INDIA

It was a bright and chilly morning at Guptakashi as we left for the ultimate trek of our Uttar Kashi trip in the Garhwal Himalayas – the Kedarnath yatra! All we could feel was excitement as we readied ourselves for the 14 kilometer hike that we would be taking today and the next day to reach Kedarnath. Our bus left for Gaurikund, the starting point of the trek and we reached there by noon . The weather over there suddenly turned against us and we were keenly aware of the howling winds, the steady drizzle and the biting cold. We weren’t quite prepared for the big rain storm and though we had rain jackets, our parents had to buy plastic ponchos, sold for pilgrims, to cover our backpacks and give extra protection.

We all made our way to the entrance of the trek and there were rows of shops on the small crowded paved road at the starting. All sorts of souvenirs were being sold, but it was the walking sticks that struck our fancies. Most of us then being armed with walking sticks, started the journey up. "Dandis"(palanquins) were arranged for both my grandparents and a couple mules carried our belongings. The path to Kedar is well paved and quite wide. With great expectations in our hearts, we trudged along slowly with pilgrims from every corner of our diverse country who were loudly cheering, "Har Har Mahadev", "Jai Kedar", and "Bhole Baba Paar Karega". At bottlenecks along the path, the ponies made it rough for those on foot. The river Mandakini flows past and its roar is almost frightening initially, though on the return journey it sounds soothing.

Gaurikund to Rambara, midway to our final destination, had ample tree-covered paths. Within half an hour, the drizzle had relinquished and we started enjoying the surroundings. The Mandakini remains a constant companion as it carves deep gorges on its way, far well below the trekking path. There are plenty of tea stalls serving refreshments. The horses passing by in their colorful halters and saddles were alluring, and many of us soon succumbed. All of us kids had our own horse and started trundling up the path to Rambara. Half way up, I decided to start trekking up the mountain. The trek winds along the river Mandakini, through dense forests, and across roaring waterfalls. We enjoyed ourselves, looking down as we went higher, and taking breaks by waterfalls. We could get so close to them, we washed our hands where the water fell. On many of the hillsides we saw small villages with huts and farm animals like cattle and goats. When we all finally made it to the hotel at Rambara, we played by the glacier fed icy stream that flowed out from the gushing Mandakini river nearby. We went to sleep exhausted, but comforted by the thick sheets provided on the cold full moon night.






The next morning was bright, sunny and cold and the goal was to arrive at the famed Kedarnath by noon . Kedarnath is situated in the Uttar Kashi district of the northern state of Uttaranchal. Very close to the Indo-Chinese border, it is the source of the Mandakini River . It is couched in the scenic locales of the Garhwal Himalayas at 3583 meters above sea level. It is very cold in the winters with the ground being covered with snow. In the summers, the mercury barely crosses the 20°C mark. The place experiences about 150 cm of rainfall during the monsoons and so the best time to visit is between May and October.

From Rambara, the gradient becomes steeper. Many of us rode a horse this time, and the trip was much faster, with us taking one break at the 11 kilometer mark, called Garud Chatti. Here the top of the distant Kedarnath temple is visible and hence the place is also called "Deo-Dekhani". From here onwards there are no more trees. At this point, we could see little ice fields that were not far away, and on the cliff wall opposite of us, I counted at least 10 beautiful waterfalls gushing out. We could already get glimpses of the Kedarnath peaks, magnificent and covered in fresh snow, sparkling in the sunshine. The last point for ponies is prior to the bridge across the Mandakini. There are shelters here for them and accommodation for the porters. I estimated there were at least 5000 of them! Supposedly, in all of the area, there were about 11000 horses. At the top there were lots of people and energy, you could feel it. Sadhus were everywhere, many of them begging. We walked along the temple to an alley that led us to our hotel. We relaxed that evening, playing cards and sleeping in our sleeping bags as the nights were even colder.

