Mountain's daughter!
Research Scholar, Parul Jasrotia is a rarity, a 32 year old married woman of Jammu who has reached the most obscure belts of Himalayas. A daring child in early life, Parul was good in her academics, but even more interested in outdoor activities such as traveling, trekking, natural photography, cycling and writing poetry.
She hoisted the Indian Flag at the Naerak Fall of the daunting Chadar trek in -25'C, after having spent freezing nights in tents inside cold sleeping bags, completing a course of 41 Kilometers trek in a single day. She skillfully explored the most obscure regions at an age when most people are looking forward to settle in their couch and spend their life watching TV.
Parul is pursuing a Doctorate in Tourism. She is a travel enthusiast who often motivates and organises people to embark upon adventure trips.
She started her career in Travel industry in 2007 with her first journey to Tamil Nadu and Kerala. She later toured to Goa, Kerala and Rajasthan. A rather fancy tour amidst leisure and luxury left a dissatisfying void in her heart. She felt something missing; a hunch that embarked a new pursuit and ultimately took her to the beautiful yet formidable Himalayas.
She said,” it was more of a leisure and luxury kind of travel but something was missing.”
Her trip to Rishikesh in 2009, although her 4th visit to the enchanted place, was an extraordinary life experience than a usual visit. She spent hours sitting quietly on ghats contemplating on the questions that have troubled the human mind for ages. An abstract feeling that can't be contained in words but that comes from experience, a sort of a rendezvous with oneself. Since then Rishikesh made to her list of frequently visited places
Spirituality and Travel…..
Then, it was a spiritual start, Amarnath Yatra, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Hemkund Sahib and then in 2012 she visited one of her dream destinations – Valley of flowers that she always used to see on map. In her words,” yes, i was there, sitting on a hillock in valley of flowers, i realized it's not travelling only, its passion, love and faith for Himalayas.”
She started biking, cycling with Jammu cyclists club which promotes cycling among Jammu youths.
She said, “Cycling has given her mental strength to move towards adventure sports. She has even done Bungee jumping, rafting, paragliding, parasailing and rappelling. She believes that every one of us has something special that we need to realise and the universe will itself conspire to guide you to your destination.
Family and Travel
Besides travelling and exploring new tourist destinations and being a married women it's quite difficult to pursue career in tourism sector.
She said, “I believe you have to keep faith and have to put little extra effort to balance family and travel life but life is managing your time n priorities after all. People say you are lucky and blessed to have such kind of life, but I don't know how to react on such statements because we all have something special in us. We just need to realize and recognize that.”
Trekking and Hiking
Besides, Amarnath Yatra twice, Badrinath , Kedarnath Peak, Hemkund Sahib , Prasher Lake in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh for four times.
The biggest adventure done was Chadar Trek which involves days of walking on frozen Zanskar, after lot of hurdles, flight cancellations, unsuitable weather conditions during 26 January onwards, she was able to do that successfully till the last point i.e Narek Falls ( frozen waterfall) which is sought as Paradise in Trekking World.
She tracked 41 kilometers in a single day during that trek just to complete the track because of harsh weather conditions prevailing during the period fighting the temperature which was ranging from -25 to 5 degrees.
She said,” I never lost faith in Supreme Power.”
Exploring other Avenues
She says her main aim of tourism promotion is to work for promoting Trekking and Adventure Tourism in Jammu. She is engaged in organizing adventure sports events like Para gliding, rafting, cycling tours etc. She also writes a travel blog on Facebook which is under the name Travel Tales India.
She is also using YouTube for promoting tourism in J&K and other states. She is also promoting the lost heritage of Jammu for which she is widely travelling in Jammu region and exploring new destinations besides exploring Dogra heritage sites.
When you kneel before God, he stands up for you and when he stands up for you, nothing stands against you.
She believes that the Nature posts challenges and as well as the way out of it. It is up to us to have faith or quit – “When you kneel before God, he stands up for you and when he stands up for you, nothing stands against you.”
In her words she is the daughter of Himalayas she writes the Poem dedicating to Mountains –
“पहाड़ बुलाते हैं”
अपना सा जताते हैं..
मेरा अस्तित्व दिखाते हैं..
दिल में एक चाह सी जगाते हैं..
मेरे होने का एहसास दिलाते हैं..
लगता है कुछ पहले सा नाता इनसे..
इसलिए शायद पहाड़ बुलाते हैं
निराश हो जाती हूँ कभी जो तो डगमगाने से बचाते हैं..
अपनी स्थिरता से जिंदगी में ठहराव का होना सिखाते हैं..
एक रूठे से बच्चे को जैसे मनाते हैं.. ये पहाड़ मुझे कुछ वैसा लाड़ लगाते हैं
इसलिए शायद पहाड़ बुलाते हैं
शक शुभा नहीं यकीन है मुझे की मैं हूँ इन पहाड़ो की बेटी..
तुमसे भी कुछ अमूल्य होता तो तुमहे भेंट जरूर देती..
हमेशा बुलाया है आगे भी बुलाना..
तुमसे ये जो चाह है इसे कभी ना मिटाना..
दिल में तुम्हारे प्रति असीम सी चाहते हैं..
इसलिए तो बार बार पहाड़ बुलाते हैं
ऋणी रहूंगी सदैव तुम्हारी
~पारुल
