TRIP TO THE PANCH KEDAR – THUNGANATH (12,000 FT ABOVE) AT HIMALAYAS
By : Rama ( myself) and my son, Krishnan (alias Ravi)
From : 26th June to 3rd July ,2012
26th – Left Chennai to Delhi by air. The flight
was at 8.45 am and reached Delhi by 11.15 am.
Reached Sanskrit Samsthan by 12.00 noon and had lunch at
Guriji’s place with his family consisting of his wife and two lovely daughters.
By Metro reached New Delhi station and caught the Jana
Shatabdhi at 3.15 p.m which reached us to Haridwar by 7.30 pm
Met an interesting person there, one Jaya swamini belonging
to Anakatti Dayanand Ashram.She has been travelling alone, a lady probably in
late 30’s. She told about her life at Anakatti. She was going to Panipat to
meet a mataji and then to Badrinath.
27th – Got up at early hrs at Haridwar, checked out of the Ayyappan lodge and had a breakfast of `ghatia, dhokla with jalebhi and hot milk at a way side eating joint and rushed to catch the 8 `o’ clock bus to Ukimath.
The journey by bus from Haridwar to Ukimath of 200 and odd
kms was a bit back braking one. Winding along the Himalayas, mostly close to
Ganges flowing along the mountains as Deva prayag and Rudra Prayag.
Starting at eight reached Ukimath by five pm. At Ukimath
checked in a hotel closed to bus stop. The room was in 2nd floor overlooking
the mountain slopes.
The development here is surprising. The rows of hill slopes
are dotted with houses and motels. Shops well stocked, connectivity by phone
and net. Here in Himalayas you get the feeling India has arrived.
28th – It was again an early start we had for the day. Got up by 5.15 am. Left the hotel by 6.00 am to catch a bus for onward journey. From the lodge we were staying it was a good 1km walk down to the bus point. Ukimath is in a good altitude, the morning, the morning was chilly, and the walk braced us up.
In a short while we got a mini bus to Chopta, a smaller
helmet further up the hills. That is the starting point to climb up Thunganath,
one of the highest placed peaks among Panch kedar at 12,000 ft. above. , We had
breakfast in the way side eatery (dhabha) where, I think one of the healthy places
to have food. The hot food cooked right in front of you which does not allow
any hanky, panky.
In three and half km we had to climb 1000 mts or 3000 and
odd ft. Initially I felt jittery sitting in the horse which was always moving
towards the edge of the path following its sister Babli. Starting at 9.30 am we
reached Thuganath by 11.30 am. Ravi too reached almost at the same time.
The lore behind Thuganath is once lord Chandran and the
stars decided to pray to Lord Shiva to reach higher hts of their own selves.
For praying they chose Thuganath which had a view of all the holy high snow-clad
peaks of Himalayas such as Gangotri, Yamnotri, Madhya Maheswar , Kedarnath,
Chokama, Neelkand ( Badrinath). Thus we can see all these from here. Lord Shiva
answered their prayers and helped them to improve their status.
Situated along the flow of Maharini river, this was later
revived and the temple was made by the Pandavas (the architect of this was
Arjuna) about 5500 yrs back where Lord Shiva’s heart and shoulder is supposed
to be present among the Panch Kedar.
The Panch kedar – the five Shiva shetras in Himalayas are –
Kedarnath
- Backside of Lord Shiva found
- Made by Yudhistra
Madhya Maheshwar - Naabhi -
Bhim
Thunganath
- Heart & shoulder - Arjun
Rudranath
- Eye & head - Sahadev
Kalpeshwar
- Hair - Nakul
The story goes the Pandavas having done Brahmahathi by
killing their guru dhrona and their brother, were now towards the end of their
life were in search of methods to mitigate their papa’s so that they an get
moksha. They went in search of Shiva at
kasi. However Shiva took leave of that place and went to Kedarnath and
took the form of a cattle. The Pandavas followed him up there and they located
Lord Shiva among the group of the cattle. However when they went to touch him
he sank to the ground to evade them! But they managed to touch the upper back
of Him. Later the Pandavas erected the Panch Kedar temple as told before as by
then Shiva had scattered himself to different places.
