Banks of Ganga – Kashi, Prayag, Gaya
One of the most amazing trips to self discovery are the trips that you take without any rhyme or reason and just keep wandering and walking across the horizon! But once every while comes a trip that you have to take… The aboriginal walk if I may say so… Such trips have a way of shaping themselves within their journeys and make for one of the most enchanting experiences of your life. Some spiritually enlightning, some full of incidents that open your mind to new dimensions and some full of introspective self provocating thoughts that keep you wondering, how far you’ve traveled on this road, a journey that you began years ago and where you are right now.
One such trip I took about six months ago. It was when I decided to celebrate the death anniversary and perform rites of my departed father along the banks of River Ganga in the most revered destinations across the country. The holy land of ganges! While I did that I also had some time to follow my passion for travel and come back with stories of the land of enchanted. My trip started off with Banaras and my first ritual was at Kashi, then at Gaya and finally at Prayaag.
The land of Varanasi (Kashi) has been the ultimate pilgrimage spot for Hindus for ages. Often referred to as Benares, Varanasi is the oldest living city in the world. These few lines by Mark Twain say it all: “Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together”. Hindus believe that one who is graced to die on the land of Varanasi would attain salvation and freedom from the cycle of birth and re-birth. Abode of Lord Shiva and Parvati, the origins of Varanasi are yet unknown. Ganges in Varanasi is believed to have the power to wash away the sins of mortals. (Varanasicity.com)
Ganges is said to have its origins in the tresses of Lord Shiva and in Varanasi, it expands to the mighty river that we know of. The city is a center of learning and civilization for over 3000 years. With Sarnath, the place where Buddha preached his first sermon after enlightenment, just 10 km away, Varanasi has been a symbol of Hindu renaissance. Knowledge, philosophy, culture, devotion to Gods, Indian arts and crafts have all flourished here for centuries. Also a pilgrimage place for Jains, Varanasi is believed to be the birthplace of Parsvanath, the twenty-third Tirthankar.
Some pictures from my journey in Kashi/Banaras:
The famous Banarasi Paan
Vishwanath Temple in BHU
Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Ji
Koyla Bazaar
Next up was the second ritual at Gaya. Gaya is 100 kilometers south of Patna, the capital city of Bihar. Situated on the banks of the Phalgu (or Niranjana, as mentioned in Ramayana), it is a place sanctified by the Hindu, the Buddhist and the Jain religions. It is surrounded by small rocky hills (Mangla-Gauri, Shringa-Sthan, Ram-Shila and Brahmayoni) by three sides and the river flowing on the fourth (eastern) side. The city has a mix of natural surroundings, age old buildings and narrow bylanes. Since I was there only for a day or two, we couldn’t explore a lot of it, but we made it a point that Bodh Gaya was visited.
Some pictures from Gaya:
Streets of Gaya
Adrak waali chai
A potful of Lassi
Kullad Lassi
Surya Kund in Gaya
Vishnu Padh Gaya
Thai Monastery in Bodh Gaya
Tibetian Monastery
Japanese Temple
Buddha Statue in the Japanese Temple
Eyes of the Buddha Statue
Mahabodhi Temple
The Bodhi Tree
The final stop on this journey was Allahabad, yes the most famous of all! Prayaag and Triveni sangam was the place where we did the final rituals. As enchanting as it may look, it has great facets of its old Hindu and Indian culture that still is integral part of Prayaag. The city’s original name—Prayaga, or “place of sacrifice”—comes from its position at the sacred union of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati. It is the second-oldest city in India and plays a central role in the Hindu scriptures. The city contains many temples and palaces. Allahabad is located on in the southern part of Uttar Pradesh. It is bounded by Pratapgarh in the north, Bhadohi in the east, Rewa in the south and Kaushambi in the west.
Some pictures from Allahabad/Prayaag:
Cycle Rickshaw in Allahabad
Banks of Triveni Sangam
Panditji counting money
This trip was certainly quite memorable because of the root cause but also overall the journey to the three spiritual destinations across North India was something that gave it a deft touch a touch of a journey unknown and yet beautifully spiralled into something more meaningful.
