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[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

This essay on "Eight days of Bliss," is quite enjoyable for those who want to

venture their vacation in the Himalayas.

 

Happy Janmasthami!

 

Ram Chandran

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This article is emailed to you by Ram Chandran ( rchandran )

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Source: The Hindu (http://www.hinduonnet.com)

 

Eight days of bliss

After a journey to the mystic lands of the Garhwal Himalayas,

REMA DEVI R. TONDAIMAN says it is not surprising that the area

could have been the repository of our epics and legends.

 

THE seed of a thought planted while on a pilgrimage to the 276

temples, lauded in the Tevarams by the Nayanmars, took root as my

pilgrimage neared completion. The five sacred vadanadu (North)

temples had to be visited. Thus was born my journey to the mystic

lands of the Garhwal Himalayas, to the abode of Lord Siva and His

consort. The itinerary included the three glorified spots of

Kedarnath, Neelkanth and Gowrikund, besides Badrinath and a host

of other holy places, ashrams and river confluences.

 

A group of enthusiastic friends immediately joined me, but I was

dismayed to note that none of us was a day below 60 years. Being

the tour leader was a daunting prospect. Even after scrutinising

the various available accounts of the Char Dham Yatra and

referring to various travel agencies, the programme remained

vague. Desperately, I spoke to a close friend in Delhi who

chalked out the entire eight-day programme through the

Uttaranchal Government's Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN).

 

We began with Ganesh poojas, yatra daan (supposedly dispensing

with worldly possessions) and bhiksha (alms) from friends and

relatives. Incidentally, the alms given by my two sons and

daughter covered the cost of the entire journey. Despite

circulars and meetings on immunisations and minimal luggage, I

was horrified to see the mounds of luggage brought by the other

11 pilgrims at Chennai Central. We made the interesting discovery

that the Indian Railways professes one policy for senior citizens

and practises quite another when it comes to berth allotments.

Many of us had been given upper berths and we had to scramble up

- backaches, rheumatism and arthritis notwithstanding. The

journey to Delhi was enjoyable and uneventful.

 

At Delhi, we were surprised to find a battered Swaraj Mazda

awaiting us, but soon realised that the vehicle was in excellent

condition. Superb driving by Bhandari and a good guide set our

fears at rest. The first halt was at Haridwar where we bathed in

the rushing Neeldhara waters of the Ganga. Our guide, Vinod

Kothiyal, took us to a dirty-looking little restaurant where the

tasty and steaming hot food belied its looks.

 

During the overnight halt at Rishikesh, we cooked our own food.

Venturing to breakfast at a posh hotel we found the costs

prohibitive and decided to continue eating at the dhabas. At

Devprayag, one can see the turbulent Bhagirathi from Gangotri in

confluence with the sober Alaknanda from the Alkapuri glacier at

Badrinath. The confluence rushes on as the Ganga. Srinagar is a

small and typical Army cantonment. Further on is Rudraprayag. A

legend states that Narada, proud of his musical prowess, stumbles

over dismembered sapthaswara gandharvas who claim to have been

mutilated by Narada's discordant notes. Ashamed, Narada prays to

Lord Siva who appears before him and teaches him harmonious

music.

 

The five main confluences along this route are Devprayag,

Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag (confluence of the Alaknanda and the

Pindar from Rupkund) Vishnuprayag (the Vishnu Ganga from Niti

Valley meets the Alaknanda) and Sonprayag (confluence of the Son,

the Ganga and the Mandakini from Nandadevi peak). Driving along

the ghat roads towards Joshimath, one can only marvel at the

sparsely forested, awesome mountains. The delicate beauty of our

Southern hill stations is indeed obliterated by the breathtaking

magnitude of the Himalayan mountains. Surely this was the abode

of the gods.

 

The various rivers and confluences ran alongside the entire

ghatway. The deep gorges and ravines backed by austere mountains

among floating mist and clouds would have sent even Wordsworth

into a joyful delirium. Nearing Joshimath we could see snow-clad

peaks. The GMVN guest house here was comfortable but poorly

maintained. Yet comforts were forgotten when we visited the Adi

Sankara Ashram and saw the cave where Sankara meditated, as well

as the 2,400-year-old tree under which he attained enlightenment.

The Sankara cult influence is strong in Joshimath and one is

transported into a spiritual realm. The Bhavishya Kedar temple is

at the entrance to the ashram. The Narasimha temple at Joshimath

has an interesting legend that when the already thinning wrist of

the idol snaps, the Nar and Narain mountains would unite and the

path to Badrinath would be blocked for ever. Thereafter

Badrinarayan will be worshipped only in Bhavishya Badri.

 

Driving towards Badrinath, we were held up for two hours by an

avalanche at Pandukeshwar, the place where Pandu, father of the

Pandavas, is said to have spent his last years. Hanumanchatti was

where Anjaneya observed tapas and was propitiated by the

Pandavas. Mana, the last Indian village on the Indo-Pakistan

limits, is a mere four kilometres away from Badri. Here is the

Vyasa guha from where Vyasa dictated the great epic Mahabharata

while Ganesha, ensconced in the Ganesh guha, wrote it down with

one of his tusks.

