TRIP TO GANGOTRI . Review on Gangotri

Gangotri is like heaven on earth. We have read stories about the bringing of Ganga from swarga to earth. We want to visit many places but because of lack of information, zeal and planning we miss out on many of these. There are rise and fall in life of a person and he/she only knows the efforts put in for every rise. Fall is simple without efforts, just get careless, start neglecting basic principles of life and see what a smooth fall it is. It applies to the journey in Himalayas.

To gain experiences of Himalayas one has to gear up for hardships of journey. It is not a mere visit to a tourist place. When you go up from Rishikesh and the feeling of being in Himalayas struck you, stop for a while bow to the majestic Himalayas, think of it as your great………..grandfather and pray that since we are in your lap, it’s your responsibility to take care of ours. Whatever he is going to offer in coming days will be acceptable to us without any complaints.As usual my suggestion is to go by own conveyance/hired one for enjoying the beauty of this place.

Each of Chardham is 200+-250 k.m. From Rishikesh.  During my trips and interactions with others I have felt that all of us make a mistake of covering everything in shortest span of time and there we miss so many places or the effect of a particular place. Another problem is that we wish to go to these difficult, far off places in search of peace and once we are there, we wish to run away from here as we the city dwellers cant stand to that peace. So don’t make the mistake made by me and decide for 1-2 places at time and keep 7-10 days.We have been to Gangotri 2 ½ times. Surprised.

OK first two times in month of May and October and third time in August and had to abandon my journey half way between Uttarkashi and Gangotri because of damaged road by landslides. It was horrible and till I turned back, I was thinking about what if my Santro’s axle break. Lesson – never visit any of these places in monsoon months i.e. July and August.Both times when we could make up to Gangotri, we went via Tehri an old historic town now submerged in Bhagirathi.

Just before it was to be submerged I passed through Tehri and saw it was all deserted except few shops in market that were still open to do business with last batch of passing by tourists. People of Tehri have been resettled at New Tehri, which is at greater heights. During last trip had to go through different way via Agarkhal, this place is beautiful at great heights and because of monsoon, it was just green everywhere.From Rishikesh you pass through Narinder Nagar, Chamba, Dobata, Dharasu and Uttarkashi. Dharasu is known as Dharasu band as one U turns from here takes you to Yamnotri. We have not been to Yamnotri yet and plan to go this May/June.

First time I had taken my Fiat up to Uttarkashi and was not sure of its performance further up. So I parked it at a petrol pump and hired a Jeep for up and down with one night stay at Gangotri. I was with my wife and two daughters and felt as if we were in a cage. I think there were no shockers in Jeep. Driver became friendly as I make a point to develop rapport with the locals. He only told that sir you are going to heaven and will enjoy the way. I told him that if we come back to collect our Fiat, certainly I will share the enjoying experiences with others, otherwise it is sure that we are starting for heaven.

Till Bhatwari I didn’t feel anything special and complained to the driver for exaggerating the facts. He stopped at Bhatwari for cup of tea and said that now we should get ready for heavenly way. Believe me as we crossed Bhatwari everything changed, scenery is so beautiful that you wont like to talk to your companions. We stopped at Gagnani; it is a temple with hot water ponds inside. At one place in mandir there were two small kunds. Your right foot will be on hot stone and left on the cold stone. Unbelievable but true. We had parked the Jeep on road, which was almost at 45-degree inclination.

Next time I went by my Wagon R and felt the thrill of driving on very narrow roads. It was in October and practically there was no traffic. I stopped at one teashop for smoke and inside the shop I saw one sadhu with half dhoti only. We were shivering and he was sitting there calmly as if it was a hot summer month. When we reached near Gangotri, we saw a pair of deer like animals. They just appeared from gorge side and disappeared after giving a glimpse. Later one saint told us that it is supposed to be very lucky, if one sight this animal.When you are in Gangotri, you will be shook by the mighty Himalayan Mountains.

On right Bhagirathi is making gurgling sound and you are surrounded by highest peaks going straight up and making you feel very small. There are many hotels available, but remember what I said in earlier review. Choose GMVN, as it will provide neat rooms with good food. Electricity is big problem here, so keep candles and torches ready for night. From parking area you go straight to Gangotri mandir. It is unimaginable that how people can take bath in ice-cold water, when a person like found it difficult to stand bare foot on cement slabs on bhagirathi banks. But I have decided to take bath, when I go next time.

From Gangotri there is 18 km trek to Gaumukh, which I could not take because of my mother. This trek further goes to Tapovan and Nandanvan. Gangotri is at height of 3048 m. In night you feel as if you are in bowl, whose sides are very high. Stars seem to be so bright and so near.On way back to Uttarkashi you go by the same way, but make point to stay for a night at Harsil famous for apple orchards. You get wooden hotels to stay and also have the facility to stay in camps on Bhagirathi banks. Another place is Bhaironghati, there is a bridge between two mountains and it is so high that some people shiver while crossing it. One can stay in GMVN Uttarkashi and see the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

There is a mountain called Varunavrat parvat. Two years back it started raining stones on Uttarkashi city and many houses were damaged by it. I have taken photographs of this mountain, which clearly show erosion made at two major places through which stones used to come down.If you go from Uttarkashi to Kedarnath, it is different route. There is so much to write may be some other time.