A Trek to Lakes

I had the good fortune of enjoying the breathtaking view of blue-eyed Pangong Tso in Ladakh and Nainital-Bhimtal-Sattal in Uttarakhand. I plan to visit Damdama Lake in Gurugram someday, despite being warned about overcrowding. My fascination with lakes is such that I often look at DTC bus 310 which goes to “Jheel” and think of travelling till its last stoppage.

So, when I came across a Facebook post by DelhiByFoot inviting adventure enthusiasts to explore the “secret lakes of Delhi” near Asola Bhatti wildlife sanctuary, I thought of grabbing the opportunity. After all, you can visit some places in and around Delhi (such as Asola or Najafgarh marshlands or Tughlakabad) only in a group. There was one strong reason not to go; it will involve walking around 8 km and I was not sure whether I can manage that. A few years back, I had walked 13 km up the hills from Katra to Vaishno Devi but my health condition has changed since then.

Finally, I registered for it with a chalo-jo-hoga-dekha-jayega attitude. The meeting place was Anangpur village in Faridabad (a few of us got a lift from a kind-hearted co-walker) from where the fairly large group started after having a cup of leathery and very sweet tea. Google baba informed that Anangpur is named after Tomar king Anangpal, who also built a dam nearby (that still exists, said our walk leader). Just two km away is the more famous Suraj Kund, said to have been built by king Surajpal of the same dynasty.

The lakes of Asola, nestled in the Aravali ranges, however, are not natural. In fact, they are a result of unchecked human consumption. Deep pits were dug during unregulated mining activities in the area, which have turned into large lakes. The Supreme Court in 2002 banned mining in the ecologically sensitive Aravalis. The lakes offer no hint about their dark past. They are beautiful, with clear green-blue water, surrounded by saffron rocks, not tourist-riddled barring a few cyclists (therefore litter-free) and they can transport you to another world despite being so near to the madding crowd of Delhi. There are quite a few lakes in that zone but we saw only three. The local villager who was guiding us said their depth is 200 feet or more. Swimming is prohibited and should not be attempted, he said. 

The jungle trail is not easy either. The woods are not lovely, dark and deep but thorny, rugged, stony and steep. The thorns are capable of even pricking through your denim or cargo trousers. My beloved pair of jeans once saved me from the bite of one of the patriarchal dogs in my society (I call them so because they appear unhappy with women like me who sometimes come home after 9 pm) but it is of

not much use in the sea of thorns. There are only the “kante” and hardly any “phool” in the jungle. I got a few scratches and like a true-blue Bengali, took out my Boroline tube. Some others also shared it. I was feeling proud of Shri Gourmohan Dutta.

Our journey ended at someone’s outhouse in the village with a brunch of makki ki roti, white butter, dal and sabji, being cooked by two widely smiling local ladies. After hours of walking, I started admiring even the vegetarian dishes (quite unlike me). In the morning, I thought of visiting the Surajkund Mela (it was the last day of the fair) after the trip but dropped the plan because 1) I was tired and 2) who wants to see hundreds of people pushing and jostling each other after you have seen those lakes?

Statutory warning: If anyone wants to visit, summers are not a good time and you must go with one of the walking groups. It is not a picnic spot and a couple or family visit may turn unsafe. Without local guidance, it is fairly easy to lose your way. And yes, mobile phones may show “no network”.

(February 2018; Next: Exploring Mehrauli – 1st part)