Thread by @nandaseth

Har Har Mahadev

Passing by.

#JaiShriKedar

En route. Only divinity. Nothing else. Vast difference in developing this place even in last 4-5 years. #Rishikesh
#HarHarMahadevॐ #JaiShriKedar

#Rishikesh is giving Brigade Road a complex!!!

Saturday night is lit in #Rishikesh!
Dei! Ennagada idhu???

But I shall not lose focus #JaiShriKedar

Path leading to Lakshman Jhula #Rishikesh #JaiShriKedar

First darshan of#MaaGanga #Rishikesh #JaiShriKedar

Jai Triyambakeshwar #Rishikesh #JaiShriKedar

If I don't tweet about this, I have the potential to just get lost here and never return to the world as most of us know it. #Rishikesh #JaiShriKedar
In love with this place. 😍😍

Don't miss this arch. Which leads you to Lakshman Jhula (short cut). A beautiful pathway with lot of shops.

That's Lakshman Jhula from the top of Triyambakeshwar Temple. A view that no photo can do justice to.
#JaiShriKedar #Rishikesh #LakshmanJhula

Famed two way traffic of #Rishikesh #LakshmanJhula

Crossed Mussoorie yesterday evening and we were treated with the greatest free show on earth. A gorgeous sunset!! #Mussoorie #JaiShriKedar Onwards to #CharDham

Second puncture of the day. On the way to #Brahmakal where we were to stay the night. Good driver! #CharDham

Reached #Brahmakal at 11:30PM. Good hotel. Clean place. #CharDham begins.

Beautiful #Brahmakal
By the side of Bhagirathi River. Guess any place in Devbhoomi is beautiful. 😍😍😍
#Chardham begins NOW.
Heading to #Yamunotri now.

#Upma at #Brahmakal. What a saviour it turned out to be. Upma Supporters Association (USA) will be proud. #CharDham

All us elites and entitled!!! This is how kids in Brahmakal go to school. Video in next tweet

Mothers and sisters carry kids on their back to navigate a small gully which is also a deep jump down! #Brahmakal

Project work. Solar system.

For those who believe that they are the centre of the universe, here's some news!!!

The universe is within you. 😍😍😍

#JaiShriKedar #CharDham #Brahmakal

#Brahmakal school. At the bottom of the frame are kids who reached late. Been there done that! 😂😂

Making friends #Brahmakal

On the way to #Barkot #Chardham

These drivers are either crazy. Or gods! #CharDham #yamunotri

#Yamunotri done.
First of the four Dhams.
For now, just this. Rest later.

Picking up from yesterday!
The route to #Jankichatti is amazingly beautiful and also crazy. Don't know when landslides may happen. Always on the edge. #Chardham #Yamunotri

Just a sample of the route to #Jankichatti #Yamunotri #Chardham

There's something about these kind of bridges! #JankiChatti #Chardham #Yamunotri

Crazy crowd at #Yamunotri
Near stampede situation. Single lane for walking, horses, Palkis & baskets (like shown in Kedarnath film)
The horse fellows are rude to the Padayatris. And the Palkis are really wide. Obviously, couldn't take photos! 🥴

Beautiful temple before the beginning of the trek. One baba gave some practical suggestions regarding the trek.

Also, it rains. Unpredictable weather. One ends up carrying stick, rain coat, cold weather clothes etc thereby increasing the weight on shoulders. #Chardham #yamunotri

After a point, the cops regulated the crowd. Opened a separate path for horses. Made walking relatively easier. Although it is not an easy peasy trek. The last 2KMs are a test of your tenacity. #Yamunotri #CharDham

Anyway 1 of 4 completed. Gods have been kind. Heading to Uttar Kashi today. Jai Bholenath
#Chardham #UttarKashi

Uttarkashi... You beauty!!! 😍😍😍
So much to share. But here's a glimpse.

Details will follow. Now I must rest in preparation for a very early day.

