Varanasi Yatra

During the beginning of Chatur Maas (the annual four month period during which Sanyasis stay put in one place) of 2023, we got to know that His Holiness, Sri Vijayendra Saraswati, Shankaracharya of Kanchi Mutt (HH) was camping at Varanasi. We thought it will be a good opportunity to have His darshan and go around the important temples in and around Varanasi. In the Kashi Khand of the Skanda Purana it is mentioned that one who lives in Kashi for a continuous period of 3 days and sincerely prays to the Lord by observing all the norms will surely get Liberation / Moksha in the same birth. This was another reason for making this trip and planning a 4 day stay here. In addition, the Trustees of Shruthi Smruti Seva Trust who had recently conducted their annual Ghana Parayanam wanted to go there to give the Acharya Sambhavanai to HH. We decided to be part of their group.

All the above reasons gave us a wonderful opportunity to visit the holiest of holy places of Bharat. The details of our short and satisfying yatra are given below. The number pf temples we visited were numerous and I have only given very brief descriptions of the same in this blog. If one wants to know more about these temples, one can go to www.varanasitemples.in where detailed descriptions as well as Stala puranas are available. One lifetime is not sufficient to understand the glory of Kashi and absorb the sanctity of this place. What we did was akin to taking a brief dip in this Ocean of glory that is the destination of every spiritually inclined person.

Day 1

We left our hometown and took a direct flight to Varanasi one fine day in July 2023.  It was pouring cats & dogs when we left our home and all the way to the airport. Luckily, the roads didn’t get flooded or jammed and we reached the airport well on time for our flight. When we landed at Varanasi in the afternoon, it was a pleasant surprise to see clear skies and no rain. It was very warm though.

We took a taxi from the airport to our hotel – nearly 40 kms. The roads were clean and smooth with the highway extending from the airport till about 3-4 kms from Kashi. We reached our hotel (Hotel Golden Petals which is in the main road between the Shivala Ghat and the Hanuman Ghat) in about an hour. We decided to stay in this newly built hotel due to its proximity to the Kanchi Mutt where HH was camped. The hotel was lovely and clean. The rooms allotted to us were very tiny though.

After freshening up, we went to meet a local priest who was to be our guide during our stay at Kashi. The arrangement was made by Shri Venkatramanan, an ex-banker from Mumbai who is settled in Kashi for over 4 decades and is well known for identifying the various temples mentioned in the Kashi Khand and writing about them as well as making videos which he posts in YouTube. His life’s mission is to unravel the hidden treasures of Kashi and highlighting it thought various media for the benefit of all devotees.

The priest, whose name is Rameshwar, took us to the following temples on that evening:

-        Purushottam Temple: As it was Purushottam month when we reached Kashi, it was but appropriate that we started the temple tour by visiting the Purushottam temple in Kashi. It is a small temple and even 10 people coming together can make it look crowded. Our guide helped us get a proper darshan without being ushered away.

-        Triambakeshwarer : This is a representative of the Jyotirling with same name in Maharashtra. All the other eleven Jyotirlinga of India have a presence in Kashi, and it is believed that visiting these temples in Kashi gives 15 times more punya than visiting the main Jyotirlinga.

-        Someshwar : This is the representative of the Jyotirling of Gujarat which has been destroyed & looted by Moghul invaders multi0ple times and yet has re-emerged each time more powerful than ever.

-        Rameshwar : This is the representative of the Jyotirlinga at Tamil Nadu in the place from where Lord Rama’s army embarked on the mighty crossing of the ocean by building a bridge which is visible even today.

After this, as it was late in the evening, and we were tired, we decided to go to a local restaurant and have dinner. We then returned to our hotel for resting our bodies and rejuvenating ourselves for the next day which was going to be hectic too. The hotel lobby with its excellent air-conditioning seemed so welcoming and refreshing. That was how our Day 1 was spent in the Holy city of Kashi.

Day 2

Our boat driver

The sun rises early in Kashi. By 6 a.m. it was bright outside although it was cloudy and humid. In the morning, we met our local priest Viswanatha Ganapadigal and along with him took a boat ride to Dasaswamedh ghat where we did sankalpam and did a Ganga snanam and after that we did tarpanam for our ancestors. After that we took the same boat and returned to Shivala ghat which was near our hotel and returned to our room. Then we changed and met Sri Rameshwar, our local guide, around 9 a.m. and he had organized an Electric Rickshaw to take us around. It was very warm in the morning itself and we were worried about how the afternoon would be. We went to the following temples that morning:

-         Vaidyanath : This is representative of the Jyotirling at Parli (there are two claimants for Parli – one in Maharashtra and one in Jharkhand). People revere Lord Shiva as Vaidyanath who cures people of all ailments – physical, mental or spiritual. This temple was beautiful and well maintained unlike the ones we saw the previous day some of which were in a state of neglect. We were fortunate to be able to offer water and Bael leaves to the Vaidyanath Lingam.

-        Grishmeshwar - This is representative of the Jyotirling at Maharashtra. This temple was very close to the Vaidyanath temple and very maintained. Thanks to Rameshwar, our priest cum guide, we could offer Bael leaves to the Lingam. Fortunately, as it was early and as these are not very well known temples, there were no crowds and we could have peaceful darshan.

Boat ride before Tarpanam

-        Rameshwar – This is the second temple dedicated to Rameshwar Jyotirling, but our guide tells us that this is not the original which we had covered yesterday. We went there because it was close to Grishmeshwar temple.

-        Kamakhya Devi - We were fortunate to visit the Kamakhya temple which is the representative of the famous Kamakhya temple at Guwahati, Assam. This Devi was very beautiful, and we could offer flowers, coconut and other articles of worship to Her.

-        Krodan Bhairav – This is one of the eight important Bhairav temples in Kashi and situated very close to the Kamakhya temple. It is also known as Aadi Bhairav temple. He is believed to grant strength and courage to His devotees to achieve success.

-        Batuk Bhairav – Also called as Vatuka Bhairava, this is another important Bhairav temple which is near the Krodan Bhairav temple. It is decorated with a large silver covering. The temple had several stray dogs inside which are considered as His companions.

-        Malikarjuna - This is representative of the Jyotirling at Sri Sailam in Andhra Pradesh. The temple was beautiful and peaceful. One must climb a flight of steps to reach the temple. The courtyard and the premises were clean and serene. It was almost deserted as very few people seem to know about this beautiful temple. We were told that the premises has been renovated couple of years ago after Prime Minister Narendra Modi got elected from Varanasi.

