Punjab: Achieving post-retirement goals through trekking, cycling

Punjab: It has been nearly two and a half years since Gursharan Bahia retired from PSPCL as deputy chief engineer. A civil engineer by profession, Bahia’s job was mostly desk-bound, monitoring the maintenance of power lines from a distance. Bahia, who hails from Gurmeet Nagar in Jalandhar, says he has always loved nature but rarely got the chance to venture into the wild due to job requirements and family responsibilities. “I always dreamt of spending time in dense forests, walking on trails, observing flora and fauna, listening to the sounds of birds and spending time in a calm, serene and pleasant environment. When I turned 50, I started feeling weak and had mild pain in my legs. At that time, I had given up on thinking that this dream would ever be realised. But then I got posted at PSPCL’s Shanan Power House in Joginder Nagar.

Due to the terrain, I had to walk several miles every day to check power transmission problems. My pain disappeared and I started feeling healthy again,” he said. Bahia says his posting in Himachal Pradesh changed everything for him. “I started trekking every day. While in Kangra, I also trekked to Triund. I loved it so much that trekking to Triund became a regular adventure for me. I also started spending nights in camp there, where I would gaze at the beautiful sky and stars. It felt like heaven to me.” After retirement, Bahiya says, “I told my family that I wanted to do a difficult trek. I started preparing myself for it. I started hitting the gym and cycling 20 kilometres daily. My first big trek was a six-day trek to an altitude of 4,000 metres in Bhutan.

Then I trekked to Everest Base Camp, covering a distance of 160 kilometres in 11 days. My most beautiful trek was to the Great Lakes of Kashmir, which I did in August last year. In eight days, I completed a 90-kilometre trek starting from Sonamarg. During this trip, I realised that the real beauty of nature lies in the interiors of Kashmir. I had planned another trek in Kashmir, but I don’t think my family would let me go, given the current situation after the terror attacks.” The 60-year-old Bahiya has now set his sights on a new goal. “I intend to go to Nepal soon and do the Annapurna Base Camp trek. I always go in a group, as this way food, water and other necessities are better managed. I only carry a small, light backpack with the essentials.” Talking about his nutrition, Bahia says, “I am not a big fan of non-veg food. But I usually eat two eggs a day. Otherwise, I eat only home-cooked, simple food. I do not eat any fried or junk food. For the last several years, I have completely stopped consuming sugar in my diet.”