It all started, with a message in our inbox..by a tour operator,offering char dham yatra..starting from the middle of May..we were planning our anual vacation,around the same time..and we thought it was a call from the Himalayas, beckoning us..
We started..to India,and landed in our Capital,New Delhi, before this, we made a hectic shopping, keeping the list of things needed, given by the tour operator, in front of us, but buying some obscure, non needful things too, of course, you can blame it on me..no problem, in the elated mood,I was, I can excuse..
We proceeded to our hotel, which was in East Delhi, quite far from,Delhi air port, but we could get a glimpse of the recently spruced up Delhi, in that one hour travel, crossing Yamuna,and the huge Aksharadham Temple on the shores, and having an idea of the expanse of our Capital..The criss crossing metro rail..tempted us to explore Delhi, the metro way, but there is time and place for everything..I calmed myself.
Along with my son,we had a small ride on metro..and entered one of those Huge Malls dotting every colony now..and had some more last minute shopping..and a sumptuous South Indian meal ..we thought, this may be the last, for few more days to come..
Another day, time well spent with visits and the next morning we proceeded to Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station..our meeting place was a Restaurant out side the station..Comesum Restaurant..an unusual name..we landed there with our bags and baggage,and what we found was an utter chaos..
Okay, comforting ourselves, there is order in chaos..it must be..we found our tour operators and other tour members and after an hour or two, of waiting ,we were boarded into two buses of Tourister buses each of 13 seaters.
Buses have started , and we saw that the buses were like mini India,there were tourists from all over India, from different states and all travelling on the pilgrimage of Char Dham..the religious and sacred pilgrimage every Indian, dreams of making..Char Dham..the four Dhams, which are abodes of our sacred Gods, and the sacred rivers Ganga, Yamuna,and the innumerable tributaries, which keep joining at different places..along the main rivers ..these places are given beautiful names..Prayag.
We keep crossing many such Prayags on our way..it is like our own community living, we keep meeting different cultures, different languages and different people, and we relate to them and accept them as our close friends, as our loved ones, in our journey called life..these are the Prayags of Life ..these were my thoughts..when we started our Chardham yatra.
After a stop over for lunch on the way, we proceeded to Haridwar, which is the holy place where the eternal River Ganga flows ..in its maginficance, touching every Hindu's life as it passes.
We grow up, hearing about the beautiful story of how Bhageerath brought Ganga from the knots of hair of Lord Shiva..and how in the process of touching the land of Bharat, it cleansed the ashes of his ancestors..it keeps cleansing our mis deeds is the most popular opinion, which brings every Hindu,in his life time to dip in the most sacred river on Earth.
That it needs a cleaning ,is an unspoken opinion, from all, watching the rate at which, the swirling waters are polluted by individuals and industries and cities, developed along the river..
Civilisations thrive on the shores of Rivers is the most popular saying, too.. let us hope, this civilisation will strive to live, to upheld this saying and thrive to cleanse this river, were my passing thoughts..on arriving the famous Haridwar.
We arrived at Haridwar on time to watch the most popular and the most beautiful and sacred Arthi ceremony at 7.15 pm.at the famous Har ki Paudi Ghat.
The shore, the ghats, reverberated with Jai Mathaji, Ganga Matha ki Jai, and the Arthi started at the Ganga Mai temple on the shore, and the lakhs of devotees joined with the chanting..in one voice..Jai Mathaji..
This is my Incredible India, this one voice reverberating, chanting with one voice, there is no individuality ,no egos, no asthithva, this is one voice..reaching the abodes of God..the call for the God, asking for redemption..this is one experience, which makes you feel small, your own egos vanish into the huge mass and you become one among the mass.. breathing and chanting in one mass..
Experiencing such once in a life's enchating spectacle of colour and sound, and the floating diyas, with incense sticks ,and flowers, all floating into distant shores, rose our spirits ,as never before and we too got enthralled into religious fervour,with heads bowed and hands joined into a humbled position.
This is Haridwar..This is our ancient spirit of India, this is our calling..vouching, we will return again, and again..
But time is short..haste is the word in tours..we were promised one more glimpse of Ganga, the next morning, we were boarded in a decent abode for the night.
Early morning, we rose and went in our buses to the Ganga Ghat ..a morning prayer to the Ganga Maa..is so inspiring..
