The Char Dham Charm!!

Absolutely. It was a 15-day hectic trip to the Char Dham in UK (Uttara Khand) covering Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, apart from Haridrwar and Rishikesh.

Please check all the pages and archives – 38 entries in all – to get a clear picture of the wonderful tour that we had. The postings have been done chronologically and one should go to the first posting to get to the starting point of the trip. So, please check the archives.

A word about the wonderful  organizers – Jyoti Travels of Mumbai. They have done an excellent job in not only organizing the tour in a professional way but making it a lovable and a memorable one. The Zariwala couple – Jyoti and Jayaraj – (in this picture) is actually doing a selfless service through pilgrimages of this type. Believe it or not, we were all very tired at the end of the trip and longing to go home. But Jairaj dropped us at New Delhi railway station and got back with another batch for the Char Dham the very next morning!! One must appreciate his energy levels!

Talk to me at mailbnk@gmail.com in case you are interested in experiencing the Char Dham Charm.

Om Jai Gangey Maata….

The Char Dham yatra ends with a spectacular Ganga Aarti at Hari Ki Powdhi at Haridwar.

This is the magnificent Laxman Jhoola bridge across Ganga at Rishikesh

Laxman was said to have built a bridge across Ganga here and the Britishers subsequently built this sujspension bridge. The Laxman Jhooola (the swinging bridge)  later became model for many such bridges in Char Dham area.

Sangam – Bhagarathi joins Alaknanda at Dev Prayag

DEV PRAYAG: This where the holy river starts its course as Ganga and goes on to Rishikesh and Haridwar. Haven’t you noticed the difference in colours of water as the two rivers join – Bhagirathi on the left and Alaknanda on the right

Gotcha!! Bheem’s finger print on the rock!

Believe it or not, this is supposed to Bheem’s finger marks on the rock as he was said to have lifted this huge rock to put it as a makeshift bridge on the river Saraswati to allow Pandavas cross over on their march to the haeaven (Swarg). Legend has it that the finger marks are so solid that they are in tact even after 5,000 years! Another glimpse of Mahabharat at Mana near Badrinath.

Take a closer look…this Mahabharat cave is 5,000+ yrs old

Vyas Pothi – Pages of Mahabharat in stone at 5,000 yr old cave

This is the 5,000-year old cave from where Maharashi Vyas was supposed to have dictated the Mahabharat to Lord Ganesh. A not-to-be-missed site at Mana near Badrinath

Chai and China! Pl check the last PCO as well!!

Last post – Mana, the last village in India on border with China

The Naarad Shila in Mandakini

Adi Shankaracharya was said to have found the idol of Lord Badrinath from the river bed here. Shankaracharya then built the temple for Lord Badrinath