“REPORT”
OCEAN TO SKY
GANGASAGAR TO GOWMUKH BIKE EXPEDITION
10TH SEPTEMBER TO 01ST OCTOBER. 2021.
Organised By :
Rabisankar Gain & Sujoy Mondal
History & Thought :
SIR EDMUND HILLARY’S WAY
Sir Edmund Hillary and his son Peter Hillary were done this World famous expedition by boat Gangasager to Gowmukh in the year 1977. In this expedition for all logistic support the team used the road throughout river side ganga.
We people Sujoy Mondal & Rabisankar Gain First Time from India as well as Asia after 45 years to celebrate pre 50 years of Sir Hillarys Expedition, think to follow the road by bike to made this Gangasagar to Gowmukh Bike Expedition 2021 mostly throughout riverside of ganga.
This is First Time from India.
This is First Time Biking and Trekking Combine Expedition from India.
Awareness Slogan : KEEP CLEAN GANGA, SAVE GANGA
First time Biker Done Awareness Campaigning various place with common people.
Seminar : We attended seminar on protect Ganga At Matrisadan Asram Haridwar on 19th September 2021.
Used Bike : Avenger Street 220 no. WB 26BB 2423.
Two person One Motor Bike
Our Route : Naihati – Gangasagar – Kakdwip – Dimondharbar – Kolkata – Barrackpore – Halisahar – Kalyani – Tribani – Mogra – Nawadip – Krishnanager – Mayapur – Farraka – Rajmohal – Bagusarai – Varanasi – Proyagraj – Kanpur- Hatros – Sambol – Bijnor – Haridwer – Rishikesh – Chamba – Teheri – Uttarkashi – Gangotri – Gowmukh.
Gangotri is last road head of this road so we put our Bike at Gangotri and by trek (38 km. up and down) to Gowmukh.
Map :
** We used Google map and local road information by local people.
Total Kilometer by Road : 4725 Km.
Total Kilometer by Trek : 38 Km.
Duration of Expedition : 22 Days.
Total Fuel : Petrol 115 lit. & Mobil 2.4 lit.
State Through : West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttarprodesh, Hariyana, Uttarakhand.
Accommodation : We used friend’s house and roadside hotels.
Foods : We used local foods on the way.
Banner Used : 
Media Watch : TV9 Bangla, Agiyecholo Bangla, Zee 24 Ghanta.
Flag Handover : National Flag and Banner handed over by Dr. Shashi Panja
Minister of Woman and Child Development and Social Welfare, Government of West Bengal, on 07th September 2021.
DAY TO DAY REPORT :
10.09.21 : We start for Gangasagar form my home at Naihati 4.30 morning. We had a flag off ceremony on the way, organished by Rider Community of Bengal ( RCB) at Kolkata near Netaji Bhawan. We had there at 6.10 morning, press and lot of renound rider of West Bengal over there. News chanel ( Agiye Bangla) 24 Ghanta cover our start up program, local counceller flag off us.
At 10.30 morning we again start for gangasagar. We follow the dimondharber road up to kakdwip hardwood point, we cross river ganga by ferry to kachubariya. Kachubariya to gangasagar kapilmuni temple is 30 km. by road. Here the end point of gangasagar island bay of Bengal, conflounce of river ganga, one of the holly place of Hinduism. We reached here at 3.30Pm. at kopilmuni temple we offered our homage for our expedition and photograph taken with sea beach of confluence river Ganga.
11.09.21 : Today we start AT 7.30 morning, again we at the farry point for boat. First ferry at 9.30 am. Its time depends on the tide of river. If water lavel low then boat not for service. It takes 1 hr. for kachubariya. At 11.00am we started our bike again. Diamond harber, Kolkata , Barrackpore, Naihati, we crossed ganga again at kalyani iswergupta setu for tribani sangam, here river ganga river jammuna and river saraswatite meeting point.this is another sangam of river ganga and a holly place of Hinduism from ancient age of veda.
On the way we done our awareness campaigning for our slogan KEEP CLINE GANGA AND SAVE GANGA.
AT 6.30PM WE reached Mogra one of our friends HOME, Mr. Ripon Mondal provide todays night shelter at his home.
12.09.21 : we kicked our bike at 7.00 morning. We follow the ganga river side road mostly so our todays way was mogra – randhuya – Nawadip – Krishnagar – mayapur – dubuliya – fararakka – Rajmohal.
We took laftside of farakka baraje towards ganga canel road through village way to wards rajmohal. Village road totally off road unmetal road full of dust.
Rajmohal a historical tourist place. its natural beauty of rajmohal pahar and river ganga. All this place we touch today and campain few place on our way, is situated river side ganga. Moti jharna water fall in rajmohal hill, feeds ganga river, another tourist attraction of this place.
