Chardham Yatra - Part 2 (Ganga Snanam at Haridwar)

On the 19th of May, 2019 10 of us (five couples all 50+) boarded an Indigo flight from Mumbai and flew to Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun. We were all excited like school children on a picnic and were looking forward to our Yatra in the holy state of Uttrakhand.

The flight itself was uneventful although slightly late when we landed. Dehradun looked beautiful from the air with its quaint cottages and lush green background. The airport was quite small and inadequate to handle the loads of passengers that descended from various cities. Toilets were packed and wait time was a good 15 minutes esp. for the ladies.

We collected our bags and stepped out where we were met by the driver of our Tempo Traveller (TT) which was to be our transportation for the next two weeks. Dehradun ws comparatively cooler that Mumbai. The driver, Pradeep, was a tall lanky guy from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh who was now settled in Delhi. He quickly loaded the TT with our bags and we were on our way to our first destination - Haridwar.

Haridwar was an hours drive from Dehradun and the roads were crowded with evening traffic. There was a longish wait at a level crossing on the way. While reaching Haridwar, we had our first glimpse of the holy Ganga river. We were received at the hotel by Mr. Srinivasan, the proprietor of M/s Srinivasan Tours & Travels. He was to accompany us for the yatra and we were happy that he came along. For we now could give feedback (if any) immediately to him and also get any resolutions on the amenities. Also, his guidance on the tour would be invaluable as he has been doing this yatra for over 25 years.

Haridwar was very warm when we reached. We checked into a new hotel (Hotel Shiva) on the main Haridwar-Rishikesh road on the outskirts of Haridwar. The hotel being new, its rooms & furnishings were clean. As it was the highway the sound of vehicles passing by were disturbing. The number of mosquitoes in the room was also worrying - I am paranoid about them !!

We quickly refreshed ourselves and had a hot cup of tea (in glasses carried by us) along with some light snacks. After this, we went to Har-ki-Pauri - the holy spot of river Ganga where the Ganga Aarti is held each evening. When we reached at 6.30 pm, the place was over-crowded with pilgrims on both sides of the river bank - all waiting to witness the Ganga Aarti. We tried to get into a good position to see the Aarti but it was nearly impossible to penetrate the crowds that had gathered there. We decided to wait behind the crowd to avoid any jostling or picking of pockets.

There were scores of hawkers trying to sell all kinds of articles and many people soliciting donations for Annadhan / poor feeding (it is considered auspicious to make donation for worthy causes in holy places and at holy occasions). However, we refrained from making any donations as we were unsure of the people who were collecting and their intentions. After a brief wait of 15 minutes or so, the Aarti began with the blaring of the Aarti song over loudspeakers placed across. It was dusk time and the lights from thousands of camphor lit lamps looked lovely. There was a religious fervor amongst the people assembled and many were singing along. Many were trying to photograph and video record the proceedings.

The Aarti ended within 15 minutes and the crowds quickly thinned out. We could now go up to the river bank and a few of us also had a dip - our first of several dips during the yatra. The river was refreshingly cold and the current was very fast. We had to hold on to the iron chains placed along the river banks to save ourselves from being washed away. After the dip and change of clothes, the ladies purchased small floats (made of leafs and containing flowers and small lamps). The lamps were lit and floated in the river.

After this we returned back to the hotel where our dinner awaited. Dinner was cooked by a cook, Ranveer, who accompanied us during the yatra. Ranveer is from a small village in Uttar Pradesh. We had our dinner on the plates that we carried from home in the restaurant premises of Hotel Shiva. The food tasted very good and we were told that we had to leave by 5.30 am the next morning. We wasted no time to retire for the night and get to sleep. The mosquitoes in the room made sleeping difficult for me. The AC in the room was good and it helped us get some sleep by covering ourselves with the quilt.

Thus ended Day one of our Chardham yatra.