Overview of the destination
Still basking in the memories of my vacation in September to South Africa, least did I expect another vacation in the offing in less than a fortnight, that too to one of my favourite places in India and in the Himalayas - Badrinath, the abode of Lord Vishnu. One of our family friends visits Badrinath every year and I had last come with them about four years ago, when I was on a sabbatical. Similar circumstances this time around and it seemed I was destined to visit Badrinath.
Starting from Delhi the next day with a target of over 500 kms, we passed through Meerut to reach Haridwar, where the gushing sounds of flowing water of the Ganga welcomed us. We moved on to Rishikesh and as we started our uphill ride, we could view little colorful tents near the riverbed which were make-shift accommodations for the river rafting enthusiasts. Our first halt en route to our final destination was Deoprayag, which is a small town developed around the point where the rivers Alaknanda and Bhagirathi merge and the emerging river is named the Ganga from this point onwards. Following the river Bhagirathi upwards would take you to Uttarkashi and then Gangotri, another famous Hindu pilgrimage.
From our hotel in Deoprayag, we had a good view of the temple and the ghat at the meeting point of the rivers (which is referred to as ?prayag?), but since it was already a bit dark in the early evening, we could not see the two distinct river streams, but only hear the light soothing music being played by the rivers, which was a good lullaby to take our first day?s tiredness away. Early morning was a sunny day and we strolled in the balcony, suitably clothed to bear the nip in the air. A look at the prayag was an amazing sight as we could easily see the different streams of the two rivers, distinct in their colours and gradually merging into one as if they were never apart. Some devotees were also braving the cold waters of the prayag and taking a holy dip, before offering their daily prayers. We settled for having our warm water bath and a filling breakfast in our hotel before hitting the road again, all freshened up.
From Deoprayag onwards, the Alaknanda river became our guide for the rest of the journey as it would lead us to our destination. Our route followed suit with the meandering Alaknanda river. Past Shrinagar of Uttarakhand, we reached the next prayag, this time being Rudraprayag. This town is situated on the ?prayag? of the Mandakini river (coming from Kedarnath) and the Alaknanda river. Since we planned to stay in this town on way back, we proceeded without spending much time around. Past towns like Gauchar, Karnaprayag, Nandprayag, Chamoli, Gopeshwar and Pipalkoti, we stopped in a government rest house in Birahi for a late lunch. This was well situated in the serene lap of the mountains and the river seemingly at a close range. Just as we set again after a freshly prepared sumptuous lunch, we spotted an arc of the rainbow at a distance, which was a breathtaking sight. Still enjoying in the child-like joy of having seen a rainbow after ages, we soon realized that the sunny sky had started to turn grey and the mountainous terrains were being pittered-pattered with light rains. However, driving on these wet, narrow and curvy mountain roads was literally becoming an uphill task. So we decided against our original plan of reaching Badrinath on Day 2, and made our second halt at Joshimath.
Joshimath is the winter home for Lord Badrinath (another name for Lord Vishnu) and hence is also considered a holy place. The slight showers had made the climate very chilly and after having our light meal, we snuggled up in our beds, all loaded with warm blankets. Whether the clouds will clear up by morning so that we could start our last leg of the journey or will we have to stay put here for long?..was the thought that hit the bed with me. As per feedback from the locals, it seemed that these rains were unexpected. I consoled myself with the very thought which had been with me from the beginning ? Destiny is Supreme.
In the morning, all my apprehensions were warded off when the first rays of the sun peered into our room and brought a sunshine smile on my face. All excited, the laziness disappeared and I clad myself with woolens to get a feel of the fresh sunny air. For sure it was so ? I thanked God for the lovely morning and I could feel Him smile back ! In the bright sun, I saw the peaks surrounding this town - the main ones being the Nanda Devi peaks highlighted by the fresh snow. Joshimath is also the base station to take off on the ropeway to Auli, the world?s highest ski point which is a famous destination even for the foreigners.
Between Joshimath and Badrinath, there are three primary milestones, namely, Vishnuprayag, Govindghat (starting point to go to Hemkunt Sahib and Valley of Flowers) and Pandu Keshwar. From Joshimath to Vishnuprayag is a downhill journey and thence the uphill climb starts. To add to the driver?s woes, the road narrows down and the route is very uneven since the process for road widening by cutting/ chipping the mountains is underway. Given these adverse conditions, free flow of the vehicles to and fro Badrinath is controlled and there are specific timings at which the barriers, monitored by the military, are let open at both ends ? Joshimath being the one end and Badrinath being the other.
Nonetheless, the whole route beyond Joshimath is full of distractions for a nature lover with Mother Nature?s paintbrush showing off the vibrant and lively colour scheme - earthy colours with generous splashes of vivacious lush greens, white specks on the outermost mountain peaks, lovely multihued flowers blossoming in the valley and small water streams glistening in the golden sunshine ? the whole view has a soothing and spiritual impact on your senses and you feel highly fortunate to be in the Valley of Gods.
