The adventure of a lifetime

The group of girls who sailed, trekked and cycled across the country

An image of the group scaling Mount Kolahoi.

When a group of five girls set out from Bengaluru in August last year, they intended to cycle through untraversed mountains, tame the sea and scale a peak in the Himalayan ranges — all in 75 days, in an effort to prove the indomitable nature of the human spirit.

Bindu N from Mysuru, Dhanalakshmi A and Aishwarya V from Shivamogga, Pushpa S M from Kodagu and Asha Y from Bengaluru, all students of social welfare department hostels in Karnataka, completed the ‘Shikar se Sagar’ expedition, a tough task that tested both their physical and mental fortitude. The trip was planned under the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ effort to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence.

Between Independence Day and Karnataka Rajyotsava in 2021, the group trekked through 5,425 metres of snowy ground to reach the rocky peak of Mount Kolahoi in Kashmir, crisscrossed through 3,350 km of hilly roads between Srinagar and Karwar on cycle and then kayaked about 300 km in the Arabian Sea to reach Ullal from Karwar. They did all this by themselves.

Their journey started about four years ago after being selected out of hundreds of students by the Social Welfare Department under its mountaineering course organised by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) and General Thimayya National Academy of Adventure (GETHNAA). They hail from disadvantaged communities.

For the four years that followed, the team was trained in rock-climbing, white-water kayaking and cycling. During training, the girls also participated and won medals at national and international competitions. Bindu and Pushpa, for instance, are Kolar bouldering championship (state-level competitions) medalists and Dhanalakshmi is a national medalist in white-water kayaking.

“We did not hesitate for a second when we were informed about the expedition. All five of us wanted to take up the challenge,” said Aishwarya, a native of Shivamogga who is also a national medalist in whitewater kayaking and canoeing.

Their expedition was flagged off at the Vidhana Soudha on August 16 and two days later, they were at the foot of Mount Kolahoi at JIM in Pahalgam. Climbing had been halted here after two members of an alpha team died in a mishap and trekking only resumed in 2021.

“One wrong step and we were sure that it would be very difficult for the rescue team to even retrieve our bodies. Yet, carrying over 30 kg of essentials on our back, we reached the summit in just seven days,” said Aishwarya (19), the youngest of the five.

The climb was not easy. The team suffered from altitude sickness, exhaustion and breathlessness. One member even fainted before reaching the summit. Yet, they recovered and reached the summit.

After two days of rest, the team braved the unseasonal rains and cold while pedalling from Srinagar to Karwar via Khardung La pass, Tanglang La, Nechung La, Nakeela pass, Sarchu, Zabrin, Manali, Atal Tunnel, Chandigarh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra.

“For 42 days on the cycle, we were able to witness the diversity of India, its rich culture and its poverty. We created awareness about gender equality,” said Bindu, who led the team.

All through the 3,350 km stretch, the girls pitched their own tents and cooked food, sometimes inside the city and most of the time outside the comforts of human habitation.

The sea posed, perhaps, the greatest challenge. The movement of waves churned their stomachs and just 10 days of kayaking felt like ‘forever’, thanks to seasickness.

At the home front

The 75-day-long expedition tested these girls to their limits. One major challenge was, however, faced at home.

“My mother and sisters were very supportive but my father had inhibitions. He doubted if anyone would come forward to marry me if they were aware that I participated in such adventures. My relatives too discouraged me. But I was firm on my decision,” said Asha.

Following the trip, her father too has come a long way. Yellappa K, a gardener, says he is proud of his daughter’s achievement. “I have realised that by making my daughter strong, I can ensure her safety,” he said.

Bindu said hundreds of girls in her college enquire about the expedition and wish to go on adventures of their own. “The trip has given me confidence that I can face any challenge.”

Keerthi Pais, Chairman NSCC, Indian Mountaineering Foundation, who planned this expedition, said the trip has transformed the girls into leaders. These girls are now ready to lead several others through such expeditions.

“The mountaineering programme, started in 2017, has started to yield the desired results and soon girls from disadvantaged communities will start breaking barriers to achieve their potential,” he said.