A Hike To The Valley Of Blood

It was the second time I was visiting Joshuda. It’s a small and peaceful village with a little population in the beautiful mountains of Kumaon region in Uttarakhand about 40km from Lohaghat. Lohaghat itself is a beautiful town with immense historical and mythological importance. It’s a connecting hill station of famous tourists and hiking spot of Mount Abbott and Mayawati Ashram and is situated in the banks of river Lohawati at an altitude of 1745m above sea level in the Champawat district. It is also known as the Valley of Blood (Lahu Ghat). One always wonder why is it known by that name and it has an entire legend, a very interesting story to that question.I was with two of my best mates, Kartik and Rakshit, while visiting Joshuda. We were there for one week, having our guy’s time out, after the second semester of our college in the summer hols. Going on kilometres of long hike and explore the mountainous wilderness was something we always dreamed of. So once we were back home after college we packed our backpacks and hiking gear and set off for Joshuda. We started at 5:30 am in the morning. It was 90 km from Khatima to Lohaghat and after that 40 km to Joshuda. When we reached the village we could see a building hidden in the oaks and pine trees.

It was Kartik’s grandparent’s home where we were staying over the week.

It took us 5 hours to reach our destination and we were too tired to begin our hike the same day. The sharp turns and winding path up the mountains made us really tired. So we cooked some rice and fried the vegetables and ate heavily. We slept early than we used to during our college hours because the next day we were going to need all our strength.

We woke up early at 4:45 in the morning next day. The three of us took a hot water bath and a quick breakfast of milk and boiled eggs. We checked our backpacks, hiking gear and medical kit twice and packed some trail mix made from peanuts,raisins and candy coated chocolates for the way. The raindrops were still dripping down the panes from the last night’s rain and the world outside was inspiring us to break free from all sorts of tensions and explore. The clear green hills covered with grey rainy clouds were so tempting that we couldn’t wait more and instantly hit the trail.

We could hear the twigs breaking beneath our feet, as if talking back to us, as we took our steps through the wet grass. After the two semesters of college in Delhi, which feels like a heated and noisy furnace during summers, the sound of the cool breeze passing through our hair was like music to our ears. Our destination was Banasura’s Fort. It was 30 km from where we were staying. After walking 3 kilometers through the woods we came across a beautiful little lake beside a small bridge.

We were so tempted by the lake that we decided to dive in it while our way back from the fort. But we had to drop that thought because according to the people of Joshuda that lake was cursed. Too many people had drowned in that lake and we were told that their spirits were still in it’s waters. Anyone who took a swim in it suffered a high fever and even got insane. In the back of my head I surely laughed at the story but Kartik’s grandparent’s were one of the oldest inhabitants of the village and we didn’t want to disobey those people’s believes or annoy any drowned spirit and put the family’s reputation at stake. So we had to finally drop the idea of splashing into the lake’s waters and continued our trial to the Fort.

After walking the vastness of deodar woods for 30 hours we finally reached the entrance of the Fort.

There was an old rusted metal board which told us that it was a 1.5 km climb still left to reach the Fort. After walking 30 km we were confident that 1.5 km would be an easy task but soon our perception was proved false. That 1.5 km gave our thighs and calfs a feel of 15 km. It was a straight easy climb but that day the entire mountain was hidden in grey rainy clouds. The entire way to the Fort was very narrow, broken and barely visible because of the clouds. We were walking one behind the other and were wet from our head to toe. It was like walking in an ocean bed having air pockets to breathe. The wind was getting fierce as we gained altitude. It was almost two hours when we stopped walking and saw a board hidden in wild green bushes, when we realised that we were finally there.

The wind was getting fierce as we gained altitude. It was almost two hours when we stopped walking and saw a board hidden in wild green bushes, when we realised that we were finally there.The board read Banasura’s Fort and then followed its description.

But it was so beaten up by cold weather, rain and thunderstorms over time that it had lost all its paint and we could barely read a word.

Legend has it that Banasura was a thousand arms Asura King. He was ferociously strong and an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. He impressed Shiva while he was performing Tandav by playing the Mridanga with his thousands arms.Impressed by Banasura's bhakti, Lord Shiva granted him a boon. He asked for Lord Shiva himself to be his protector just like Lord Vishnu was his father Bali's protector. His wish was granted and he became an undisputed master. With Lord himself by his side he never lost a battle and with time became invincible, cruel and arrogant.

No other Demon or Devata were worth a match for his might and they feared him. Soon he got bored after winning them all over and in his arrogance challenged Shiva himself. Lord Shiva smiled and said that he would soon find his match when the flagpost of his castle falls down.

