SEVEN BADRIS, FIVE KEDARS AND FIVE PRAYAGS - By Shankar Rajaram || Part-5 (Day 10th to 13th)

Hope you enjoyed day-1 , day-2/3,  day4/5 and Day 6-9 of this journey.

10th day :

We trekked back to Unaina from Gaundhar next day and took a bus to Ukhimath. I visited a temple at Ukhimath where the idol of Kedarnath and Madmaheswar are worshipped in winter time. We reached Gaurikund in the evening and I took bath in the hot-springs. I stayed in a hotel near Gaurikund and had darshan of temples near Gaurikund.

11th day :

Early morning, I started with vigor for the trek to Kedarnath temple. I stayed in a newly constructed hotel. The holy place is named after king Kedar the ruler of Satya Yuga. The temple is not only famous for its implications, but possesses wonderful sights of Mother Nature, which are simply amazing and breathtaking. The linga is a natural rock that resembles the hump of a bull. The crowd was less and I had a nice darhsan. Fortunately that day the temple was decorated with flowers. The entire temple had a heavenly atmosphere. I felt I am lucky that I had seen the colorful Kedar temple and got the blessings of Bholenath. My five Kedar darshan ended with a happy note of worshipping the deity in a decorated and colorful form.  I also had darshan of Bharivnath temple, a km away from the temple ad Aadi Shankaracharya temple near to Kedar main temple. My entire day was spent around Kedar temple.

12th day :

My final destination was Aadi Badri. Very early in the morning started our trek To Gaurikund and from there we took a bus to Rudraprayag. Aadi Badri is located near Karnaprayag about 16km. The 7th Badri, Aadi Bdri is the ancient Shrine of the Saptha Badri temples. Karnaprayag is the confluence of Pindar river and Alakananda river in Chamouli district. The sanctum holds black stone image of Vishnu depicting Him holding mace, lotus and chakra. Here the same system is followed as the in the temple of Badri Vishal. From Aadi Badri we went to Srinagar via Karnaprayag. Our night halt was at Srinagar tourism hotel. This is the last stage of my travel.

13th day

My next pilgrimage has started when I left Srinagar for Uttarkashi for Gangotri at about 6 o’ clock in the morning. Though it is long duration with al lot of climatic changes and strenuous trek the darshan of 7 Badris, 5 Prayags and 5 Kedars stands fresh in my mind and will stay that way always. I pray Bholenath and Badrinath who had blessed me with enough strength to complete this trek.

With the Blessings of Shiva and Vishnu, I got profound peace of mind as a result of this pilgrimage

MOREOVER I AM REALLY MOVED BY THE AFFECTION SHOWN BY THE COOKS, DINESH AND SURAJ AND THE TWO GUDIES, SANDEEP AND BALDEV.  WITHOUT THEIR AFFCTION AND SUPPORT, I COULD HAVE NOT DONE TREK IN A SATISFYING MANNER.

I am happy that my experience with mountains and local people. I consider this as one of the most rewarding and meaningful experiences of my entire life.

LIFE IS MEANINGLESS WITHOUT THE SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE OF THE HIMALAYAS. MY ATTACHMENT AND AFFECTION TO HIMALAYAN REGION CONTINUES TILL DATE AND THERE IS NO END TO OUR BOND.

MY  ROUTE:

Haidwar --- Rishikesh --- Joshimath

Joshimath --- Yoghyadhan badri(pandukeshwar) --- Badri Vishal

Joshimath ---.Bavishya Badri(near Tapovan) --- Ardh Badri

Joshimath --- Vridha Badri on the Joshimath-Haridwar road

Vridha Badri --- Helang --- Urgam --- Dhyan Badri --- Kalpeshwar

Urgam --- Kalgot --- Panar --- Rudranath

Rudranath --- .Panar --- Sagar --- Mandol --- Chopta

Chopta --- Tunganath --- Chandrasheela --- Chopta

Chopta --- Ukhimath --- Jagasu ---.Unaina ---.Ransi --- Gaundhar --- Madhmaheshwar

Madhmaheshwar --- Gaundhaar --- Ransi ---- Unaina --- Jagasu --- Ukhimath ---GuptKashi --- Gaurikund

Gaurikund  --- Kedarnath ---.Gaurikund --- Guptkashi --- Rudraparayag --- Karnaprayag --- Adi Badri

Aadi  Badri --- Karnaprayag --- Rudraprayag --- Srinagar --- Uttarkashi