Yesterday began a bit late since we came back pretty late from #Yamunotri
But began beautifully with this Mahadev temple at Barsali. Prathishta done by Jamadagni Mahamuni, this is a very old temple before reaching #Uttarkashi #Chardham

Passed this famed #Gangotri road in Uttarkashi. Have seen this in many online sources and it suddenly appears in front. #chardham

Laksheshwar Mandir. Uttarkashi.
A temple where Pandavas prayed. Also, this is the place where the wax palace stood from where the Pandavas escaped from being burnt to death #Chardham

#Uttarkashi Vishwanath Temple. Divine, powerful and serene. The Trishul is a Swayambu and is the weapon used by Shakti to down Mahishasura.
The sheer size of the weapon is powerful enough. #Chardham

I think #Uttarkashi is the only city that I have visited which has a "tunnel" in the heart of the city. 😍
#chardham

Yesterday's report! 😀
Even before you enter #Uttarkashi you encounter this beautiful Mahakal temple where the prathishta was done by Jamadagni Mahamuni. By the banks of Bhagirathi. #Chardham

On the way to #Gangotri we came across this quaint little ashram of Pilot Baba. He was a Sq. Ldr in IAF. Gave up job & became a Baba. Small place but very divine vibe. #CharDham

Met this giant human at #PilotBaba Ashram. 72 years young. From Pandharpur. On #CharDham Yatra. ON HIS CYCLE!
Felt inspired. Gave us some life lessons. Pranaams to this great soul.

The entire route to #Gangotri treats your eyes with scenes like these! #CharDham

Some more eye candy photos from #Gangotri #Chardham

Treat yourself to pictures of #SuryaKund in #Gangotri #Chardham

Just near #SuryaKund we met a Baba who took us to his cave. Just outside his cave is #GauriKund
Here you can see a clear natural formation of Ganesha.
Story: Ganesha is guarding Gauri Kund where his mother Gauri is bathing.
Also, you cannot actually"see" Gaurikund from any side!

The 3rd pic in above tweet is a rock where one can see formation of Shiva and Shakti. Not sure if it gets captured in a pic #GauriKund #Gangotri #CharDham

Here again we were able to see formation of Shiva in #GauriKund
Water gushing through is a beautiful sight to watch. One can keep watching it forever #chardham #gangotri

Met this Baba at the #PandavaCaves in #Gangotri
He stays in the cave 6 months of the year. And moves to lower ground around the snow time.
🙏🙏🙏 #Chardham

#JaiMaaGange #Gangotri Dham darshan for you. #chardham

#JaiShriKedar #JaiBadriVishal

#gangotri darshan.
#JaiMaaGange
Finally darshan at Maa Gangotri last evening. Blissful. Very little crowd. As compared to #Yamunotri I would say the temple was virtually empty! Very genial Pandits.
Post Darshan we also made a small donation for the Pandit Welfare association.

1. Bhagirath Sthal - Where Bhageeratha did Tapas to bring Ganga to the earth
2. Akhand Dhuni - which keeps Gangotri warm through the year. Always burning!
3. A depiction of Maa Ganga coming to earth
#Gangotri #JaiMaaGange #CharDham
Second of the Four Dham ✅

A different kind of Traffic Jam on our way back from #Gangotri darshan. 😍😍😍😂😂😂 #CharDham

Uttarkashi road along the mountain.

https://twitter.com/nandaseth/status/1524180806721150977?t=IhSWFjiG7HXfLV5DEwvvvg&s=19

This same road from the side.
#Uttarkashi #chardham

This can decided to take rest. 🥴😱

Roads are not very kind. So if you are taking this route, stay safe.

