At the end of the day 5, we reached Gala campsite via Rungling (Rung as in the map) top
Yatra: July - August 1994: Day 5 (21/07/1994) Sirkha (2240 Meter) – Rungling Top (3050 Meter) - Gala (2375 Meter) 16 km
Route map from Sirkha to Gala is given below.
Day 5 Route from Sirkha through Rungling top to Gala
From Sirkha, we started at 6.30 A.M. After the initial downhill movement, we started climbing towards Rungling top (3050 meter) using a stone-laid path.
This picturesque uphill route had a stream accompanying us at our left side and mountain with intermittent waterfalls on our right side. The landscape had all shades of green.
Day 5 (21/7/1994) Way to Rungling top – stream on our left
Day 5 (21/7/1994) - way to Rungling top, waterfalls on the right - Kalyan Singh and wireless assistant
Pilgrims were full of energy. Men were dancing with the village boys.
38 Day 5 (21/7/1994) The radio officer dancing with the village boys
The doctor was a resident of Rudrapur. He invited us to his house at Rudrapur.
On our way to Rungling top, we met a group of village children coming downhill. When I wanted to take their picture, one boy took out his book and posed for the picture.
Day 5(21/7/1994) Children going to school
We had a tea break in a spring side tea stall on our way to the Rungling top.
Day 5 ( 21/7/1994) - At Rungling top with the liaison officer, doctor and porters
The village across the waterfalls near Rungling top is called “Bung Bung”. We did not pass through Rung village.
We also met this beautiful lady on our way to Rungling top.
Day 5 (21/7/1994) Local beauty
From Rungling top, it was downhill all the way till we reached a bridge on a stream almost 3 km away from the Gala camp.
Day 5 (21/7/1994) Stream near Gala camp
We (I and my new found friend Alpana) reached the bridge at 12 noon. Considering that we had enough time to reach before our lunch is served, we sat down on a boulder to get our tired feet relaxed with the river water and subsequently decided to wash our clothes and ourselves. In that process we got late and it started raining. The BSF boy, Ganesh, who was posted at the rear end of our group, took us to the Gala camp. The Liaison Officer and one radio officer were ready to walk back looking for us and were naturally annoyed.
Gala camp was less appealing than the Sirkha camp. There were three separate huts - one for men, one for the women and one for cooking and dining.
Water line was broken due to the landslide caused by the road construction. For cooking, water was bought @ Rs 10/- per bucket from the nearby water source. We were consoled with the statement that we would find water in plenty once we reach Malpa.