FRESH STINTS

                             KANIFNATH

         A short drive  of 45 kms away from Hadapsar brings you to a temple on top of a small hillock. A short drive, a good ghat section and something unique in this temple make this a very good option for break from the city. Shri Kanifnath Maharaj was one of nine teachers in the Navnath Sampradaya, a Hindu Parampara who believe that Rishi Dattatreya, an incarnation of the Holy trinity Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva to be its first teacher.  

            There are two ways to go to Kanifnath Temple from Hadapsar,  either go to Saswad and then to Kanifnath (slightly longer) or go through Kondhwa Road (beautiful ghat section in the middle). The second option is the easier and the more scenic option driving through Bopdev ghat.
              

 After the ghat, you will see a big board for Kanifnath on the left and then it is a straight road to the top of the hill. Once on the top, you get a beautiful view of Pune city. You have to climb 108 steps to reach the temple from the parking.  We found out later that had we taken our vehicle on the road (bad road) to the right of the parking to reach the back of the temple and avoided climbing those 108 steps..




The unique thing about this temple is that the main shrine is in a closed room and only men are allowed to enter it.        I I I      It is not just walking through a door! There is a small opening, probably a little more than a foot in either direction through which you (only men and topless too!) have to crawl into and also come back the same way as you are not supposed to point your foot towards the shrine. It was interesting watching people of all sizes and shapes get into the shrine. If you reach the temple around sunset the evening light is just great on the temple as there are no other hills around. We did the usual stuff, lot of photographs, chai-bhel at the shops outside and spotted a fairly large ancient looking historic temple on the banks of the river when proceeding from Bopdev to Sasvad  at Hivre.  Later we enjoyed a  break at Sasvad having a taste of "Misal-Pav" there.   We ordered one plate for which was very very hot and sumptuous.  We could not finish even one plate among 2 of us! Wonder how others were merrily feasting on it!   We were back to Pune within a few hours.               

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                             RISHI   VALLEY

We attended the annual gathering  at RISHI VALLEY and spent almost a week feeling quite refreshed.   We reached Cudappa in Andhra State by train and proceeded to  Madanapalle by Bus and from there to the bewitching Rishi Valley by car. We were totally taken aback witnessing the glory of nature, with all its splendor.

The unusual topography of the Valley with its mountains of boulders of different shapes are sizes were quite attractive and exciting to watch.  The serene atmosphere of the valley was a great change and relief from our daily rough and tough city life. The silent and peaceful natural environment enabled us to refresh and recoup our lost relationship with nature and its bounty.

The lectures, discussions and seminars were refreshing and the  evening trek and walk with groups of friends around the spectacular surroundings were memorable and exciting. 

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                                               V A R A N A S I

We spent almost a week in Varanasi, or Benares, (also known as Kashi)  one of the oldest living cities in the world.  Mark Twain, the English author and literature,  wrote : "Benares  is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend”  Steeped in tradition and mythological legacy, Kashi is the ‘original ground ‘ created by Shiva and Parvati, upon which they stood at the beginning of time. 

To be in Varanasi is a breath-taking experience in self–discovery of an eternal oneness of the body and soul, strolling along the banks across the Ganges, visiting  the temples and shrines ringing in soul stirring hymns and mantras, filled with the fragrance of incense in the air, the refreshing dip in the holy waters  and reaching the ultimate bliss.. It is regarded as one of seven holy cities  viz.,; Ayodhya, Mathura, Gaya, Kaasi, Kanchi, Avantika, and Dwaravati which can provide  Moksha.     In the 8th century, Adi Shankara established the worship of Shiva as an official sect of Varanasi. The city is known worldwide for its many ghats :  the Manikarnika Ghat and the Harishchandra Ghat, are the  two  where Hindus cremate their dead.  Foremost among the estimated 23,000 temples in Varanasi are Kashi Vishwanath Temple of Shiva, the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, and the Durga Temple.   The Ramnagar Fort,  built in the 18^th century and  Asia's largest residential universities Banaras Hindu University (BHU) are other attractions. The memorable boat ride in the evening along the famous ghats of the Ganga river and witnessing the “ AARTHI ” for over an hour was an unforgettable experience. 

