#134: From my unlocked diaries: A trip to Dev Bhoomi – Kedarnath: Part 1

After 2 years of Covid induced travel restrictions, the call of the Himalayas was simply irresistible. Finally, it was time for us to head to Uttarakhand (a northern Himalayan state in India), also called the Dev Bhoomi – a land where Gods reside. Our 10-day pre-planned itinerary had a combination of temple runs and a few treks, starting with a visit to Kedarnath shrine. ?

Kedarnath, the abode of Lord Shiva is considered the most sacred among the Char Dham Yatras (4 pilgrimage locations – Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath in the Himalayas) for the Hindus. Kedarnath temple is located at a height of 11,800 feet in the Gharwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini River. ?Due to extreme weather conditions here, the temple is open only for 6 months in a year between April – October.

It is only after arriving at Guptakashi (about 33 Kms away from Kedarnath) we realized the massive influx of devotees. After checking into our lodge in Guptkashi, we made some enquires about availability of a Helicopter, to get to Kedarnath the next day. ?To our surprise at one of the Helipads nearby, the booking agent laughed & said – ‘Sirji, since you have not booked online, you need to stand in long queue, first to register and then try your luck in the next 2 – 3 days’

After looking at our dejected expressions, the agent turned around and said – ‘Sirji, if you want to go right now, I can try to put you on the next flight - pointing to the Helicopter that had?just landed. It will cost you a little higher.?I am hearing even getting a horse tomorrow will be impossible due to heavy rush’

Stumped by the agents unexpected offer, for a moment we were overjoyed, but only till Nidhi, my daughter reminded us that we carried no warm clothing, and our hotel room booking on top of Kedarnath was for the day after!?

We politely refused the ‘Tatkaal’ (instant) Helicopter ride offer and decided to get back to the hotel for the night. The options in front of us – a 21 Kms arduous trek on a crowded route, or a back-breaking horse ride, or just give up on Kedarnath darshan this time around…???

After a lot of heated deliberations, Nidhi was clear; she had resolved to walk up the entire 21 kms climb.?Charu, my wife and me were hesitant, but decided to take a call once we reached the start of the climb the next day morning.?

But faith does deliver some amazing wonders. The next day we were up by 3 AM and reached Sonprayag (starting point of the trek) by 4 AM. ?Our travel agent had by then offered to help us - with horses for both of us! ?So, a back-breaking ride it was going to be, for the two of us!!

Soon we met Debu Rawat (Rawat), our contact person dodging his way through thousands of horses near the starting point of the trek.?

Rawat was sharp, witty and a good conversationalist.?He even mentioned that he had assisted the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput during filming of the movie Kedarnath few years ago.?I will never know if this is a spin that he gave every tourist!?

When I asked Rawat about how things were shaping up in Kedarnath after the 2013 cloud burst, he just smiled and replied, absolutely unfazed – ‘Sirji, after every Vinash comes Vikas’ (after every destruction comes prosperity). ?

Rawat was blunt, but right. That’s the circle of life – a bitter truth, but real.?Everything on the trek path seemed back to normal; business was buzzing, shops and lodges doing brisk business.?The scars of the past seemed to have faded, forgotten - both by devotees and locals.?

Assigning Rani and Rajput, the two horses and helping us sit on them, Rawat looked at Nidhi and challenged her – ‘I will take a bet … you cannot trek for more than 5 Kms on this route. Better you also take a horse now itself, else you will repent later’

Nidhi was adamant. ?Rawal’s direct challenge had further got her all charged up.?Even before we could turn back, Nidhi with a stick in hand disappeared into the maddening traffic of trekkers, horses, Dholis (4 porters carrying a hefty devotee comfortably seated on top), Pittu (one porter carrying one elderly adult or a kid of moderate weight) – all going up & down on this narrow treacherous path.?

After a 5 hours back-breaking horse ride with just one pit-stop, we finally reached the horse-station on the peak; just 20 minutes later, Nidhi made it to the top – walking! She had proven Rawal wrong. We were truly proud of her resolve and commitment!!

As the 3 of us further walked the last 1 Km, it started to snow. And as we took the last bend towards the temple … lo and behold, there it was – the majestic Kedarnath temple with the mighty Himalayas in the background.??

At that moment all our pains and travails of the arduous journey just seemed to disappear.?About an hour later, the sky cleared up and it was bright again.?The golden glow of the sunset kissing the snow-clad mountain provided a picture-perfect backdrop and setting for the evening Aarthi.?The sound of the temple bells added to the devotion filled air.

After the late night Kedarnath darshan, the next day we were up by 4 AM to start the trek back. Chants of Har Har Mahadev filled the morning misty air. The local Sadhus in their orange robes and matted hair, lighting fires to provide the much-needed warmth to the devotees in the freezing cold.?

As we journeyed back downhill, we started noticing the swelling crowds – both up & down the narrow mountain path. It included several porters carrying Dholi’s & Pittu’s - their legs trembling under the sheer weight of devotees they carried.?Unmindful, unaware or just not bothered - many devotees comfortably perched up on them; some even taking a bite, while some blissfully clicked pictures with their mobile phones.?

Many overworked horses were struggling, tripped over several times being repeatedly whipped by their masters, to move faster.?By the wayside I could notice a few dead horses, just abandoned … a pitiable condition indeed. ?

These sights started evoking a sense of guilt and self-doubt inside me – have we all succumbed to this ‘call of faith’ by inflicting such cruelty to animals and exploiting fellow humans, just because a few can ‘afford it’? ?

In the next few days, while reading local newspapers we realised the toll that this year’s Kedarnath Yatra had taken.?In just 3 weeks, more than 100 people had died due to fatigue, cardiac issues and hypothermia.?About 400 over-worked horses had died so far, many just abandoned.?More than 10 tonnes of plastic and garbage left behind by devotees.?

I understand the local economy is driven by this huge influx of devotees.?But how long can this clash of faith Vs exploitation of humans, animals and the fragile Himalayas continue?

It is only ironical that Adi Shankaracharya, the proponent of Advaita philosophy came here almost 1,200 years ago, on foot, all the way from south India to re-establish some of these ancient shrines in the Himalayas.?He even gave up his physical body here in Kedarnath. Shankaracharya and his soul & faith still resides here.

While this unwavering devotion & faith still very much prevails here, I was pained by this rampant destruction of nature, overexploitation of humans and animals. How long can nature tolerate this constant onslaught of faith – year after year?

It’s time for the local administration to wake up and put some restrictions on number of devotees, before it is too late. ?The last thing we want is for nature to wake up, to perform its own damage control … in the way it knows best.?When that happens, it may be rather too late… ?

Balu

June 2, 2022

Please feel free to write in your comments & views to the author at - [email protected]

(The views, ideas and opinions are of the author alone; they cannot & do not represent the views and opinions of the author’s employers, nor do they represent the view of organizations, businesses, or institutions the author is, or has been a part thereof – either present or in the past)