The Home of the Rhododendrons

The Yumthang valley awaited us. This was a very green drive. Not that Gurudongmar or any other drive wasn't green, but this was a very photogenic drive. Green forests, snow-capped mountains, clear blue skies with scattered clouds…. Picture perfect. The road was fantastic, which was a relief after the previous day's roller coaster. Numerous streams crossed the road. We entered the Rhododendron sanctuary. This place is in its full bloom from February to April. Mid May is the fag end of the rhododendron season. But even now, rhododendrons could be seen in a variety of colours and sizes. I am not well informed enough to identify the various species, but it was a colourful sight. We stopped every now and then to take close up photographs of the flowers. The road meandered into a coniferous forest, where it was lined by numerous dhabas. We halted for breakfast here. The rhododendron sanctuary ended here. Some distance down the road, we came to a wide valley along the river Lachung. This was a beautiful sight, somewhat similar to a huge meadow with yaks grazing all around. This is the venue for skiing in the winters. But presently it was devoid of snow. We did not stop here, and headed to Zero Point, in Yumsedong near the China border. That was again at 14000 ft. The terrain was rocky, devoid of vegetation. Gradually, we ascended to above the snow line. We stopped at a bridge over the Lachung river, beyond which civilian vehicles were not allowed. Bengali tourists could be seen frolicking around in slushy snow. Obviously, they had never before seen snow in their lives. We spent some time at Zero Point, then returned to Gangtok the same day. The end of a lovely, but cramped tour.

Zero Point

The Roof of the World

This was the most eagerly awaited trip since I came to Gangtok. Not because it is difficult to visit, but because Gurudongmar lake has a very exotic sounding name, is located in one of the remotest regions in India, and yet it is so easily accessible by road; just hire a cab, dish out a bit of cash, andvoila… in 2 days one is in one of the most pristine environments on earth

So that's what we did during a prolonged weekend- planned a trip to Gurudongmar lake and the Yumthang valley. We booked seats in a shared taxi, along with 8 strangers and a driver. This is what is known as travelling cattle class- 11 people packed into an SUV. A never-again way to travel, but definitely a must-visit place. We proceeded on the Nathula highway, till Tashi view point and then took the North Sikkim highway (NSH) to Chungthang. Initially the road looked promising, but that was deceptive. As the journey progressed, the road condition varied from very good to non existent. This was on account of the work being carried out by Border Roads Organisation (BRO), for the widening of the highway. . The road passed through tiny hamlets and small towns like Phenegla, Phodong, Kabi, Mangan etc. What struck me about the route was the greenery all around. Except for the road, the entire mountainscape was lush green with dense vegetation and colourful flowers. Waterfalls were all over the place, with even running across the road. This was quite a contrast to the western Himalayas, where the hills have been stripped off the green cover. Population was sparse. The NSH ran along the river Teesta. In fact, we were retracing the Teesta almost upto its origin from Tso Lamu lake and Tista khiangte glacier, near Gurudongmar lake (some day I hope to trek there). In about 4 hours, we reached Chungthang, a small, but important town in North Sikkim, located in a valley and the site of a major hydroelectric power project. The rivers Lachung & Lachen meet here to form the Teesta. Thereon, we took the road to Lachen, the last major town before the China border. It was night by this time. The road ran along the river Lachen. We halted for the night in Lachen, at 9000ft. The next morning, we left for Gurudongmar lake. Beyond Lachen, the Indian army had taken over the entire region. It was heavily guarded. We crossed numerous military stations, and bunkers.

