It was almost 2 years, I did not see the mighty Himalaya after Roopkund trek. So I decided to go for a small trek.
This time I found another trek partner Ashim Kumar Day. We decided to go on September after Bakhri ‘Eid, But due to some unavoidable circumstances we choose puja time for this trek.
After long discussion with Monu da we decided to go to Baghini Glacier, Rishi Kund and Chang Bang base camp.

Day 1, 8th October, 2016:
It was second day of Durga Puja (Saptami). Both of us were bit sad as we were going away from festive mood but on the same time we were feeling excited, about the new experience that we were yet to get. From morning it was cloudy outside.
We reserved Howrah to Haridwar bound Kumbha Express which was scheduled at 1 PM from Howrah and would reach at Haridwar on the next day at 4:35 PM. After that our plan was to stay at any small hotel/Ashram and search for Joshimath bound bus. We heard that buses are available from Haridwar station at early morning.
We reached Howrah station at around 12 noon, but once we entered into the station it started raining heavily.
Due to heavy rain our train was late for 2 and Half hours. So we have nothing to do except pulling legs of each other. At around 3:30 PM we were asked to on board our train.
Train journey is always fun journey for me. Especially if I am travelling on sleeper coach. Every 10 minutes a vendor was coming with tea or coffee or muri etc. At around 8 PM we heard that our train was running 6 hrs. delay.

Day 2: 9th October, 2016:
At around 10 PM we reached Haridwar. After reaching Haridwar station at first we had our dinner with roti and sabji. A nice low cost dinner at platform. We only spend Rs 20 for that. In the meantime I went to bus stand for gathering information about Joshimath bound bus. We came to know that we would be getting shared cab from 4 AM in the morning. After that we decided to spend another few hours at station platform. And would take bus/shared cab at early morning. We unpack our mattress and make a semi comfortable bed. It was cold at Haridwar on that time with lots of mosquitoes. I was killing mosquitoes while laying on my mattress and Monu da, my partner started snoring. Temperature was around 15 degree Celsius.

Day 3: 10th October, 2016:  (Staying at Joshimath)
Early morning around 3:30 AM we went to the bus stand and found one Joshimath bound jeep. A long and tiring journey started at 4:50. At round 3 PM that jeep dropped us at Joshimath. We found a hotel named Sargarohini, there we booked a room @500. We meet Mr. Dinesh who arrange tours and trek in that regions. We got his number from one of our friend. After having some discussion Dinesh arrange a guide cum porter and one porter for us.
After having late lunch we went for ration collection for our trek. From Kolkata we took few ration, rest we bought from Joshimath. Then our guide and porter went to their village, which was 13 km away from Joshimath. When they left then me and Monu da started walking and exploring Joshimath. This was a nice small town. There was a temple of lord Shiva, at winter session Baba Mahadev stayed here and summer session Baba Nilkantha stayed at Badrinath. The bus stand was just beside our hotel. Hotel room that we got was nice. At around 7 PM we returned to our room.

Day 4: 11th October, 2016:   (Staying at Ruin Village)
I wake up at 5 AM. Guide Vikram told us that he would come around 8 AM. Meanwhile we completed our packing. At around 9 AM after having our breakfast with Alu Paratha and sabji, we started with a Bolero car for Jumma village.

That was around 30-45 minutes journey. In that journey we crossed few small village like Reni, Lata, Phagti and Suraithota. Amazing views we got while crossing that short distance.

The last village we crossed was Tapovan where we found goat meat. We took 1 KG raw goat meat for our dinner. The journey was awesome. On the way we saw “Nandadevi” peak, one small temple of Nandadevi, Ramdana cultivation, one hot spring. Dhauli Ganga River was flowing on the right side of our road. The journey ended in front of a bridge.

I asked our guide, why that place was called as Jumma Village, we did not find any house there. Then guide clarified that Jumma village was few kilometers away from this place.
Our trek started from here. There was a hanging bridge though which we crossed Dhauli Ganga River. Our destination for that day was Ruin village. A small 1-2 hours trek.
On our way we saw Jumma village which was opposite direction of Dhauli Ganga River. Just after 1 kilometer or so we left Dhouli Ganga river and went through forest area. Road condition was very good.