Boat ride before Tarpanam

-        Pitreshwar – We then went in the rickshaw to a temple called Pitreshwar Mahadev Mandir which had a large Kund (Pond) beside it. It is believed that by visiting and praying at the temple, one’s ancestors (Pitrus) get pleased and also benefitted in the form of beatitude. It was midday when we reached here, and the temple had very few devotees at this time. We were lucky to see this Lingam on the same day we did Tarpanam.

-        Vruddha Kaleshwar – This temple was built by one pious person called Vridha Kal who informed everyone that the temple was built by Lord Mahadev. By doing this he showed the way to all that we should not brag about the pious deeds done by us. 

-        Maha Kaleshwar – Very close to above temple is the Maha Kaleshwar which, as per Kashi Khand, will confer benefit of worshiping the entire world (all deities in the world) by worshipping the Lingam here. One is also saved from untimely death by worshiping here.

Outside Malikarjuna temple

-        Maha Mrityunjay – Located nearby is the famous Maha Mrityunjay temple which is worshipped by devout for protection from death. People chant the sacred mantra and do puja and havan here – either in person or through numerous priests who do this continuously though out the year.

-        Dhanvantri – Located within this temple premises is that Dhanvantri Khoop (Well) and Dhanvantri temple which we visited. Dhanvantri, the physician to the Gods, is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu who manifested during the churning of the ocean and gave the science of Ayurveda to the world. We also had a drink of water from the well which is supposed to have tremendous healing properties.

-        Bada Ganapathi – After this, we visited the Bada Ganapathi temple where the Lord is huge – about 12 feet in height. The temple was closed for afternoon prayers and neivediyam. We waited for the doors to open and had a darshan of the aarti of the Lord who has three eyes (Trinetra).

-        Asithang Bhairav – Another important Bhairav temple located inside the premises was next in our list. He protects devotees from all kinds of evils and gives happiness and prosperity.

-        Kriti Vaseshwar – This is the spot where Lord Shiva had killed an Asura called Gajasur (in the form of an elephant) who at the time of his death prayed to the Lord that his skin should adorn the Lord. The Lord agreed and stated that the Asuras body will become a huge Linga called Kirti Vaseshwar. The Lord and His family would always remain in this Lingam and worshiping it will cleanse the devotee of all sins of previous births. A mere darshan of the Lingam is sufficient to purify the devotee and praying here gives Moksha to the devotee. This is one of the foremost and important temples of Kashi. The original temple was destroyed by the Moghuls and the premises converted into a mosque. Luckily, Hindus are allowed to enter this premises and worship the Lord here. The original Ling is no longer in existence.

There is also a new temple nearby with the same name which we visited.

After this, we returned to our hotel for some rest. It had grown very hot by this time, and we were famished and thirsty. We had arranged with a local lady for lunch which was delivered to our hotel neatly packed and complete meal with Rice, Sambhar, Rasam, Cabbage bhaji, Buttermilk and some fried chips. The quantity was more than sufficient, and the quality was impeccable. After this we had a snooze in the comfort of our hotel room.

In the evening, we had booked for Saptarishi aarti which was to commence by 7 p.m. So, we used the time from 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. to visit a few more temples as detailed below:

Vaidyanath temple

-        Sankat Mochan Hanuman - This is one of the popular temples in Kashi. There are two temples inside facing each other. One of Lord Ram along with Sita and Lakshman and the other of Hanuman. Luckily it wasn’t crowded as we were early there. We quickly had our darshan and proceeded to the nearby Durga temple.

-        Durga Devi - This is another very famous temple of Kashi built in the 18^th century by a Bengali queen. The idol is believed to be a Swayambhu. The story of this temple is found in Devi Bhagvata Purana where Durga Devi was invoked by the local king to protect Kashi from invading forces. The Devi obliged the king and defeated the invaders. The temple has red paint all over and is unique.

-        Chand Bhairav  - Located within the Durga Devi temple is the Chand Bhairav temple which is one of the eight important Bhairav temples of Kashi.

-        Lakshmi Kund & temple - Located near the main temple of Kashi is the Lakshmi temple which has a lovely pond within its premises. It started raining by the time we reached this temple, and we weren’t prepared for the rains. We got soaked from head to toe. It was as if the Lord wanted to purify us before having His darshan…

-        Mata Annapoorneshwari  - The temple of the consort of Lord Vishwanath, the divine mother who feeds the entire creation, Mata Annapoorneshwari, is located just outside the main temple of Kashi. We entered in the evening around 6 p.m. and it wasn’t much crowded. For the first time in my life, we were allowed to go inside the sanctum and touch Her feet (a toke Dakshina of Rs. 100 per person was paid to the temple priest for this privilege). We went around the temple and had darshan of all the other deities inside. Among them, were the Bhairav Durga and Lord Satyanarayana.

Vishweshwar - Then we visited the most important temple of Kashi which is visited by 7 crore devotees each year making Kashi one of the most popular and attractive destinations in the country today. This is the magnificent Kashi Vishwanath (also known as Lord Vishweshwar) temple. We were booked for the Saptarishi aarti and we managed to get a contact of a local policeman who was overseeing security inside the temple. Due to this, we got a comfortable seat near the North entrance and witnessed the aarti which took about an hours’ time. The aarti is an elaborate affair starting with Abhishekam of the Lingam with different items like Rose water, Milk, Sandalwood water etc. Then the Lord was decorated with huge number of garlands, a gold crown etc. Then the aarti with different kinds of lamps was done with a strange chanting which we could not make out. The conclusion was the aarti with camphor accompanied by the sounds of bells, drums and other instruments.

After the aarti, we got to go inside and have a closer look of the Lord as well as to touch Him. It was crowded and everyone was jostling each other to go first. Then we stood in a queue to get the prasadam of the sandalwood paste and the sip of the water used to do abhishekam. 

Shaneeshwar - Within the main temple of Vishweshwar, very near the Sanctum, is the Shaneeshwar Ling. Shani Dev was born of Chaya, the second wife of Lord Surya.  Shani Dev had come and installed this idol and had done intense prayers to Lord Shiva who in turn blessed Him. Anyone who has darshan of this Lingam and performs puja on Saturday gets relief from the afflictions caused by Shani Dev. We too had a darshan of this Lingam both on Friday and Saturday.

After that we came out and returned to our hotel. The lady who had given us the lunch had sent us Upma & chutney for the evening dinner which we had. It was delicious and filling. After that, we slept off as we were tired after all the days activities. Thus ended Day 2 of our yatra.

Day 3

It was Ekadashi on this day and we were fasting as usual. Only this time, it was in Holy Kashi where fasting on Ekadashi gives untold benefits. We had a tight schedule for the day visiting various important temples which are given below. As always, we were accompanied by Shri Rameshwar our guide who planned the route in such a way as to visit maximum number of important temples.

