As I previously stated, we decided to travel from the starting point at Gaurikund to Kedarnath entirely on foot. The voyage commenced in Haridwar. Due to the post-pandemic situation, there were very few local buses running from Haridwar to Guptkashi. To travel to Kedarnath and Badrinath, we rented a car for five days.
Early in the morning, we departed Kedarnath and drove on the winding mountain roads. I was always enthralled with the scenery, even after we had been here a few times. When we see the Mandakini and Alaknanda Rivers meet at Rudraprayag, the pure beauty of the mountain rivers still makes us yearn for more.
Our constant traveling companion on the route to Kedarnath was the Mandakini River. After arriving in Guptkashi at 3:30 PM, we decided to go on to Sonprayag. If you arrive late, Guptkashi is one of the places to stay the night because it has a lot of hotels.
We soon arrived in Sonprayag and made our way to a hotel to spend the night. While we did find several hotels in Sonprayag, most of them were closed. It appeared that fewer pilgrims traveled during this season than in prior years, and the explanation was clear.
Formerly, the Kedarnath Yatra began in Sonprayag. However, a motorable road has since been constructed to Gaurikund, and shared jeeps can now transport people the 5 km between Sonprayag and Gaurikund.
We got going pretty early in the day. We made our way to the Yatra Registration Counter as soon as we arrived in Sonprayag. Following the 2013 flash floods, the number of pilgrims (Yatris) visiting the Kedarnath shrine is controlled to ensure a controlled Chardham Yatra. You can register for the Yatra online and receive an electronic pass. You have two options: ask your agent to handle it or do it yourself. Additionally, a counter is available to obtain the Yatra e-pass Sonprayag. A man was sitting in front of a laptop, charging Rs. 50 for a Yatra e-pass.
We went straight to the Registration Counter with our Yatra e-pass in hand. After thermal screening and recording the e-pass number, they allowed us to begin our Yatra. The pilgrims also receive a physical pass each year. Perhaps due to fewer pilgrims this year, we were unable to obtain it.
Gaurikund – Sonprayag
Upon registering for the Kedarnath Yatra, we proceeded towards the jeeps designated to transport the pilgrims to Gaurikund. After taking our places in the jeep, we soon arrived at Gaurikund. Each person's jeep fare was Rs thirty.
The Kedarnath trek route is 16 km long, beginning in Gaurikund and ending at Kedarnath. The 2013 flash floods caused the trekking route to be rebuilt and altered. A better, wider trekking trail has now replaced the previous trekking route.
The Kedarnath Trek Begins:-
The journey commences at Gaurikund. Translated, "kund" means "reservoir," and Gaurikund boasts a hot spring where pilgrims typically take a bath before starting their yatra. Following the 2013 floods, the hot spring is no longer present. There's a large enclosure now where pilgrims can bathe.
Another notable feature of Gaurikund is the Gauri Temple, which honors Goddess Parvati. The Uma Maheswar Temple, where Lord Shiva is revered in the shape of a rock, is located close to the Gauri Temple.
Many stores in Gaurikund can meet any traveler's need, but the area is crowded. There are several lodging options available at Gaurikund as well.
We left Gaurikund at about eight in the morning. The Mandakini River teemed with spirit and beauty. We had to begin our trek towards Kedarnath Temple even though I wanted to stay and enjoy the sparkling river.
The starting gate is approximately 0.5 kilometers away from the booking office for horses, mules, palkis, and Pitthus. In essence, paths are men who bear the pilgrims on their shoulders. Typically, Pitthus' services are accepted by both young and elderly pilgrims. Pitthus and mules are both subject to a set rate. You can reserve them right here. But mules are present almost along the trail.
The Horse Point (Ghoda Pul), where you can mount horses or mules to continue your journey, is reached after a kilometer of hiking. Only from this point forward are the horses permitted. The trail is fairly congested with horses, mules, and their owners up to this point. Remember that they will ask you to get a mule for the trip regularly! At least fifteen people had advised me to ride a horse to Kedarnath.
We hiked the well-maintained path. As usual, we were panting and extremely exhausted very quickly. Our legs were itching for a break. This is what occurs when you stop exercising and haven't gone on a hike in over a year! Still, we pressed on with our trek. However, I have to admit that there were a few times when I thought I ought to have hired a mule.