What are the best places (other than famous ones) to visit in India?
Answer by Srinivas Kulkarni:
Trekking in the Himalayas
I’m an avid travel bloger and blog about my escapades regularlyhttp://www.srinistuff.com. I always enjoy trekking in the Himalayas, An experience in the Himalayas itself is something that classifies as one of the best activities to do in India… Of course there are local terrains, local treks, mostly Shayadaris since I live in Maharashtra… But Himalayas is something else… A complete transition into a world that takes you to the best state of mind let alone the whole physical and spiritual experience engulfing you out there.
So far I’ve been on the J&K side of Himalayas, Leh & Ladakh part… Uttarakhand/Uttaranchal (Valley of Flowers) and Been to certain territories of North Eastern Himalayas with the Sandakhpu trek and a bit of Nepal with the journey towards various villages across the India Nepal border. It’s very tough to choose between all of these three trips. So I’d give list down a couple of treks that I did which fall among the best activities I’ve done in India. with a few images to give you an idea of how amazing the himalayas are…
Trekking in the Valley of Flowers (Uttarakhand) (14000 feet above sea level)
Starting from Haridwar, Rishikesh, we began doing some local sight seeing and exploring various aspects of Uttarakhand slowly moving towards desolation and complete bliss amongst nature. Uttarakhand in itself is a beautiful place with spirtuality integrates well with nature and the amazing landscapes and terrains find themselves accompanied with various significant mythological / religious / spiritual references from the vast history of India… All the 5 confluences while on your way towards Joshimath are something to look forward too… The beautiful Ganga river flowing all the way on your side accompanying you along on the road side. But the best experience begins when you reach Ghagaria ghat… after a tiring trek of 13kms which is more like 30 kms cause of it’s steep level of climb… From there on an early morning trek to the Valley of flowers where you could see the Himalayas at a glance is what you should enjoy the best… Some pictures of how the trek looks like…
The best time to go here would be between June and September. Ideally flowers bloom during this period and as a matter of fact, every week you’ll get to see a whole range of flowerbeds across the valley. When we went, we had a possibility of viewing a new flower that had bloomed in the valley and we were also told that in a span of 5 years, first time there was a glacier that appeared enroute the Valley of flowers.
Now that is something that sounded really amazing as this would have been the first time I’d ever get to see glacier, though technically not snow, yet something worth experiencing.
Trekking across Villages in Nepal (Sandakphu Trek) 14200 feet above sea level..
This experience was simply stunning only because of the most amazing landscapes that we experienced on our way to the top, but also the amazing Nepalese culture that we got to encounter during our trip. One of the most interesting thing that amazes you on this trip is that constantly you are crossing borders between India and Nepal, but barring a few check posts, there’s hardly anything to distinguish whether you are in Nepal or India… Unless you have a trekking guide along with you. Which we had and a good one too. The whole aspect of the beautiful terrains and landscapes, no connectivity and total realm of realism sinking in to each pore of your skin is something that gives you a joy that you realize is something that we people take for granted. We went in November, hence the cold weather was something to enjoy as well… Some of these glimpses will give you a better idea.
Overall this trek was a mix of both nature trail, wild mountains, and most importantly a different culture altogether. However, there are many infamous terrains in the Himalayas that I’m planning to visit, and get more experiences as these. My list of places in Himalayas would be:
1 Everest Base Camp
2. Gomukh Gangotri trek
3. Kangra Valley trek
4. Parvati Valley
6. Trekking extensively in Ladakh, Spiti
7. Dalhousie trek
8. Saur Kund and Saur Pass trek.
9. Kailash Manasarovar
10. Har Ki Dhun.
As an avid traveler, travel blogger and trekker, I encourage a lot of people to try out experiences in Himalayas, for I can’t tell you how it is, you have to experience it yourself to know better. 