-        Bhima Shankar - This is representative of the Jyotirling at Maharashtra. The temple is established at the Kashi Karvat temple in Varanasi. The Lingam was in the area that can be only seen from a height of about 25 feet. It is believed that devotees who visit and worship at this temple are able to get rid of all their problems.

-        Chandreshwar - This temple, maintained and managed by the Drone family from Maharashtra, was established by Moon God Himself when He came to Kashi to get rid of a curse given to Him for showing partiality to one wife (Rohini) while being married to 27. He prayed to Lord Shiva here and even created a special well (called Chandra Khoop) to get pure water for the worship as Ganga was not yet flowing in earth those days. This temple also houses the Siddheshwari Mata (Some know this temple by this name) who bestows Siddha powers to her devotees who worship Her here.

-        Atma Veereshwar - This Lingam is perhaps one of the most sacred ones in Kashi. It is believed that if Kashi is the body of Lord Shiva , then this spot / Lingam is the Atma of the Lord. One can get the benefit of worshiping three crore Lingas if one worships the Lingam at this temple. Childless people also worship at this temple to be blessed with a child.

-        Budheshwar - This Lingam was installed by Lord Budha (son of Moon God and Tara, wife of Brihaspati) also known as the planet Mercury. He prayed here for several years and was blessed by Lord Shiva that whoever worships this Linga will attain the highest level of intelligence which will remain despite the devotee getting old.

-        Mangaleshwar - This Lingam was installed by the planet Mars who was born due to the sweat of Lord Shiva falling on the earth. He prayed here for many years to Lord Shiva who blessed Him and said anyone who prays at this temple / Lingam will have unending prosperity and happiness. People afflicted with Mangal dosh in their horoscope also pray here for relief.

-        Brihaspatishwar - This Lingam was installed and worshipped by Jupiter. Lord Shiva appeared before Him in the form of a divine light through the Lingam and blessed Him to become the Lord of all Devas and have excellence in speech. Any devotee who worships this Lingam will get all his wishes fulfilled and become successful in all his endeavours. Worshipping this Lingam for six consecutive months cleanses all the sins of the devotee.

-        Vasukeshwar - This Lingam is worshipped by devotees to get rid of fears on account of snakes.  There is a Vasuki Kund (well) attached to this temple which is believed to be formed out of the sweat of Vasuki Nagaraj. This temple also contains the idol of Vasuki Nagraj who was the serpent used to churn the ocean by the Devas and the Asuras. This temple contains two Lingams which when worshipped gives relief from the negative effects of Rahu & Ketu.

-        Sankata Mata – Devotees of Devi worship Her on the 8^th day of the Navaratri. She showers Her devotees with eternal happiness and prosperity.

-        Yamaditya – This Lingam was installed and worshipped by Lord Yama, the God of death. If a person takes bath in the Sankata Ghat (which is nearby) and worships this Lingam, such a devotee will never experience the tortures of Hell and will reach heaven directly after death.

-        Mangal Gouri - This Devi idol, along with a Shiv Ling, was established and worshipped by Lord Surya for several years. Pleased with His devotion, Lord Shiva appeared before Him and blessed that anyone who worships this Devi will be blessed with all happiness & prosperity. Childless couples will have children and unmarried girls will get suitable match.

-        Gabasteshwar - This Lingam was the one installed by Lord Surya as described above and in considered one of the most important temples in Kashi. As blessed by Lord Shiva, anyone who takes bath in Pancha Ganga and worships this Lingam will be freed from all sins and will obtain moksha / liberation from the cycle of life & birth.

Bindu Madhav Temple

-        Bindu Madhav – One of the most important Vaishnav temples of Kashi is the Bindu Madhav temple. Lord Vishnu had given a boon to a sage named Agni Bindu that He will forever be present in Kashi and grant wealth, prosperity and even Moksham to devotees who worship Him here. The temple is quaint and nice. The Lord is in the form of a Large Salagram which is worshipped with flowers and Tulsi leaves. We were fortunate to witness the Sahasranam archana being performed with Tulsi leaves when we were there. The original Bindu Madhav temple was located about 100 meters from this temple, but it was destroyed and a large mosque stands there.

-          Nageshwar - This Lingam represents the Jyotirling which is in Maharashtra (and there is another one with similar name in Gujarat near Dwaraka). Worshipping this Linga purifies the devotees of all sins committed knowingly / unknowingly.

-          Kaal Bhairav – One of the most revered and visited Bhairav temples of Kashi is the Kaal Bhairav temple. He is one of the guardians of the holy city and a yatra to Kashi is considered incomplete without visiting this temple. It was packed full of devotees when we visited. There were also some VIP devotees due to which regular devotees had to wait. We managed to get our darshan as quickly as possible.

After this we walked about 200 yards and took an autorickshaw to go back to our hotel. It was hot and sunny and we were glad to be back in the cool insides of our hotel. We took rest in the afternoon in the room as we were famished and tired of the walking around in the Sun. In the evening, we visited the following temples:

-        Annapoorneshwari – Our second visit to this temple of the consort of Lord Shiva, Mata Annapoorni which is situated just outside the boundary of the main temple. Luckily, it is never very crowded, and we could get in quickly after walking through the famous gullies of Kashi where no vehicles are allowed, except two wheelers. We were fortunate to be able to go once again into the sanctum upon paying a small Dakshina to the priest and place our heads of Her feet. She is the Mother who feeds all creation. The temple has a program of Annadhanam on all days for the benefit of devotees who come from all over the country.

-        Vishweshwar - We had booked for the Sapta Rishi Aarti for the second time. We reached the temple well on time. Through a contact, we had connected with the main priest who conducts this aarti to help us get special seats. But as there were barriers everywhere within the temple and no mobile phones were allowed, we could not contact him. Finally, two of us managed to meet him and he allowed the two of us to go inside the sanctum and touch the Lord before the aarti began. After this we were on our own and due to higher-than-normal crowds, we had to be content to sit at a distance and watch the proceedings on a screen rather than directly. After some time, we decided to leave as we were booked for the Mangal Aarti darshan in the early morning of next day. We proceeded directly to our hotel to get a short sleep.

