sunrise.

From now, next hour will be downhill task. We will climb down from the top to bottom of the mountain. Since we were going down, the sun was hiding from us once again. Still the weather was clement for us. We may feel some resentment about Hasnat for the early morning incident, but it was finally proven good for us. We were having a cool weather still now 🙂

For the early morning dew, the narrow paths were a bit risky. It required additional care from the trekkers to handle. We have observed different types of wild flowers and fruits around this portion. This area is not possible for Zum(জুম) Cultivation. So people didn’t burn this jungle. So everything was green there.

After going through those risky paths and forest beauties, we have finally reached at the place where we have taken our lunch break two days back. It was the place around that small waterfall at Ruma Khal(রুমা খাল). This place is a bit colder than others, cause only around mid day the sun can heat here due to the high bank of the canal.

After having the breakfast Hasnat, Muntasir and Milon left us with the guide Belal(বেলাল). Those four had a hurry to reach at Ruma(রুমা) before 1:00 at day. From my perspective, it was a selfish idea and bad attitude. During trekking people should move along with the team. Anyway that was other topic.

We have prepared the khichuri(খিচুরী) for breakfast at last night. We have used the egg, and shutki bhorta(শুটকি ভর্তা) with the khichuri(খিচুরী). Those four did the breakfast hastily and left plenty of foods for us. We were only six and we didn’t able to finish all of those foods. After the breakfast we were wandering around the canal, taking rest, sleeping over the stones, playing flutes with no rhythm, drinking tea, etc. We have a full day ahead, and only to reach Boga Lake. So what’s the hurry. The break prolonged for almost two hour, didn’t have any watch once again.

Suddenly a group of Tripura(ত্রিপুরা) people gathered that place and started taking rest along with us. They were having large packs around their back. One of them were caring a huge one. They were leaving the Pukur Para(পুকুর পারা) village, and will make a new settlement at Ali Kodom(আলী কদম) for better prospectus.

We have decided to move forward once again. This time few minutes will be around the Ruma Khal(রুমা খাল), and after that the trek will turn right and will be a deadly uphill climbing. During the path, we have seen lots of white spiders around the paths. Those spiders were not moving, and just staying at the leafs of the plants. Initially I thought those were flowers :p

During the climbing, once again I got tired very quickly and I was left behind the trail. I was taking short but quick breaks. Others were taking long break with a large gap. By this time the sun started heating with all it’s might. And the burned mountain had hardly any trees to provide us some shade.

Finally at one stage, four of us have given up. All of us sat on the trail for a break. Possibly we have taken a 20 minutes of break. By that time the Tripura families joined with us at the same place. So we have leaved that place for them, and started moving more further. Believe me, it was a terrible climbing. Very hard to express. Just one thing, we just forgot to use our camera. Didn’t use that one for a long time.

Some places from the trail were covered with dead leafs from the trees. There were a different kind of seed shells that had a structure of a snake. From far, it will feel like lots of snakes at that place. I was scared at that place, cause it was easy for a snake to dissemble at such a place.

Finally, as a last person, I have climbed the first mountain for today. For last few hours we were climbing this one. We all were thirsty, and our water supply just finished. Fortunately or unfortunately there was a Jhiri(ঝিরি) around the top. There were plenty of dead leafs at the water of Jhiri(ঝিরি), and the color of the water was almost like red tea. Possibly I have slack my thirst from that Jhiri(ঝিরি) by 2 liters of water, and repleted my bottles too. Initially few of us were reluctant to use this water though.

After that short break, we have started for Ananda Para(আনন্দ পারা). To reach that village, we had to do another hard climbing. This time the path was almost 90 degree straight upwards. I like this kind of paths. For me these are easy to climb rather than a gradual slope. After half an hour, we have reached at the Ananda Para(আনন্দ পারা). Like other villages during Zum Cultivation, it was almost empty except the kids and oldies. The village was a small one too. From the village, it was possible to see the Rumana Para(রুমানা পারা) and other known places at far mountains.

After taking another break under a jack fruit tree, we started again. We have heard about a Jhiri(ঝিরি) below this village, and expected to slack our thirst from that one and it will be on our way too. Our path was going to downwards now. The place was covered with tress, and hardly were any sun. Also the trees were deciduous and thus lots of dead leafs under the tree.

The cool environment, and the muddy patch made the place a heaven for the leeches. Those creepy creatures were moving faster towards us after sensing on their radar. So we had to move faster. When we have reached at the Jhiri(ঝিরি), we were extremely disappointed. Almost no water, lots of cow dungs, and a pungent smells were all around. Not to mention about the leeches. It was their heaven, and we were the guests or prey? I was on bare feet, and on shorts, so I had to be on a movement to avoid leeches. But failed though, got few over my feet unfortunately.

