When the body and mind freeze into the cold drifts along the trail leading to the summit, the shrine’s call is what keeps you going. Kedarnath, within the ice-clad mountains, stands strong and alive with the spirits of Shiva. A holy pilgrim of India that is visited by its devotees empowers a divine atmosphere that one should surely experience. 

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In the month of October, Bhavya planned a trip to Kedarnath. Marked the dates and made a scheduled plan in which his friends tagged along for the adventure. They left on the 20th of October and traveled overnight to Rishikesh. Hailed a bus to Sonprayag [Cost per ticket- Rs.370] and reached just when the sun had set, so they decided to settle down at a local hotel for the night [INR 3000 for accommodating 5 people]. 

D-Day

During the dark of the morning, he set forth for the trek. Near the foot of the mountains, a cold river flowed beside which the legendary Gaurikund is situated. This Kund contains hot spring water in which goddess Gauri bathed. It is astonishing how the frozen land contains a pond of hot water in it. 

Ahead lied the 16.7km long path of Kedarnath Yatra. Like every other traveler following the yatra, they began their journey with cheerful chants and gained strength that made the climb easier. Passing through rocks and taking the short routes they managed to travel quickly. The steep slopes and temperatures at high altitudes were tiresome. ‘ I have to reach for the evening aarti’ is what struck in Bhavya’s mind whenever he lacked the energy to move any faster. 

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The other options for Kedarnath Yatra are by a mule [INR 1500] or a palki [INR 3000-4000] and even a helicopter ride which has to be booked at least a week in advance [INR 6000]. He assured me that all these modes are quite safe for the yatra. The rough roads create a lot of apitite for which several stalls are located to serve plenty food items. And as far as the dinner is concerned, GMVN provides a thali at Rs.100. 

Let’s unwind

Finishing almost a 10-hour trek with a sense of yearning, he reached at 6 pm for the evening aarti. The tired body overcame all its weakness when he felt the divine power around him. Even in the 4-degree shiver, he managed to keep himself warm with prayers.  

The gates remain close at night and the devotees settle down in tents, dorms or private rooms. The price for the same are Rs.400, Rs.800 and Rs.1000. 

Bhavya and his group of four crawled into a tent at midnight. Every woolen item they owned were wrapped around them as they yearned for heat to rest. Yet, the frost kept them awake as they tried to get through a few hours of waiting. 

Jai Kedarnath!

Today they enter the immortal walls of the Kedarnath temple. A structure with white stone slabs with figures of dieties on its inner walls. Nandi, the guardian of Kedarnath stands at the entrance. And as Bhavya stood in the line for a darshan with a prashad thali in his hand, he felt the grace with which the temple welcomed them.

Behind the temple lied the legendary rock that save the temple from the flash floods and landslides in 2013. Here, on the mountains sat the orange clothed rishis that talked about the meditation caves situated in the forest following the Bhairav Temple. 

Soon the sun rose and they experienced a refreshing look at the temple. Bhavya shot some lovely photographs to comamorate such precious moments. Time flied as they desended back to Gaurikund. 

Additional Tips to Follow:

• Book in advance-  a dorm or tent two months in advance for a two-day stay by the online booking offered by GMVN [Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam] which is sold according to the availability.
• Travel light- don’t carry any food items as food stalls are available throughout the route
• Comfort to trek- while climbing the mountains, legs tend to swell and ‘joggers’ are a blessing that is coated with extra cushions to give you the ultimate comfort.

So this was the wonderful journey of Bhavya to the Holy Shrine Kedarnath. For more photos and videos check out his Instagram handle: @travelwithmalhotra

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