The Bheembali is the trail's next important stop. At Bheembali, the trekking route splits into two sections: one for trekkers and the other reserved for horses and mules. After Rambara, both trails eventually come together.
One of the largest towns along the Kedarnath trekking route used to be Rambara. The 2013 floods had destroyed the settlement. The remnants of the former hiking path, which a local shopkeeper directed us toward, are all that are left today. The Mandakini River can be seen thundering down through the gorges from this location as well.
The former path to Kedarnath, which went through the Mandakini River on the left, has since been destroyed. On the right side of the river, the new route has now been built. After walking for a few more minutes, we arrived at Chhoti Lincholi. We decided to have lunch there because it was getting close to 12:30 PM at the time.
This location can be considered the trail's midpoint.
After enjoying a satisfying meal of alu paratha in Chhoti Lincholi, we were well-prepared for the next part of the hike. And at that moment, a minor miracle took place. It began to snow! We could see the snowflakes on the tents and us, though not quite all of the heavy snowfall.
To be honest, when we first started, the day was clear and sunny. Everyone was delighted about the snowfall, and some of them began to sing a song from the area. We were informed that this was the second snowfall of the year and that the residents were delighted to see it. The snow stopped for almost thirty minutes after we had enjoyed it.
Although the snowfall made us feel like ardent lovers, it also made the trail a little challenging for us. The weather turned chilly and we were already over an hour late. After lunch and the first snowfall, we had a leisurely start to our hike towards Kedarnath.
At last, we arrived at Lincholi. There are several places to stay at Lincholi. This place is yours to spend the night. Lincholi is roughly 6 km away from Kedarnath. Despite our strong desire to turn around at Lincholi, we decided to hike to Kedarnath. We hiked for an additional hour until we arrived at Kedarnath Base Camp.
At Kedarnath Base Camp, there is a GMVN Guest House and Cottages. The shrine at Kedarnath is 500 meters away. Here is also a check post where the registration slips are examined. They genuinely don't check any slips; they just ask for the e-pass numbers. After a long hike, we arrived at the shrine at around 4 PM. As soon as we arrived in Kedarnath, we made an effort to find lodging. There are several lodging options close to the shrine, most of which are dorms. In the end, we decided to stay at the Bikaner House, which is located directly behind the Kedarnath Temple.
We arrived at the Kedarnath Temple just in time for the evening Aarti. Aarti begins at 5:30 p.m. We went to our guest house, had dinner, and then just cuddled up in our sleeping bags after watching the Aarti.
The trail ends at Kedarnath Temple.
The following morning, we got up early and headed to the Kedarnath Temple. We witnessed the temple in all its splendor this time. During the 2013 floods, Kedarnath's main temple was spared damage.
The temple's interior is somewhat dim. The five Pandava brothers and their spouse, Draupadi, are depicted in statues. Recall the story I told you earlier. Inside the main hall, there is a conical-shaped stone that is supposed to be the hump of the bull that Lord Shiva transformed into. Within the main hall are also the statues of Lord Shiva and several other deities.
After making our prayers in the temple, we spent some time exploring the area. I had a few old photos from my nearly three-decades-old visit to Kedarnath Temple. I made an effort to relate the locations to those images. It was obvious that the temple had survived despite the changes to the area.
This is one place where you will always feel at ease. Numerous ash-smeared saints and sadhus are sitting with trident-wielding sadhus throughout the temple (Trishul). They appear to be living in a separate universe. Observing these sadhus wandering the temple, occasionally smoking marijuana and occasionally singing, is pretty interesting.
We spent some time exploring the Kedarnath Temple, and at about 8.30 AM, we set out again for Gaurikund. After sporadic breaks, we descended to Gaurikund and arrived by 2 PM. At Gaurikund, our car was waiting for us. We decided to spend the night in Guptkashi before moving on to Badrinath. We resumed our journey in that direction. We'll save our trip to Badrinath for the following tale. Kedarnath Temple Hours: Every day from 4 AM to 9 PM, the temple is open.Everything you should know about the Kedarnath Yatra and Trek.
Conclusion:-
Kedarnath Dham is a sacred journey that spans time, mythology, and spirituality rather than just being a temple. It serves as a reminder of the amazing force of nature, a lighthouse of devotion, and a tribute to the human spirit. As pilgrims keep coming to this place in the Himalayas, they join the living history of Kedarnath.
JAI KEDAR!
0 Comments