Its My Life.....

Kedarnath dham It was a long cherished dream to visit Kedarnath as it is one of the most important Jyotirlinga temples in India. Me and my wife were highly excited to start the trip and after passing Rudraprayag, we realised the toughness of the journey. Narrow road where only one vehicle can go at a time, sharp bends, and the high chances of landslides. At one point I literally shouted at the bus driver that the last wheel is about to fall in to a gorge while he was giving side to another car.  Gupt Kashi is the nearest main town and a number of helipads can be found while moving towards Gourikund. We stayed overnight at a point called Phatta which is almost 1 hour away from Sonprayag, the base camp of Kedarnath.  Early morning we started to Sonprayag. All yatris  should get themselves registered  and give the biometric at Gourikund in order to proceed further. The next part is to wait for your turn to board a jeep to Gourikund. Jeeps take pilgrims to a dist...

The second stop for a pilgrim is Gangotri in Chardham trip. From Yamunotri taxis and buses offer services to reach here. If we start in the morning, by evening we can reach Gangotri. The journey from Uttarkashi to Gangotri is really a breathtaking one. Narrow roads and hair pin bends. The steep height from ground level to the top of the mountains. River Bhagirathi is merging with Alaknanda and Mandakini at Devprayag. Bhagirath was the saint who brought River Ganga in to this world through his prayers and tapasya.  We can reach near to the temple by vehicle but need to trek for 14 km if we wish to see Gomukh, the origin point.  The temple is constructed fully in white marble. People line in que to get darshan and during the aarti we can expect lot of pilgrims.  Gangotri Mandir The purity of the river we can see at its best. Crystal clear water looks like real amrit. The surrounding glaciers bless the river to survive in its present form. Temperature dips duri...

The First Dham.....Yamunotri  Chardham Trip is annual pilgrimage trip taking up by millions of devotees. I could attend this trip this year and realized the volume and magnitude of pilgrimage and its overall impacts. Find herewith some interesting pictures and tips. Jankichatti Start your trip early morning from Haridwar/Rishikesh. It will take almost 10 hours to reach Balkot, the base camp. You may find a number of hotels here. If you want to go to the real campsite it is Jankichatti (2 hours from Blakot by taxi), where pilgrims start their trek to Yamunotri. This place is crowded as well as the hotels charge high rates for rooms. The trek from Jankichatti to Yamunotri take 4 hours if you are moving in a moderate pace. The distance is 6 km. (oneside), but steepness of the route will make you tired. Ponywalas, Palkiwalas, etc. que up here to offer their support.  Yamunotri Dham Kalindi Parvat A devotee offering prayers ...