My travel bucket list – Destination 2: Kalimath, Himalayas

Kalimath, Himalayas is a source of divine strength for one and for all. After citing as Rudraprayag as one of the destinations where I’d travel to, in order to seek that heavenly bliss. A place where Gods chose to dwell is certainly where I want to head first. After that, this is a place that I’d want to visit. One of the many common things that you will notice as I keep writing my travel bucket lists, is a very strong urge and need for me to go to the Himalayas and the destinations of the untread terrains in those mountains out there somewhere. But as I said, there is a strong reason for me to do this. A reason beyond my understanding and beyond anyone else’s perception. Having said that, these destinations are important right now, because it’s critical for my quest too.

Having said that, let me talk about this source of divine strength in the Himalayas. Kalimath is one of the divine places and “shaktipith” situated on the side of river Saraswati in the beautiful valley of Himalayas surrounded by snow covered peaks of Kedarnath close to Ukhimath and Guptakashi in Rudraprayag District of Uttarakhand.

One of the most amazing things about this place to me is it’s close proximity to the Saraswati river and the true connection of Lord Shiva and Saraswati can be understood only here. Lord Shiva, the destroyer, the creator the appreciator of art meets the Goddess of Knowledge.  Add to that, Mata Kali is the popularly worshipped Goddess here, hence the name KaliMath.  There is a significant story of why the people consider this place as the source of divinity when it comes to power and strength.

The village of Kalimath is about 6,000 feet above sea level. This is the divine place & shakti peeth where “Mata Kali” killed the demon “Raktbeej” and had gone under the earth. The temple of Goddess Kali located here is visited by a large number of devotees round the year, especially during the “Navratras”. The most interesting thing about the temple is that it does not have any idol there. Pooja of “ShreeYantra” is performed here. Only for one day in the whole year the divine goddess is taken out and puja is performed in the midnight when only the chief priest is present.

Also, the village Kalimath originally & still also known as village ‘Kaviltha’ is a birth place of Kalidas. He was blessed here and then he became a famous learned poet of Sanskrit. Source (Wikipedia)

So this eternally will be on my list especially since it is  tantamount to the abilities and love for writing that I have. It certainly is a crucial place in my quest and seeking out to the divine source of strength within myself. Hope that I find it as blissful as it seems to be.