Mountain Meadows

Tapovan at the base of Shivalinga and Bhagirathi Peaks in the background Well known Bugyals
The Valley of Flowers by Frank Smythe
Himalayan Flowers - by Ganesh Saili

Tree line in the Himalayas varies from one region to the other, depending on the latitude and local factors. In Kashmir, the permanent snow can start from as low as 11,000 feet whereas in Garhwal, the snow recedes to almost 15,000 feet during the summer. Most of the mountain meadows lie in this region between the tree line and the perennial snow, wherever the slopes are gentle and the soil conditions conducive to the growth of vegetation.

As you climb higher, the tree cover starts reducing – the same varieties of tree become dwarfed and instead of Rhododendron trees, you see the rhododendron bush. Birch is the most adventurous of the mountain trees, which gets closest to the perennial snow.

Rudranath Bugyal Frank Smythe – the legendary British mountaineer on his way back from Mt. Kamet discovered the Valley of Flowers. The sheer beauty of this bugyal and its flowers overwhelmed him. His book generated a lot of interest in the valley - by 1950, some botanists and some romantics from Britain started visiting this bugyal which everyone started calling - ‘The Valley of Flowers’. Then came the glossies in the late 1970s and a dream was spun for the travel industry. Busloads of people started ascending on the fragile meadow. It was just about saved from the brink of disaster due to the hue and cry made by environmentalists.

Nothing much has been talked about the other bugyals where buffaloes, sheep and goats continue A meadow in full bloom with the process of ruination. One cannot help marvelling at the ingenuity of our species for introducing this supposedly tropical creature to these insurmountable heights.

This entire region is virtually strewn with such valleys of flowers which are nothing but high mountain-meadows above the tree line. After the snow melts, these meadows turn into a riot of colour. When you go to a mountain meadow remember it is the most fragile eco-system. The small Juniper bush which might heat your cup of tea could take ten years to grow up to its dwarf size and once gone, its gone for good. Extreme care is required while you camp at any of these sacred grounds of the mountain gods.

Some of the well-known bugyals of Garhwal are: Rudranath Bugyal