At one stage, we have missed our path and picked the wrong one. Luckily within five minutes we have found the mistake. So returned back where the path was divided and picked the other one. After few minutes we have returned back to the sun light. We were happy that leeches can not sustain at sunlight. It was kind of dilemma, at sunlight you feel tired, and at shades under trees you are scared about leeches. Which one do you prefer? 🙂

It was another tall mountain ahead of us, and I was almost daunted by the height. But my friends assured me that after this one, we will be at Saikat Para(সৈকত পারা). So we started to climb once again. Not sure about the time, but possibly 2:00 when we have reached at the Saikat Para(সৈকত পারা) village. It was an excellent village, and probably having highest altitude among the other villages from Bandarban.

It was breezy at Saikat Para, and no high mountain around the proximity. This one is the tallest around. So you can only see the other mountains below from you. Trust me, I was so tired, and the beauty was such magnificent, and I have forgotten to use my camera unfortunately. So far, to reach here I had to do immense hard work, either did my trekking friends. I was thinking at one stage… endless.

We expected at least a shop at Saikat Para. But surprisingly there was nothing. We wanted to use the kitchen from the tribal people, but they didn’t interest about that. It was an awful experience. We didn’t have any water with us, finished all. We need our lunch to be prepared. But no one from the village wanted to help us. It can happen that the seniors were not at village and juniors were afraid by our presence.

We have almost decided to reach the nearest Jhiri for drinking water, and cooking our lunch. But luckily there was a guy from Boga Lake(বগা লেক) at there, and he saw us. He came here at his relative’s house. Through that guy, we have taken rest at a house. I think I have drunk 2-3 liters of water from that house. He was tired by supply those water to us.

We have used “Maggie” noodles for our lunch. All of us were hungry after that hard trekking. That noodles were like the food from heaven. We have finished those with in few minutes. After the lunch we have taken few minutes of break there, and started for Boga Lake(বগা লেক) from Saikat Para. People were assuring about 30 minutes of trekking. Lets see how long it can take.

I was like a dead man for last few hours. But I didn’t know from where I get the energy, I was running on the trek after lunch. I was feeling like as if a new trekking just started. Within 30 minutes we have reached near the Harmon Para, and It started to rain. We could have wait at that village, but didn’t. From Ruma Bazar(রুমা বাজার), vehicles can come to this village using the road. It was a newly built village.

Local people suggested us to use the road when we were heading towards the Zum. But for shortcut, we have used the other one, and didn’t listen to them. Since it was raining, the trek was dangerous. Also the slopes were too steep. But somehow we have passed that one, and joined with the trail of Keokaradong(কেওকারাডং). After a minute we have reached at he Chingri Jhiri(চিংড়ি ঝিরি).

There were lots of Papaya garden around the path. We have picked adequate amount from the trees for our refreshment. Beside the trail we have started piling the papaya and serving all. Our known tribal villagers from Boga lake were on the way to visit Saikat Para. We have invited those with use for refreshment.

It was around 4:30 at day possibly. Amazingly a group of exuberant travelers were heading towards the Keokaradong(চিংড়ি ঝিরি) that time. They had a very high quality camera with them. From their dress and preparation, it appeared that it was their first trekking. One of them were caring fishing net, to catch fish at Chingri Jhiri(hohoho hahahaha), it was hard to stop laughing in front of those strangers.

Before 5:00 at day, we have finally reached at Boga Lake, and just completed a long day of trekking. It was really a hard day, and somehow we have managed to pass that one successfully. We went to the lake to refresh and cool our body. After a long swimming session at Boga Lake, we have finished our dinner too early. We have left two of our teammates at Boga Lake, Maruf(মারুফ), and Selim(সেলিম). We didn’t find them at Boga. According to Siam Didi(সিয়াম দিদি), they left for Dhaka two days back.

During night, it was the time for BBQ party. Using two chickens we have started the processing beside Boga Lake. It was the day before the holiday of 1st May, and lots of people came at this attractive tourist spot. So the environment of the night wasn’t pretty anymore. I dislike tourists who don’t know any manner about natural places. They only know to make the spot dirty and clumsy for next generation. It is our natural resources, and we are only responsible to keep that clean and peaceful.

Anyway, after finishing the BBQ party, we went for a sleep to relaxation. It was possibly 10:00 at night or more.

The last day, Day-5 is here