Rock Climbing In India
It is not quite easy to define rock climbing, but it is not difficult too. Anyone who claims to be a rock climber has his own version of the game. Rock climbing for some is to challenge their spirits and explore new heights, to give a fillip to their unbounded imaginations; for others, it is a way telling the world that he/she has finally arrived. For many of the professional rock climbers, it is not a sport. For them, rock climbing is an adventure of the greatest magnitude; it is a fight against self, against the elements, and the ultimate goal is to reach the summit and return back alive.
Rock climbing is a test of strength, concentration and coordination as well as skill and technique. A climber learns from experience that the mountain must not be taken for granted. It can be rough and antagonistic to those who venture to come to grips with it. Nevertheless, as a sport, climbing continues to offer a thrill and challenge that is compulsive.
In India, rock climbing, as most other adventure sports, is a relatively new sport. However, in a short span of time, it has become the most popular adventure sport. Because of the good distribution of great climbing rocks throughout India, coupled the element of excitement involved, rock climbing has become the sport to participate in for the young and the old alike.
The Aravali hills have good climbing faces at Dumdama, Dhauj and Nuh, all situated near Delhi. The Western Ghats have Mumbra and Dudha beyond Pune. Himachal Pradesh offers the Manali Valley, Manikaran and the Rohtang Pass. Rajasthan has Mount Abu and Sariska which have gentler rocks. In Karnataka there are the Chamundi Hills. Sahyadri Range (Western Ghats) having natural rock climbing areas with various grades of difficulties. Many virgin rock pinnacles & cracks in the un-explored region waiting for someone to see it closely in this region.
March to September is the recommended climbing season in the Indian Himalayas and November to June can be utilised for climbing in other part of the country like western ghats, aravali range etc. I would like to make this the best climbing reference to India.