We chatted with each other and walked. Our guide Vikram bhai was a nice person. He stated that he worked as porter, not guide. After walking for around 1-2 hours we saw a village. Our guide told that we have reached our destination. We did not expect to reach so early.

There was a camping ground where we pitch our tent. That day we had a gala dinner with goat meat that we bought from Tapovan village. Me, Manu da, and Vikram started cooking. After sun set temperature fall down. It was around 5-6 degree. We had our dinner around 7 Pm and went to our tent.

Day 5: 12th October, 2016: (staying at Dronagiri village)
I had a sound sleep last night. Wake up around 4:30 when sunlight was yet to come. I saw Manu da wake up before me and started preparing tea. After having tea, Manu da said “Today we will eat Khichi, papad.”
Me and Manuda helped our porter for preparing Khichdi, and then we left Ruin village around 10 AM.
We started walking through pine forest.

The journey was amazing. We saw lots of birds flying. Though we did not able to see any peak but the view of the valley was marvelous. After 2-3 hours of walking we saw a small green meadow in front of us. We thought we would rest there for a while. When we reached there and looked back we saw giant Hati peak standing at our back.

What a view, that vanished all our tiredness. After resting there for around 20 minutes, we started again, and from now onwards all the time whenever we feel tired, we looked back for refreshment, and Giant Hati Peak always refreshed us with his giant view.
After crossing that meadow we walked downwards and cross one small Nala.

Then we walked upwards  and after 1- 2 hours we saw Dhronagiri peak in front of us. From that point we saw the dhronagiri village as well. At around 2-2:30 PM we reached Dhronagiri Village.
There was a GMVN bungalow. We rested there at @500 per room. We took one room,
Our porter Deepak bhai was very enthusiastic chap. He started preparing tea for us. After taking tea we went to the village. That was the last village on our route. In summer session villagers stay in that village and in winter session the stay at Jumma village because of heavy snow. When we went there that time they were preparing for going down. After 20th October all the villagers will go down. We meet Mr Keshav Singh, who had very good knowledge about the route. We requested him if he can go with us. He agreed and told us he would come at next day 7 AM in the morning. After chatting with him we returned to our guest house.
From our bungalow we saw the last ray of sun was kissing Dronagiri Peak. After sun set temperature fall suddenly. It was around -1/-2 degree. We started cooking our dinner. That day our dinner menu was rice/Dal/Boiled Alu/Boiled Egg/ and achar. GMVN provided blanket as well. So after dinner we went to our bed around 8 PM.

Day 6: 13th October, 2016: (Staying at lower base camp via Longatulli/ Langatuli)
I wake up around 4:30 in the morning. I want to capture the first ray of sunlight on Hati peak. Because Hati peak situated at west side of our hut, and Dhronagiri peak situated at north east side of our hut. Amazing sun rise I observed from the balcony of our hut. After sunrise temperature also raised. We prepared khichdi again that day. At around 9 AM we started our journey.
Today Keshav bhai leading us. The path goes towards village, from village one path turned right, we took that path and go downwards. Here we saw Baghini Nala for the first time. I was overwhelmed that we will be going to see the origin of that Nala. After crossing that Nala, we again went upward and then path goes side by side with the river. At that point where we saw the Dhronagiri Peak for the first time there we left the tree line. After crossing the Nala small bushes also disappeared. We entered the rocky zone of Himalaya. After 1-2 hrs of walking we found a nice river bed called Longatulli.
Longatulli was a nice place, we could see Rishi Pahar, top of Dhronagiri peak, and Hati peak at our behind. As we went there in the month of October so we did not get flowers but just after monsoon one could see lots of flowers in that region.
In Ramayana it stated that there was a famous battle between Laxman and Ravan, Ravan struck Laxman down with a powerful thunderbolt. Ram feared for his brother's life when he saw him lying senseless in a pool of blood. Again the monkeys proved themselves resourceful in a crisis. They told Ram that they knew of some medicinal herbs that could save Laxman's life. The only stumbling block was that these herbs were only available far away in the Himalayas. Hanuman saved the situation one again. He was swift as the wind and immensely strong. He flew up into the air and disappeared in the direction of the Himalayas. When Hanuman landed on the mountain, he found a million different varieties of herbs. He had no idea which were the right ones that would save Laxman's life. Hanuman felt that the only solution to this quandary was to pick up the whole mountain and take it to the plain where Laxman lay. That is exactly what he did! He picked the Dhronagiri Mountain with his palm.
After resting at Longatulli, we started again, now there was no road. We went into bolder zone. Slowly we moved on with Baghini Nala at our right. After around an hour or so suddenly Keshav bhai stopped us and we saw a gang of Himalayan tahr.
After walking for another 1-2 hours I observed the Nala disappeared and glacier started. That was Baghini Glacier. We walked further. After around 3 hours of walking we reached lower Baghini base camp. It was around 4 PM and sun was about to set. The camping ground was in between two mountain ridge. While porters and guides were busy with tent pitching, I and Manu da went up to the ridge. After reaching the top of the ridge we saw an amazing view. Last ray of sunlight on top of an unknown peak makes the peak reddish, and moon also raised on that time. But just after the sunset darkness were all around suddenly and temperature dropped.
After sunset temperature went below 0 degree, Vikram bhai and Keshav bhai gathered few branch of bushes. They fire those bushes and we sat around that fire. Our menu for that day was rice a Dal. We were chatting each. That was too cold, we ate our dinner and went to our tent around 8 PM.
But when we entered we saw that there was 1 inch water inside our tent. That night was one of my memorable night. Don’t know how and when that night passed. Manu da and I decided that we would start around 3 am in the morning, would reach Rishi Taal, and will come back to base camp.