We woke up at 4 a.m. to the chanting of Sanskrit “slokas” coming from the temple. It was so peaceful as the valley was slowly lighting up from the slanting sunrays. Later we watched helicopters come in and take off with pilgrims who could not handle the trek. That afternoon we visited the temple and I was amazed and marveled at its beauty. Amidst the dramatic and majestic snow covered peaks of the Kedarnath range stands one of the twelve 'Jyotirlingas' of Kedar or Lord Shiva. Lying at an altitude of 3584m, on the head of river Mandakini, the shrine of Kedarnath is amongst the holiest pilgrimages for the Hindus. The present temple, built in the 8th century A.D. by Adi Shankaracharya, stands adjacent to the site of an earlier temple built by the Pandavas around 3500 years ago !   The walls of the exquisitely architectured temple are embellished with figures of deities and scenes from mythology. The temple has a conical lingam which is the main idol, a statue of Nandi, the celestial bull, a 'garbha grah' for worship and a 'mandap' for assemblies of pilgrims and visitors. Outside the temple door, a large statue of the Nandi Bull stands as guard. Built of extremely large, heavy and evenly cut grey slabs of granite , it is a marvel how it was built during those ancient times. It was an incredible experience giving “puja” with hundreds of people at the same time and “pundits” yelling all over.

According to the legend, the Pandavas after having won over the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war, felt guilty of having killed their brothers and sought the blessings of Lord Shiva for redemption. He eluded them repeatedly and while fleeing took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull. On being followed he dived into the ground, leaving his hump on the surface. The remaining portions of Lord Shiva appeared at four other places and are worshipped there as his manifestations. The arms appeared at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the belly at Madmaheshwar and his locks (hair) with head at Kalpeshwar. Kedarnath and the four above mentioned shrines are treated as Panch Kedar and we were very fortunate to visit them all.

The next day, we went on a big excursion, a very steep 6 km trek from Kedarnath to Vasuki tal. It is a picturesque lake, 4,135m above sea level encircled by lofty mountains. From here we got a gorgeous panoramic view of the Chaukhamba peaks. The trek is a steep and strenuous ascent along a goat track, ending up at the lake. On the way we came to an ice field and took the opportunity to use our ponchos to slide around on the ice, the poncho serving as a sled. It was a lot of fun, and we were breathless and soaked! We returned back and headed to the temple for the evening aarti. A huge line of people winded their way to the temple. The front gate has a rectangular archway with bells of various sizes and shapes. When they are rung in unison during the aarti, the sound of the bells and the blowing conches are echoed by the surrounding mountains creating a rare moment of devotional aura. The numerous halogen lamps light up the premises in the evening, giving it an ethereal look. I was deeply aware of the sense of serenity as I listened to the bhajans during the evening aarti and hoped I would experience Kedarnath again some day.

Haridwar is also known as "Gateway to the Gods". As the farthest point that can be reached by train into the Garwhal Himalayas, it is considered the real starting point of any pilgrimage or trip into the region. The region is known for its ethereal beauty as well as for the holy/spiritual ties to the Hindu religion. The town is right on the bank of the Ganges river at the foot of the Shivalik Mountains, and in the early hours of the morn Sanyasis (Hermits) and locals came pouring out to take their customary dip in her holy waters, seeking emancipation from their worldly sins.

Tunganath is the arm of the Panch Kedar, the locations of where the Hindu god shiva left proof of his descent to Earth. As we climbed the narrow trek, the beauty of the "bugyal" , the high altitude meadow is unsurpasable. Towards the North, the grassland slopes down to birch thickets. The temple comes to sight a few hundred yards before the finishing of the trek. Standing in the center of the stone paved platform, under 3,600 meters high summit of Chandrashila (4,090m), the monument is a fine piece of ancient architecture. Tunganath has been one of the important religious places from the very old days, though the most important and holy is Kedarnath itself.

Rishikesh, known as the sanctuary of saints and sages was the place we concluded our long and amazing trip. The late evening as the sunset was absolutely gorgeous, as we sat on the banks of the Ganga and listened to the Temple ’s aarti, or offerings to the Gods. Many people placed lights and offerings on the river and we watched the countless lights float on by accompanied by the hauntingly beautiful melody of the temple’s bhajaans(holi chants).