Day 4

Outside Malikarjuna temple

We woke up at 2 a.m. for the Mangal Aarti darshan. After a quick bath, we came down to the street level and found it buzzing with activity. We were told that Kashi never sleeps and people are always found at all hours., We got into a rickshaw and proceed to the gate where entry was allowed for the aarti. We had a contact who was facilitating this. We met him outside the gate, and he took us in. After waiting for nearly an hour, we were ushered into the temple. There were about 200+ people for the aarti and so it was crowded. As there are four doors, the crowd got split into about 50 per door. So, we got a good darshan, but it was still not very comfortable. The aarti went on for about 45 minutes – starting with abhishek with different draviams (materials like milk, curds, honey etc.), then alankar (very elaborate) and then followed by the aarti. After this, we were greeted by a slight shower from the skies. We considered it as a blessing till it became heavier. We managed to get a hot cup of tea and then a rickshaw to return to the hotel.

Presenting Acharya Sambhavanai to HH

At around 7 a.m., we went to the Kanchi Mutt, a short walk from our hotel, to present the Acharya Sambhavanai to HH as mentioned in the opening of this blog. There were very few people at the Mutt at this time and we were asked to wait outside the room where HH was giving audience to some locals. That meeting went on for quite some time and a decent crowd had gathered by this time. While we were first to wait outside the door, some of the close attendants of HH started taking people inside directly without waiting in the queue. The crowd outside started getting restless and all rules of queuing were discarded, and people just started crowding in a semi-circle and pushing and jostling each other. After a long time, the doors opened to let the people inside come out. The crowd outside was too tightly packed to allow any easy exit. Tempers were starting to rise and some people were beginning to almost get into fist fights to get entry. After some time, we were allowed in and when this happened, a crowd of people rushed in. There was no time for any introductions or talk with HH. We had to be content to know that He might have seen us in the midst of so many people.

Later we attended the morning Pada Puja and Bikshavandanam ceremony followed by Dwadashi paranai (breaking of fast) at the Mutt. This comprised of some sambhar rice, a vegetable, a sweet and some curd rice. We came back to the hotel for some rest in the afternoon.

In the evening, we went to the following temples:

-        Kedareshwar  - This Lingam is the representative of the Jyotirling at kedarnath and is one of the most important Shiva temples in Kashi. It was located close to our hotel along the riverbank. It was also a short distance from the Kanchi Mutt. The Lingam here is a Swayambu (naturally formed). This was a blessing and a fulfillment of the wish of a devotee from Kashi who used to go to Kedarnath every year but couldn’t do so during old age. He prayed to Lord Shiva to appear in Kashi itself as Kedareshwar and was granted his wish by Lord Shiva. People who worship the Linga here get 7 times more punya than what they get by going to Kedarnath.

After this we attended the evening Pradosham puja at Matham which was conducted in a very low light by HH. There was a very large crowd to witness this puja. After this we had some light snack (Upma) at the Matham before proceeding to our hotel.

Day 5

The last day of our yatra was less hectic compared to the other days.

In the morning at 6 a.m. a few of us went to the Shivala ghat (close to our hotel) and had the proper Ganga Snanam preceded by Sankalpam. This is when I learnet the proper method of having bath in a holy river. One has to go fully clothed, chant the sankalpam as taught by a priest, dip fully facing the upstream river thrice and then step out for the change of clothes etc. We did our Sandhya prayers at the riverbank itself before returning to the hotel for breakfast.

After this, around 9 a.m., we went to the following temples along with our guide Sri Rameshwar in an autorickshaw.

-        Omkareshwar – This came about when, after severe penance, Brahma visualized the divine energy in the form of Aum (A + U + M + Naad + Bindu) which encompasses all the Vedas, Puranas etc. Brahma was so enchanted with this that He started singing praises of Lord Shiva who appeared before Him. He granted a boon to Brahma that He will always be present in the form of Five Lings to represent this Aum. However, only three Lings remain now. We visited all three which are not well known to the people who come to Kashi. It was almost deserted when we went there. We prayed, poured water and placed Bilwa leaves to worship the Lord. Worshiping Omkareshwar is equivalent to worshiping all the Shiv Lings in the world and also reciting one lakh Rudra japam as per Kashi Khand.

-        Trilochan – Also known as Trishtabh Ling, it is believed that the three rivers Yamuna, Saraswati, and Narmada once performed abhishek of this Ling. Even mentioning the word Trilochan once will cleanse the devotee of all his Sins. Even Sins committed in Kashi itself gets dissolved by worshiping this Ling. Akshay Thritheeya day is considered most auspicious for worshipping this Ling.

-        Kameshwar - This Lingam was installed by Sage Durvasa and people who perform puja here, on a day when Saturday, Trayodasha and Pradosha day combine, after having bath at the nearby Kam Kund (also created by the Sage) are cleansed of their sins, have their wishes fulfilled and reach heaven after death – as per the boon given by Lord Shiva to Sage Durvasa.

We had ordered packed lunch at hotel comprising of idlis and curd rice. As we were not hungry, we ate the idlis and carried the curd rice to be consumed later, if required.

On the way to the airport, we visited the house of Sri Venkatraman and Smt. Lalitha the couple from Mumbai who are settled in Kashi and about whom I had mentioned in the beginning of this blog. Together, they have been quietly doing a wonderful service to the Lord by writing books, supporting pilgrims etc. They were perfect hosts to us and we had a good time meeting them and bonding over a glass of refreshing lemon juice.

After that, we drove to the airport to catch our return flight to Mumbai and arrived home in the early hours of the evening. Thus ended one of the most anticipated and satisfying yatras ever undertaken by us.

Do Dham Yatra

In the month of June, 2023 four of us (two couples – Radha & Narayan, Lalitha & Vishwanath) undertook a short Do Dham yatra (Only Badri & Kedarnath). We skipped the other two Dhams (Gangotri & Yamnotri) due to paucity of time. The description of our yatra follows. 

On Day 1, we took a direct flight to Dehra Dun where we landed by late afternoon. It was hot in Mumbai when we departed as the monsoon had not yet set in. Dehradun was comparatively cooler being higher in altitude than Mumbai. As the flight landed and I switched on my phone, I received a call from a taxi operator whom I had been in touch with for our drive to Haridwar where we were to stay the night. Although I had not finalized my journey with him or booked his cab, he knew of my flight details and decided to take a chance by coming to the airport. As his charges were reasonable (Rs. 1500 for the 40 km ride), we went ahead with him. It was a well-maintained Sedan and the AC was working fine. The journey to Haridwar was smooth but as we neared the holy town, we were caught in a bad traffic jam. We spent more than an hour extra due to the snarl which was cause entirely due to very slow road construction work going on.

Haridwar was much warmer than Dehra Dun. We were booked at the guest house of a company which was located along the banks of the holy river Ganga. As that place gets crowded with pilgrims, the taxi driver dropped us off at a distance and we had to cover the last mile using electric autorickshaws. It was quite an experience driving through very crowded narrow roads while keeping a careful eye on our luggage. We reached the guest house and were given two decent rooms. The rooms were comfortable & large although the furnishings were old and little rustic. The guest house looked like a typical family home with about 15 rooms. The best part was that there was a bathing ghat as part of the premises and one could directly walk down the stairs to the river to have a quick dip or a leisurely bath.

