Attacks fail to keep foreign tourists away from Himalayas

In his message Tasch elaborately informs that he left hospital a few days ago and can walk with difficulty. As many as 140 pellets are still embedded in his legs because a surgical removal would destroy a lot of muscle and tissue. Add to this the fact that a major nerve 8212; the nervus peroneus in his left leg 8212; which lifts the toes and foot, is working only 10 per cent. Doctors warn that his leg may have to be operated upon for a major nerve surgery later and complete recovery could take as long as one and a half years. But he has not given up. He wrote: 8220;I8217;d really like to join you back in India8230;its nice that I found some friends like you who helped me through those trying times.8221;

Although Tasch escaped his pursuers, he was badly shot in the legs and collapsed behind a boulder where he remained the whole night, clad only in his undergarments. The only other option was to use his friend8217;s blood-soaked sleeping bag. Their tent was set afire by a group of six the assailants out for shikaar of the safed bhalu white bear 8212; the attackers8217; codename for foreigners.

Tasch8217;s hurt comes through towards the end. 8220;Joerg8217;s parents aren8217;t coping too well with the loss of their son and there isn8217;t much information as to how far have the Indian police reached in the investigations.8221;

Reacting to the incident, the British and Japanese governments issued a travel advisory late July 8212; exhorting their nationals to exercise 8220;special caution8221; while venturing to south of Manali. Despite this, the rush of tourists to Manali continues, for the current peak season concludes only on September 15.

In congested Vashisht on Manali8217;s Left Bank, a 26-year-old Spanish lawyer from Madrid Oscar Martin squats in a temple with his German wife. He is keen to trek to the Parbati valley near Manikaran 8220;to pray for my Spanish countrywoman8221;. A Spanish woman and her 13-year-old son were killed there a week ago. The incident has not scared him. 8220;In Madrid, seven people are murdered everyday. For me the best of India is the mountains.8221;

Michellle, a 27-year-old British social worker, has in fact, just returned from Parbati valley. She shrugs unconcernedly: 8220;I8217;m not worried. It8217;s so quiet and green there, so beautiful.8221;

For the approximately 10,000 foreign trekkers who visit the area every year, the motivation is 8220;to see the Himalayas8221;. Many of these trekkers head straight for the mountains after their arrival in Delhi. One of the route popular among the trekkers is Manali-Leh-Srinagar, or even a week-long trek to the mystic village of Malana.

As Capt Swadesh Kumar, president, Adventure Tour Operators Association of India points out: 8220;So far, the Government has not bothered to issue assurance letters to foreign tour operators or reassure them that steps are being taken to prevent such incidents in future.8221;