Panch Kedar.

I would like to present our trip report of Panchakedar, though we had completed it long ago i.e. in 2007 - it is "better late than never."
 Also it will not be irrelevant to write something about Panchkedar here, there are lots of people who are aware of this story/myths but still there may be some who don't. Those who knows are welcome to make me correct if I go wrong.
MYTH
After the battle of Kurukshetra, panchpandav full with sin of killing relatives wanted to get rid of it. Lord Krishna ask them to do "Tapasya" of Shiva. But Shiva got scared of those heavy burden of sin, hide from them in disguise. While in disguise of a buffalo he was identified by Bhim, and when Bhim almost got hold of him- he entered into 'Patal' / 'Earth'. Different portions of Shiva came out from different places after that. It is said that there are Pancha Kedar depicting five portions of Shiva's body in the form of buffalo but some says there are six.
Kedarnath- Back side ( It looks like back of Buffalo when viewed from entrance side of mandir).Kedarnath is also a Jyotirlinga. Pandava's made this temple later Adi Sankaracharya found it. And Rani Ahalyabai re constructed the temple. Samadhi of Adi Sankaracharya is in Kedarnath.
Pashupatinath- Located in Nepal . Front side.
Madamaheswar- Garhwal. Naval.
Tunganath- Garhwal. Arms
Rudranath- Garhwal. Face.
Kalpeshwar- Garhwal. The great hair locks.
This temples were mostly discovered by Adi Sankaracharya.
Our Trip
Me and my friend Partha decided to do some pilgrimage, and best way to do it in form of trekking was Panchkedar. We did not planned anything prior to the trip just bought ticket of 23rd October 2007 only planned 15 days from Kolkata to Kolkata.Landed in Haridwar from Upasana express and spent that evening sitting on different ghats of ganges also helped our self with a big glass full of lassi.

Beside Rudranath Temple.

Early morning on the next day got a Sumo in shared basis up to Gopeshwar. Changing jeeps twice we ultimately reached Mandal and decided quickly to go for Anusuya Devi Temple which is 3.5kms from Mandal. Got a person who agreed to show us the way to Rudranath and he informed that Rudranathji was already closed for the winter. Still we wanted to go there, and thus took some basic food like rice , dal, salt, haldi etc because we have to cook our food for one night. Utensils- the man said it will be available at any hut. OK lets go then. The man said "ruko, thoda kachi lana hai- main yun gaya aur aya". We were carrying our own sack he will carry ration which we purchased there. Our trek started late and reached Anusuya temple at 4.30pm. On the way we met with a shepherd Surinder Singh Bisht who was returning from his home to his lonely hut 1.5km after temple. He asked us to stay for the night with him, we instantly accepted his invitation. When we reached his hut it was totally dark and we had to cross a dense jungle. Our guide was already drunken and we had to find our own way. It was the barking of Surinderji's dog Dabbu which helped us to find the way. It was cold outside and we quickly took shelter in the hut. Dinner was simple with dal, roti, and lots of makkhan. Early morning we drank glassful of warm buffalo milk and some biscuits and started our trek. We decided to came back the same way and kept some of our garments in the hut. It was a long walk, and after Nawla Pass we encountered snow just above ankle deep.

Dawn from Nawla Pass.

Reached in front of closed door of Rudranath at evening tried to peek inside but it was dark. Took refuge in a open room our guide managed some utensils -don't know from where there was some fire wood in the room. Dinner was made half boiled Kichdi without salt and any masala because our great guide didn't picked it from shop. And he was intoxicated so it worth little blaming him at that state.At night we heard loud call of "Barasinga" a deer with big horns, and it was scaring.Next morning we started early and experienced the sunrise from Nawla Pass. We sat down there for about half an hour then started again. At about twelve noon we reached the shepherd hut and drank warm milk with some biscuits. Within a hour from there we reached Anusuya temple and decided to stay there at Tewari Lodge. Got dinner of rice,dal & sabji and slept on bed quite soundly.Anusuya to Mandal is a nice walk within jungle, though we missed the must see i.e Atri Cave.
 At Mandal we met a nice person Bhagat Singh Bisht he has a hotel at bus stand there (forgot the name), he gave us a room to fresh up and have lunch. He stopped a bus for us which is going to Chopta- and soon we were on the beautiful road of Chopta. This is Bhuk- Hartal road.

Tunganath.
Reaching Chopta we kept one of our sack with sleeping bags and some garments with Mangal Singh and headed straight to Tunganath. Since, we have no hurry walked slowly and enjoyed majestic view of Himalayas in the light of dusk. It was cold and we get into Ganesh Hotel. just beside the steps of Tunganath Temple.On the way we met a very old man probably an octogenarian slowly going down the steep slopes. His name if I remembered correctly was Maheshananda Maithani pujari of temple. He told us that he had met with Umaprasad Mukherjee the great bengali traveller & writer when Mr. Mukherjee used to stay there- he also shows us the house in which the great nature lover stayed. Next morning went for Chandrashila and it was bone chilling cold. Experienced sunrise on snow capped mountains. Came down to temple for puja and after puja started for chopta. Lunch in hotel of Mangal Singh and then got a jeep to Ukhimath.

