Travelling Tim

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June 17, 2005

Char Dham Yatra - 2

We left Barkot early the next morning and followed the gorge hacked out by the Jamuna River to the hot springs of Janak Chatti, where the arduous trek to the river's source begins. In the company of hundreds of other pilgrims, some on horse back, some carried in 4-man pankies or palanquins, I walked the steep and twisting paths up the hills to the temples at Yamunotri.

The six kilometre track zig-zags through beautiful mountain scenery, though it is often difficult to watch when concentrating on the climb itself. Luckily for the weary trecker, frequent teastalls have been set up along the way, in caves or under canvas awnings. What a relief it is to take a break for the cup that cheers.

At last, at 3185 metres, the final bend is reached, and the welcome view appears before us: the group of temples nestling in the gorge below the glacier that forms the start of the holy river Jamuna, that will snake its way down the hills and across Uttar Pradesh, passing the capital city Delhi, the Taj Mahal in Agra, and beyond into the plains of Northern India.

The pilgrims perform puja in the temples, then take their sacred bath in the icy river waters, and in the hot sulphurous springs that occur naturally here. At their source, some rice or potatoes wrapped in a cloth can be quickly cooked, and are often offered as prasad in the temple before being eaten.

After some time appreciating the holy aura and natural beauty of the surroundings, we made our way down the mountain, and after a night's rest, continued on the road along the valley of the Khurnala Gad to the second of the holy rivers, the Bhagirathi, that will eventually become the holiest river of all, Mother Ganges.

We drove along the Bhagirathi river valley, higher and higher into the mountains, passing through the market town of Uttarkashi, and the military base at Harsil, an important key to the Lamkhaga Pass into China. Gangotri, at 3140 metres, is surrounded by pine and deodar-clad mountains, with plenty of snow in evidence. Numerous holy men and sanyasins line the temple approaches, and a big queue soon forms for entry to the temple itself. On the nearby river banks, bathing ghats allow the faithful to take their ritual dip, an act that will wash away all their sins. Nearby, at the point of a great waterfall, is the place where it is believed that the Ganges River literally came down to earth, cushioned in Lord Shiva's hair.

Our next destination was the temple at Kedarnath. A direct route would go over the Khatling Glacier, and cross numerous mountain peaks of 6500 metres and more, so like most pilgrims, we retrace out path back down the Bhagirathi river valley to the busy town of Tehri, where the road heads east as far as Rudraprayag, the confluence of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers. Here we headed north, up the Mandakini river valley, along treacherous tracks that hug the sheer mountain sides, eventually to reach the little town of Gauri Kund, where the road ends and a steep climb of some 14 kms begins, up to the Kedarnath Temple at some 3584 metres. Like at Yamunotri, horses and palanquins are available to hire for the elderly and infirm, but I opted once again for the arduous and tiring climb to the top, and enjoyed it very much, as long, that is, as I remembered not to look too far ahead at one time !

Kedarnath, and its temple, are set in stunning mountain surroundings, with the rushing Mandakini river nearby, and numerous snow capped mountain peaks as a frame to the temple itself. The temple, believed to be about 800 years old, is built of stone, unpainted but carved on the outside, with a wooden-roofed mandapa. Indside is one of the 12 jyotirlingas of India: believed to be 'swayambhu', or born of itself.

Though hot and humid on the plains, the temperature at Kedarnath was very chilly, and I was grateful for the two thick quilts on the bed at the spartan but adequate GMVN lodge there. The staff were most helpful, and soon served me with a piping hot bowl of tomato soup, rotis, and a tasty vegetable curry. After all that day's climbing, sleep did not take long to arrive!

The next morning, I climbed a bit further into the mountains to visit a shrine dedicated to the god Shiva. Though early, two priests were already there, performing the ritual devotions, and well wrapped up against the chilly mountain air. I stayed a while, admiring the stunning views, then all too soon started the long trek back down the mountain to Gauri Kund, where our coach waited to take us on the final leg, a further two-day journey along terrifying roads, through the towns of Karna Prayag, Chamoli, and Joshimath, to the river valley of the Alaknanda, and its startling hair-pin bends that pulled the road up to the holiest of all temples, Badrinath.

Located at a height of 3122 metres, Badrinath, a Vishnu temple, is one of the 4 holy abodes of Hinduism, an honour it shares with Dwarka in the east, Ramesvaram in the south, and Puri in the east: no pilrimage can be complete without a visit here. From 04:00 each morning, the lines of pilgrims waiting to enter the temple snake long along the banks of the Alaknanda, past the bathing ghats where the pious (and hardy) commence their worship with an icy ritual bathe. As at Yamunotri, natural sulphur springs also rise to the surface here, a welcome alternative for the bather.

Leaving Badrinath the next morning, there only remained a final two-day journey to complete the circle, and return us to our starting point of Rishikesh. I feel very honoured to have been allowed to experience the Char Dham Yatra with such a lovely group of Indian pilgrims, and thank them all for their patience when explaining some of the many finer points of their religion.

23-06-05 Unfortunately, my laptop hasd developed a fault, and it is unlikely that I can get it working again before I return to Ireland. It is therefore unlikely that there will be any more diary pages after this one. I hope you have all enjoyed viewing my photos and reading the text. Please email me to say hello - the address is on the Contact page.

Posted by travellingtim at June 17, 2005 11:51 AM

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