Banasura had a daughter, Usha, who was a beauty. Many suitors came asking for her hand but Banasura refused and had her shut in a fortress called "Agnigrah". In her dreams Usha saw a handsome young man and fell in love with him. She asked her friend Chitralekha, who was an expert at sketch making, to make a sketch of this young man. Later when the sketch was made the young man was identified as Anirudh, the grandson of Lord Krishna. Chitralekha flew to Dwarka and used her magical powers to bring him to Usha. As soon as he saw Usha he fell for her and lived by her side.Banasura had a habit of checking the flagpost and one morning when he saw the flag down he asked his guptchars whether they had noticed anything peculiar inside the castle. They reported him that a man's laughter was heard along with Usha from Agnigrah. He was furious at the news he got and immediately sent his guards to capture the intruder. But young Anirudh battled them and defeated them all. Later Banasura went himself, used his powers and made young Anirudh his prisoner.

After searching for Anirudh for four months everyone was worried in Dwarka. It was then when the son of Bhrama and the devotee of Lord Vishnu, the first official reporter and journalist of the universe, Narad muni, who was a gossip monger and accused of causing many disputes approached Dwarka. He told the entire story to Lord Krishna in details. With Krishna and Balarama in the lead, the Yadu army of twelve akshauhini divisions went at once to attack the castle and rescue the young Prince. When Banasura saw his castle being surrounded he sent an equal pack of army into the fields. And then, the fierce battle began. Lord Shiva riding Nandi, bounded by his boon, joined the battle along with Kartikeya and all his ghostly followers. The two lords of universe were fighting against each other. Pradyumna encountered Kartikeya. Lord Balarama fought Kumbhanda, Samba faced Bana’s son, and Satyaki fought with Banasura.

Soon the news of the epic battle spread through the universe and Bhrama along with all the demigods came to see the battle from above. Krishna used his Sharnga bow to cast away all the Pisachas, Dakinis and other ghostly followers of Shiva's army. In return Shiva released his pashupatastra but Krishna countered it with his narayanastra. Later, to deviate Shiva from the battle Krishna used his yawning weapon and instantly Lord Shiva began to yawn, giving up all desire to continue the battle. Seizing this opportunity Krishna proceeded to attack Bana's army. Meanwhile Kartikey fled the battle on his peacock as he was no match to the arrows Pradyumn's arrows which shadowed the sun. Balarama killed Kumbhanda with His club, and thus, being bereft of their leader, Banasura’s soldiers fled in all directions.

Seeing his entire army defeated, Banasura became furious. Leaving aside Satyaki, he charged across the battlefield on his chariot and attacked Krishna using his thousands arms to pull the arrows with two arrows at one string. Lord Hari broke all of Bana’s bows, however, while at the same time, striking down his driver, smashing his chariot, and killing his horses. After accomplishing this feat, Lord Krishna blew His Panchajanya conch shell.

Just then Banasura’s mother, Ko ara, desiring to save her son’s life, appeared before Lord Krishna naked and with her hair undone. Lord Krishna turned His face away, to avoid seeing the naked woman, and so Banasura took the opportunity to fled into his city. At this time, Lord Shiva appeared on the scene, and as a last resort, he used his ultimate weapon, the Siva-jvara, who had three heads and three feet, pressed forward to attack Lord Krishna. As the Siva-jvara approached, he seemed to burn everything in the ten directions. Seeing him approach Krishna released his Vishnu-jvara which caused immense cold.The Siva-jvara, overwhelmed by the strength of the Visnu-jvara, cried out in pain. But finding no refuge, the frightened Siva-jvara approached Lord Krishna, the master of the senses, hoping to attain His shelter. Thus with joined palms he began to praise the Lord and surrendered to him. Their entire conversation can be read on Srimad Bhagvatam, canto 10, chapter 63 http://gitabase.com/eng/SB/10/63

Later when Banasura returned in the battle Krishna used his Sudarshan chakra to cut off his thousand arms. Seeing his devotee in pain Lord Shiva spoke to Krishna and asked him to spare his life considering relationship with Prahlada and Bali. Having given benediction that he wouldn't kill any of Prahlad's descendants Krishna showed mercy on Bana by leaving him with four arms and from then on Banasura became a principal attendent of Lord Krishna. But while chopping off the demon's thousand arms streams of blood flowed in the entire region and hence the name "Valley of Blood".

vxv

z

zz

6687

When we reached the fort we were wet from our head to toe but our lips were still dehydrated and the cold brisk air had invaded our lungs. My breath was visible to me as I exhaled. Our feet inside our shoes felt frozen. After reaching the top a sense of accomplishment took over us and we smiled at each other. But we found no fort there.

There was no fort or any sort of building with four walls. All that we found were ruins with old broken walls. But then again the ruins of the fort were from a time ancient and entirely different from ours and it was a breathtaking view from the top.

Nothing beautiful created by man can beat the beauty of the nature. It felt so calm and peaceful to view the village from the top. The crisp breeze and the peaceful calmness set the worries of our semester results away.