Uttarkashi, This feel-good story comes to us from the hill-district of Uttarkashi where four friends have waged a war against migration, and are leading by example, inspiring others to follow suit.
Friends from village Nald, just 12 kms beyond the town of Uttarkashi, Dharmendra Panwar, Ganesh Rana, Deepak Rana and Rajneesh Rawat launched Naga Adventure Company on 21st November 2018. Like all beginnings, teething troubles plagued the four young men but they faced all the difficulties with their chin held-up high.
Aged between 25 and 28 when most young men move to the promising plains of India, dreaming of a better, brighter future, they stuck to their guns and were determined to bring prosperity to their home-land.
Located at 1600 meters above sea level, amidst thick deodar forest, Naga Adventure is one-of-its-kind camp where local employees from the village earn money assisting the youth and their endeavour, at their doorstep.
Ganesh, briefs us about why they thought of setting up an adventure camp in Uttarkashi, “the town is a tourist-hub, and we wanted to make the most of this opportunity to promote and provide job opportunities to the local here.”
Almost a year since it opened it gates, Naga Adventure has served more than 1500 tourists visiting the area.
Talking more about Naga Adventure, Dharmendra tells us, “Naga Adventure gives you a chance to enjoy different adventure sports. Zip lines, high-rope course, trekking, camping, etc, we give every age group a taste of true adventure in scenic locale.”
Deepak add,“My colleagues are well trained and have a lot of experience in this field.” He further adds, “The camp gives complete facilities to tourists coming from all over the globe looking for outdoor and adventure.”
About future aspirations, Rajneesh tells us, “in the future, we want to develop this area so that we can generate more employment opportunities and put Uttarkashi on the world map for adventure.”
The drive to do something for their district has won Dharmendra Panwar, Ganesh Rana, Deepak Rana and Rajneesh Rawat praise from not only those who come visit but also from those whose lives they have touched.
Mussoorie, In the hills, they will tell you that when the cobra lilies turn red; the tree ferns begin to turn brown; the setting sun changes its multi-hued pallet of colours with each passing day and the garden escapees bloom on the mountain-side in all their splendour – you can take it for granted that the Great Indian Monsoon is on the retreat after its three month reign in our mountain home.
The slopes above and below the road is awash in a nodding sea of flowers dancing in the gentle breeze. They watch you through the water-laden mist which comes down to touch the plants, as if to make sure that all is well, and it parts, the colours jump out at you: crimson, scarlet, mauve, white, yellow, pink, orange, purple and sometimes a deep, almost black maroon, you name it and they all there in plenty, giving company to the moss, ferns and grass carpeting the hillside.
Chief Minister of the State Trivendra Singh Rawat tweeted about rescue and relief work being carried out in Mori Tehsil. While six injured have been airlifted from Arakot thus far, two persons were brought to Dehradun from the Sahastradhara helipad, where they were shifted to the Emergency Wing at Doon Hospital which has been prepared to take-up more patients from Mori. Four other’s were referred to higher centre, while more injured were brought to the State Capital as the day progressed.
Yesterday morning a release from the State Disaster Relief Fund stated, “our team moved at 5:00 a.m. for Arakot along with Paramedics and medicines left with the team. A temporary Mess that can run as a bhandara, has been moved to Aarakot. Facilities to tent 400 people in emergency, besides 200 food packets have been moved to affected area. 150 helidrop-kits are ready to move from Jollygrant and another 50 from Sahastradhara helipad. Yesterday some disaster relief kits were distributed by SDRF teams that reached the spot.”