The Thunganath true to the story gives the worshipper peace and uplifts his soul. Thunganath is an old shrine made up of black stones. It is place in the present reseve forest where like Kedarnath heavy lay out of way side shops are not allowed. It has some motley shops selling tea and snacks as well puja thali to temple goers.
As soon I reached Thunganath and got down from the horse, I
went to take rest in a nearby shop. Here I found a pujari of the temple was
also sitting. Both myself and Ravi started talking to him and soon he became
friendly with us and became our un official guide, taking us to the temple and
also telling the sthala puranam etc.
Seeing the place and getting the feel of un disturbed
mountains at 12,000 ft., we decided to halt there itself for the night. We took
a room close to the shop made by `kale kamle wala- It had basic amnesties as a
cot – mattress and Rajai but being reserved area there was no electricity. Ravi
felt it will be in accordance to his call of spending time in undisturbed
places and we booked the room.
Meeting a Himalayan Baba – As he was away I got in touch
with a `Baba’ who has been staying there for 23 yrs. all alone in the chilly
and deadly weather. He had lot many interesting things to narrate. He invited
us to his kutir for evening arathi. Also gave some precious stones and rudraksh
for health and good luck. Evening we went to his kutir where a big havan (
homa) was lit and he sang lot of shiva bajans.
It was an unique experience meeting the babawith long
strands of hair pinned up, he sharing his life with us. He had come there with
nothing when he was quite young from Himachal Pradesh and now he has a house
where he makes food for other weary travelers and spends his life as per his
own `dikat.
He does a havan every yr in the month of July when lot of people attends the function. We promised to send some donation for the `havan’
Night we went to bed with all the stars for company. The sky
was clear and thousands of stars with the half moon was entertaining us for the
night. Remembered the story of stars prying there for the upliftment of their
soul.
29th – Again an early morning getting up. Ravi was getting ready for the sunrise at Chandrashila at 4.30 am. However I dissuaded him as I felt there will be risk of wild animals roaming in the reserved area in early predawn hrs. Later Ravi did leave by 5.15 am when the sky had just lighted up. He had again a fantastic time on the peak top having a tea-tee with nature in the early morning hrs. Later we had a light breakfast and left the premises at 9.00 am. The horses had been given a good-bye the day before itself. So now I decided to walk down the slopes ` somewhere you have to exercise your muscles having come to the hill range’. The travel down was quite an ordeal by the time I reached the end the leg muscles were literally weeping but at least I had the mental satisfaction of having exercised them. Starting at 9.00 am we reached by 12.00 noon
Getting down to Chopta below the Thunganath slopes we had to
face yet another ordeal. Our plan was to go to Ukimath 30 km down the road but
absolutely no local transport was available. We were stranded till 6.00 pm
waiting for the local bus and other private transport, finally we got a ride in
a private car and reached Ukimath by 7.30 pm.
A room in a well-run Anushri lodge was waiting for us. We
checked in and got back to the comfort of a semi urban zone. Had bath and ate
hot kichidi and went to a good night’s sleep in the comfortable cool brazing
weather of Ukimath.
30th. It was again an early morning getting up at 5.00 am, since Ravi was planning to leave with the guide by 6.00 am for a long rendezvous in to the mountains.
As it was my mother’s shradh day, I told some japa in the
morning with Ravi’s japa book as I thought I may not be able to do mush.
Ravi left by 6.30 am with the guide arranged by Dinesh
Tiwari the keeper of the lodge. I then just broached the matter of Shradha
kriya to Dinesh Tiwari, if it is possible by any chance to do it. He surprised
me by gearing up for a proper arrangement of the kriya. Where nothing was there
, he called over a vedacharya who turned out to be a very learned veda pandit
retired after manning both Badri and kedar
temples. He also collected all puja samagris, rare one like babul
plant’s flower and for a dhan a saree , a good sized brass plate & lota,
rice , dhal etc. For the veda pandit, he made arrangement to bring him by his van,
the usual one’s he told won’t be available at short notice being busy in
important shrines around.