13.09.21 : we think at morning today we reached patna, as per our thinking we start ur bike at 7.00 morning. Towards bhagolpur by village path its too hard to crossed 100 km, it takes seven hrs so our dream to reached patna goes tofar. Road totally unmetal with full of gravels. Within this 100 km, we crossed lot of village and slam area, where we saw most of villages family use toilet on river ganga, when we talked “KEEP CLINE GANGA, SAVE GANGA” with villagers about toilet uses, but people became angry upon us about this uses and attack on us to think we are govt. personal, and doing something on ganga clining, anyway we escape from those mob. Its another great experience for us. We crossed ganga again by bridge and came over at Nh31 which is gone side by side river ganga upto bagusarai. We reached bagusarai when our wrist watch shown time 5.30pm. so we took shalter near by roadside hotel.to spend night.
Our following road – Rajmahal – boha-sahibganj-kahalgaon-sabour-bhagalpur-akibatpur-bihpur- chukti-sansarpur-moliya-khagariya-bagusarai.
14.09.21: weather cloudy in morning but we start at our time at 7.00 morning. We follow todays road Bagusarai- mor- pundarakh-patna-baliya-arrah-mohoniya-mughalsarai- Varanasi. Mostly riverside road. Full day raining, so its too difficult to bikikng in rain. Most ly we spend our day today within bihar, road condition of bihar not so good. At seven night we reached at Varanasi, in this covid situation Varanasi not open for tourist so we not entered in city, we placed ourself near to roadside hotel.
15.09.21: weather cloudy, we srat our bike at seven morning. Our head towards proyagraj it’s a three river confluence ganga, saraswati and jamuna. Its also another tribani sangam. Its another ancient city bank of river ganga. Its another most popular city of India. Famous khumbho mela held here side of river ganga. We spend few hrs. here and captured few picture of holy place according to hindu mythology from vaidick period.
After Allahabad road condition not so good up to Kanpur, every 500meter or I km there diversion, so we not able to speed up. End of the day we hit Kanpur and stay in roadside hotel for night. After Allahabad we faced also huge rain.
16.09.21: its raining in morning we leave our hotel at seven morning asusual try to follow the river side road mostly, so we taken our road through Kanpur-bithoor-bihalpur-tirwaganj-etawah at uttarpradesh. Our speed was not exed. today 70km/ hrs so we slow due to heavey wind with swear rain. Its raineey season at uttarprodesh so its common rain here. Vary difficult to drive in rain we just took our shelter at 3 pm. Nearby road side.
17.09.21: Its heavy rainning in the morning so we think that how we ride today, sometime we think may be we have to stay today. Already two time we have tea, looking towards out side. At 8.30 its quite stop raining, and all of a sudden we decide we will start, how long we will ride as much as possible, depends on weather. We ready to ride with in 45 min. and we start 9.30 morning. With in 50 km. again its raining. We took shelter in a roadside dhaba and had some breakfast to utilize time. Again at 11.30 we start from dhaba, after 80 km. total 130 km. we crossed and rest in a tea stall to have a cup of tea. Suddenly rabishankar my parner noticed that he left his camera bag with total kit left at hotel, its great mistake of us in this trip. Again we talked with hotel ownwer and roomservice boy and after few minutes they call back and say yes they got the bag. Againg we back to hotel again that is 130km, west 2hrs and total 4 hrs. and got the back as usual pack. This was a hazarded day for us. Finally in the evening we took shelter at Hatras.
18.09.21 : morning weather was cloudy without rain so we start our bike at seven. Today we follow Narora- anupshahar- sambol- bijnor- haridwer road was single through village and small town so its quite hard to cover distance. Todays ride is 316 km. lastly we reached at misra bhawan haridwer 6.30 night. Due to covid situation few tourist there at haridwer. All hotel and ganga ghat free from crowed. We put our bike at misra bhavan and roming at harkipowri ghat and market place to take some picture documentation.
19.09.21: Today at matrisadan asram haridwer there was seminar on save ganga. We were already invited for semenar by matrisadan asram haridwer so we finally start at 9.30 from misra bhavan and attended at semenar 10.30 morning. We spend 2 hrs. here finally we levev haridwer at 1.00 pm. Towards uttarkashi. On the way we crossed rishikesh, rajaji national park, and end of the day we reached at chamba a hill town on the way. Here we put off us in road side hotel. After rishikesh hill road started, and we were so tired last few days ride, we decided we will not ride after sundown at hillyrigion. So we with in sundown putoff bike at chamba.
20.09.21: We kickon our bike at seven morning after having tea at hotel. And reached at uttarkashi at 12.00 noon. We meet our one friend at uttarkashi who run a travel agency, now adays uttarakhand govt. make a rule for permission for gowmukh trek, that tourist have to take permission through local travel agency who also provide a guide with each team. So we handed over our all documents to our friend for necessary permission for gowmukh trek. We took decision there that we will not stay uttarkashi another day we will proced towards gangotri and took one day full rest for accalamatization before gowmukh terk and our friend come over gangotri with guide and handover our permission for 23.09.21.