Hope this answer helps people travel to India and experience Himalayas themselves…
Leh Ladakh – Pride of India
Every traveler has a different story of Ladakh! Every traveler has a vision that is different from others, when he is in Ladakh. Every traveler has an experience of his own when he is in Ladakh! Ladakh, the most enchanting destination in India for world & Indian travelers was on my list for a long time. Yes, I knew that there was a hype about this place and it had its own set of expectations. When I decided that this is the year that I’d go ahead and fulfill my dream of being in this land of the lost bring my sojourns from an experience that I, like any other traveler would have a different story, a different vision and a different experience to enchant others with, little did I know that all the hype that surrounded Ladakh, was certainly something that we lived up to!
One keeps wondering what’s so different about this beautiful place and why it’s called the Pride of India! Well there are many stories to it and certainly the ever so different and huge landscapes of various geographical terrains are a testament to it. But what’s so different from this place is the amazing culture and the most diverse and the most beautiful landscape it has to offer. Such that many who have traveled the world would find it a notch above their experiences. Add to it, the Himalayan terrain being infamous for its harsh and cold weather when the landscapes are inaccessible to the common people. There’s something mystic about the place especially with its lineage of Buddhism, its tibetian history and most importantly the nomadic culture that most people live by. A perfect destination for a wanderer, a nomad and many a travelers, Ladakh has its own sense of attachment, a bond that builds around various kinds of people.
We started our journey by flying into Leh directly from Mumbai… Yeah, we flew in, unlike most folks who generally do a ride / drive from either Manali or Srinagar mostly… Maybe that’s one thing that’ll be on my list for the next time around… But yeah, usually when you fly in, one day just goes into acclimatization, which could be a good thing in a way… It was a 10 day trip, so we did have a lot of buffer time for ourselves. So yeah, it was good in a way.. And those 10 days were certainly quite enchanting and our journey was certainly something we’d cherish for quite some time. This is how our journey went and here’s a little bit of a photo essay that tells you all
A view of Leh, Ladakh while flying down…
A picture of Leh palace clicked from a restaurant
We went to this rooftop restaurant as soon as we freshened up in the hotel room. This was the first view of something really enchanting in Leh, Ladakh and it had to be clicked!
A small prayer bell near our hotel room
Sangam – Confluence of Indus and Zanskar Rivers…
The next day was reserved for local sight seeing… Our first destination on that trip was this place where we saw a confluence of Indus and Zanskar river.
Alchi Gompa – The oldest monastery in Ladakh
Scenic Landscapes of Ladakh
The Indus Valley…
Shey Palace
Shanti Stupa
Tso Moriri Lake
Our next day visit was to the Tso Moriri, or Lake Moriri. They had told us that there was a landslide in the Pangong Tso area and that the route to that lake had closed down. So we were recommended this place and it took us an entire day to reach there and we stayed there overnight… But truly, it was worth it. Tsomoriri or Lake Moriri in the Changthang area, is a High Altitude Lake (HAL) with an altitude of 4,595 m (15,075 ft) in Ladakh, India and is the largest of the High Altitude Lakes in the Trans-Himalayan biogeographic region, entirely within India. It is hemmed between Ladakh in the North and Tibet in the east and Zanskar in the west; the Changthang plateau is the geographical setting with snow peaks that provides the source of water for the Lake. (Wikipedia)
Bullet to Khardung la
And of course, what good is a visit to Ladakh, if you don’t take the ride to Khardung La… Although we didn’t do the dream ride or ride on an Enfield all the way from Delhi/Manali or Srinagar, this was the least we could do… Something to satisfy our amicable souls…
Enroute Khardung La
Snow capped mountains atop Khardung La
Atop Khardung La – Worlds Higest Motorable Road
Nubra Valley
Entrance to the Disket Temple
Scenic Nubra Landscape
Ancient Ladakhi stone with inscriptions
Statue of the Future Buddha
Pangong Tso Lake
Dharamsala – Land of The Dalai Lama
For quite a while, this destination had been on my list. Of course one of the biggest reasons being the fact that it is absolutely beautiful area and quite near to the Kangra valley and the Kangra in Himachal Pradesh. Of course the beautiful weather was something that certainly made me forget the totally different kind of a weather that we experienced in Ladakh, nonetheless, this place had it’s own sense of aura and it’s own sense of beauty to itself. But also for the fact that it had been home to The Dalai Lama for quite a while now… It’s own culture and its own roots have been a different aura to people who have frequently visited this place. Something that a lot of people wanted to realize for a long time. Despite the fact that The Dalai Lama wasn’t around and he in fact had come down to Leh, Ladakh and we were out here in Dharamsala didn’t really matter much as long as we got to experience a bit of the place, the culturally sensitive yet strong in roots, tibetian vibes, was something we enjoyed. On the way, I ended up making some good friends from acros the world and certainly shared quite something in terms of a philosophical and intellectual level was what that mattered. At the outset, even though a bit crowded, McLeodganj in itself wasn’t that attractive, but there were a couple of places that I’d certainly recommend people to visit… The Bhagsu Waterfalls (preferably on a weekday) weekends are filled by bikers and local people… And most importantly a place called Naddi… very serene, very peaceful and very very quiet. The visit to the temple was something that was much needed and something that one had to experience for himself/herself. Other than that, the food at a few amazing restaurants, namely Mccllos, and Jimmy’s Italian Cafe is truly amazing… You’ll realize, even with the influx of so many tourists, this place has it’s own capability to keep you captivated and enchanted by it’s own roots. Something I’d like to depict via the photos below.
