Kedarnath Ji
Preface
This is perhaps the quick decision for me to plan for this holy place. This majestic holy shrine located at 3584mts. This is considered to be the Adobe of Shiva, where Shiva appears as a Lingam.
This yatra had been decided from last 2 months but nobody from my roommates agreed upon that we could complete this journey within 2 day frame (that is on weekend only ex Chandigarh). Well my plan got delayed every time and now came September, the second last month after that the shrine has been closed for winters.
Journey
Day 0: (Chandigarh – Haridwar, 250 kms by bus) That was Friday 22nd September 2006, I was in office mess up with daily stuff and my mood was so upset upon something that I want to ran away from this hustle & bustle of daily routine and want to spend my time with myself, at some peaceful place. Where I can enjoy myself, where me & I could sit together and spend some time without any intervention.
It was past 8PM and suddenly I called one of my roommates Sachin from office and told him about my plan to Kedarnath. He refused but ready to drop me at Chandigarh Sector 17 bus stand. Fair enough I thought and ran towards my room for packing the necessary things and in no time I was at bust stand enquired about the bus to Haridwar.
Bus left at 9:30PM, fare was Rs130. This bus was coming from Reckong Pio (Kinnaur, Himachal) and I can saw many peoples wearing woolens at that time. I enquired and came to know that while September thought to be the summer month in plains it is quite chilly up there in Pio. I felt drowsy so slept in no time suddenly with a bang I was awaked and came to knew that bus had a flat tyre. We were nearby Yamuna Nagar at that time. That damn bus doesn’t even had extra tyre, so we waited for some 2-3 hrs, until conductor got the puncture repaired from some distant shop.
Day 1: (Haridwar – Kedarnath, 297kms by bus + 14 km trek) Bus had dropped me Haridwar bus stand at 4AM, where buses to all 4 dhams waiting for passengers. I had booked ticket, in one of the bus that would left at 5AM, in 230 bucks. There was total darkness at that time but streets were full of devotees, some preparing for 4 dham yatra while other ready to take a holy dip in river Ganga.
I looked for a guest house where I can fresh for a day and easily find one. He charged me Rs50 in lieu of using bathroom, what more I could need at that time. I had finished from my daily routine and took a refreshing bath. It was 4:45AM and I was headed towards my bus, took the window seat (a prior request is must for getting your favorite seat). Bus left at sharp 5AM.
One can notice the distant peaks from Haridwar itself, what a magnificent view at morning. Soon we were in the middle of mountains. I was so tired that I took a long nap till bus hadn’t stopped for breakfast at Devprayag (confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirithi rivers). I had 1 aloo parantha and buy a packet of biscuit for time pass in this long way.
Bus passed many big n small towns and villages. Uttarakhand (Uttaranchal at that time), is full of picturesque landscapes. Till rudraprayag (confluence of Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers) there was nothing much to describe but as you pass this town, you can feel the breeze of Himalaya. Buses must stop at this place for lunch. I had dal & chapattis in lunch. From Ruudraprayag town the road bifurcated to Badrinath and Kedarnath. For Kedarnath one can cross the bridge over Mandakini River and the whole way now running along Mandakini River. As you pass the Augustmuni (a town from where one can catch the helicopter service to either Kedarnath or Badrinath, charges for Kedarnath were 9k for both the way and 5k for single way. For both Badrinath and Kedarnath one has to pay 19k), you can witness the snow clapped peaks.
At Guptkashi the snow view get clearer and the weather turned from hot to pleasant. From Guptkashi one can take the road towards Chopta (this is the pilgrimage route to Badrinath from Kedarnath). Chopta considered being the most scenic place in Uttarakhand. You can check my Chopta travelogue for more details.
Bus arrived Gaurikund at around 5PM. Where other people busy in looking for accommodation, I was busy in buying some candies and a stick for rest of my trek. The trek is 14 kms long, steep uphill (think about starting at 1900mts and reaching at 3500 mts in 14 kms) and one can have all the facilities all along the way. I started at 5:30PM and very few of my co passengers came along with me. Soon, I realized that this is not a cake walk and going to be very tiresome so I was kept my luggage at one of the shopkeeper and took only a jacket with me. Enjoying the breathtaking views I was moving at a very slow pace. After some time dusk engulf the whole environment and I can now felt the chill in my bones. At around 9PM I had my dinner and while others decided to stay back, I kept moving ahead all alone now.
The path was now deserted and occasionally you can find the street light along the way. I was very cautious as I heard of the leopards that roam around in this area. Bone chilling wind and deserted path made the things scary for me, but I had only 1 day in my hand now, so I decided to move ahead. The path only be seen in the moonlight and the distant peaks located at other side provides a mesmerizing view.