21.09.21: As per yesterdays plane we start at 8.00morning for gangotri 100km. from uttarkashi. Gangotri situated at 11204 ft. and uttarkashi 3800 ft. so its hight gain is 7000 ft. appx. Its quite difficult for common people. So we gain hight slowly and spend lot of time on the way. Coz we want to well acclimatize our body. At 3.00 pm we reached gangotri. There we meet pujari ji of gangotri temple, and stay at his house left corner of iron pull. Gangotri is another last last road head of uttarakhand for gowmukh region. After gangotri any where you want to go in mountain you have to trek from here.
22.09.21: Today we relaxed mood. We do meet some sanyasi and asram people to take there views of current situation of gangotri. We see that lot of hotels growing up newly. Deforestation of gangotri and lot of new construction which is painfull for us. But for development we have to sacrifice nature. Although its not good for future ! a big question in mind. We visited arjungufha, we meet few sant and take over some views of people. We meet lalita mata at her asram situated near gangotri national park gate, riverside ganga. We see all hotels latrin west finally deep down at ganga, its painfull. If possible through pipeline its shoud be dom at harsil easily said by drgamata asram sanyasi. We came back our shelter at 6.00 and took rest. In the minwhile our friend came and meet with us with his guide stuff. Finally we trek tomorrow for gowmukh.
23.09.21: weather not so good cloudy with thin rain, although we start for bujbasa 14 km trek from gangotri at 7.00 morning. After two km.trek from gangotri there is a gate of entry to gangotri national park where we produce our permission paper for gowmukh. Now this time only people can stay at GMVN resthouse at bujbasa. On the way there is nothing to have tea or any food. So all u have to carry for trek way. At 3.00 pm we reached at bujbasa GMVN rest house. We get sheltr for night saty here. Trek path moreorless nice. Bujbasa altitude is 12400ft.apx. some body faced acute altitude sikness here, so people have to know all about altitude sikness and its nasesary major and have to keep relavent medice with them.
24.09.21: we were just footstep to our final destination for our expedition gangasagar to gowmukh. We were filling exited today, we start for gowmukh after having our breakfast with aluparota and tea at 7.30 morning. Weather cloudy without rain so its nice for us. At bujbasa now this time have to crossed ganga for next bank by rope troly which is painfull at so coldy early morning and such high altitude, any way we crossed it and again trek 5 km. to our final destination gowmukh. We safely reached there and took photograph with our expedition banner and sumup our expedition here successfully. We start back to gangotri by 11.00 am. And finally reached gangotri by 19.00 hrs. night. Total trek today 24 km. appx.
Gowmukh snought of gangotri glacier now change totally. Its lost its hight due to fast melting of ice. Ganga change its way of flow. Its not so good for our future days. In 2013 due to cloudeburst huge creaks had emerged on the glacier. Again in 2016, 26th july due to heavy rain all over utarakhand region front end point of gangotri glacear gowmukh was no more, as a large chunk of glacier had collapsed and washed away, and water flow path of ganga change its direction. According to local people its snout moved back another 1 km. after this washout in 2016. According to local people now bujbasa to snought point become distance appx. 5km.
Our expedition successful but its joys moment we can not enjoy to see this painful situation of glacear movement due to global climate change.
25.09.21: today we leave gangotry by 8.00 morning and reached at chamba at 18.00 hrs.at road side hotal. On the way we faced two landslide and stuck off there 3 to 4 hrs. due to bad weather and rain landslide occered.
26.09.21: early at seven we start from chamba we decided to as long as we can cover to. At 17.00 hrs we reached jamuna express way and then agra laknow express way which is toll road for bike. There is nothing to stay or have food on this way. So we had to bound to cross at night. Lastly at 3.00 am we reached itwa and got a hotel to syat.
27.09.21: due to heavy rain we bound to stay again at Kanpur.
28.09.21: although huge rain last night at Kanpur, we got cloudy weather without rain in morning so we start again at 7.00 morning. But after cross 100 km. at fathepur we faced a breakdown off bike. We lost 4 hrs to repair our bike. At sundown time we reached varanosi. And stay at hotel.
29.09.21: we campain on road about keep cline ganga and save ganga, which we missed on the way going to, due to covid situation. Its restricted at varanosi. After 18.09.21 uttarprodesh govt. open varanosi for tourist and its tourist spot like viswanath temple and all ganga ghat of varanosi. Whole day we spend at varanosi.
30.09.21: we leave varanosi at 7.00 morning, but after 12.00 pm onward we faced huge rain and wind, we could not able to drive so at sundown time we just reached Dhanbad and stay here for night.
01.10.21: we start at 7.00 morning and reached home at naihati during sundown. On the way few of our friends congreats us for our succesfull expedition. Finally we reached home with our so nice experience during gangasager to gowmukh bike expedition, through riverside road of river ganga confluence gangasager to source gowmukh.
Thanking You,
Rider ( RABISANKAR GAIN & SUJOY MONDAL )