Outside The Dalai Lama temple
- Tibet – One People One Nation
Inside the Monastery
A monk circumambulating inside the temple…
Mcllo’s Inn… Has a great view of the valley, enroute Bhagsu Waterfall
The ever foggy McLeodganj…
A nice bunch of German and Finnish travellers I met, David, Katharina & Malin…. Summer volunteers, nice kids
Some Lumberjacks enroute, Cantt bus stop.
Amritsar – Punjabi delights…
The State of Punjab has been on my mind for quite a while… I mean who wouldn’t want to go there hah? Makke di Roti and Sarso Da Saag!!! Oye hoye!!! Truly something that Punjab is known for. Besides just their truly amazing food that one would cherish… the warm and hospitable culture that most Punjabis are known for is something really remarkable. One of the most dildaar, or generous, helpful and loving people of this beautiful country. Where if a boy is born in a traditional family, the mother is proud because she knows that her son would be the one who would be able to go across the border and be a part of the country’s security force and military. Numerous tales of their patriotism and their war heroics have been portrayed in stories, movies and real life.
One can’t just miss the beauty of this state and one can’t especially if you are anywhere near by. If nothing else, I had to visit Amritsar as it was on my mind. Not just for it’s amazing Paratha and Lassi… But of course The Golden Temple, The Wagah Border and of course, the Jallianwalla Baug. Something I have in common with the Jallianwala Baug is the date 13th April… Yes, unfortunately, that date is my birthdate, nonetheless, I realize despite being one of the most brutal massacares in our country’s history, this significant place and date is still remembered in our long fight for freedom struggle. Something that gives us a reality check of not to take this ‘freedom’ of ours for granted.
Which is exactly why I made it a point I go visit this one as I was in Delhi for work and had time to fly to Amritsar over the weekend and then move on to my other tasks.
It was a Friday evening. After I finished my work, I headed to the Airport and boarded a flight to Amritsar from the Indira Gandhi Airport in Delhi. I reached Amritsar late at night and decided to
While I had a cab that took me in the city, I noticed something really interesting. Lot’s cycle rickshaw drivers are still a very popular in the city and that is one of the easiest mode of transport available especially if you are taking a train. The next day was going to be a really exciting day as loads of sight seeing, food and yes, a visit to the Wagah Border was on the cards. I made sure I made the most of my visit in Amritsar.
Cheese Nan, Dal Makhni & Mango Lassi @ Brother's Dhaba
Before I went anywhere, my first order of the day was to stuff myself with something… something really Punjabi… That’s when I dropped by the Brother’s Dhaba, courtesy my Auto driver… Said, this is one of the best food joints in that area… And truly, he didn’t dissapoint.
Durgiani Temple - Amritsar
Next up was a temple nearby. The Durgiani Temple. Very peaceful especially with the pond that surrounded it. Inside the temple were a group of musicians and worshipers who were singing and playing songs to delight their spiritual side. One wonders how much devotion they had and how beautifully they execute it out.
