My Char Dham Trip - 2013

My Trip experience

Wanted to write my experience of my trip to CharDham yatra 2013.  Wherein it is considered one of the most sacred pilgrimage trip in India.  After completing the trip, I also agree with this, with few compromises as per Karma Bhoomi (laws of Karma)

I was planning to complete this trip when I was very young (Since my father completed this trip when he was in his peak earning period and his trip was more planned with department and association with railway department).  I had been to Rishikesh and Haridwar when i was in search of Career after completing my graduation.  However I could not go after Rishikesh.  At last God created opportunity to travel to Chardham  with my wife's grace.

Let me explain how it happened and successful.   After our London and EU trip.  we wanted to complete the chardham trip in 2009 -2010, but I was not in favor of this trip since i knew it was a tough and dangerous and also in my mind i had a thought that we could not make it completely. some how i had to postpone till Feb 2013.  On one Friday i don;t know God in the form of my wife gave me call.  That's it.  I had to go and book the trip for Chardham trough GMVN (Government run tourism).

This is the start. however we did not get the seats reservation which we were looking and compromised with availability.( second last row of 26 seat mini bus ).  Myself, Wife and Adi (son) with Nagesh ( Wife's brother)

 

These photos are at Poolchetti a place near by JanakiChetti ( Starting point of the trekking to Yamunotri ) Chotta - CharDhams are Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedernath and Badrinath.

Most of the travel to these places will be in Day Time.  Night travel is not allowed due to the narrow roads and land slides.

We had ample rest before we start to another dham.

We started trekking to yamunoti around 12 KM up and down by walk.  We had to climb the steap gradient and cover around 1200 Meters high to reach Yumunotri.  There are other means to cover the distance, Like pooni, paliki and Bittu with reasonable rate.  However we opted to walk.

Walk is horrible during peak days ( May - June).  Best time to visit without rush is October - November before divali.  You will escape the smell of pooni, dust of horse dung and other push and pull on the way.   This is trek is very narrow pathway say 3 feet.  it should accommodate horse, Paliki, bittu and trekkers like us who wants to enjoy the air, freshness of the place and scenic beauty.  There is an hot water pond here.  We have take bath here and visit the temple.   Hot water spring bath will be nice.  However water is very hot.    we can cook rice within 2 mts.  Temperature will around 190 degree centigrade.

Gangotri trip 

Before going to Gangotri we stayed in Harsil a very nice place.  From Harsil gangotri is 35 KM.  A dangerous route as per Drivers.  A miss you will in Bhageerathi river.  We reached Gangotri at 9:30 AM.
We went directly to the river bath.  Near the river the scenery is awesome.  We took bath in bone chilled water.  It was so cold there,  touch the water hands were freezed.  We saw around and were people taking bath.  But interesting thing is even childrens were taking bath in such cold weather and water.  We had dharshan of Gangotri did puja to river and goddess.