We finally reached Badrinath post noon, checked into a hotel room which had a beautiful view of the Neelkanth peak, and the mountain ranges, popularly referred to as the ?Nar? and ?Narayan? mountains. Surprisingly, while the day was sunny and bright, the chilly winds ensured that we pack ourselves up in heavy woolens from head to toe. Since the temple is closed from noon for about three hours, being the rest time for the Lord and the priests, we had a quick lunch and moved out to acclimatize ourselves to the high altitudes. Since it was already mid October, it was very thinly crowded as compared to the peak summer months. Strolling around in the market place, we noticed that the local residents comprised primarily of the priests, saints and sages and of course, the beggars. One could easily have a distant view of the temple on the other side and we sighted that the temple gates had opened. So we went across the bridge over the Alaknanda river to reach the temple side, where there is a natural hot water spring for the devotees to take a dip before heading for the temple. Surprisingly, the water levels in the Alaknanda river had lowered drastically as compared to my last visit when it was a scary dizzy feeling to cross the bridge with the waters gushing underneath. Guess the impact of ?global warming? has not spared the Great Himalayas either.
The multicoloured temple gates have such an alluring and magnetic effect that we were drawn into the temple courtyard, where we saw the ?Lakshmi? temple and the ?chalit murthi? (moveable statue) - which is taken to Joshimath during the winter season for the devotees to offer prayers to Lord Badrinath when the main temple up here is closed. Then, we went inside the temple where the ?achalit murthi? (immoveable statue/ idol) of Lord Vishnu is placed, surrounded by His disciples. Minus the crowd at this time of the year, and mesmerized by the idol, we were fortunate to spend time inside the temple. As the darkness set in, accompanied by the freezing winds, we headed back to the hotel, had an early dinner and slept tight with that mission-accomplished feeling.
The scenic beauty of this region also extends beyond Badrinath ? to the Mana village which is said to be the last Indian village before Tibet; the ?Bhim Pul?, a natural bridge of mythological relevance with the Saraswati river flowing underneath; ?Vyas? and ?Ganesh? caves where the Mahabharata is said to have been written; and for the more adventurous, a trek to the Vasudhara Falls is a must-do. Post-noon next day, we started our journey back home after having one last ?darshan? ? larger number of people seemed to be thronging at the temple this day and we felt fortunate to have been there a day in advance. Enjoying the spectacular scenery on way back, we made our first halt at Rudraprayag. Noting that we were on a religious outdoor, the hotel staff intimated us about two more temples nearby worth visiting before we leave for Delhi. These were the Koteshwar cave of Lord Shiva and the Umara Narayan temple of Lord Vishnu, which became our next day?s itinerary. Though only a few kms away from the main Rudraprayag market, the Koteshwar cave is very close to the Alaknanda river flowing through the Rudraprayag region and hence, the walk downhill, and thereafter uphill, is pretty steep but worth it. The cave is housed with innumerable ?shivlings? (and hence the name Koteshwar) and has natural water droplets sprinkling from the cave roof. Next destination was the Umara Narayan temple which is only a few kms away. The priest at the temple apprised me that the name has been derived from a tree called ?umara?, similar to the name of Badrinath where there was a forest of ?badri? berries, once upon a time.
Back into the hotel after another long day, we were shaken to hear the shocking news of a bus having toppled into the Alaknanda river near Vishnuprayag on way back from Badrinath with no survivors. We were stunned as this was merely a day after we had left ! Taken aback by the mishap, and convinced of our save due to Divine intervention, we sat in our balcony for the daily evening ?aarti? at the Rudraprayag ghats, praying for the deceased with whom we seemed to have established a bond ? the Badrinath bond. Heading home to Delhi the next day, I was reminded of the oft-heard advice from the elders ? if you have an invitation from the God Himself, nothing can avert your visit; and hand-in-hand with it goes the destiny of returning home with a fulfilled experience.Food, sight-seeing and shopping
Availability of non-spicy vegetarian food freshly prepared was the lifeline for us during the entire travel. And of course, wrapping up with a sweet preparation left us licking our fingers ! Activities & things to do
The scenic beauty of this region also extends beyond Badrinath ? to the Mana village which is said to be the last Indian village before Tibet; the ?Bhim Pul?, a natural bridge of mythological relevance with the Saraswati river flowing underneath; ?Vyas? and ?Ganesh? caves where the Mahabharata is said to have been written; and for the more adventurous, a trek to the Vasudhara Falls is a must-do.
In Karnaprayag, visit to the Koteshwar cave of Lord Shiva and the Umara Narayan temple of Lord Vishnu is good. Though only a few kms away from the main Rudraprayag market, the Koteshwar cave is very close to the Alaknanda river flowing through the Rudraprayag region and hence, the walk downhill, and thereafter uphill, is pretty steep but worth it. The cave is housed with innumerable ?shivlings? (and hence the name Koteshwar) and has natural water droplets sprinkling from the cave roof. Next destination was the Umara Narayan temple which is only a few kms away. The priest at the temple apprised me that the name has been derived from a tree called ?umara?, similar to the name of Badrinath where there was a forest of ?badri? berries, once upon a time. Travel tips, How to reach, travel warnings etc.
We always have driven down from Delhi to these places, which also gives you the flexibility to make unplanned halts as and when necessary. Otherwise, one can also take bus services from Rishikesh.
It is generally very cold in Badrinath, with chilly winds. So sufficient warm clothes to layer yourself up are a must. However, summer months would be comparatively better to visit Badrinath - the only downside would be that the place shall be crowded. |
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