We finished our evening prayers and decided to have our bath at the holiest spot in Haridwar called the “Har ki Paur”. It is believed that a few drops of Amrit (Elixir) dropped here while being carried in the air by Garuda the carrier of Lord Vishnu. Every day, thousands of people come to this holy spot to have their bath which is supposed to cleanse them of all their sins. This place was about 400 meters from our hotel. After finding a spot to keep our clothes & other personal articles, we had a quick dip by taking turns. The water was cool and refreshing. After that, we walked to a nearby restaurant to have our dinner. After this we walked back to our hotel room for rest and sleep.

The next morning, we woke up early as we had called for our car by 7 a.m. We were packed and ready by that time but the driver got delayed and we left only around 7.45 a.m. The vehicle was an Toyota Innova car which was fairly comfortable for 4 passengers and driver. The car had two separate seats in the middle and hence one of us had to sit in the rear along with some luggage. The rest of our luggage was on the kept secured in the carrier above the car. The driver covered it with a plastic tarpaulin sheet as there were chances of rain in the mountains where we were headed.

The roads were crowded in the morning with many vehicles headed towards the hills for the Chardham yatra. It took as quite some time to cross Rishikesh due to the traffic We left behind the crowds and the traffic by around 11 a.m. and just as expected, it did start raining as soon as we crossed Rishikesh. Immediately, the temperature came down making it a pleasant drive thereafter. Along the way we saw scores of Sikh boys on bikes with flags headed towards the holy shrine of Hemkund Sahib. We also saw many langars where free food was served by Sikh gentlemen for all yatris. They stood on the roads requesting cars and other vehicles to stop and eat their food. While we were tempted, we did not stop as we had a long journey ahead.

Hotel Ashirwad, Chamoli

Along the way, we stopped at a roadside Dhaba for a quick lunch of rice and Kadi and curds. This was filling yet easy on the stomach. The reset of the drive was uneventful till we reached our hotel at Chamoli. Chamoli is a beautiful and picturesque district in Uttrakhand. The hotel (called Ashirwad) was located on the main road as are most hotels in Uttrakhand. It was a new place constructed within previous 12 months or so. When we reached it was dusk and quite cool. The hotel was small but neat. It had the river Dhauliganga flowing nearby which kept the area very fertile and green. Our rooms had nice balcony facing the fields and the river beyond it.

We refreshed ourselves with a bath and said our prayers before heading for dinner in the restaurant attached to our hotel. The food was prepared fresh for us and was quite tasty and filling. After that we retired for the night as we had to leave early next morning towards Badrinath.

The next morning, when we woke up by 6 a.m., it was already bright as the Sun rises early in the mountains. We finished our morning ablutions and left around 7.30 a.m. On the way, we ate some of the snacks we had carried like Theplas & chips. We passed through Joshimath but didn’t wait as we wanted to reach Badri early. Our hotel which was booked through Booking.com called us and told us that the rooms were cancelled. This happened for the second time for the same location – Badrinath. Earlier another hotel had cancelled and we had to make a fresh booking which too got cancelled in the last minute. In the second case, we had even made an advance payment.

We proceeded nevertheless and I made calls to several contacts, one of whom sent me details of another property. I called them and they agreed to accommodate us. When we reached Badrinath, it had started to drizzle and it was very cold due to the height as well as the winds. Fortunately, there was no snow – either on the way or at the top. The roads were all dug up at Badri as some huge development work was in progress. With some difficulty, I located the property which we had booked and paid advance. They tried to give us a lower quality room to accommodate us and even tried to get us to go into another hotel where they had some arrangements. However, after inspecting both the places, we decided to take the refund which they did without further fuss.

Reciting Srimad Bhagavatham

After this we went to Reliance Guest House (RGH), which is the contact I had got through a friend. This was a fantastic property with five star like rooms and lovely area around the property. The price was on the higher side and we had to pay in cash but it was worth it as we got very good luxurious accommodation. We had a quick lunch and left for darshan at about 3 p.m. It was a longish walk and the queue was long. Luckily it had become sunny by then. The RGH manager had given me the contact of a priest whom I spoke with but he could not provide any quick / special entry for us. We stood in the queue which started moving rapidly and we entered the temple premises within 1.5 hours or so.

As crowds were huge, there was a scramble for the darshan from a distance of about 20 feet. We were not allowed to stand in front of the Lord for more than 10 seconds due to the pressure of the crowds. We were happy but not satisfied. As we waited in the premises, the priest whom I had spoken to earlier called me and came over to meet us. He arranged for a special darshan (Golden Thali Aarti) for us at a price. We happily accepted. In the meantime, the ladies found a corner to recite Bhagavad Geeta (15^th Chapter) and Srimad Bhagavatham (Canto 12 Chapter 12 which is the summary of the entire Bhagavatham). After this, we went inside the Sanctum. We got a good seat (along with some 75 other devotees) and witnessed the aarti. It was a very special experience which lasted about 15 minutes. Seems the Lord heard our wish and granted us audience to drink His sight with our eyes and hear the aarti with our ears.

After that we came out, took some pictures and walked down to the exit area where we found a restaurant to have some light snacks. It was getting dark by then and quite cold. So, we called our driver to come and pick us up. He came after some time to a nearby parking area. We walked there and drove back to our hotel. We slept by 9 p.m. as we were tired, and the rooms were so cozy.

The next day was Krishna Chaturthi (Sankashti). We woke up leisurely as we did not plan for another darshan in the morning. Couple of us were fasting (One meal only – dinner) and after the other couple had their breakfast, we left Badrinath. The weather was bright and sunny. Within a short time, we were going down the mountains. It started getting warmer. We stopped for a little while at the Hanuman temple at the foothills and then continued our journey. For lunch, we stopped at the same hotel at Chamoli where we had stayed previously. After lunch, it was a long ride to Gupt Kashi which we reached by the evening time.

Our property was five kilometers away from the town and up some hills. It was called Jyotirlinga Resort. As we rode towards it we felt it was too far away and in the wilderness. We felt we made a mistake and should have selected a property nearer the town. This was a small property with only about a dozen rooms. There was no reception, no lobby and the restaurant looked deserted. The lighting was not much. It was a longish walk to the room from the place where our car was parked. The rooms looked ok but not very luxurious. Basically, there were two long  wooden cottages which had about 6 rooms each.