  

While staying in Benarus, we found time to visit  Sarnath,    a city located 15 kms north-east of  Varanasi near the confluence of the Ganga and the Gomati rivers in UP, India.    Sarnath is associated with  Gautama Buddha whose first teaching of the DHARMA and the four noble truths after attaining Enlightenment,  took place in the deer park. The Buddhist SANGHA came into existence here. When Gautama Buddha found his five former companions, he taught them, they understood and as a result they also became enlightened. The Buddha's central teaching after his enlightenment centered around the Four Noble Truths (concerning the meaning of life) and the Noble Eightfold Path (concerning the right way to live). It was very heartening to visit SARNATH and walk  in the sands where the great Buddha once preached.

  The Dhamek Stupa;  it is an impressive 130 feet high and 95 feet in diameter.

The Dharmarajika Stupa is one of the few historic stupas remaining, although only the foundations remain. The Ashoka Pillar erected here, originally surmounted by the "Lion capital of Ashoka" (presently on display at the Sarnath Museum), was broken during Turk invasions but the base still stands at the original location.  The Sarnath Museum houses the famous Ashokan lion capital, which miraculously survived its 45-foot drop to the ground (from the top of the Ashokan Pillar), and became the National emblem of India and national symbol on the  Indian flag. The museum also houses a famous posture and refined image of Buddha.

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                                                   ALLAHABAD

We moved to nearby Allahabad to visit he Triveni Sangam, a confluence of 3 rivers, the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati. Of these three, the river Saraswati is invisible and is said to flow underground and join the other two rivers from below. Here the muddy and pale-yellow waters of the Ganges merge with the blue waters of Yamuna. While the Ganges is only 4 feet deep, the Yamuna is 40 feet deep near the point of their nexus. The river Yamuna merges into the Ganges at this point and the Ganges continues on until it meets the sea at the Bay of Bengal. At the confluence of these two great Indian rivers, where the invisible Saraswati conjoins them, many pilgrims take boats to the Sangam followed by hundreds of migratory birds giving a picturesque view. It is believed that all the gods come in human form to take a dip at the sangam and expiate their sins. We hired a boat and reached the  sangam of three holy rivers, where a shallow area is created by the presence of a number of boats with a kind of net suspended in between, to enable the pilgrims to bathe there  at the confluence. We did not have any trouble in going in a boat  to the center of the meeting point of the rivers. A sort of platform had been constructed there, from which we climbed down into waist deep water. We had a wonderful time bathing in the river. It is believed that a bath in the sangam will wash away all one's sins and will clear the way to heaven. Devout Hindus from all over India come to this sacred pilgrimage point to offer prayers and take a dip in the holy waters .

We visited the popular Allahabad Fort   built by Akbar in 15^th century exhibiting fine depictions of art, design, architecture, and craftsmanship and wwe were  allowed to view the Ashoka Pillar, Saraswati Kup and Jodhabai Palace.  We also visited the Patalpuri Temple located inside the Allahabad Fort.  This is actually an underground temple, alluding to associations with Lord Rama. The famous Akshaya Vat one of the most revered trees of the Hindus is also sited within the temple.  We also visited the Hanuman Mandir where the image of the God is in a reclining position. And also the many storied Shankar Mutt located nearby.

A visit to Anand Bhavan is a walk through History  and a must when you are in Allahabad.  Last time when we were in Allahabad, we could not make it and this time we made it.  In 1900, Motilal Nehru, a prominent lawyer, bought a palatial residence at  Allahabad, for a sum of 19,000 Rupees. and this house went on to become a cradle to the Indian Freedom Struggle which was to destroy British rule in India. Following the rise of Motilal's son, Jawaharlal Nehru, the mansion virtually became the center of the Indian independence movement. It was informally the headquarters of the All India Congress Committee in the 1920s before it was donated by Motilal Nehru to the Indian National Congress in 1930, to serve as the party's official headquarters in the region.  The Nehrus built another house next to the old one and named that Anand Bhavan;  the old house was renamed Swaraj Bhavan ( Abode of freedom).   Home to the 5 generations of Nehru family and the centre of major Congress activities to overthrow the British rulers before independence, the Ananda Bhavan seems to house a story in every nook and corner of the building. The iconic two storey structure, was a witness to the birth and marriage ceremony of India's first female Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. With its wealth of artifacts and personal belongings of the nation's leaders, the place manages to transport you into a world of the pre independence times, when Gandhi and Nehru brainstormed here with notable freedom fighters Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Abul Kalam Azad, Sarojini Naidu, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Dr Rajendra Prasad, Subhash Chandra Bose  and a host of others., The most notable places of interest in the building are Jawaharlal Nehru's bedroom, his study, and Mahatma Gandhi's room. The outhouse of the estate also has a picture gallery, depicting the life of Jawaharlal Nehru.