Jallianwalla Baug
Despite the pain associated with this place, you have to actually go inside and feel the actual realm of what possibilities that day might have brought upon us. This is something you can’t easily forget and if you are a true Indian, then this place is a stark reminder of the trials and tribulations gone by, for our freedom that exists today.
Golden Temple - Amritsar
One thing you must do after visiting the temple is sit outside, listening to the melodious kirtan, songs that are played at the Gurudwara… I literally went into a state of trance and felt so close to myself meditating while sitting outside on the carpet…
India-Pakistan Wagah Border
One of the surreal feelings that hit you is when you see the Pakistani flag flying across the border and the people sitting and watching us from there… Although Paksitanis being less in numbers, you still get to realize, there isn’t any difference between them and yourselves and wonder, perhaps, as to why this whole meaningless borders exist in the first place?
Defense Personnel posted at the Border
The Indian Tricolour Soars High!
The whole experience at the border is completely something that you will never forget. The cheering of the people, the dancing to patriotic songs before the parade happens is something you shouldn’t miss. The parade itself is quite a spectacle. The salute to the tricolour, the opening of the gates at the border and soldiers o each side showcasing their best presentation skills as far as their military techniques are concerned. This is something that everybody is charged up about. People waving at each other, looking at each other’s nations flag flying past and at the end of the session synchronously being un-hoisted and kept aside… This shows true peace and harmony that exists and can very well continue to exist especially with loads of love around us.
This was certainly an experience I enjoyed and something that made me feel really alive! True Punjabi Spirit is what I call it…
Flights to Amritsar
Spiritual Badrinath – Uttarakhand Chronicles
One of the last legs of our Uttarakhand Chronicles was our trip to Badrinath. After a rigorous trek to the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Saheb, we were definitely overworked and the trekking had taken a toll on our feet and totally exhausted. Amongst that exhaustion, this visit to Badrinath, by a bus was a life saver.
We were almost nearing Hanuman Chatta. Yes, the traditional and very famous temple of Lord Hanuman… This has a historical significance to it from the Mahabharta, where Lord Hanuman tested Bhim of the Pandavas fame. Yes, this the place where this story took place. Bhim was crossing the forest when he saw an old ape sleeping in the way and his tail was crossing his path.
The then arrogant Bhim asked the ape to move away the tail. To which the ape replied that he’s too weak to move it and why doesn’t he move it himself. Getting irritated, he tried to move the tail with his mace. He kept trying and trying, real hard, with all his might that he could use, but to no avail… That is when he realised that the ape was no one but Lord Hanuman! Only then did he admit his mistake and realized the importance of humility and how that is significant in a warrior’s life.
And as luck would have it… Lord Hanuman, decided to test us too. I wonder if he disguised himself as modern day Mr. Murphy?
What happened was that we encountered a landslide during our route to Badrinath and our bus was stalled for over an hour. We were waiting for the BRO (Border Roads Organization) to clear the landslide. Hence I guess it was time to pray to the Lord and make our own way towards Badrinath! For God helps them, those who help themselves… So cliched, yet so, true isn’t it?
So, being the trekkers we were, we decided to walk it up past the landslide affected area and then we could get another bus, one that was arranged by YHAI to come from the other side to take us towards Badrinath. And after a brisk walk and a shorter detour via hilly terrain and some teamwork, we managed to reach the other side of the landslide affected area. From then on it was smooth sailing.
We reached Badrinath late at night and crashed into our respective beds. The next day was going to be a relaxed one, where no more incessant walking or trekking in terrains of toughness. And what we got was one of the most comfortable night’s sleep in quite a while.
The next day was a little bit of shopping in the city and of course, visit to the Holy Temple of Badrinath. Quite a relaxed day to a relaxed weather and setting.
Hanuman Chatta Temple
Lord Hanuman inside the temple..
The Landslide...
