TRIP TO THE PANCH KEDAR – THUNGANATH  (12,000 FT ABOVE) AT HIMALAYAS

By : Rama ( myself) and my son,  Krishnan (alias Ravi)

From : 26^th June to 3^rd July ,2012

26^th – 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

From station walked down to Ayappan lodge and temple close to the station. Checked our luggage in a room, had bath, went to the temple had dharsan and partook our dinner there itself. Dinner was served in centre portico as a buffe. Nearly 30 to 40 people partook, all pilgrims and tourists like us.

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.

27^th – 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.

The route was Haridwar, Rishikesh, Devaprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Kund, and Ukimath.

Starting at eight reached Ukimath by five pm. At Ukimath checked in a hotel closed to bus stop. The room was in 2^nd 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.

28^th – 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.

The breakfast was hot Alu paratha, hot veg, curds and pickle. We then negotiated with a`godawala’- horseman. It was decided, I would ride in the horse while Ravi will walk it up. The horse man came with 2 horses telling they always travel together `Babli and Vasanthi’. We agreed to it. While I rode on Vasanthi, Babli carried the luggage. The weather was real good. The sky was clear and sunny, the way up was paved neatly with flat mountain stones, only the path was steep.

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.

We then went up to the temple had a good dharsan with the pujari guide in close quarters, told rudra japa sitting in the temple prahara.Came down had lunch. 

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.

29^th – 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.

30^th. 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 3^rd.

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.    

1st - Today’s day started late as it had no agenda for morning. Ravi had to come back from his trekking trip to Devrital.

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.

2^nd – 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.

Reached Haridwar by 1.30 pm, checked in the Garwhal State guest house. After some rest we moved towards Ganges flowing nearby. Along the banks of Ganges they have made paved pathways with steps down to Ganges with iron railings for people to catch and take bath in swift moving river. The flow of the river here is real huge and swift. One has to be careful in taking bath or else one may go with the powered flow.

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.

 After some rest we boarded the Massurie express at the 1^st class A.C coupe. We could rest our tired bodies till the train reached New Delhi at 8.00 am.