Military Bunkers

Soldiers could be seen proceeding for training, with heavy guns, rocket launchers and Schwarzenegger type paraphernalia. This was a high altitude drive. The vegetation and terrain changed rapidly. From the thickly forested slopes, we graduated to alpine vegetation, grassland and finally, desert-like terrain where only few scrubs could be seen. The last halt was at Thangu, at 14000ft. The air was already thin. Herds and herds of yaks could be seen. They were deft climbers, belied by their dimensions and appeared like cows wearing a thick fur jacket. They could be seen lolling around on snow, and bathing in ice cold rivers as if they were on a tropical beach. Now began the last stretch of our journey. Very soon, the terrain became increasingly rocky and devoid of vegetation. Snow smattered peaks appeared everywhere. Suddenly there were no more huge mountains to be seen. We were driving through a vast, barren, undulating landscape dotted with small hillocks.

I realized that we were on the Tibetan plateau. I now knew why its called the roof of the world. The mountains had not disappeared; we were riding on top of them. The road was non existent. One could drive anywhere and everywhere. The only signs of civilization here were the electric poles running right upto the China border. Yaks could be seen at these altitudes as well, grazing on whatever dry grass they could find. The driver informed us that the place hardly received any precipitation.

We then saw a small structure on top of a hillock. We drove towards it. That was the sarv dharm sthal near the Gurudongmar lake. We got out of our vehicles to be greeted by a signboard that read "Gurudongmar lake: 17100ft". Finally, we were there. Just below us was a massive, pristine blue, absolutely still water body, half frozen in the month of May.

The sun was beating down hard and bright. But failed to beat the chill. The sky was a darkest shade of blue. Clouds appeared like huge fluffs of cotton hugging the snowy hillocks around. We moved about slowly. Slightest of exertion left us breathless. The sarv dharm sthal was essentially a sikh religious place; Guru Nanak is said to have visited the place. It was constructed by the Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army. We chatted up a soldier on duty there. He showed us the China border that lay just half a km from where we were. He told us that they have to spend an year here, with 3 months leave. It took an army soldier 20 days to reach this region, taking time for acclimatization enroute.

I then descended to the lake taking a steep flight of stairs. Soldiers were taking a dip in the holy waters, some were filling up their canisters as well. Truckloads of soldiers had descended here. I took a short walk around the lake, then went up again. A short climb left me panting and with a throbbing headache. All our copassengers were unwell. It was best to leave now and descend to lower altitudes. So we started the drive back through the spectacular lunar landscape, back through lachen, on towards our next destination, Lachen enroute to the Yumthang valley.

Nathula Pass

The long awaited day was finally here. I made my first foray out of Gangtok, to explore Sikkim. My mom is visiting me, so I we decided to visit Nathula pass today. Nathula is about 55 km away from Gangtok, and can be easily covered in a day. So we hired a taxi from Gangtok and left at around 9 am. It’s a rather late hour to leave for a high altitude area, but the taxi people have to arrange for passes. So its usually that late by the time taxis leave. Scores and scores of taxis with hundreds of tourists left one after the other.

It was a beautiful, sunny day, with bits of clouds hovering around. Nothing really threatening. It promised to be a great day. So we started out. The highway does not have a great reputation. That was evident right from the moment we drove into the Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, the highway from Gangtok to Nathula. It was narrow and in tatters. We crossed the 3rd mile police checkpost that led us out into the great Himalayan wilderness. The Himalayan landscape spread out before us in all its splendour. Unlike the western Himalayas, it was well forested and with hardly any civilization, except for military stations along the highway. This was probably necessary, given the security concerns in these parts. The mountainside was lush green. In the distance, the clouds played hide and seek with the hills; sometimes enveloping them, then revealing them. It was as if a magician was performing the disappear/ reappear trick. The highway was in a very bad shape owing to the road widening work being carried out by the Border Roads Organisation. The road was completely washed away in long stretches, replaced by slush and loose rocks. It was treacherous to drive in such conditions. An ordinary car could never survive such conditions. The terrain gradually changed from lush green, subtropical to tundra type, consisting of only shrubs. The mountainscape was extremely rocky and steep as in really, unimaginably steep. We came across innumerable waterfalls on the way. A number of streams ran across the road. It was a miracle that a road actually existed under such conditions. In the distance, the road appeared to cling like a thin thread to the mountainside, as if for dear life. On one side was a sheer drop, and on the other was a steep, rocky mountainside. It was a welcome sign of habitation in an otherwise bleak, inhospitable landscape. One by one the military stations rolled past us. 5th mile, 7th mile, 10th mile, 15th mile, 17th mile and so on. As we gained altitude, it became colder and colder. It became more and more difficult to keep the window open, but I had to in order to take photographs. But I loved the cold wind against my face.