Dinesh Tiwariji further got the place ready , cleaning the
place with lot of water, getting a proper aasan for acharya and got a milk
kheer ready as per specification of the Acharya. The Acharya Jamaloki Bhihanand
was very articulate in doing the kriya. The dhan things he did not even pick it
up but gave it to the people around here. So I could perform a detailed pitru kriya
in the holy place without plan or expectation.
The afternoon was peaceful, I could rest and catch up with
my writing of Vikram Vethal plays whose dead line was nearing before I reach
Delhi on 3rd.
Evening I went up again, now more confident with my leg
muscle, a km climb to Boleswar temple ,just above the lodge. The view up was
really breathtaking, all around rows and rows of mountains dotted with villages
who had trimmed the mountain in to beautiful steps and the ladies were
working cleaning the weeds.
River Madhakini was making a gorge deep down next to which
L& T company is making a dam with a electro project. I suppose the scenario
will be changed shortly with more development infiltering the place.
Today it’s a good place to spend as a mountain resort, in
close proximity to Kedarnath and Bhadrinath.
I got up a bit late had a cup of tea in the nearby kitchen
cum and eating joint and decided to take a stroll and ended up going to the
Hanuman temple nearby. It is a small compact temple at the junction of two
roads and idol was impressive. It was a peaceful set up to tell the prayers. As
I was praying the Purahit of the temple surfaced. He was a hill Takur who told
his tale as how he made this temple against all odds as he got an inspiration
to make one from Lord Hanuman Himself. He also had good knowledge of Himalayan
herbs, showed some in his bag. As I evinced interest he agreed to get for me
some more herbs, good for medicinal purpose and to put in `havan. He kept his
promise and brought the herbs which I could bring home.
Ravi returned by 5.00 pm, we then decided to have dharsan of
Ukimath Shiva temple, a good 2km walk along the mountains. This temple is a
very important shrine as it holds the Kedarnath moorthy for six months of
winter time when Kedarnath shrine closes due to snow. The temple, an ancient
one made up of heavy stones. The lore of the temple is a king called Maandhada
went to Himalayas probably from Maharashtra and did penance to Lord Shiva for
12 yrs. Lord appeared in the form of Omkareshwar. Hence the main deity there is
Omkareswar. While in winter the deities of Kedarnath and Madhyamaheswar come to
the shrine.
Returned back with an invigorating walk down the slopes had dinner and retired to bed early as we had to be ready for an early morning bus to Haridwar.
2nd – Got up at 4.30 am to catch the bus at 5.30 am. It was a straight run from Ukimath to Haridwar, a 230 km distance along the winding roads through series of Himalayan mountain for more than 8 hrs. The ride, a back breaking one even for tough ones, many in the bus were throwing out as the sharp turns were literally churning the insides. Luckily we were on the journey in an empty stomach.
Myself and Ravi in turn took bath. I took the help of some ladies who were taking bath to get down to the water. Once inside the water the feeling is swell. You don’t get the mind to come out. Then after bath we took a long walk till Hariki pod which is a good km and half walk along the banks, seeing the flowing Ganges. Hari ki Podi is the place where at 7.30 pm arathi takes place to river Ganges. At any time of the year the place looks like a mela with thousands of people thronging on either side of the banks to see and hear the arathi being done.
It is an electrifying feeling seeing the surging humanity and their strong belief in river Ganga to sustain them both physically, mentally and spiritually for the prayers are told with lot of devotion and the frenzy catches on to you. I prayed to river Ganga to put Archana back on the rails.
After arathi we started walking into the market place on
other bank. We decided to try the local fare for dinner. Chole,puri and halwa
and lassi, a proper U.P fare. Then we walked along the market retracing the
11/2 km path back to our place at
garwhal mandal lodge. The Haridwar market is another place to see, lined
thickly with shops on either side of the route and at any time a huge mass of
people from all parts of India trying to pick up the holy things sold there. We
too brought some for Patasala children and Vaageesh, Vaibhav few things.
Getting back to the lodge at 9.30 pm completed our sojourn
of the mountains.