The intense flow of mass of pilgrims..is competing with the flow of immense , swiftly flowing Ganga..both in full spirits, we were just pushed forwarded, no effort to walk is necessary, we just flow with masses,all taking a dip, three times, dipping full into the river, offering flowers, diyas and bowing in front of the mighty Sun God and the flowing Ganga Mai..
Every one were just like an island ,but at the same time into the flow, each woman is changing her wet clothes, with that particular deft,only possible for a lady from India, and as they are returning, another huge mass are flocking, it never ends.. the sacred pilgrims flow is an unending flow..I observed..and bid a good bye to the Maa Ganga..wishing ,I could come again and again and have a personal moment with Ganga Mai, a hope..which may never be fulfilled in my life..this is what life is ..Hope.. live.. hoping ..to see those wishes come reality..
We started to our next stop..from Haridwar..every one exchanging how dissatisfied they are with such short time, in front of Ganga and every one vouching, and wishing for another dip in holy Ganga..It happens for everyone, so ,I am not an exception, I was satisfied.
Our next journey is towards,the sacred Yamunotri, which is quite a distance and we settled for a long journey in our bus.
Our next stop was Barkot, from there,the stop where we would stay is Janakichatti..before reaching this we crossed one Hanuman chatti.
This is the land of Ram,Sita and Hanuman..I was pleased..this is our ancient India..from centuries, we have been hearing about these puranaas..and on these tours, we seem to be having a peek into our ancient times..a time travel into past..
The path started into curves and bends, and in no time ,we were climbing high mountain ranges..cold nip caught in the air, shawls were thrown around, and we passed so many small towns, villages, all nicely lapped in the curves of the mountains, the small shops right on the road offering everything a weary traveller needs.
Night was approaching fast, darkness closing in, and there seems to be no end of our "wandering heights "of travel..we were well behind our schedule and were worried if we could reach our destination, by the night.
The bus travelled precariously, on a curving, bumpy road, one side, deep valleys, from which we can hear waters flowing at high speeds, making a pleasant sound, and the other side a huge wall of mountain, and every one began their prayers for safe travel.
It started raining suddenly, and hail storms the size of goose berries started hitting our bus ,and we can see them ,in the darkness of the road, as if the road is littered with white flowers..
We reached Hanuman chatti,and we sighed aloud, that we were safe till then, now Ram will help us to reach Janakichatti..was everyone's thought.
Finally we reached about middle of the night, Janaki chatti, which was the starting point for Yanunotri trekking.
The hotel was a simple one, with just enough of comforts ,and the beds were ice cold..hot food, gave us enough strength to go to bed,with a hope for a clear day, on the next morning.
We started, with a short drive up to a certain point, from which the trek to Yamunotri, will start..That place is so crowded, our first meeting with horses, our future transport, started here.
All the toursists collect here, to start their sacred trek..pilgrims with various coloured woollens, shawls, jackets, wraps, what not we see a myriad of colours..all striking bargains with their horse wallahas, their palki bearing wallahs..and the piggy back riding wallahs, all hale and fit to take the pilgroms up to the Yamunotri temple.
The trek is exactly six km.but it seems to be an endless one ,once we are on the horse. The beautiful greenery filled mountain tops, distant tops filled with snow, and the gurgling waters, walking along side the trek, the gushing water falls, all try to uplift our mood of helplessness, in front of the hardships of trekking.
We cross one mountain and climb another, we climb into one other,where is the end for these?? are these the hardships we undergo in our life, like bringing up our children, no ,they seem to be much fun now..climbing these mountains, is the most difficult time in our life..is this a way of learning how life 's path is so riddled with ups and downs..Is this the path to Nirvana..we keep listening about.. no not yet..
The horses stop for a drink, and for some chewing of grass, we really pity them ,how could they carry us..(!)..a heavy weight, with just a little grass to munch, he gives some cool drink, too.saying they love it..so horses also ..want to have it.. yeh dil mange more..drinks..kool ..cool drinks..
How far it is ?? is the question on every one's mind and we do not hesitate to pester the horse walah with this question..it must be his millionth one ,so he answers pretty cool, just one more, one more what mountain range??
Where are we going into Nepal, or into China?? crossing borders?where is this temple??suddenly as if to answer us, a snow filled peak appears in front of us, and a yellow topped temple from far beckons us..here I am..