The only town we crossed was Kyongnosla, at 10000 ft. Thereon, the terrain changed drastically to a rocky one. We crossed the snow line. The snow lay in bits and pieces along the road, and the pieces grew bigger as we climbed. The slopes on the nearby hills were covered with dirty snow. Immediately after Kyongnosla, we crossed Tsomgo lake at 12000ft. This was one of the tourists spots that we were to cover on the way back. It was a huge glacial lake with crystal clear water. Numerous yaks lazed by the banks. These were decorated and meant for yak rides. We gradually reached almost the same height as the nearby peaks, a sign that Nathula was nearby. 6 km before Nathula, was a town called Sherathang. This was a cross border trading town. Merchants from China crossed the Nathula for cross border trade. Today, the town appeared to be shut. Thereon, I craned my neck to catch any signs of Nathula.

Nathula

Finally, a bright red coloured building drew into sight. Our taxi stopped near a stairway that passed through a gate leading to the red building. We had reached Nathula. We climbed the stairs to reach the red coloured building. The red building was our border post. Right behind the red building was an equally impressive Chinese border post. A barbed wire separated the 2 buildings. We could walk right upto the barbed wire. Across the wire lay China. 3 chinese soldiers guarded their post. The Indian army soldiers kept a strict watch on the teaming crowds, warning everyone to stay away from the wire. The entire place was covered by a thick layer of snow. One slip here and we would fall inside Chinese territory. On one side of the building was the border gate opening into Tibet. The gate was shut, and deserted. Unlike our side of the border, the Chinese side was quiet and deserted. No tourists there. At other places, a huge wall separated Chinese territory from India. A lot of photographs jostling with the teeming Bengali hordes later, we left Nathula.

China

Baba Mandir

The next destination was Baba Mandir. Baba Harbhajan Singh, an Indian army soldier lost his life while leading a mule column in these parts in the 1960s by drowning in a nullah. He was 22. Legend has it that baba effected a few miracles that saved lives of many army personnel immediately following his death. He appeared in the dreams of one of his colleagues and demanded that a Samadhi be constructed for him. These instructions were followed and a mandir named after baba was constructed. Baba is said to be the guardian angel of the Nathula pass, and would warn Indian troops 3 days before a Chinese invasion. Baba mandir lay in a picturesque, grassy valley close to a military helipad. The mandir was small and crudely built. It had a garlanded photograph of baba and his office and personal effects. Baba is considered to be on duty and is treated as a serving army soldier. It began snowing here. The driver said that we have to depart immediately. So we rushed back. The snow and sleet got heavier and heavier. It was beating down hard on the vehicle. The road became even more slushy. But the driver drove confidently. The surrounding peaks had been devoured by the clouds. It was scary to look out of the window- the slushy road, a steep valley and an imposing, rocky mountainside. We hurried down.

Tsomgo Lake

We had a brief stopover at Tsomgo lake. The yaks still lazed around, undaunted by the snow and sleet. One of them was half buried in snow, but lay as if it were basking in the warm sunshine. The owners implored us for a yak ride. But we were too wet and cold to bother about yak rides. We hurried inside the jeep and rushed back. The snow, sleet and rain beat down as hard as ever. Finally, we stopped at Kyongnosla for lunch. It was past 3 pm. Me and my mom shared a packet of maggi. We wanted to rush back into the car and back home. The rain had mercifully stopped. But we were wet and cold. As we descended, it grew warmer and dryer. We discovered that it had not rained at all in Gangtok. It was so much better to be back in Gangtok.