A light and sound show is held here four times a day. The place is also involved in imparting art and craft education to children.

H I M A L A Y A N . ...S P I R I T

It is the ultimate desire of every Hindu to  take on arduous journey,  at least once in life time, to the  remote holy shrines of Garhwal Himalayas, full of mythologies and legends. I was no exception when I desired to go on a pilgrimage to the four sacred abodes of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath located in the Himalayas with my wife and mother, who was almost 80 years old. Apart from visiting the religious places we were also keen on a sightseeing trip and we were fortunate to witness some of the most breath taking natural locations. The tour was by rail, Bus, car, Mules and even by walk or trekking... offering the most unforgettable experience of our lives, both visual and spiritual.

Our first camp from Delhi  was at Haridwar ( Gateway to Lord Vishnu  )  one of the seven most holy Hindu places in India and also one of the oldest living cities. HARIDWAR is about 200 km from Delhi and we reached by our Tour-Bus and found it crowded with  a large number of Hindu pilgrims from all over the world. Haridwar is amongst those places which every Hindu wants to visit at least once in his life time. According to legend, this is where a drop of nectar(AMRUTH) fell from the churning of the oceans.  Kumbha Mela is  also held here once in every twelve years. This is where the turbulent Ganges enters the Indo-Gangetic Plains of North India for the first time to start the long slow journey across northern India towards the Bay of Bengal. We visited many Temples, including Ma Anandamayee Ashram and Mansa Devi Mandir, atop a hill by cable car. It was a thrilling evening to visit the river GANGES where thousands of devotees gather to bathe and worship the river Goddess.  We crossed the bridge and took bath in the Ganges and sent floating lamps in the river. We witnessed the enchanting Ganga Aarti at Har ki Pauri.   Within a short time the river was full of floating lamps moving towards dark horizon.  The entire area was vibrating with devotional  fervour. My mother was totally overwhelmed to be at this enchanting place.  

We moved towards the holy city of RISHIKESH, in the base of the Himalayas,   known as the Gateway to the Himalayas. The Char Dham Yatra ( Sacred Journey to Four Shrines ) actually begins from Rishikesh. It was again crowded with pilgrims, Ashrams and temples. The landmarks are the two  bridges spanning the Ganges, Ram Jhula and Lakshman Jhula, the epicentre of the main hubs of all activities. We took bath at Triveni Ghat, I swam a little despite the turbulant waters.  My mother meditated and prayed by the river side. Thousands of pilgrims take bath here morning to evening and enjoy the Maha Aarti being performed there. We visited the 13 stories high Trayambakeshwar Temple, with many deities and the Gita Bhavan near Lakshman Jhula.  A completely out of the world experience with the minds of all the pilgrims absorbed in spirituality.

            

My mother was excited while traveling by bus towards Jamunothri, perched amidst sprawling Garhwal Hills. Yamunotri is another revered pilgrim spot, the source of sacred river Yamuna and also the abode of goddess Yamuna. The thermal springs, glaciers and scenic locales were bewitching. We hired mules, along with other pilgrims, to climb over a few staggering mountains to reach the settlement of Janaki  Chatti near Jamunothri.   My wife was ahead, followed by my mother and myself behind them, all in mules, with strict instructions not to look behind or below. It was such a stunning and exciting trek over spectacular terrains, going up and down all the time all over the day. I wonder how my mother made it finally when we reached Hanumanchatti, the resting place in the evening. It was raining heavily. 

The plan was to proceed to Yamunotri shrine early in the morning by trek /doli / pony ride and climb up the 6 km path along the rugged mountain path, for a dip in the freshly melted waters of the Yamunotri glacier. On arrival, cook rice wrapped in cloth in hot water pond and keep it as Prasad, offer worship to Divya Shila, holy darshan of goddess Yamuna and return to Hanumanchatti.  As my mother could not ride the pony again to the top, she stayed back wisely and abstained from the arduous climb. My wife was ahead of me in the mule and the climb was through narrow track cut on rocks of the mountain with deep curves and turns. It was raining and slippery. At one dangerous turn, my mule stumbled a little and I fell down, losing my balance but held on to the reins precariously, my feet dangling. My wife was moving ahead watching me helplessly. My mule held on to the ground firmly marvelously and I pulled myself up slowly and got on my feet. I survived a certain catastrophe, miraculously. I do not know to what depths I would have fallen from that dangerous height. While pulling myself up, I looked at the mule anxiously and it was also looking at me. What a fantastic savior it was. I started walking with the mule in pouring rain. My wife was not visible making me all the more anxious. Finally I found her and the guide was also waiting for me. I told him, I am not proceeding further and would rather wait for the others till they return.  We returned with others totally drenched and shivering.  Today I feel, I could have ignored that mishap and gone ahead....