Beautiful Waterfall View from our Room
Badrinath Temple
Satnam Waheguru – Hemkund Saheb – Uttarakhand Chronicles
After the amazing and serene trek to the Valley of Flowers, day two was our hike to go visit the Holy Gurudwara of Hemkund Saheb at 15200 feet. Now, as less the distance seems, the steepness of this trek is something that will test everything besides your endurance. This is the true spirit of what you would generally forsake for the belief that you have and the spirituality that you want to test within your body, mind and soul. Everybody who goes here, including kids to elders, have one faith within themselves and that is what they realize when they chant the name of their Waheguru. More than that what is delightful to see is the Sikhs, dishing out Glucon D, dry fruits, biscuits, on their way back… to the people who are going on top. A mere encouragement as it looks like, goes a long way than just a simple source of energy. It’s their words of encouragement that really put you to the test and motivate you to go on top all the more faster.
Hemkunt Sahib or Hemkund Sahib (Hindi: हेमकुडं) is a pilgrimage site for Sikhs in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India. With a setting of a glacial lake surrounded by seven mountain peaks and each peak is adorned by a Nishan Sahib on its cliff, it is located in the Himalayas at an elevation of 15,200 ft as per the Survey of India. It is accessible only by foot from Gobindghat on the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway.
Hemkunt Sahib is famous for the Sikh worship-place Gurudwara, known as Gurudwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib Ji, devoted to Guru Gobind Singh Ji (1666–1708), the tenth Sikh Guru, which finds mention in Dasam Granth, a piece of work narrated by Guru Gobind Singh Ji,Himself. The lake also has a Lakhmana hut on its shore which was later built into proper small shrine by the Sikhs. (wiki)
Treading their path in faith towards their Waheguru
The glacial lake of Hemkund Saheb
Inside the Gurudwara... Truly spiritual and more importantly.. Warm
Tasty Dal Khichdi & Hot Tea served to all at the Langar
Valley of Flowers – Paradise on Earth – Uttarakhand Chronicles
There came the foggy strokes of sunlight,
Sometimes dark and pitchy as they could get.
Beauty of horizons, across the various mountains,
Colors that shone, knew no boundaries as they fret…
The dawn shone upon the great valley,
It took us some time to realize.
What did not come upon us until now,
Till it struck us heavily as a ray of surprise…
They came back again with some hope and some prayer,
Without which they could have never made it so far.
Upon the sunlight they knew they could go higher,
Yet, we tried hard and tried fast, to breathe the air…
It is this place where I would like to seek enchantment,
Forsaken in the depth of this long lost beauty,
I pray to my soul, where you must seek reprise for thee,
Beyond these mountains,into the ‘valley of Flowers’
I seek my penance and here is where I ask ye to bury me…
This was my poem written when I had set my sights on reaching this paradise on earth. But when I look back at this now and relive my experience of the journey to the Valley of Flowers, I certainly feel speechless. No matter how beautiful these words might seem like, nothing can beat the magic of the fact of being in Valley of Flowers.
Besides the fact that the journey to the place was a daunting 8-9 hour trek, first, from Govindghat to Ghagariya ghat. Then the next day, another 6 hour steep walk to the Valley of Flowers, the most amazing and enchanting feeling is the beauty of the surroundings that set forth another level and a whole new world out to yourself.
The best time to go here would be between June and September. Ideally flowers bloom during this period and as a matter of fact, every week you’ll get to see a whole range of flowerbeds across the valley. When we went, we had a possibility of viewing a new flower that had bloomed in the valley and we were also told that in a span of 5 years, first time there was a glacier that appeared enroute the Valley of flowers.
Now that is something that sounded really amazing as this would have been the first time I’d ever get to see glacier, though technically not snow, yet something worth experiencing.
Here are a few glimpses from the Valley, just a little showcase of what is something you have to encounter yourself to really experience it.
Queen of the HImalayas - Blue Poppy
Waterfall streams enroute the Valley
Diamond Dew Drops
Besides that, this early morning walk to the enchanting valley certainly refreshed a lot of my senses and something that will get me visit the place yet again.
Auli – Garwahl Himalayas – Uttarakhand Chronicles
This was one of the places we visited during our acclimatization pre-trek. Before we got ahead and went to The Valley of Flowers, we had an opportunity to visit this beautiful place and must say it was quite beautiful.
