Parasuram Kund Yatra - Day 4

Indian Flag hoisted at PK

For a couple of days since our arrival in Parasuram Kund (PK), a team of army personnel were stationed there and they were busy making arrangements for a historic event that was to unfold on 13^th January. Within a short time, they had erected a large Shamiana and arranged for seating, organising a place for refreshments etc. On our Day 4, an iconic National Flag was formally hoisted and dedicated to the people at PK in a ceremony organized by Dao Division under Spear Corps, highlighting the spirit of national pride and integration.

The inauguration was graced by Lieutenant General Abhijit S. Pendharkar, GOC Spear Corps and Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Shri Chowna Mein. The event showcased strong civil–military cooperation, symbolizing the shared commitment of the armed forces and local administration towards fostering patriotism and community engagement. This was followed up with a high tea event where all the yatris present could mingle & interact with the dignitaries and even take pictures.

This historic event happened very close to the Hanuman temple that we were using for our puja etc. Many of our yatris attended this event thanks to the identity badge provided to us by the organisers. We could interact with the armed forces personnel and express to them our appreciation of their services to the nation. When the national anthem was played by the live band of the armed forces, our prayers were halted and everyone spontaneously stood up to show our respects and commitment to our great nation.

View of the yatris at Hanuman Temple

The rest of the morning rituals were similar to the previous day with the abhishekam of Adi Shankaracharya concluding the morning events. The only difference was that the number of visitors / devotees to PK had dramatically increased - from a small trickle in the previous day, we could see several hundred people converging here. They mostly came by busses and some by private cars. The administration had arranged for a large parking ground near our lodging. One interesting thing observed about the devotees who came here from across North East India is their humbleness and simplicity. When they entered the temple or walked between people, they would bend and touch the floor with their right hand (even while walking).

Annadanam in progress

Post lunch, in the mid-afternoon, our team were entrusted with the task of distributing prasadam to the visitors who had to proceed to the Kund by walking past our lodging. Our catering team had done a commendable job of making different types of prasadams like sweet Sheera (Kesari) & Sambhar rice which was handed over to the visitors in the disposable leaf cups by the yatris. Many of the visitors were happy to receive this and consumed it happily. The crowding near our gate (where the distribution was happening) caused mini traffic issues which was managed by asking people to queue up. Some devotees refused to accept the prasadam stating that they will not eat before taking the dip at the Kund. It was a great experience for all of us to participate in.

The administration also had arranged for free meals to all visitors at a hall near the Parasuram temple. However, stay / toilet arrangements were woefully inadequate and we saw many visitors sleeping the open veranda with little shelter. Compared to them, we were living comfortably in our lodging! In fact, yatras like these helps us realise how blessed we are in our respective homes and have no reason to expect anything more.

Our tour organisers

After our morning Puja, abhishekam etc, our organisers gave us a talk on how this whole concept of yatra began 9 years ago under the guidance of HH Sri Jayendra Saraswathi who conceived of this and delegated this to the couple from Chennai Shri Anand & Smt. Ranjani from Chennai along with Shri Subramanian Sastrigal from Navi Mumbai. They told us how they had to literally discover this place which was unheard of then. They also detailed how the initial years were a struggle to identify place for boarding / lodging, arranging for logistics including transportation of the Adi Shankaracharya idol, the challenges faced with convincing & winning local people to support the yatra etc. They also explained how it was divine help and Guru’s grace that made this all possible. This talk helped us to understand and appreciate all the work done over the years by them and especially during the national lockdown during Covid pandemic.

Our evening program was also similar except that we were planning to wind up our major pujas / rituals at Hanuman temple that evening. Hence, after the evening chanting, puja and aarti, we brought most of the items back to our lodging. The Shankaracharya idol was placed inside the Sanctum next to Hanuman.

Back at the lodging, we had our evening meal as usual and retired for the night. The next day was Makar Sankranti day / Pongal and there were many activities planned for it. I was looking forward to seeing traditional Pongal celebrations for the very first time in my life.