This trip was true value for money. Whenever I have a holiday and nothing much to do, I know where to head- again and again and again.

Sikkim…. The Hidden Kingdom

I start off again… travelling to another corner of the world. The fairy tale just never ends. So far so good. The Mumbai story has come to an end. And another chapter begins. My caravan moves to the tiny Himalayan state of Sikkim. Its been one month now, in this relatively pristine Himalayan region, a sparsely populated state that gives great importance to preservation of the environment. One still does not see much evidence of deforestation. Lets begin this series with the capital of this beautiful state, Gangtok. Sikkim is a state that prides itself on its rains. It is said that there are only 2 seasons in Sikkim- the winter season and the rainy season. The winter season is one when it is cold and it rains every alternate day. The rest of the year it rains everyday. During the monsoon, its always raining… phew!!! And I thought Mumbai rains were the worst one could experience. Its been 3 weeks now since I landed here, and its rained every evening since then.

As is well known, rains in the Himalayas brings forth sights worth dying for. That is exactly what unfolds before my eyes day after day in this chilly, rainy region. Sometimes early in the morning, sometimes late in the afternoon. The clouds invade our little kingdom, turning it into a fairy land. They swallow the hills and everything in sight. Sometimes they devour the town itself. The institute campus turns misty, lending it a ghostly feel. I stand for hours under the hospital porch and take in the wonderful sights and the cool breeze. That point offers the best view of the valley. I cant control my trigger happy finger and fire my camera in all directions. Feast your eyes on the extravaganza below. Remember.. this is only a beginning. The best is yet to come.

SoBo

That's South Bombay for non Bombayiites…. I find South Bombay to be Bombay rather than Mumbai... That is the beauty of South Bombay. A truly cosmopolitan place that is still untouched by the obsession with Marathi engulfing the rest of Bombay (ooops….. Mumbai). It is everything that Bombay stood for once; the financial capital of India and melting pot of cultures with a truly secular ethos where the only thing that mattered was your business acumen. Regionalism has no place here. This was the original Bombay that the British inhabited and developed. They constructed their administrative infrastructure in Victorian Gothic style. It is well planned, well constructed, and built to endure. The town (as this part of the city is called) is easily the most aesthetic part of the city and can easily compete in the infrastructure and layout with any European city. Each building is a landmark in itself. Vast open spaces, greenery, well laid out wide roads, the road along the beach, everything gels together. This is quite a contrast to the chaotic, disorganized concrete jungle that the rest of Bombay is.




The southern most tip of Bombay is Navy Nagar, the defence area, and is out of bounds for civilians. South Bombay ends at around the Mumbai Central station. North of Mumbai Central station was the area where general Indian population lived. It originally extended northwards upto Mahim. Dadar was the epicenter of Indian activities. This part of Bombay was for wretched, less fortunate souls. It was poorly planned and not much infrastructure was set up. Bombay's growth proceeded linearly, along a single road that extended north- south. Beyond Mahim was the Mahim creek, which was bridged by the Mahim causeway later and Bandra and the other suburbs came into existence. Then the suburban railway was constructed in the 1950s…. and slowly Bombay became what it is now.. good or bad… take your pick.

Western Railway Headquarters

Coming back to SoBo…..

Rajabai Tower & Mumbai University

When I came to Bombay 10 months back, the Marine Drive got me addicted to SoBo. That was my port of entry so to speak of. A long stretch of road fit for driving those fancy cars at speeds unheard off in Bombay. Nice place to hang out in the evenings.. or rather, any time of the day, with the cool sea breeze blowing almost all day. Evenings and early mornings see a rush of joggers here. Mumbai CST station is, needless to say, a heritage building, always crowded and it seems that all roads lead to this station. Rajabai tower, Bombay university, and BSNL building are all in close proximity to each other, along a tree lined avenue. When seen from a distance, these can be identified only in bits and pieces due to the thick foliage. These are located bang opposite the Azad maidan, that famous breeding ground of the country's leading cricketers. This vast expanse of land provides a welcome change from the concrete jungle and much needed breathing space.