The way is just beautiful, so much of wild greenery, suddenly we are mystified by the sudden sound and then the sight of a stream, falling from rocks, like a child jumping in a courtyard, and the next minute, it fiercly falls from a huge rock, mischievously and you miss your heart beat, how daring, an act.. you wonder, river Yamuna is teasingly beckoning you, not so easy to catch a glimpse of me..you forget the hardened seat on the horse and the pains..of a not so cushioned horse gallop.
After some hours, you near the temple, from here one more stage of a flight of steps..water is there around you, pilgrima again collect at this point and start relaxing and pose for photos..a life time of experience to be shown and shared with others, at home.
Hot, hot jilebis are made in a big kadai, along with pakodas, cool drinks, air is filled with a particular smell of savouries, you cannot escape.
From there ,as we alight one more steep flight of stairs ,we get near the Yamunotri temple..hot water springs welcome the tired pilgrims, the actual origin of river Yamuna is still higher up from a glacier..some more trek for the brave and the fit.
Not for us, we have a darshan of the diety, did not dip into the hot springs ,but managed to have a small dip into a secondary trickle, and our trek to the base has started.
I was on the horse, both ways ,but my husband trekked the six km.valiantly, as he prepared well, physically to be in a fit shape.
As we reached down, it started pouring incesently, no cover, no way to go, the beast is unmindful of the rain ,so is the fellow leading it, but drenched in the downpour, I reached just as if I am personification of a anguished cry..literally.
It was, like a purification of mind and body and soul..why run away from nature and take shelter, every time, you face it, just take it as it comes..seems to be the lesson.
This is our first phase of Chardham.. upto Yamunotri.Some interesting stories about this Yamunotri Temple, we heard,and are popular..
The chief attraction at Yamunotri is the temple devoted to the Goddess Yamuna. The temple of Yamuna, on the left bank of the Yamuna, was constructed by Maharaja Pratap Shah of Tehri Garhwal. The deity is made of black marble.Yamunotri was the home of an ancient sage Asit Muni.Yamuna is the daughter of the Sun just like Yama who is considered his son. It is believed that Yama would not torment any person at the time of death who bathes in Yamuna, his sister. it is Yamuna, who being a holder of infinite love and compassion, can grant us freedom from even death, in the realm of her elder brother.
This is the popular story..related to this Temple and Place.
The next will follow...soon..in the second part.
We started..to India,and landed in our Capital,New Delhi, before this, we made a hectic shopping, keeping the list of things needed, given by the tour operator, in front of us, but buying some obscure, non needful things too, of course, you can blame it on me..no problem, in the elated mood,I was, I can excuse..
We proceeded to our hotel, which was in East Delhi, quite far from,Delhi air port, but we could get a glimpse of the recently spruced up Delhi, in that one hour travel, crossing Yamuna,and the huge Aksharadham Temple on the shores, and having an idea of the expanse of our Capital..The criss crossing metro rail..tempted us to explore Delhi, the metro way, but there is time and place for everything..I calmed myself.
Along with my son,we had a small ride on metro..and entered one of those Huge Malls dotting every colony now..and had some more last minute shopping..and a sumptuous South Indian meal ..we thought, this may be the last, for few more days to come..
Another day, time well spent with visits and the next morning we proceeded to Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station..our meeting place was a Restaurant out side the station..Comesum Restaurant..an unusual name..we landed there with our bags and baggage,and what we found was an utter chaos..
Okay, comforting ourselves, there is order in chaos..it must be..we found our tour operators and other tour members and after an hour or two, of waiting ,we were boarded into two buses of Tourister buses each of 13 seaters.
Buses have started , and we saw that the buses were like mini India,there were tourists from all over India, from different states and all travelling on the pilgrimage of Char Dham..the religious and sacred pilgrimage every Indian, dreams of making..Char Dham..the four Dhams, which are abodes of our sacred Gods, and the sacred rivers Ganga, Yamuna,and the innumerable tributaries, which keep joining at different places..along the main rivers ..these places are given beautiful names..Prayag.
We keep crossing many such Prayags on our way..it is like our own community living, we keep meeting different cultures, different languages and different people, and we relate to them and accept them as our close friends, as our loved ones, in our journey called life..these are the Prayags of Life ..these were my thoughts..when we started our Chardham yatra.
After a stop over for lunch on the way, we proceeded to Haridwar, which is the holy place where the eternal River Ganga flows ..in its maginficance, touching every Hindu's life as it passes.
