Monday 30 July 2018

Global Himalayan Expedition
Happy Solar
By Abhinav Agrawal
“Best things happen by chance”. So I heard in a movie. I came across the Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE) by chance and it happened when I needed it the most. On this voyage, expecting the unexpected, and breathtaking experiences were guaranteed. On one hand, I was overwhelmed and on the other, I was at peace. Earlier, I used to question myself that does it really matter what kind of work I do in life? Should it be something that influences society or has a positive impact on the environment? Do I care?
GHE answered!

Truly GLOBAL

Wherever in the world I traveled, I realized that people are all the same. Everybody has a sour past, a struggling present, and a hopeful future. Every story is personally customized and every human is unique. On this journey, I heard 19 different stories from 7 different countries, but one common cause of clean energy and electrification brought us together to the mighty Himalayas. Cutting off from the virtual world and connecting with the real world is a luxury that I discovered here. Fun activities, exercise, and sports became the medium for our bonding.

Traditionally HIMALAYAN


I thought that the Milky-way could not be seen from the Earth, but nature surprised me at every turn in the Himalayan range. At 4000m above the sea level, the atmosphere is thin and there are no city lights for kilometers in radius. These conditions make it easy for us to witness a bright streak of gases across the night sky surrounded by mountains. Also, playing football at such heights is something that not many people get to experience.
This region is a cold desert. The milky blue rivers and the blinding snow peaks followed us with occasional view of glaciers. The Ladakh district of Kashmir is greatly influenced by the Tibetan culture with numerous ancient Buddhist monasteries and stupas. The homestay, an initiative of GHE, is the only way someone can spend a day in the life of a local villager.

Once in a Lifetime EXPEDITION

I can't forget that night when my heart was overwhelmed with excitement and my eyes glittered as the village of Sking came to light and all the villagers cheered ‘Happy Solar’. It's amusing to see how a civilization survives in such tough living conditions.
Electrifying the village was the most challenging part of the expedition. Every house was a mystery because of its unique architecture and secret items hidden in it. In the end, it was immensely satisfying to get hands-on job experience. Our team installed solar-powered micro-grids on 31 households within 2 days.
With time, the villagers will realize that the power of electricity is way beyond just emitting light. These villages have their heritage that needs to be protected otherwise it would be lost to the cities. This initiative has not only helped reduce carbon emissions but also helped eliminate many social stigmas in our minds. GHE taught me that we don't need qualifications to make a positive impact on society and the environment, but we just need the will to do so.
GHE is the epitome of sustainable tourism. It's not only about what you take away from a place, but it's more about leaving it in a better state than it was. Now ask yourself, “Does it matter to you?”.

7 comments:

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  2. Proud of you @Abhinav . ItI truly wonderful experience you have shared with us ๐Ÿ˜Š

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    1. ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜ Mera pyara bhai!

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  3. Great going dude! Love that you had such an amazing experience.

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