After settling down and freshening up and doing our evening prayers, we went for early dinner. Dinner was in a buffet format and ok. After that we decided to hit the bed as we were tired from the long drive. The weather was cool (almost cold) and the blankets in the rooms came very handy.

The next morning, we woke up to a glorious sight. In front of our room was a lovely garden and beyond that we had the view of the mountains. There were lovely flowering plants in the garden, and we could hear the birds chirping about. The sky was clear and the morning Sun looked warm and welcoming. After our morning ablutions, we went towards Gupt Kashi where a MahaRudram (MR) was being conducted under the umbrella Kanchi Kamakoti Matham. This was the third and concluding day of the MR. This was also the last of the 12 MR which were held across the country at various Jyotirlingam sites. These 12 MR were conducted on Avittam star days of each month in memory and honour of Late Sri Jayendra Saraswati the 69^th Shankaracharya of Kanch Kamakoti Peetham.

We participated in the chanting along with the priests who had come all the way from across various cities of India. Some of them were from Navi Mumbai and known to us. The venue was an Ashram on the outskirts of the town. The ashram was run by Sadhus and they had a beautiful Shiva temple plus a lovely space for conducting yagnas. One bus load of yatris also joined in the afternoon during the conclusion. They were on a chardham yatra and were also keen to witness the MR. There was also an Adheenam (Head of a no-Brahmin Shaivite Mutt of Tamil Nadu) who was present at the Ashram and we could witness his prayer rituals too.

The Adheenam

After the MR got concluded, we were treated to a simple but sumptuous meal (Annadhanam) by the Sadhus of the Ashram. It comprised of Chappatis, Dal, One sabzi and rice. We loved the meal served so lovingly by the Sadhus. After the meal, we left in our car to visit a famous temple called Triyugi Narayan (TN) temple. This is place where it is believed that Shiva & Parvati got married with Lord Vishnu as the witness and the brother who gave away the bride. The drive towards the temple got stuck with lot of traffic at Sitapur which is the transit point for people heading towards Kedarnath. From here people go to a place called Gaurikund and start their long trek to Kedarnath.

Triyugi Narayan Temple

After we crossed this place, we had to go up about 6 kms towards the TN temple. These were narrow roads along fresh & green paths. Virtually no traffic and very blissful drive. When we arrived at the temple, there was a small drizzle. We walked about 200 meters from the parking spot to the temple in the rain. There were very few people in the temple at this time which was late evening. We had our darshan of the deities after performing a small puja on the compound. Then we fed small sticks to the holy Akhand fire which has been kept alight through the various yugas as per the temple legends. The drive back to our hotel was relatively quick as the traffic had lessened. We reached back in time for a hearty dinner before sleeping early as we had to go to Kedarnath the next day.

After our morning ablutions, we had coffee and took the car and went towards the helipad. We had contacted the CEO of a helicopter company through a friend and were promised to be given tickets after we reached the helipad. All flights were shown as full in the online booking website but for people with connects, exceptions were possible.

There are about 6 different helicopter services operating here. We went to the one where we had some arrangements. After we reached, we were feeling hungry. So, we had a delicious breakfast at a restaurant outside the helipad. After a long wait, we finally were allotted seats and went up to the Kedarnath Shrine helipad. The flight took only 7 minutes. We could see lots of devotees climbing up the long 14 k m path – some were walking, and some were on ponies while some were being carried up by porters. After landing, we started walking straight towards the temple. It was cold but bearable. We should have taken our reservation for the return flight as we were not planning to stay overnight at the top. We had only taken bare minimum articles in our small carry bags.

There was a very long queue for darshan stretching almost half a kilometer. As we had already purchased VIP entrance tickets at Rs. 2500 each, we joined a queue very close to the entrance of the shrine. Within about 30 minutes, we could enter the temple and once inside, it was chaotic as all queues merged at the entrance. There were roughly a few hundred people all pushing and jostling each other to go near the sanctum. No one was allowed inside at that time and all had to be content to have the darshan from the Sanctum door only where one could wait for barely 5-6 seconds. We reached the doorway in about 10 minutes and had a fabulous darshan of the natural Jyotirlingam which was covered on all sides with a golden cover. The sight was memorable and mesmerizing. After we came out, it started drizzling and we took it as a good omen.

We waited for a while at a nearby roadside shop / shelter for the rain to subside before walking back towards the helipad for the return journey. As we were hungry, we brought some snacks (Peanuts & biscuits) and drink (Masti Chaas). When we reached the helipad, we were told that all flights were reserved for the day and we had to stay back at the top. We started panicking as we were ill prepared for a stay in the cold mountain top. I spoke to the local manager who flatly refused and said we should have reserved our seats as soon as we landed. Even when I said I am the guest of the CEO, he did not relent. In desperation, I called the CEO of the helicopter service but he didn’t pick up my call. I then sent him a message explaining our situation. After what seemed an eternity (actually only 45 minutes) he replied saying he will do something.

We waited at the helipad for almost an hour and half after that when someone came up to me and asked whether I am the same guy who knows the CEO. When I confirmed, he asked all four of us to go and stand in one particular part of the helipad. Then, after some time, he came and escorted us to the next helicopter and enabled our return flight down. The relief we got was immense and cannot be explained here.

The flight down was uneventful and lasted the same 7-8 minutes. After we came down we were ravenously hungry. The restaurant had closed by that time. Luckily, the restaurant owner was around, and he re-opened the restaurant for us and managed to give us some fresh hot snacks and coffee. Our driver told us that the flights got delayed and reduced as it had rained heavily all day and only in the evening the skies cleared. Perhaps, the good Lord heard our prayers and decided to change the weather to facilitate our return journey. Overall, it seemed miraculous that we were able to return in such odds. We returned to our hotel to finish our evening prayers and have an early dinner and got a good night sleep.

Gupt Kashi Temple

The next morning, we left around 8 a.m. for the long drive back to Haridwar. We first went to the Gupt Kashi temple. Gupt Kashi is famous because when the Pandavas were searching for Lord Shiva to atone for their sin of killing their Guru (who was also a Brahmin), Lord Shiva was angry with them and went into hiding here in the form of Nandi. When Bhima tried to catch this bull it disappeared into the ground and reappeared in five different places in five different forms. This vanishing act gave the name of Gupt Kashi to this place. In the temple, we have water flowing from two spouts which are revered as Ganga and Yamuna. We wash our hands and feet here before going into the temple for darshan. We also did a small puja with the help of a priest and, as per the tradition here, gave our Dakshina in a gupt (hidden) form but putting it inside a coconut.