 GANGES......Wandering over the awesome Himalayas, up and down, losing sense of direction over the labyrinth of winding routes, flanked by towering mountains on both sides or passing through perilously steep rock-cut roads between steep mountains and deep valleys....it was like floating in Heavens. For many hours, till mid-day, we could not see the sun, steep mountains blocking our view of the sun. Nothing but spectacular mountains and turbulent rivers flowing deep down.The atmosphere and environment was gigantic, totally peaceful, calm,  salubrious  and pure. Left to yourself in this place, you will live forever.  The roaring flow of the ferocious river, springs and water falls gave us a divine heavenly feeling.  The five headstreams of the Great Ganges --- Bhagirathi, Mandakini, Alaknanda, Dhauliganga and Pindar, were flowing all along our route in these northern mountains of Uttarakhand with amazing speed and manoeuver. While Alaknanda appears to be the source stream of the Ganges on account of its greater length and discharge; but, Bhagirathi holds the claim based on Mythology, culture and custom. One legend has it that when the goddess Ganga descended  earth to help suffering humanity, the earth was unable to withstand the force of her descent and was therefore split into twelve holy channels, with Alaknanda one of them. Alaknanda flows past the Hindu pilgrimage centre of Badrinath. Its main tributaries are the Mandakini, Nandakini, and Pindar rivers flowing through the Alaknanda valley meeting and merging with the Bhagirathi River at Devprayag.  The river is known as the Ganges from here on..

The drive towards GANGOTRI  was spectacular sprawling with the majestic views of the Himalayas. There were many landslides during our trip to Gangothri.  Many times, we left the bus to wade through slippery slush in risky terrains and watch the driver manipulate the empty bus to safety. At that height in Gangothri  at 6800 feet above sea level (3000 m), I felt a little breathless and weightlessness. We halted for the night's stay and exchanged rumours about mishaps. The story of Bagirath penance and dreadful way the Ganga landed in this spot looked too real.  It was here that a famous danseuse was washed away in a landslide.  Truly  scaring place.... Finally we made it to the 18th century’s temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga,  located near a sacred stone where King Bhagirath worshiped Lord Shiva. Ganga is believed to have touched earth at this spot.  I was very proud when my mother, entered the waters of GANGA at this spot and I took a photograph of the scene. Some religious pilgrims took bath at this spot in the chilly waters of the Gangotri Glacier. We were shown  GAUMUKH the source of Ganga set in the Gangotri Glacier, almost a 30 km trek from Gangotri. Only expert trekkers can attempt it. We were also told about the submerged SHIVLING visible ONLY in winter when level of water decreases....the place where SHIVA stood.  I could visualise LORD SHIVA standing there receiving the roaring Ganga in his matted lock.  Truly a mythical scene. Are we really standing there....?

 
I think our next memorable location was Rudraprayag  with a spectacular view of the confluence of Alaknanda  and Mandakini Rivers. The awesome heights of the Himalayas and the depths of the valley made us feel  extraordinarily unearthly and closer to divinity, which no  words can describe. We visited the Rudranath Temple named after Lord Shiva ...

We drove in our bus and reached Guptkashi or UttarKashi  situated on the banks of river Bhagirathi where the ancient  Vishwanath temple and Ardhnareshwar temple are the main places of attraction in the center of the town..  We visited the Manikarnik Kund, where the two streams of Ganga and Yamuna are believed to meet. The ancient Shiva temple has a great importance quite like that of  Kashi  Vishwanath Temple.
 

Our next destination was KEDARNATH and en rote we reached Sonprayag located at the confluence of Basuki and Mandakini rivers, situated at an elevation of 4000 feet above mean sea level on the Kedarnath route. A mere touch of the holy waters here is said to help attain emancipation MOKSHA at this holy site. 