 

Many aspects of the lives of the Pandavas seem to have taken

place in the areas around Badri and Kedarnath. So one can well

imagine that the Garhwal area was the repository of our epics and

legends, lending its mystic aura to the tradition of Hinduism.

The delay due to landslide resulted in our regretfully missing a

visit to Mana although we had obtained permission from the Indo-

Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). The greatest disappointment was not

seeing the Saraswati which is visible only in Mana. It then

disappears to reappear again as antarvahini (flowing from within)

at Rishikesh and again at Allahabad. We could believe this for

,on the trip, we saw rivers playfully cavorting through tunnels

formed by massive rocks only to reappear after short or long

distances.

The road towards Badrinath is on a steep gradient, yet is well

maintained by the Army, for these are border roads. Sparse

vegetation and bare mountains gave way to a colourful carpet of

tiny purple, orange, yellow and white flowers and we knew that

Hemkund and the Valley of Flowers were not far away. The Sikh

saint Guru Gobind Singh meditated at Hemkund near Gobindghat and

Pandukeswar. This is a popular pilgrimage centre for Hindus and

Sikhs alike. The deep mystic influence of the Garhwal Himalayas

is evidenced by the utmost faith and belief with which Hindus and

Sikhs trek to these places.

 

At Badrinath we assembled at the GMVN guest house to plan the

temple visits and poojas. We were immediately surrounded by

pandas who produced pooja lists apparently filched from the

temple authorities. Some of us opted for the ultimate pinda

pradhan while others settled for the Lakshminarayana pooja. Our

suspicions were confirmed on the evening visit to the temple

where organised pooja options were readily available. The entire

group opted for the swarna arathi (arathi on a gold plate) and

the Kuber pooja where coins are offered to Kuber and returned to

the devotee. Kuber is installed next to Badrinarayan. Each pooja

group is closeted in the sanctum until its offering is completed.

It is said that Sri Badrinarayan can be worshipped in any form

you desire: yet another mysterious secret of Hinduism.

 

By this time, at an altitude of 10,000-odd feet, it was wet and

cold. There was no time to visit the other four Pancha Badri

kshetras. Vishal Badri is the main temple while the others are

Yogadhyan Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Prtha Badri and Adi Badri. The

next morning we went to the Taptkund (emanating from Garud Shila)

hot springs and geysers where there is a pool and changing rooms.

Some of us performed ceremonies for the departed souls in our

families at the Brahmakapala Rock while the rest of the group did

the Lakshminarayan pooja on the banks of the Alaknanda. The

darpan ceremony here is said to be far superior to those done at

Varanasi, Gaya or Allahabad. Watching the snow-capped Neelkanth

is definitely a spiritual experience. Golden at dawn, silver at

noon and blue at dusk, a feeling of exhilaration washes over you

in waves of ecstasy. Here was Lord Siva himself in the form of

Gnanasambandar's Indraneelaparvatham, the Neelkanth. I stood

gazing enraptured, feeling His presence until it was time to

leave for the one-way traffic system.

 

Now we were on the second lap of the journey, the ultimate

destination: Kedarnath. The very name evoked gladness and

anticipation. The safer route through Rudraprayag is longer, the

shorter one through Chopta and Ukhimath being unusually steep and

deserted. However, since our night halt was at Ukhimath, we took

this remarkably beautiful route. The vegetation changed to

unfettered Nature and we revelled in the lush scenery,

waterfalls, the Mandakini rushing through gorges and the sight of

snow-covered Nanda Devi. At Ukhimath the guest cabins on the

banks of the Mandakini were delightful. Ukhimath is a corruption

of Ushamath, the place where Sri Krishna's grandson Anirudha

married Usha. The marriage hall at Omkareswar temple is well

worth a visit. Winter poojas to Kedareswar are performed at the

Omkarnath temple. An unusual bronze of Nandi and Vasishta with

his hand bitten off caught our attention. The Rawal narrated the

legend. Vasishta, in an argument with Nandi, raised his hand high

to assert that Hari is greater than Hara. The enraged Nandi bites

off the rishi's hand. Siva appears to pacify them and state that

Hari and Hara are but part of the same principle.

 

The legend of Kedarnath also revolves around the Pandavas, who

desiring expiation for the sins of fratricide and brahmahathya

pursue Siva who, along with his Ganas had assumed the form of a

bull. Unable to identify Him, Bhima straddles two mountains and

catches sight of Him grazing in Guptkashi. Bhima grabs the tail

and hind legs before He burrows into the ground and disappears.

Gradually He reappears in parts: hair in Kalpeswar, face in

Rudranath, hump in Kedarnath, stomach in Madhyamaheswar and front

legs (arms) in Tunganath. These are the Pancha Kedar kshetras.

Proceeding towards Gowrikund - the base camp for Kedarnath - yet

another landslide caused a traffic hold-up at Sonprayag, so we

walked to Gowrikund reaching by noon. Hundreds of dandi (doli)

bearers crowded us and pounced on our guide. Fixing a rate of Rs.