After darshan and customary pictures, we got into the car and headed towards Haridwar. On the way, we stopped at a restaurant for breakfast. We had hot parathas and tea. Then it was a long journey towards Haridwar. As we neared Haridwar, it started getting very warm. On the way we stopped at Dev Prayag to witness the confluence of the two rivers – Alak Nanda and Bhagirathi which after merging becomes the Holy river Ganga. We could see the muddy Bhagirathi (which comes from Gangotri) merging with the clean & green Alak Nanda (which comes from Badrinath) joining together. It was a fantastic sight from the top. As it was very hot, we had some lime juice from a roadside shop.

Then it was a long drive through Rishikesh and the traffic jams outside Haridwar back to our hotel which we reached by around 7 p.m. I had a quick dip in the Ganga which was accessible right below our hotel before I did my evening Sandhya prayers. After that we went for dinner to a nearby restaurant (Kesariya Restaurant on Birla Road) which served some delicious vegetarian food. After dinner, we came back to our hotel for sleeping and resting our tired limbs.

Maya Devi Temple

The next morning, I had my bath in the Ganga before doing my prayers. After that, we went to Mansa Devi Temple by around 7 a.m. As it was very crowded, we decided to visit the Chamunda Devi temple which was across the river Ganga and on a small hill nearby. We took an autorickshaw to reach there and then booked tickets in the Winch service to go up to the temple. There were no crowds at this time. Luckily, we could buy tickets that were usable at both Chamunda Devi temple and Mansa Devi temple and was valid for 2 days. After our darshan at Chamunda devi temple, we came down by Winch and then had some snacks at the food court below. When we came out, we saw that lots of people had arrived to have darshan here and there were big queues waiting to go up.

We took another rickshaw and came back to our hotel. In the afternoon, we again had lunch at Kesariya restaurant and took some rest. In the evening we went for some shopping in the nearby crowded lanes of Haridwar. In the night we again had dinner at the same restaurant.

The next morning, which was the last day of our yatra, we again had bath in the Ganga before our morning prayers. Then we went to Mansa Devi temple by using the Winch. We were there early before the crowds came and had a good darshan. Later we went to a relatively unknown Shakti Peeth at Haridwar which is called the Maya Devi temple. After Devi Sati gave up her body unable to bear the insult to her husband Lord Shiva by her father Daksha, Her body was first kept here. Then Lord Shiva carried it with Him when Lord Vishnu cut it into several pieces with his Sudarshan Chakra and the spot where each part fell is called Shakti Peeth. The original name of Haridwar was Mayapur due to this temple and Haridwar is one of the 7 Moskha Puri (place where one gets moksha by dying here). We had a lovely darshan here and would recommend every yatri to visit this temple when you arrive at Haridwar.

After that we had lunch at the same restaurant before heading to the airport and taking a flight back to Mumbai. Thus ended our lovely Do Dham yatra.

Leh-Ladakh Trip Day 10 & 11

Leh is a wonderful city. It is spacious with a small population. The roads are clean and well maintained. One can have a relaxed and happy holiday here. There are some nice shopping centers available as well as good sight seeing activities in and around Leh. The weather is terrific during the summer.

We finished our breakfast and were ready to go around by 9 a.m.. When we went out, we realized that the locals begin their day only around 10-10.30 a.m. We walked around and went to the shopping area. As most shops were closed, the place looked deserted with not many people around. After a while, the shops opened and the ladies in our group had a good time buying a lot of textiles like sarees, scarfs, dress materials etc. The shopping went on for about couple of hours. In the afternoon, we found a lovely vegetarian restaurant that had opened recently. It was called the Nathus located on the first floor of Himalayan Complex. The food here was excellent although the service was a bit slow.

After a nice lunch, we went back to our hotel for an afternoon siesta. In the evening, a few of us went back to the market to pick up some articles which were missed out during the morning shopping spree. We also used this time to explore the area thoroughly. It was really beautiful and made us want to come back in the future.

After that, it was back to the hotel for our dinner and packing for the next days trip back home.

On the last day of our trip, our three drivers came back to the hotel to pick us and drop us to the airport. We left the hotel after our breakfast. The airport was a short 15-minute drive away. We said our goodbyes and thanks to the drivers. We also tipped them for their services and promised to reach out if we returned to Leh. Parting is always a difficult process and so we kept it short.

At the airport, we discovered that our baggage were having excess weight. So, we had to remove some stuff and transfer them to our hand luggage. After that, it was a smooth uneventful flight back and return to home in the hot summer of Mumbai.  

Thus ended our long & lovely holiday at Leh-Ladakh.

Leh-Ladhak Trip Day 8 & 9

It was a lovely sunny morning on day 8 that we woke up to. After morning ablutions and prayers, we had our breakfast and got set to leave The Creek at Nubra valley. This was one of the best properties we stayed in with almost everything including the weather being ideal.

We packed our stuff and loaded them on our cars and left for our next destination which Pangong lake. The route was scenic as always – rugged barren brown mountains alongside which the river Shayok was flowing. We were informed that we should be prepared for the cold weather at our destination.

Pangong lake became famous after a movie called “Three idiots” had a couple of scenes from this location. It is a salt water lake at a height of approx.. 14500 feet above sea level. The lake itself is huge which is 134 kms long and is divided into five sub lakes. Approx. 50% of the lake is in Tibet, China and 40% is in Ladakh. Balance 10% is disputed and lies between the two countries. The lake has absolutely no life as no vegetation grows at that height and hence, water creatures also cannot survive here. The place is under the control of the army and movements are restricted. No fresh water is available locally here. No permanent structures are allowed to be constructed here.

Our first view of the lake was mesmerizing. The lake has several different shades of colour to it. At places, it looks dark blue, at places, it is light blue and at other places it has an emerald, green colour. We stopped at a height and took some snaps from there. Later we drove down to the wooden rooms which were our night halt. The rooms were compact and decently furnished. However, as the night progressed, we discovered gap between the door and the walls which led to cold air coming in.

Immediately after reaching, we decided to head towards the lake which was a few hundred meters from our rooms. When we reached the lake there was a crowd of people enjoying the scenery and taking pics. There were some locals who had put up props from the movie 3 idiots and people were paying some money to use the props for pictures.

Within 15-20 minutes, we felt uncomfortable with the ice cold winds that was blowing quite fast due to the open area. So, we decided to head back to our rooms. Once there, it became so cold that few of our group members couldn’t stand it and went straight to bed. That too was not warm enough and we were wondering how we are going to survive the night here.

After some time, few of us went to a nearby room which was the restaurant and had a light dinner comprising of soup and some roti sabzi. After that we felt it is best to sleep it off. However, we soon discovered that the cold air coming form the gap between the door and the wall was unbearable. Also, the condition of a couple of our members (Jayashree & Lalitha) took a turn to the worse with vomiting, loose motions, shivering, breathlessness etc. On top of it, there was a power cut which lasted a long time. Soon, the water supply also stopped due to shortage.

