With Delhi Climbs rock-climbing enthusiasts are living the vertical life

A few rock-climbing enthusiasts in Delhi are conducting regular workshops for anyone interested in defying gravity
Tenzing Jamyang during one of his climbs
Tenzing Jamyang during one of his climbs

When you think of adventure sports, you are reminded of water rappelling at Rishikesh or ziplining somewhere in the Himalayas. You hardly associate similar sports with an urban city such as Delhi. In an attempt to pursue his passion for rock climbing amid the pandemic, Tenzing Jamyang—who splits his time between Delhi and Leh—decided to create a community for rock climbing enthusiasts in the city.

He founded Delhi Climbs as a way to venture outdoors after months of being stuck indoors due to the lockdown. Jamyang, who has also co-founded the Suru Outdoor Fest—a festival that brings together rock climbers and adventure sports enthusiasts from all over the world— had previously climbed the rocks in a village named Dhauj near Faridabad.

This is when he decided to conduct trips around the area. “Climbing is an addiction. Since all the climbing gyms in the city had shut down, this was a way to provide a fix for all the climbers in Delhi. With Delhi Climbs we take all kinds of people, be it a professional or an amateur,” he says. Officially launched in June 2020, the Delhi Climbs office—located at the Mangar village in Haryana—has a base camp and a cafe called Crashpad Mangar. “With rock climbing, I have discovered so many aspects of myself. It is a form of expression that you would otherwise not experience. You’re discovering as you go and that’s the best part about it,” shares Jamyang.

Successful scaling
Delhi Climbs took the help of Mohit Oberoi, a rock climber who has penned a book titled Guide to Rock Climbing In and Around Delhi. Through the book and Oberoi’s inputs, they figured how to navigate the 250-or-so routes around the region. Apart from rock climbing, Delhi Climbs also conducts workshops on highlining as well as treks to Mangar Bani. With a team of seven workings collectively, Delhi Climbs is on its way of setting up a website for Crashpad Mangar. 

Sandeep Maity, the climbing expert of this team, who has been rock climbing for the past 16 years, explores Dhauj in order to discover new routes.  “Initially, we just went climbing ourselves. Dhauj was a backyard for us to explore. But with time, others got interested in it. It has become a responsibility for us now, not only to keep the sport alive but to give people a vision of what rock climbing can be,” Maity concludes.

Delights of Dhauj

At a distance of 55 kms from Gurugram, Dhauj is a location. Its mountainous area provides a landscape for a number of adventure sports. Dhauj also hosts around 70 different species of birds, making it a paradise for bird-watchers.

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