Firsthand experience of Badrinath Yatra . Review on Badrinath

I twisted key in Ignition of my SUVs in the morning 5AM May 21, 2012 for my long tour of Kedarnath & Badrinath to feel a driving experience of Uttaranchal hills. Though it could be presumed as a pilgrimage tour but first I was a traveler on vacation & fulfilling my wish to drive to north border of India. We took our first halt at Haridwar than at Rishikesh we did river rafting , then at 7.30 pm we spend night at Srinagar in a nice hotel named River view, we took 2 AC rooms here for 3900 with one extra bed. Food was good. Road from Rishikesh to Srinagar stretched curvy of 100KM. Next day in morning we left the hotel around 7 am for Guptkashi, where we reached after around 3 hour journey of 80 Km. GMVNL accommodation had booked in advance. Location of the hotel was good but services were pathetic, ill maintained dormitory spoiled our stay here.

Guptkashi, A small sleepy hill station stores various ancient temples like temple of Vishwanath, Kalimath, Narayan koti mandir group, yaksh devta attract by its architecture Apart of it, many helicopter services for Kedarnath are operated from here & nearby places. As we didn’t get booking of helicopter to Kedarnath of that day we used our time to visit Kalimath 12 Km far from hotel, a beautiful landscape was in the way, at Kalimath there were ancient temples & idols, three devi’s temple make it a math. Temple is perched on bank of river Mandakini. All of its experience was surreal. Ancient Yaksh temple on a hilltop was our next destination. It was desolated infrequently visited temple, from here whole of town was visible. A beautiful boarding school of Govt owned is situated at this hilltop. After that we directed our steering to Narayan koti Mandir , just 7 km far on Kedarnath road , the temples have ancient & rustic charm & it is a must visit place .

Now it was time of Arti at Vishwanath temple so we quickly rolled down to town & reached to the temple . The legend states that sage Vyas Rishi advised the Pandavas that since they were culpable of slaying their own relatives (Kauravas, their cousins) during the Mahabharata war. Their act could be pardoned only by Lord Shiva. Consequently, the Pandavas went in search of Shiva who was avoiding them since he was convinced of the guilt of Pandavas. In order to keep away from them, Shiva took the form of a bull and went into hiding in an underground safe haven at Guptkashi, where Pandavas chased him, Pandavas were told that they should do atonement for hidden sins, after penance Shiva’s body in the form of bull’s body parts rematerialized at five different locations that represent the “Panch Kedar” where Pandavas built temples of Lord Shiva at each location, to worship and venerate, seeking his pardon and blessings. Each one is identified with a part of his body; Tungnath is identified as the place where the bahu (hands) were seen: hump was seen at Kedarnath; head appeared at Rudranath; his navel and stomach surfaced at Madhya maheshwar; and his jata (hair or locks) at Kalpeshwar. So temple of Guptkashi has equal ponderosity of panch kedar . Next day we proceeded to Ukkimath here in Onkareshwar temple idols of Kedarnath come every year when gates of Kedarnath closes due to heavy snow, after foot trek of 3 days, after visiting the temple we had our breakfast outside & then we proceed for Chopta, though it is a beautiful hill-station of Uttrakhand , it lacks good facility to attract tourist.

From Ukkimath to Chopta whole landscape is spectacular, lush green, lot of pasture, stimulating enough to stop & watch the nature here & there. It could be converted popular destination if Govt or tourist department take interest to develop it. It needed good accommodations & some park like in Dhanaulty. Highlight of this place is from here trekking of Tungnath starts. Tungnath is one of the Kedar of Panch- Kedar. Tungnath is the highest temple in the world and is one of the five and the highest panch kedar temples located in the mountain range of Tunganath. The Tunganath (literal meaning: Lord of the peaks) mountains form Mandakini and Alaknanda river valleys.

Located at an altitude of 3, 680 m (12, 073 ft), ( height of leh is 11500 ft) and just below the peak of Chandrashila, Tungnath temple is the highest Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva . The temple is believed to be 1000 years old and is the second in the pecking order of the Panch Kedars. Tungnath is at the top of the ridge dividing the waters of the Mandakini (rising from Kedarnath) from those of the Alaknanda River (rising above Badrinath). The . The temple lies about 2 km (1.2 mi) below the Chandrashila Peak (4, 000 m (13, 123 ft)). From the top of the Chandrashila peak, picturesque views of the Himalayan range comprising snow peaks of Nanda Devi, Panch Chuli, Banderpoonch, Kedarnath, Chaukhamba and Neelkanth on one side, and the Garhwal valley on the opposite side could be witnessed.

The valley between Chopta and Tungnath temple has wooded hills with rich alpine meadows with rhododendron coppices and also agricultural fields. The rhododendrons, when they are in full bloom during March, display dazzling colors ranging from crimson to pink. A high-altitude botanical station of the Garhwal University is located here. Nearing the top of the temple, there is a forest rest house at Dugalibitta, just opposite to the Kedarnath range of hills. The Kedaranth Wild Life Sanctuary, also called the Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary, set up in 1972 to preserve the endangered Musk Deer , crossed during drive from Ukkimath to Chopta .

Of all the Panch Kedar trek routes, the route to Tungnath is the shortest: only 4 km (2.5 mi) from Chopta (on the Ukimath Gopeshwar road) that can be covered in approximately 3–4 hours (depending on the trekker's physical ability). Trek is a moderate (and sometimes steep) climb (9, 600–12, 000 ft (2, 926–3, 658 m)), the trek path is stone paved with benches provided en-route at intervals to rest and enjoy the beautiful views of the Chowkhamba, Nanda Devi, Neelkanth and Kedarnath peaks. Thin air forced us to take deep breath & we had taken rest 3 to 4 times during our trek. We took 3 & ½ hour for whole up & down trekking, parents & kids were playing at Chopta while waiting for us .

Now we headed toward Joshimath, Gopeshwar & Chamoli were major town in way. At Joshimath we had booking in new hotel of GMNVL, here GMNVL has 2 resorts both are nearby, and view from new one is good.

services were good, though water problem was there but staff is quite cooperative regarding it. Food was also good. Next day in morning on 7 am we drove to Badrinath, it was 45 KM journey of 2 hr. In morning I didn’t get any obstacle so I reached their little faster .one thing should be take care here in whole way up to Badrinath there wasn’t any fuel pump. Even If you require diesel , you need to 6 km in different direction. In Joshimath only petrol is available.

In the way Gobind Ghat welcomed you after 6 km, from here you can trek for valley of flowers & Hemkund sahib. You need 2 days for the trekking. And when I was at badrinath I was in the middle of exquisite beauty , lush green Himalayas just was at level of my eyes . Low snow capped peaks are looked close enough to reach out & touch, sky was brilliant blue. Pilgrims were in full enthusiasm they all are at the one of the holy char dham of India.A legend says that the Pandavas passed through Badrinath and the town of Mana, 4 km north of Badrinath, on their way to heaven.