Proceeding further away from the Churchgate station is the Flora fountain or the Hutatma Chowk. This is the fort area. To the right is the Kala Ghoda, the site for various cultural events, especially the Kala Ghoda festival. This entire road is lined by buildings in the the Victorian Gothic style. Straight ahead lies Colaba causeway, a delight for street shoppers and further ahead is the Gateway of India and the Taj and Oberoi hotels. This area is also pockmarked by iconic restaurants like Tendulakar's and Bade Miyan and also various pastry and sandwich shops.

Azad Maidan

No description of South Bombay is complete without referring to Nariman Point, the business district of Mumbai, or rather, one should say all of India. Lined by numerous highrises, all roads and railway lines lead to Nariman Point in the morning and away from it in the evenings. A hub of hectic business activity on weekdays, the region is overflowing with people.

Churchgate Station- Cut the crowds and its Europe

The best time to visit Town is on a Sunday morning…. Early morning. When all is calm. SoBo is transported back to the British era, when life was more relaxed, population sparse. One can take in the sights and sounds and feel the breeze and the early rays of the sun- things no one has any time for during a regular weekday… rather… the wind too forgets to blow and the sun glares down rather than soothe you. The roads are empty, shops are mostly shut, its like all of Town belongs to you. A lone, lazy sweeper sweeps the roads as if he has all the time in the world reinforces the laid back Sunday morning ambience here. One can have a relaxed breakfast of one's choice at the numerous eating joints that open early. My favourite is an English breakfast… suits the ambience, I feel. I usually travel on foot. That's the best way to explore if you don't want to cover the entire area in one day and just look forward to a leisurely Sunday.

First Indian South Pole Expedition

The following is a news article reporting the launch of the first Indian South Pole Expedition. Though India has had a presence in Antarctica for about 30 years, this is the first official south pole expedition. Indians have been to the south pole many times, but those were private expeditions or those launched by other countries. The team would be going in arctic trucks which are tailor made for travel on ice. Currently, only the Americans have a permanent station, Amundsen-Scott, at the south pole. This trip coincides with the centenary celebrations of the first man to set foot on the south pole (Roald Amundsen- Dec 1911)

Nov. 2 – India kicked off its first scientific expedition to the South Pole Monday evening, sending eight scientists on a month and a half long voyage aimed at uncovering how climate change has affected the environmental conditions in Antarctica over the last 1,000 years.

Led by Rasik Ravinda, head of the National Center for Antarctic and Ocean Research, the team will first travel to Cape Town, South Africa where they will then board a plane bound for Maitri – an Indian research base located on the rocky, ice-free Schirmacher Oasis in East Antarctica.

Traveling on specially-designed ice trucks, the research team is scheduled to leave Maitri Station on November 8, beginning an estimated 40-day, 2,400 kilometer journey to the South Pole and back during which the scientists will conduct a variety of tests and experiments.

"We will conduct meteorological experiments, [and] record humidity, temperatures, wind speed and atmospheric pressures during the 20-day trip to the South Pole, and other experiments will be conducted on our way back," the 62-year-old team leader said. The team is also expected to study snow chemistry and the continent's bedrock topography, glacial landforms, and atmosphere.

"No one has taken the route we will be taking to the South Pole," Ravinda said. He added that the team will only spend one or two days at the South Pole.

"We chose the expedition because no one has gone on this track and things have changed over time so new data on variations will be available to us," he said. "Everything is now linked to global warming."

Sources say that India's ambitious South Pole expedition emphasizes the country's eagerness to make informative scientific contributions to the global fight against climate change. The Indian team plans on bringing rocks, ice cores, and air samples back to India for research.