We grow up, hearing about the beautiful story of how Bhageerath brought Ganga from the knots of hair of Lord Shiva..and how in the process of touching the land of Bharat, it cleansed the ashes of his ancestors..it keeps cleansing our mis deeds is the most popular opinion, which brings every Hindu,in his life time to dip in the most sacred river on Earth.
That it needs a cleaning ,is an unspoken opinion, from all, watching the rate at which, the swirling waters are polluted by individuals and industries and cities, developed along the river..
Civilisations thrive on the shores of Rivers is the most popular saying, too.. let us hope, this civilisation will strive to live, to upheld this saying and thrive to cleanse this river, were my passing thoughts..on arriving the famous Haridwar.
We arrived at Haridwar on time to watch the most popular and the most beautiful and sacred Arthi ceremony at 7.15 pm.at the famous Har ki Paudi Ghat.
The shore, the ghats, reverberated with Jai Mathaji, Ganga Matha ki Jai, and the Arthi started at the Ganga Mai temple on the shore, and the lakhs of devotees joined with the chanting..in one voice..Jai Mathaji..
This is my Incredible India, this one voice reverberating, chanting with one voice, there is no individuality ,no egos, no asthithva, this is one voice..reaching the abodes of God..the call for the God, asking for redemption..this is one experience, which makes you feel small, your own egos vanish into the huge mass and you become one among the mass.. breathing and chanting in one mass..
Experiencing such once in a life's enchating spectacle of colour and sound, and the floating diyas, with incense sticks ,and flowers, all floating into distant shores, rose our spirits ,as never before and we too got enthralled into religious fervour,with heads bowed and hands joined into a humbled position.
This is Haridwar..This is our ancient spirit of India, this is our calling..vouching, we will return again, and again..
But time is short..haste is the word in tours..we were promised one more glimpse of Ganga, the next morning, we were boarded in a decent abode for the night.
Early morning, we rose and went in our buses to the Ganga Ghat ..a morning prayer to the Ganga Maa..is so inspiring..
The intense flow of mass of pilgrims..is competing with the flow of immense , swiftly flowing Ganga..both in full spirits, we were just pushed forwarded, no effort to walk is necessary, we just flow with masses,all taking a dip, three times, dipping full into the river, offering flowers, diyas and bowing in front of the mighty Sun God and the flowing Ganga Mai..
Every one were just like an island ,but at the same time into the flow, each woman is changing her wet clothes, with that particular deft,only possible for a lady from India, and as they are returning, another huge mass are flocking, it never ends.. the sacred pilgrims flow is an unending flow..I observed..and bid a good bye to the Maa Ganga..wishing ,I could come again and again and have a personal moment with Ganga Mai, a hope..which may never be fulfilled in my life..this is what life is ..Hope.. live.. hoping ..to see those wishes come reality..
We started to our next stop..from Haridwar..every one exchanging how dissatisfied they are with such short time, in front of Ganga and every one vouching, and wishing for another dip in holy Ganga..It happens for everyone, so ,I am not an exception, I was satisfied.
Our next journey is towards,the sacred Yamunotri, which is quite a distance and we settled for a long journey in our bus.
Our next stop was Barkot, from there,the stop where we would stay is Janakichatti..before reaching this we crossed one Hanuman chatti.
This is the land of Ram,Sita and Hanuman..I was pleased..this is our ancient India..from centuries, we have been hearing about these puranaas..and on these tours, we seem to be having a peek into our ancient times..a time travel into past..
The path started into curves and bends, and in no time ,we were climbing high mountain ranges..cold nip caught in the air, shawls were thrown around, and we passed so many small towns, villages, all nicely lapped in the curves of the mountains, the small shops right on the road offering everything a weary traveller needs.
Night was approaching fast, darkness closing in, and there seems to be no end of our "wandering heights "of travel..we were well behind our schedule and were worried if we could reach our destination, by the night.
The bus travelled precariously, on a curving, bumpy road, one side, deep valleys, from which we can hear waters flowing at high speeds, making a pleasant sound, and the other side a huge wall of mountain, and every one began their prayers for safe travel.
It started raining suddenly, and hail storms the size of goose berries started hitting our bus ,and we can see them ,in the darkness of the road, as if the road is littered with white flowers..
We reached Hanuman chatti,and we sighed aloud, that we were safe till then, now Ram will help us to reach Janakichatti..was everyone's thought.