Auli, (alt. 2915 mts-3049 mts ) is an important ski destination in the Himalayan mountains of Uttarakhand, India. Auli is known as ‘Bugyal’ in the regional language which means meadow. In fact some French and Australian experts consider Auli to be one of the best ski resorts in the world. Auli is less known ski destination than Shimla, Gulmarg or Manali. It was only in the recent time, after the creation of new state Uttarakhand(formerly Uttaranchal) carved out from Uttar Pradesh, Auli was marketed as Tourist Destination.
he slopes here provide enough thrill to professional skier and novice as well. The Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Limited (GMVNL) a govt agency which takes care of this resort have imported snow beater to maintain slopes. Auli also boasts the Asia’s longest – 4 km – cable car (Gondola). It also has a Chair Lift and a Ski-Lift. Apart from Skiing there is an interesting trek route also. There is a training facility of Indo-Tibetan Border Police. A small temple having connection to great epic Ramayana is also present. Best time to visit is last week of Jan to first week of March for skiing. Though weather is highly unpredictable. (wiki)
Some of the houses in Auli to stay
Beauty of the Garwahl HImalayas
Auli Ropeway
Joys in Joshimath – Uttarakhand Chronicles
Joshimath in Uttarakhand was our first basecamp, in the Himalayas… This is one of the most amazing places where you can actually start getting immersed in the white clouds and snow peaked mountains that surround the Himalayas. Very close to Western Himalayas, Joshimath is a hub if you want to enter Auli of the Kumaon Himalayan region, go to Badrinath or for that matter reach towards Govindghat. (starting point to go to Ghagariya ghat, which is the village where people usually stay during their visits to Valley of Flowers or Hemkund Saheb.)
Our journey to reach Joshimath crossed about 250 kms via mini bus. Now the journey towards Joshimath if you start early in the morning from Rishikesh, is certainly one that is enchanting and of course filled with a constant gaze to the confluences of the river Ganga with other rivers. Every where you go while your bus is doing the hairpin bends, you are bound to see the confluence of River Alaknanda with Bhagirathi and you will definitely get to go through Dev Prayag and Rudra Prayag. One of the two prayags (Confluences) before you reach Joshimath.
Confluence of Alaknanda & Bhagirathi enroute Joshimath
What is most exciting is the beautiful weather and the peaceful roads will start giving you an enchanting sense of belongingness towards what you would want your Himalayan trek to start off with. Plenty of occasions where you might just drop your jaws with serene and scenic beauty of huge cliffs and mountains in the Uttarakhand region, not just one or two, but stretches of it. That’s something that made the journey all the more exciting.
Beauty of the cliffs & Mountains...
Cloud Covered Mountains
After a gruelling 8-9 hours of a bus ride, full of hairpin bends, your entry in Joshimath is one that shall certainly refresh you.
Hairpin Bend Road
Waterfalls at the entrance of Joshimath is one of the pit-stops that you have to take before you get into the buzz of the small town of Joshimath. Even as you do that, you will feel the weather change, much different from Rishikesh’s humid texture to a colder ad more fresh air of the Kumaon Himalayan region.
Waterfalls at the entrance of Joshimath
Jyotirmath is the uttarāmnāya matha or northern monastery, one of the four cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankara, the others being those at Shringeri, Puri and Dwaraka. Their heads are titled “Shankaracharya”. According to the tradition initiated by Adi Shankara, this matha is in charge of the Atharvaveda.
Jyotirmath Lord Narasimhar Temple
Once you reach Joshimath, besides getting acclimatized to the weather, one of the things you would want to do is to check out two things.
1. Shankracharya Math (One of the 4 maths in the world) – It also has the Rudraksha tree, which is simply enchanting.
2. Narsimha Temple (Also known as Bhavishya Badrinath Temple) Legend has it that once the Badrinath temple in the future is destroyed, it would be placed here. In fact even now, during the winter, people move the Lord Badrinath shrine here and is worshipped religiously here.
Narsimha Temple
This palce is a certain pitstop if you go towards Auli, Tapovan or anywhere in the Western Himalayan regions of Uttarakhand. Something you’ll cherish deeply.
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