#CharDham

Heading to #GuptKashi now

When @justinbieber visited Ghansali in Devbhoomi, here's where he had his haircut. 😂😂😂

We make animal friends everywhere! 😍😍

#SidNanda #CharDham #Ghansali #EnrouteKedar

Currently stuck at #Palakarali village on the way to#GuptKashi since there's a landslide some half kilometre ahead. #Chardham

There's #Shiva everywhere in #DevBhoomi #CharDham

India's national vehicle clearing up the landslide at #Palakarali village on the way to #GuptKashi

After all that drama of landslides, we ended up reaching the room in #Phata at 1:45 in the night. And the worst part was... The hotel guy had given off our room to some other people. #CharDham
After a round of fights, we eventually got a place to rest at 3AM

At 7AM when we managed to get up, we were late to pick the trail for #Kedarnath
So decided to spend the day in #Phata to visit two important temples #CharDham

First: #UkhiMath The road to Ukhimath was as treacherous as the road to #Gangotri.
Beautiful views but back breaking #Chardham

#Ukhimath Darshan
The colourful entrance. And then a really old temple. #Chardham

#Ukhimath is the place where Baba #Kedarnath stays for 6 months of the year. Between Deepavali and Akshaya Trithiya. So many stories. The wedding of Aniruddha (great grandson of Krishna) and Usha happened in this Mandapam #Chardham

Lord Shiva stayed back here in the form of Vishwanath after Nara & Narayana requested him to stay back for the benefit of mankind. He became a Swayambu Lingam. But he is worshipped with his face alankaram on the lingam. #chardham #Guptkashi #Ukhimath

Even if you are unable to visit all 5 Nath temples (Kedar, Rudra, Tunga, Madhmeshwar & Pashupatinath), prayers at this one temple is equivalent to all. #Ukhimath #CharDham

Also, the Matha has a Uttara Kannada influence. The main priest of #Kedarnath is Lingayat we are told. The Peetadhibathi of #Ukhimath is also from Karnataka. The priest is from Belgaum. Brilliant darshan on a #Pradosham day! #Chardham

Treated with some fantastic music with Magudi outside #Ukhimath. This Baba complained of hot weather! 😂
We were wearing jackets. 😂😂😂 #CharDham

Next stop
#Guptkashi Vishwanath Temple Darshan. The temple also hosts Ardhanarishwara #Chardham
Here goes the story...

Pandavas went in search of Shiva after the war to seek Paapavimochanam & Shiva wasn't yielding since they killed Guru (Brahmahathi Dosham) & brothers. They pray to Parvathi & she relents. Makes Shiva relent too. But Shiva still hides. Hence Gupt Kashi. #CharDham

And when he relents half way, he gives darshan as Ardhanarishwara. So the main deities are Vishwanath and Ardhanarishwara.
Yamuna flows from the left (Elephant face) and Ganga on the right (Cow face). #Chardham

The pond it falls into is Manikarnika Kund. Similar to Manikarnika ghat at Varanasi
Extremely divine place. #Chardham #DevBhoomi

I just have one tweet for now. This is AS SATISFYING AS IT CAN GET!

#HarHarMahadev #JaiShreeKedar

Rest later. Too tired to tweet

Okay! Since we ended up spending another day at Phata & went to temples in Guptkashi, after some rest, we left for Sonprayag (Gaurikund) from where the Kedar trek begins.

The helicopter effort went wasted for us. It is worse than the erstwhile Tatkal on IRCTC. Considering that I thought the next best option is Palki. On reaching counter (despite starting from hotel at 2AM) we didn't get Palki. They were taking bookings for the next day #CharDham

Having ruled that out, the next option was Horse. The planning is pretty poor to be honest.
One has to find a Ghodawala, take his licence to the counter & pay for it at the counter with Aadhar.
There is no board mentioning this. So wasted time in the queue #Chardham

Thinking that once I pay I can take any Ghoda. When I started chasing Ghoda fellows most of them refused just after looking at me up & down. Apparently I am heavy! 😂🙈
So I managed to get a ghoda for my Mom in law.
It looked like Kedar Baba wanted me to walk. #Chardham

So I walked. Started the trek.
PSA: Don't believe the milestones. They are woefully wrong. The new route put up after the floods is longer. It is scenic. But narrow. So one fights for space with Ghoda, Padayatris, Palkis and BITTUs (like what #SSR carries in the movie) #CharDham

And I walked. And walked. And walked. It just doesn't end! 😂
If the route didn't have such scenic paths, it would've been even more tough.
Request to @CMuttarakhand Please make more sitting arrangements for rest. #Yamunotri had more benches by the side than #Kedarnath #Chardham

