Invitation to Join the Himachal Extension of Askot to Aarakot Yatra

We are thrilled to share some exciting news about the Himachal extension of the Askot to Aarakot Yatra. This extraordinary journey, initiated by young activists from Uttarakhand in 1974, has become a decadal tradition. It commences from Askot, a small town nestled at the Kali River on the Nepal border, and culminates in Aarakot, a village on the Pabbar River in Uttarakhand.

This year, we have decided to partake in the yatra from the Himachal side, with a focus on exploring the Pabbar river valley from its origins. We aim to witness the significant changes taking place within the river and the communities residing alongside it. We have specifically chosen the Pabbar River for our expedition and plan to reach Rohru on the 1st of July to commence the yatra from its source, Chandarnahan Lake, on the 3rd of July. Our plan involves a five-day trek along the river and joining the main yatra on the 8th of July at Arakot village.

If you, or anyone you know, is interested in joining us for this remarkable journey, please feel free to reach out . We encourage you to spread the word, especially among those with Himalayan connections in academia, activism, or any other capacity.

Further details regarding the route and accommodations will be communicated shortly, but do keep in mind that this is an entirely non-funded venture where each person is expected to contribute. Since we will be walking, and staying the night with local communities, the costs are expected to be modest.

Interested people should write to us with their name, contact details and a few sentences in Hindi or English about why they want to join.Best wishes,

Aman Kant Panta
PhD Candidate at HSRC, IIIT Hyderabad
A resident of Chopal (Shimla)
Email: amankantpanta@gmail.com
aman.panta@research.iiit.ac.in
Mobile: 9805523284