Bengaluru woman treks to 50 high-altitude lakes in Kashmir

Srinagar, November 7

Braving arthritis, a Bengaluru woman created a record of sorts by trekking to 50 high-altitude lakes, located about 10,000 feet above sea level, in Kashmir within a span of four months, earning the sobriquet of “Alpine girl”.

Probably the first female to trek to these high-altitude lakes, Namratha Nandish, who stays in the Bengaluru’s Bellandur area, started with Tulian Lake, which is sandwiched between the Pir Panjal and the Zanskar mountain ranges in South Kashmir’s Pahalgam area, and concluded with Shilsar Lake in the higher reaches of the Anantnag-Kishtwar area.

Alpine lakes are located above 10,000 feet from sea level. “It all started with an idea of my husband, Abhishek, adding a visit to Srinagar in the previous winters. He wanted to see the frozen Dal Lake,” says Nandish. The couple embarked on their journey to the Kashmir valley on January 26 and checked into a local hotel. “I had done my homework and decided to trek 33 lakes during the season as a birthday gift to myself,” Nandish, who turned 33 this year, said.

An HR manager in an information technology company, the work from home facility, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, came in handy for her to reach her goal during the trekking season, which started in mid-June. “Work hard and play hard. On my weekends, I packed my bags and joined a trekking group to achieve my goal which started with Tulian Lake,” she said. Her local trek leader Syed Tahir, who accompanied her to most of the lakes, recalled his meeting with the Bengaluru women.

Tourists come here and want to do a long trek of three to four days but here was a woman, who had set a goal for herself, even before the start of the season, Tahir, an expert trekker, said. “She will be the first female who has completed 50 lakes in one season as no one has been able to achieve this kind of feat to the best of my memory of covering 50 Alpine Lakes in one season spread across the Kashmir valley,” he said. Nandish feels nostalgic as she packs her bags for her journey back home. — PTI