Guest Blog: Antarctica, The Terra Australis Incognita

Dr. D. K. Biswas is currently the medical officer at Maitri. He is a doctor in the CGHS, from Kolkata. He can be contacted on ddkbcal@gmail.com.

The passion for Antarctica grew in me from my early childhood. I learnt in geography that there is a land on earth where nights prevail continuously for six months and continuous sunshine for six months. How was it possible? How could people survive there, if there be any? All these questions bogged the mind of a boy.

Later, one of our senior colleagues Dr. P. K. Malhotra opted for and left for Antarctica in the year 2003. This rekindled my desire to be in Antarctica at any cost. I started collecting information regarding both Antarctica and Arctic from news papers and net.

In one busy OPD hours one circular was placed on my table by my LDC, asking for deputation to Antarctica as Expedition Doctor. I made my mind to apply for this. I talked to my family one at a time regarding my desire for Antarctica. All were excited at first but after seeing the duration to be long 14 months and remoteness of the place and myself being a patient of diabetes thought it will be better if I abandon the plan. Moreover there was problem of my release from the Ministry and above all myself being fit in the Medical (Physical and Psychological) test at AIIMS, New Delhi.

However with lot of discussions with my family members and repeated inquiry from Dr. P. K. Malhotra, regarding the working condition, state of living and food available at Maitri, the Indian Antarctic station , I had submitted my willingness for being deputed as a Station Doctor for the 29^th Indian Scientific Expedition To Antarctica.

At last by the grace of God, I got selected and released from my parent organization on 11.11.09. (Though after a little problem regarding release from the Ministry). My long cherished desire was going to be fulfilled now! In the early morning of 12.11.2009. I started from Kolkata. and reached Goa.. After completing formalities at National Centre For Antarctica and Ocean Research, Goa, we left for Antarctica on 15.11.2009. The schedule at NCAOR was hectic. We had to collect polar clothing and give trials, fill up feedback forms .We were briefed regarding our attitude and behavior on the way to and at Antarctica. The briefing was enlightening and we had a glimpse about what to expect at the unknown white Continent. The NCAOR people at GOA were very friendly and helpful. It was like they were seeing off their family members for a long journey.

On 19.11.2009 at about 11 AM local time the giant Russian aircraft IL-76TD (Illyushin) touched the long awaited airstrip (Novlazarevskaya) on continental ice at Antartica.. The journey from Cape Town to Antarctica was tiring due to continuous noise of the flight engine. Excitement of seeing a new continent was mounting as the destination approached. I dressed myself in polar clothing with great difficulty in a limited space of the aircraft. The very first thought which came to my mind was how to step on the ice, how to walk, will it slip or will the glare of the sun and reflections from ice make me blind? However with great caution I placed my feet on polar ice cap. These are hard ice formed by continuous deposition of snow over hundreds of thousands of years. As snow crystals fall and pile on top of each other creating huge weight that compress the earlier snow and converts it into ice sheet. It is blue in color shiny glassy and very hard. Its maximum thickness is more than 4 Km. It is in continuous motion from high interior to the coast. I walked with great caution like a toddler. It was wonderful to see vast sea/sheet of ice everywhere meeting the horizon with the bright sun in the real clear deep blue sky. In spite of the scorching sun above the biting cold seems to seep deep into the bones. There was nothing to be seen in the vast desert of bluish white ice except the Giant aircraft, few feeder planes with ski on wheels, Pisten Bully, Skidoo, some tents, housing modules and some Ground Staff. Pisten Bully is the snow vehicle equipped with heater, GPS and VHF radio sets, from Germany. Skidoos are the snow scooters from Norway. Members of previous team and leader of our team came to receive us in Pisten Bully. They asked us to remove the snow goggles to identify us but with fear of snow blindness we were hesitant to do so. However later we removed it and found no difficulty if eyes are left uncovered for short period only.