Day 7: 14th October, 2016:
Around 2:30 AM I heard that Keshav bhai was calling. We prepared our tea and started at 3 AM sharp. I took a bottle of water, and camera. It was so cold, my fingers were not moving even inside gloves. We were moving towards Rishi Parvat. Wind was blowing and that makes our walk difficult. After may be 15-20 minutes I stopped and open my bottle for water, ………………………………………..hahaha….I was not expecting that situation……… There was no water… I was carrying a bottle of ice.
Any way when we reached Upper Baghini then it was around 4:30 AM and East side of the sky started taking its colors. We keep walking and we saw Changbang peak in front of us. It was around 5:30 when first ray of sunlight hits Changbang, and Hati peak. We took a break on that place to see the sunrise.
After sunrise we started walking and from the end of upper Baghini we took one ridge which was going upwards with a inclination of around 70 degree. Slowly we were able to see Kalnka Peak, and seven sisters peak as well from the ridge. At the end of that ridge we saw a green triangular shaped lake beside Baghini glacier. That lake was Rishi Lake. We spend some time over there.
After spending 30 minutes or so we decided to move. Upward movement with 70 degree inclination was easy but downward movement on that slope was very hard. It was a tiring 30 minutes walking that ends when we reached upper Baghini.  From here the path was normal, we reached our camp at around 9:30. Deepak bhai prepared rice/dal/boiled alu/boiled egg for our lunch. We had our lunch and then started. At around 4 PM we reached Dronagiri village.

Day 8: 15th October, 2016:
We started from Dronagiri village at around 10 AM, and around 2:30 PM we reached Jumma. There was a car waiting for us which dropped us at Joshimath.
After 5 days interval we got a chance to had bath and make ourselves civilized again. After having refreshed ourselves we had a Gala Dinner

Day 9: 16th October, 2016:
We took bus from just beside our hotel. That bus dropped us at Haridwar at 12:30 PM. From Haridwar our train was at 11 PM. So we stayed in one ashram, for few hours and then took our Howrah bound train. Before that we went to Har-ki-Pouri ghat

Some useful Information:
Guide Details: Dinesh Uniyal (09412413714/09756835647)
Peaks that can be seen in Baghini Glacier trek:
·         Hathi Parvat (6727  m)
·         Dunagiri Parvat(7,066 m)
·         Rishi Pahar (6,992 m)
·         Changbang peak (6,864 m)
·         Kalanka Peak (6931 m)

Brief Summary:
Day 1: Joshimath to Ruin Village via Jumma village
Day 2: Ruin village to Dronagiri Village
Day 3: Dronagiri village to lower Baghini Camp
Day 4: lower Baghini Camp to Rishi kund and back to Dronagiri village
Day 5: Dronagiri village to  Joshimath via Juma village