Triyuginarayan, the marriage place of Lord Shiva and Parvati, just 5 kms on foot or 15 kms by bus from Son Prayag.  We visited by bus. Kedarnath was another 20  kms from here. We proceeded towards  Gaurikund, the last bus station on the Kedarnath route.. On reaching at Gaurikund, we alighted from the bus and took  bath in the hot water springs of Gaurikund and visited the Gauri Devi temple. . It is the place where Goddess Parvati penanced to get lord Shiva. 

 We started our 14km trek to Kedarnath at an altitude of  more than 6000 feet, by foot/Doli/ Pony.    We engaged a dholi for my mother for the trek of 14 kms towards Kedarnath and we walked behind her dholi trekking the distance. It is truly exciting spiritually and physically to go through this ennobling trek towards the Dham. At one high point,  I remember telling my mother that the Great KAILASH is just on the other side,  pointing out towards north. She was astonished to have reached so near.The guide was narrating various incidents from Mahabaratha that took place here.  I remember one about BHIMA who stood between two hills and checking the herds passing through to identify Lord Shiva who was trying to evade them.   We checked in a Hotel and visited the sacred shrine of  Kedarnath, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva situated in scenic spot, against the backdrop of the majestic Kedarnath range. The temple of Kedarnath is magnificent in its style and architecture and  considered to be more than a thousand years old  temple.  The Lord Kedarnath here is flanked by Mandakini River and snow tipped mountains presenting an enchanting sight. All around it, is an aura of peace and purity which we enjoyed going all over the area.. Here, the unholy are said to become holy and the holy, holier still. I felt very sad when nature played havoc in this place recently.

Another long drive through the terrace of the Himalayas, hovering over lofty peaks, admiring the mighty nature, we reached Joshimath.  It is the "uttarmnya matha" or northern monastery, one of the four cardinal institutions established by Adi Shankara, [the others being those at Shringeri, Puri and Dwaraka]. Their heads are titled "Shankaracharya". According to the tradition initiated by Adi Shankara, this matha is in charge of the Atharvaveda.   We visited the Cave of Sage Vyasa.  It is believed that God Ganesha first script of vedas in this Vayas gufa,  situated in the last village Mana just four km.  from Badrinath.   We visited this Cave, fascinated by the mythological site.Vishnuprayag is one of the Panch Prayag (five confluences) of Alaknanda River,and lies at the confluence of Alaknanda River and Dhauliganga River on the Joshimath-Badrinath route.  According to mythology, it is the place where Sage Narada meditated, after which Lord Vishnu appeared before him. Kagbhusandi Lake, with its emerald green water, was  an attraction on the way..

 We proceeded towards the most popular Badrinath Dham  perched at an elevation of  7500 feet above sea level, just 40km from the Tibetan-Indo-China border.I remember an eerie feeling I had while settling down in the hotel, feeling quite uneasy at this altitude. It was shivering cold and my mother was totally submerged in woolen attire.  It is one of the holiest, oldest and ancient temple, which none of our predecessors might ever have visited. I felt like Tenzing the conqueror. Badrinath Dham was  founded by Shankara in the ninth century, not far from the source of the Alaknanda, the main tributary of the Ganges. One of Hinduism's holiest sites.  We visited the temple and had the darshan of the one meter tall statue of Vishnu, made of black stone, worshiped as Lord Badrinarayanin deity.  The murti depicts Vishnu sitting in an unusual meditative posture,unlike the typical reclining pose. The statue is considered by many Hindus to be one of eight "swayam vyakta kshetras", or self-manifested statues of Vishnu. The head priest is traditionally a  Namboothri Brahmin from the far south of India in Kerala. This tradition was begun by Adi Shankara. It is quite a Benediction to witness and experience the enchanting aarti  of lord Badrinath in the evening.  The Tapt Kund hot sulphur springs just below the temple are considered to be medicinal and we took bath in the springs before visiting the temple.  The mountains around Badrinath are mentioned in the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas abdicated their kingdom and proceeded on "Vanaprastha"to end their life by ascending the slopes of a peak in western Garhwal called Swargarohini - literally, the 'Ascent to Heaven'. Local legend has it that the Pandavas passed through Badrinath and the town of Mana, 4 km north of Badrinath, on their way to Svarga (heaven).  I remember telling my mother that this is the way to Heaven......

It was a very fulfilling episode in the life of my mother, who wrote her memoirs of the pilgrimage in her diary.  We also cherish the moments of awe, adventure and inspiration that these places gave us, to recall with nostalgia, the rest of our lives.