At Maitri, the sweet home outside home, there was warm reception for us by the inmates and also by the Antarctic Skuas .They are birds having features of both eagle and duck. They are the regular summer visitors to Maitri. We had light snacks and tea followed by lunch. Later we took rest in summer camp container. This too was unique. It is a self sufficient accommodation for four which is comfortable even in such harsh condition. Though there was attached bath, there was no water supply and we had to use the common bath complex outside. In the evening we were briefed regarding use of dry toilets and other utilities of the main station, rules and regulations. We were introduced to all (Old and new) members. After dinner we went to our summer hut module (Myself alone in my module) about 100 meters from main block. We were tired after such a long and eventful day and the wrist watch showed 11 PM. It was time for bed but outside there was bright sunlight! I drew the curtain and slept.

However in the morning experience in the toilet was not very pleasant. In such freezing cold using the toilet after climbing on the high platform needs expertise. However I went through it without any mishap. Though when I think of it, it was the first horrifying experience in the continent for a man of a tropical country who had had no experience of snow except for some short tours within the country.

The facts which astonished me most were the absence of mosquitoes, cockroaches, ants and spiders. No spider webs hanging hither and thither. Food items like cakes biscuits, bhujia, snacks, lying open on the table are all crisp not attacked by insects. May be Mother Nature preserves them as it is for us, considering the harshness of the condition! Gradually on exploration we could see penguins (Adelie) incubating eggs in their rookery near the coast. Wavy ridges of shelf ice near the coast appeared to me as frozen waves of sea. On the backside (Southern) of our station the receding continental ice sheet touching the clear blue sky (which is supposed to be a million years old) fascinated me. Water from this ice cap accumulates in Priyadarshini Lake and provides water supply to Maitri round the year. During winter water can be found under cover of about 2 meters thick ice.

The solitude is broken by the continuous howling of the winds and grunting of the generators. They are our life line in Antarctica. It seems very funny why till date we are having those giant noise makers especially in the pristine condition like this, whereas in main land we are using eco friendly noise proof gensets.

Here time taken to do any outdoor job can not be compared to that of the mainland. Even driving in a nail is a major job and when done correctly, is an accomplishment. Most of the outdoor jobs are done during the summer months when the weather is good. Actually effective working days are very few due to bad weather like high winds, blizzards and cold which are frequent. We have to watch out for "workable weather" and cannot afford to let go of a single such day.

Members of the expedition team need to go to the ice shelf, about 120 Km. away, to bring the yearly quotas of fuel, food items building materials and other logistic items in convoy. These are kept in sealed containers, brought in ice class ships. During convoy a series of ice class vehicles towing empty containers for fuel, back loaded containers with unused waste materials, container for living module (Banjara) and container for generator set (Jeevan Jyoti), move towards the shelf. The weather condition is quite different from that of inland. Almost always it is harsh and they have to work hard to get the job done there. Sometimes they get stuck up there for days together in blizzards. High winds and blowing snow may lead to almost zero visibility, which is a condition called" White Out" where a person loses his perception to surrounding. On the way, though delineated by the GPS, sometimes they encounter crevasses. These are very dangerous and often life and materials are lost. While returning from convoy a sense coming back to sweet homes arises in the mind at the sight of the Maitri.

It is aptly said that Maitri is representative of mini India. Here people come from all corners of the country and there is ample opportunity to get exposure to various cultures and languages and religions. A unique intimacy grows between the Maitrians which cannot be described in words because such ties will not be possible in the mainland. It teaches us a lot regarding doing all sorts of job leaving behind the rank and status one holds in mainland.

It is a wonderful place where one can come to know one's own self being in the solitude far away from the hassles of daily urban life. Borchgrevink the great Australian Explorer aptly said "The silence roared in our ears, it was centuries of heaped up solitude." Let the civilized mankind not break it!