We don’t know how we spent the night. Looked like it was never ending. As soon as it was morning, we decided to leave the place and get down to lower area. So, without having bath or doing any prayers, we had a light breakfast – some coffee & toast and left the place. Yes, Pangong is beautiful but I would not recommend that people plan to stay in that place simply because of the lack of infrastructure and the hostile climate.

On the way to Pangong and on the way back, we saw a strange animal which looks like a half rabbit and half squirrel. It is called Marmot. They are herbivores which hibernate during winter. During spring & summer, they are busy eating to make up for lost time as well as store fat for the harsh winter ahead. They are very friendly and come close to humans seeking food. We were warned not to feed them as it might prove harmful to their delicate digestive system. We were also told that some humans catch these innocent creatures and slaughter them for their meat which is seriously affecting their population.

After we drove for a couple of hours, our team slowly came back to their spirits. The drive was back to Leh through the Chang La pass. This is also at a great height – nearly 18000 feet above sea level. We didn’t stop here for long but got slightly delayed due to the heavy army convoys. Some of us did get down to get some pics. After that, we drove on and reached Leh by afternoon. The drive was long and our team was weary from the previous night.

At Leh, we were put up at a hotel called the Lassermo which was in the heart of the city – about 4/5 kms from the airport. The hotel was standard 4 star type hotel with very comfortable rooms & bathrooms. We had a good shower before proceeding for a late lunch. In the evening, we went for a stroll around the market area to do some shopping and came back early as the next day was completely free for us

Leh-Ladhak Trip Day 7

We woke up to a cold but sunny morning and quickly got ready for a hearty breakfast at our hotel. 

The breakfast was superb. The kitchen staff took care to cater to our specific requirements and the fare was simple yet tasty and healthy. After this, we got into our vehicles to a long drive to Turtuk village – which is the last village bordering Pakistan. This village was on the Pakistan side till 1971 when after the war, it was recaptured by the Indian army. Unfortunately, many of the villagers were separated from their near & dear ones in the process. This area is now under the control of the Ladakh Scouts.

The drive was beautiful along the riverbanks for most of the time. We had to pass through a narrow steel bridge which allowed only one vehicle to pass at a time. After a long 4 hour drive, through spectacular mountain ranges & villages, we reached Turtuk village. The was quite a crowd here – all eager to get view the Pakistan side through binoculars (available at a nominal rent) and get themselves photographed at the border. The villagers had put up several stalls here to sell locally made stuff as well as fruits. There was even a stall to dress as locals and get photographed for a small price.

We then went to the village after lunch at a pure vegetarian restaurant called Khan Hotel. It seems that many of the villagers have realized that there is a demand for pure vegetarian and vegan food from tourists and they have adapted to cater to that.

The village was beautiful and quaint. We had a good walk through the gullies having small houses and tiny farms. We did small talk with the friendly locals who said that they have seen more prosperity after becoming part of India. The do miss their relatives with whom they are unable to have much contact. Their livelihood is mainly made from farming, providing porters and mules to the army and tourists inflow. They have set up small museums to showcase their lifestyle and have small shops selling local produce as well as artefacts.

We took some pictures of ourselves here. Some locals were more than happy to get themselves photographed with us while a few ladies objected even though they were not being clicked. Locals were generally very amiable as tourists are important part of their economy. After some time, the weather changed, and it started raining. So, we decided to return to Nubra.

The drive back was through a slight drizzle for part of the way. When we reached our hotel, it was evening. We took some rest before having dinner and retiring for the night.

Leh-Ladakh trip Day 6

The property at Uley where we stayed was fabulous. The name of the property is Uley Ethnic Resort. It has a total of about 20 cottages set amidst an apple and apricot orchard. It is like a five-star property without a swimming pool. The property overlooks the Sindhu River flowing by about 25 meters below. The cottages are compact with a room and a bathroom which are well furnished. They have a separate recreation room and a dining room. The dinner was served very elegantly to us by about 3 servers fussing around us and pampering our every request. It started with soups, 2 different starters, and a full 7 course dinner complete with salads, main course, assortment of breads etc. and finished with a lovely, sweet dish.

The night became very cold here and we had to use couple of hot water bags inside the blanket to keep us warm. One couple found earthworms in their bed – perhaps they came to keep themselves warm!! The next morning, we discovered that hot water is not available on the tap, and one must order for it. We got them in buckets to have our bath.

Ramesh & Lakshmi had decided to terminate the trip due to her health issues. And although she felt much comfortable here at this location, they had to leave early morning to Leh as the new tickets were already booked. We had a leisurely breakfast at the hotel. Two of us ventured down the hillside to get to the river. It was a short but difficult trek as there was no clear pathway. We took some pics at the riverside before heading back up.

At about 10.30 a.m., we left for Leh in two vehicles. The other vehicle had gone ahead to the airport in the morning with Ramesh & Lakshmi. We met the other vehicle at Leh and from this time onwards we had 3 vehicles for 8 passengers. Quite a luxury indeed.

Our destination was Nubra Valley for which we had to pass through the 2^nd highest motorable road in the world – the Khardungla Pass (KP). We were excited to see this point as it is a famous spot for all tourists. The drive to KP from Leh was completed in about two and a half hours. As we neared it we could see snow all around us. Entire peaks, passes and valleys were covered with snow. It was a fabulous sight indeed. We got down on the way to play around in the snow and take pictures.

At KP, which is at a height of nearly 17600 feet above sea level, the oxygen level is very low and people can get affected by staying there for too long without proper acclimatization. Hence, we stayed for a max of only 15 minutes. The way down from there took more time due to traffic caused by a convoy of army vehicles. The roads are slippery there due to melting snow and we could see few vehicles had chains tied to their tires to prevent them from skidding.

We reached Nubra valley by evening. On the way, we crossed a huge patch of sand dunes caused by the silt of the rivers as well as sand blown down from the mountains by the wind. It looked like a desert, and we could see such activities there. For e.g., rides on Bactrian camels which had 2 humps, 4-wheel jeep rides etc. When we reached our hotel, it was nearly dusk.

This was also another superb property (The Creek) with about 20 cottages spread over 3 acres of land. Each cottage was very well furnished and had all arrangements one can look forward to from a top-class hotel. We also had an open to the sky bath area which none of us used as it was too cold for us. Dinner at the hotel was preceded by some time by the open-air fireside. As it was cold, the fire was very comforting. Later we had a sumptuous yet simple dinner before retiring for the night.