2,000 a doli, we decided to trek part of the way and use dolis

for those who could not walk.

 

Trekking up the first half towards Kedar, we were spellbound by

the thick jungle vegetation and the beauty of the Mandakini

rushing down in full force from the melting snows of Nanda Devi,

sometimes spouting out through tunnels across the pathway. The

doli, made of wooden slats, was an uncomfortable experience to

say the least - particularly when the doliwallahs, anxious for

their next passenger, gallop downhill - your spine jolting

against the wooden slats most painfully.

 

The plight of the palki bearers, mostly Nepalis, is pathetic.

They have no option but to carry out this arduous task at least

thrice a day in order to support their families. By this time, it

was raining heavily and we had to use raincoats, even for our

luggage. There are dingy little dhabas all along the way where

coffee, tea, biscuits, bottled drinks and mineral water are

freely available. The palki bearers stop at every dhaba and make

you pay for their tea and snacks. Paid toilets are also

available.

 

It is exciting for those with a good head for heights to walk

carefully to the edge of the road, to peer into the ravines, but

the pony droppings and loose rocks make this a great hazard.

Among the thousands proceeding towards Kedar, were many feeble,

frail old men and women almost bent double with age, gamely

struggling up the tortuous tough mountain path with nothing but

"Om Nama Shivay" on their lips and Kedareswar entrenched in their

hearts. The Government could make an effort to create a motorable

road and improve conditions in view of the vast income generated

by the temple. All discomfort was forgotten in a trice however

when the palki bearers trotting beside me suddenly halted in

their tracks and cried "Maa-ji, look! The mandir." Tears welled

up as I saw my heart's desire unfold before me in misty vistas of

grey and blue against the backdrop of the Nanda Devi. I fell to

my knees, paying obeisance not only to the Lord of Kedar, but

also to the feet of the thousands of Sivabhaktas who had

tirelessly trodden this path for centuries in utmost humility and

devotion. As one enters the Kedar bridgeway, touts throng towards

pilgrims with their offers.

 

At the GMVN guest house, pandas pressured us into paying for some

poojas which could have been arranged with the temple

authorities. Tired, wet and cold, we fell into our beds and

sleeping bags. The chill at an altitude of 12,000 feet was bone-

piercing, but none of us experienced any breathing difficulty due

to thin air. By morning we were thoroughly acclimatised and

refreshed. We pushed our way into the temple jumping queues,

thanks to our panda, at 5-30 a.m..

 

The temple sculptures and structure are reminiscent of Southern

and Vijayanagra type of architecture, we thought, although none

of us was qualified to judge. The deity is a huge mound of rock,

like a hump. We sat near the deity anointing it with ghee and

kumkum, pouring our libations over it while our panda recited

mantras. Hugging the idol and touching it with my forehead, I

captured this moment forever in my heart. This was worth all the

hazards and travail, a befitting finale to the mystic power that

guided us here. At the front mantap, temple authorities accept

money for poojas that can be continuously done for as long as 20

years.

 

At a short distance behind the temple is the samadhi of Adi

Sankara. No one else seemed to be interested in the samadhi and

we were able to spend many peaceful moments meditating and

singing bhajans, drinking in the grandeur of nature and the

Mandakini Valley. The Kedar temple, said to have been established

by the Pandavas, must have been built up by the efforts of Sri

Sankara and then by later kings. Near the GMVN guest house is a

small spring which bubbles up in response to sound. Sonic

response, therefore, was never a new concept to the many sadhus

and rishis of the Himalayas from time immemorial. Standing amidst

these gargantuan metaphysics, it seemed hardly surprising that

the great Saivite saints Gnanasambandar and Sundaramoorthy could

have accurately visualised and described the Lord of Kedarnath

and His abode in their decads.

 

Reluctantly we left Kedar after breakfast and arrived at

Gowrikund. The temple where Gowri did penance for 100 years to

attain the Lord is located here, midway to Kedar at a height of

6,500 feet. There is a hot spring with tepid water and we

conjectured that this was created by Nature for Gowri's bath. The

temple is surrounded by a filthy market, the trademark of all

pilgrim centres and tourist spots. This, then is the

Anekathangapatham of the Thevarams. Anekan thangaa patham: where

the many-faceted One does not abide permanently. Indeed, a

suitable name chosen by the saints for a place from where Siva

returns to His abode at Kedar only to be captured by Gowri by Her

tapas.

 

After a night's halt at Tilwada, we proceeded to Rishikesh where

the Lakshman Jhoola provided some hilarious moments. We met the

swamijis at the Dayanand ashram on the banks of the Ganga. The

seniormost lady in our group, Mrs. Sarojini Subramaniam offered

annadaan at the Tirukkoilur ashram before we wound up and

returned to Delhi. Needless to say, that a part of us remains in

the sacred Himalayas, hoping that the same mystic power that sent

us there will beckon us again in the near future.

 

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