Walk of hope
Do you know that moment of realization that just hits you in a glimpse second that you truly felt happily alive? I remember that moment vividly – at an altitude of nearly 12,000 feet.
We started with Haridwar where I first met the Ganga. The sky bathed in a pink hue, we took our place on one of the stairs on the ghat at ‘Har Ki Pauri’. The place brimmed with people who came from far and near to watch the spectacular ‘Ganga Aarti’.
With the sun slowly fading away, the most sacred ghats in India had an electric atmosphere. Shimmering lights, fragrance of marigold flowers and sandalwood incense wafting through the breeze, temple bells resonating, pandits chanting the mantras reverberated in the air, all accompanied by the majestic flow of the Ganga in the distance.
The next day, we proceeded towards more pahadi region of Uttarakhand.
Around 6 in the morning, as the sun graced the horizon, we witnessed Devprayag’s mystical sangam.
In this sacred haven, Devprayag stands as a unique confluence, a celestial sangam where the rivers Alaknanda and Bhagirathi gracefully merge, giving birth to the sacred Ganga.
The magic unfolds as Alaknanda, with its slightly subdued color, meets the crystal-clear waters of Bhagirathi. This meeting is more than a mere union of waters; it’s a captivating phenomenon where nature orchestrates a poetic dance, and one can distinctly witness the interplay of colors and textures.
As the evening descended, our journey led us to Sonprayag and onward to Gaurikund, the gateway to the Kedarnath trek.
Nestled under the clear night sky, we chose lodgings by the serene River Mandakini, its constant melody echoing around us. As night fell, a surge of anticipation for the next morning’s adventure coursed through me, wondering what mysteries the trek held in store.
For those unfamiliar with the location, Kedarnath is an ancient temple situated in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. The temple is situated on the shores of the Mandakini river in the Himalayan ranges. Approximately, it is a 22 kms trek from Gaurikund.
At 4:30 am, fueled by a rejuvenating cup of ginger tea, we kicked off our trek. Despite the brisk morning chill, our spirits were high and we chose to trek the entire way. The dimly lit path was bustling with pilgrims, both on foot and horseback, traversing a somewhat muddy and pebble-paved road.
The entire 22 km stretch is a gradual uphill path and the view of the waterfalls, the river and the snow-capped mountain is so refreshing that you tend to push forward despite aching muscles.
We took intermittent rests. There were resting places throughout the trek. Our refueling included indulging in fruit salad, aaloo parathas, maggie, and, of course, the essential cup of tea!
After covering more than 18 kms, my legs trembled in exhaustion. In the final stretch of the trek, the distant echoes of bhajans played on loudspeakers assured me of proximity, motivating the last leg of the journey.
After more than 10 hours of walking, we reached our tents. Despite a numb leg and a body drenched in sweat, the excitement to catch a glimpse of the temple remained intact.
The massive mountains were engulfed in divine darkness with cheerful lights twinkling from the shrine.
We stood in queue and the evening aarti began promptly at the said time. As we entered the mandir premises, I knelt down to pray. The moment was so overwhelming that I dropped a tear or two on the ancient steps of the temple.
Under a million glazing stars, we made our way back to our tents to rest. In the quiet moment, I slowly whispered to myself — what an extraordinary adventure we had just encountered!
In freezing cold, at around 3 am, we were gently awake for the much-anticipated darshan. As the hours passed, I gazed around in awe. The distant mountains, once silhouetted against the starlit sky, now revealed intricate details in the gentle light.
In the soft hues of morning light, I observed the temple’s architecture – at the entrance of the temple, a massive Nandi sculpted from a single rock warmly welcomes you. Inside the vestibule, a golden Nandi takes center stage. A glance within the rectangular pillared chamber reveals beautifully carved idols in black stone, gracefully adorning every side, depicting Krishna, the five Pandavas, their wife — Draupadi, their mother — Kunti, and Lakshmi Narayan. At the chamber’s far end lies the sanctum sanctorum, also known as the ‘garbha griha,’ housing an irregularly shaped lingam.
Adi guru Shankaracharya is believed to have revived this temple and his samadhi is situated at the back of the Kedarnath shrine.
Just behind the temple stands ‘Bhim Shila,’ a massive rock where worshippers also offer prayers. Legend has it that during the 2013 floods, Mandakini’s torrential waters swept away everything and amidst the landslides, a colossal rock descended, halting just behind the shrine, safeguarding it from harm.
In that moment, as you stand amidst the vastness, all that meets your gaze are the towering Himalayas encircling you. The Bhairav Mandir sits atop on one of the adjacent mountains. The ascent from the Kedarnath shrine to this sacred mandir is approximately 20 minutes.
At 12,000 feet, I felt the weight of not having all the answers, especially when it comes to defining happiness. Amidst the uncertainty, one truth echoed deep within me – the mountains, in the depths of longing for joy, unfolded as a sanctuary for my soul and in the solitude of heights, within Mahadev’s celestial abode, I found myself slowly chanting the sacred hymn:
ॐ नमः शिवाय
ॐ नमः शिवाय
ॐ नमः शिवाय
हर हर महादेव शंभू , काशी विश्वनाथ गंगे।।