Finally we reached about middle of the night, Janaki chatti, which was the starting point for Yanunotri trekking.
The hotel was a simple one, with just enough of comforts ,and the beds were ice cold..hot food, gave us enough strength to go to bed,with a hope for a clear day, on the next morning.
We started, with a short drive up to a certain point, from which the trek to Yamunotri, will start..That place is so crowded, our first meeting with horses, our future transport, started here.
All the toursists collect here, to start their sacred trek..pilgrims with various coloured woollens, shawls, jackets, wraps, what not we see a myriad of colours..all striking bargains with their horse wallahas, their palki bearing wallahs..and the piggy back riding wallahs, all hale and fit to take the pilgroms up to the Yamunotri temple.
The trek is exactly six km.but it seems to be an endless one ,once we are on the horse. The beautiful greenery filled mountain tops, distant tops filled with snow, and the gurgling waters, walking along side the trek, the gushing water falls, all try to uplift our mood of helplessness, in front of the hardships of trekking.
We cross one mountain and climb another, we climb into one other,where is the end for these?? are these the hardships we undergo in our life, like bringing up our children, no ,they seem to be much fun now..climbing these mountains, is the most difficult time in our life..is this a way of learning how life 's path is so riddled with ups and downs..Is this the path to Nirvana..we keep listening about.. no not yet..
The horses stop for a drink, and for some chewing of grass, we really pity them ,how could they carry us..(!)..a heavy weight, with just a little grass to munch, he gives some cool drink, too.saying they love it..so horses also ..want to have it.. yeh dil mange more..drinks..kool ..cool drinks..
How far it is ?? is the question on every one's mind and we do not hesitate to pester the horse walah with this question..it must be his millionth one ,so he answers pretty cool, just one more, one more what mountain range??
Where are we going into Nepal, or into China?? crossing borders?where is this temple??suddenly as if to answer us, a snow filled peak appears in front of us, and a yellow topped temple from far beckons us..here I am..
The way is just beautiful, so much of wild greenery, suddenly we are mystified by the sudden sound and then the sight of a stream, falling from rocks, like a child jumping in a courtyard, and the next minute, it fiercly falls from a huge rock, mischievously and you miss your heart beat, how daring, an act.. you wonder, river Yamuna is teasingly beckoning you, not so easy to catch a glimpse of me..you forget the hardened seat on the horse and the pains..of a not so cushioned horse gallop.
After some hours, you near the temple, from here one more stage of a flight of steps..water is there around you, pilgrima again collect at this point and start relaxing and pose for photos..a life time of experience to be shown and shared with others, at home.
Hot, hot jilebis are made in a big kadai, along with pakodas, cool drinks, air is filled with a particular smell of savouries, you cannot escape.
From there ,as we alight one more steep flight of stairs ,we get near the Yamunotri temple..hot water springs welcome the tired pilgrims, the actual origin of river Yamuna is still higher up from a glacier..some more trek for the brave and the fit.
Not for us, we have a darshan of the diety, did not dip into the hot springs ,but managed to have a small dip into a secondary trickle, and our trek to the base has started.
I was on the horse, both ways ,but my husband trekked the six km.valiantly, as he prepared well, physically to be in a fit shape.
As we reached down, it started pouring incesently, no cover, no way to go, the beast is unmindful of the rain ,so is the fellow leading it, but drenched in the downpour, I reached just as if I am personification of a anguished cry..literally.
It was, like a purification of mind and body and soul..why run away from nature and take shelter, every time, you face it, just take it as it comes..seems to be the lesson.
This is our first phase of Chardham.. upto Yamunotri.Some interesting stories about this Yamunotri Temple, we heard,and are popular..
The chief attraction at Yamunotri is the temple devoted to the Goddess Yamuna. The temple of Yamuna, on the left bank of the Yamuna, was constructed by Maharaja Pratap Shah of Tehri Garhwal. The deity is made of black marble.Yamunotri was the home of an ancient sage Asit Muni.Yamuna is the daughter of the Sun just like Yama who is considered his son. It is believed that Yama would not torment any person at the time of death who bathes in Yamuna, his sister. it is Yamuna, who being a holder of infinite love and compassion, can grant us freedom from even death, in the realm of her elder brother.
This is the popular story..related to this Temple and Place.
The next will follow...soon..in the second part.
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