Madamaheswar
 Jeep left us in Ukhimath market and in front of us there ,standing the last bus for Uniyana as if waiting for us. Reached Uniyana a small village, it was so dark that we could not see each other. Got a tea stall and asked for staying option. The man had few rooms under his shop. Good rooms with bed and thick blankets.

Buda Madamaheshwar.

Next morning after tea and little breakfast started for Madamaheswar at 7 am. Reached Bantoli very early. Took some rest in a tea shop, the owner served us warm milk, we both are very fond of milk, and said we had walked quite fast and we can reach Madameheswar by evening. Route is not tough with little ups and downs. We reached Madamaheswar at 5pm tired and exhausted. There was no tourist at that time so got a room in a hotel very cheap. To me this Madamaheswar route is most beautiful among Kedars. I loved the calmness of the place very much. Buda Madamaheshwar is 1.5km up from Madamaheshwar temple and from here one can experience huge Chaukhamba.

Way to Madamaheswar.

After puja had a breakfast of halwa with lots of ghee and started for Uniyana. Reached Uniyana at 4.30pm.

Kedarnath
Reached Gourikund quite late in afternoon after changing bus at Ukhimath. After those beautiful journey Kedarnath feels really noisy and little bit dirty.But the temple is big and automatically our head bowed in front of Lord Shiva. Stayed one night in Bharat Sevasram Sangha. As we were late there most shops were already closed for the long winter.
I wish to visit these places again someday and pray to almighty that this places remains free from harmful urban civilization.
SATYAM  SHIVAM  SUNDARAM

KUANRI PASS

Kuanri Pass         October- 2009


It was October, the month of festivals in Kolkata. Just after Durga Puja our team of two headed towards Howrah, without a confirmed ticket of Upasana Express. There was little hope of getting seats in overcrowded train. But things gone alright- our tickets got confirmed at last moment and we got a side upper and lower. Next day we reached Haridwar and took a room in dharamshala near station so that we can catch the early bus.
        Our bus started at 5.30am, and destination is Nandaprayag, from where we have to change for Ghat. I must tell you people that we have chosen this route because of our guide Harish Singh Bisht. This man accompanied us to Roopkund and very good guy. When I talked with him over phone he said that "agar aap do admi aoge to hum akele apke sath jayenge, aur bartan , stove ka chinta mat karo hum gharse le ayenge". This way he saved our lot. He stays in Gwaldam- and we only have to pay his conveyance for coming to ghat.
We reached Ghat at about 2.30pm and at the bus stand which is very small my friend Partha located Harish. He had already arranged a room for us, so we took no time in freshening up. Evening was spent in doing some marketing for next couple of days.
Day 1

After breakfast at 7.30 with aloo parantha & chai we waited for long 3hours for jeep to Ramni. At last we get one and started for Ramni, but road is till lower Ramni and we have to trek for 3-4 kms to reach Upper Ramni. At 3 pm our first day camp was set up at just above the village of Ramni. Experienced the colour of sunset on shoulder of Trisul. From here distant view of villages are beautiful.
Day 2
Started early at 7.30 for Jhenji and it is long walk. Ups and downs though not much but it is long. Just a km obove our camping ground there is a beautiful bugyal 'Goni' one can see a portion of massive Choukhambha from here. Reached Jhenji at about 2 pm and stayed in local masterji's house.
Day 3
Destination Sartoli. Another long walk. Sartoli is a small bugyal but it is somewhere different from others. On one side of it path has gone down towards small river and beyond it the ridge which one has to cross for Kuanri. This ridge blocks the view. In Sartoli there are two shepherd hut which remains open and we opted to stay in one of it.
Day 4
From Sartoli we came down to a river bank and a small bridge was there but now only few pieces of logs shows it was there. We crossed it, not that dangerous as water was very less that time.Crossing the river we climbed another 300 ft and reached Dakwani. Today we will stay here in a cave so that we can start early next morning to see the sunrise from pass.
Day 5

Oh, it was really cold as we started early. Slowly we climbed towards the pass as morning light started to show up. As we reached the pass the view mesmerized us. We remained spellbound for few minutes and enjoyed the 180 degree view of Garwal  Himalaya. Neelkanth, Choukhamba, Hati, Ghori, Mana are among them. After spending about half an hour we started to get down. We will get down from Tapovan side. On the way Khullara bugyal is a beautiful one. We stopped just 2km before Tapovan , outside a village to enjoy the calmness of mountains for the last day.
Our trek comes to end and waiting starts for another  one year.