Each step that I moved ahead getting me nearer to the peaks that was look distant some time before. Suddenly I observed that the peaks in backdrop of Kedarnath temple illuminated with some very bright light and I started cursing the authorities that while the trek path to temple didn’t even had proper lighting, they busy in illuminating the peaks, what a sheer wastage of money. But soon I realized my mistake, offff what a damn scene that was, purely heaven, I didn’t have words for that scene to describe. Actually the moon light get reflected from the snow clapped peaks, made peaks illuminated. One can get that view only in night in full moon light. What a divine scene that was, unfortunately I didn’ had any camera at that time and my mobile cam was unable to captured that shot.
It was 1AM and I was still 3 kms from my destination. I was completely tired and exhausted due to the AMS. I was decided to took some rest and rent a guest house for 3 hrs in 150 bucks. This decision was must because the temple’s gates were open at 6AM and no can allowed to enter before that, so had ample of time in my hand.
Day2: (Kedarnath – Gaurikund – Rudraprayag – Rishikesh – Haridwar - Ambala, 17kms trek + 297 kms + 200 kms)Woke up at 4AM and after getting refreshed I had moved to Temple. The wind was at its extreme and made the surrounding bone chilled. I reached temple at around 5:45AM and purchased some offering for the temple.
There was already a queue waiting for their turn outside the temple, everybody seems to be energetic and shouted the “Bam Bam Bhole & Har Har Mahadev” in loud voice. Weather was quite chilled at that time and surrounding peaks completed the picture. The temple is very well build and seems to be very old.
Soon the entry onto the temple was started and as usual people now start pushing each other and soon chaos at all the place. I wonder why not people have passions and try to make thing worse, when they can enjoy the beauty of surrounding along with Darshan easily at no cost. Well I was at beginning of the queue and my turn came quickly then expected. Inside the temple you can find everybody falls on other people, unnecessarily making chaos and everybody seems to be in some kind of hurry and tired his/her best to complete the Puja first. This made things even more worsen. The Pujaris involved in making quick bucks by assuring people that they perform the Pujan with complete procedure in lieu of some money.
I admit that this is not a bad practice but thought about the people who can’t afford the money. Pujaris were completely ignorant to them who couldn’t e able to afford that amount. Although initially they were charging Rs50, which I thought can be affordable but some people were started offering them Rs100-200-300 and more, so that they can serve them first & done Pujan for them. Now you can imagine the situation, the demand & supply theory, and ultimately who all suffered, simply the people who can’t afford that much amount. But you can find the same situation almost in all the major temples, where Money, VIP and VVIP always given priority over common man. It took me 30 min inside the temple where I can offer the offering to Lingam and perform Pujan myself. At Kedarnath the Shiva appeared in the Lingam form, which is a small & black pyramid like structure emerges from the ground.
I was roam around the temple and enjoyed the beauty of Mother Nature, visited Shankracharya Temple nearby Kedarnath temple where it is believed that Holy Guru Shankracharya left his mortal body. I was interested in trekking till Gandhi Sarover and further up to Vasuki Taal but time didn’t permits that. I headed back to Gaurikund at 7:30AM, I was in hurry as I knew that the last bus would left at 10:30AM from Gaurikund and if I would missed that bus than it’s very difficult for me to reach Chandigarh by time. I met people, from my bus when I almost covered the half way, going towards Kedarnath Temple.
I had reached Gaurikund at 10:00AM but to my disappointment the last bus already left at 7:30AM and there are some private jeeps plying between Rudraprayag and Gaurikund also left for the day. I was in confusion that what to do next suddenly it seems that God heard my plea and a utility taxi arrived at Gaurikund, which usually supplied the rations to the shops at Gaurikund. I talked to him and he was ready to drop me at Rudraprayag at Rs100. He assured me that I could have catch bus to Haridwar from there. I then had light breakfast and we headed to Rudraprayag. I had arrived Rudraprayag at 2:00PM and I quickly got a last bus to Rishikesh that going to left in another 5min. I purchased 4 bananas for quick lunch. I got last seat in the bus but lucky enough to get the window one. The ride was tiresome and as I felt drowsy, this was irritate me as I was not kept myself steady for more then 10min before that another bump shaken my body.
Day 3: (Haridwar – Ambala – Chandigarh – Office, 260kms + 3 kms to office) Now there is nothing to describe further more, a casual road travel from Rudraprayag – Rishikesh (Reached at 8:30PM) – Haridwar (reached at 9:30PM, had dinner. Searching for bus to Chandigarh for about 1hr and then finally got a bus to Ambala) – Ambala (reached there at 3:30AM, encountered a small accident, actually our driver felt sleepy and took off the bus from road to divider and broken the axle. We had to change our bus and I spent another 2 hrs sitting at the stairs near door of the bus) – Chandigarh (reached at 5AM at tribune chawk and at 5:30AM, I was in my room enjoying chatting with friends, joined the office on very same day at 10:30AM).
This was an eventful journey and I proved that nothing is impossible for anybody if he can decide upon doing anything in his life.