There are a few waterfalls ON the path.😂
So you will get wet anyway. Making raincoat mandatory.
Apart from that the weather changes so often that it rains suddenly. Or gets foggy & cold
The 1st pic is a temple for Bheema who built the Kedarnath temple. Pray here & then on top

It is believed that if you don't worship Bheema, Kedar Baba won't be pleased. So say hello and bow down to BHEEMASENA! 🙏
#CharDham

Eventually after walking a little over 10KMs I gave in. Kedar Baba allowed a horse for me. Though I wanted to trek, I was asked by my docs to avoid (L4-L5 sports injury).
So Ghodi happened. Sorry... Used my mobile while riding for you guys! 😂🤪
#CharDham

While these glaciers are so beautiful, there's a constant melting. Which makes the path wet. Add to this, dirt by people, horses pooping everywhere, lack of sanitary facilities make the path a bit difficult.
#CharDham

Heli service is like Chennai Mofussil bus stand. 😂
Constant landing and take-off. Choppers actually stay in ground for <2 minutes. Funny to watch Choppers like Share Autos. But amazing service. Missed it. Next time maybe! #CharDham

After getting dropped at Base camp. And walked another 2KMs here's my first view of Baba Kedarnath #CharDham #JaiShreeKedar
Extremely humbling!

So, the story.
Pandavas went in search of Shiva for Paapavimochanam. And Shiva was playing truant. He took the form of a Buffalo. Created crores of Buffalos and mingled in. So Bheema put one feet on Meru & the other on Sumeru to stand atop two mountains. #CharDham

Other Pandavas drive all Buffalos below Bheema. Shiva (in Buffalo form) didn't run below Bheema's legs. The Pandavas caught Shiva's tail (Shiva as a buffalo). Shiva jumped and dived into the ground leaving only the hump of the buffalo exposed above ground. #CharDham

That hump is the vigraha in #Kedarnath. The temple in itself is relatively small. But the Gopuram is LARGE. The temple complex is surrounded by many Sadhus. Some with plates in front of them. Some just sitting. Some with fancy sunglasses and hats et al. #CharDham

Seeing them only gives goosebumps. Vibhooti all over the body. No dress in that cold weather. And zero care. Give them money. Or not. They care less. Most don't ask. And don't scoff if you don't give. :)
#CharDham #Kedarnath

Attended the Mangala Aarthi at 7PM.
Sight!
Couldn't help sharing this!
#CharDham #Kedarnath

Images which I have seen only on Instagram are now on my phone too. Taken by me! 😂😂🤪🤪
#JaiShreeKedar #Kedarnath #CharDham

instagram.com/reel/CdjRoUOBH…
Here's the reel. Instagram is good for this! 😍😍

Morning at #Kedarnath #CharDham
Nandi in waiting. Too much energy happened. Blessed!

The path to Adi Shankara's sanctum which is believed to be the place where he took Samadhi. #Kedarnath #CharDham

Adi Shankara Sthalam at #Kedarnath #CharDham
One of the sadhus there was playing Bhaja Govindam by MS Amma. Awesome!

Main priest of #Kedarnath Temple

BTW he is from near Belgaum. Adi Shankara when he did the stapana of the required rituals at the temple, kept priests from Karnataka for the #Kedarnath temple #CharDham

Met these fellows! On my right is Lala - who walked to #Kedarnath with a metal leg.
On my left is Vishal. Who is cycling up to #Kedarnath
#CharDham
#inspiration

Last stretch. The most painful
#Kedarnath #TrekDown #CharDham

From #Gaurikund where the trek ends, one has to take the local shuttle taxi to Sonprayag. Problems:
1. Very few of them
2 Hence huge queues
3. No street lights
4. No boards

#Chardham

Am back. Was out of signal and strength. 🤪
Eventually, we walked back till Sitapur Parking (adding 1.5KMs to our trek/walk).
By the time we came back to the room, it was almost 11 PM.
We all experienced the meaning of "Dead tired" #CharDham #Kedarnath

We are now on our way to #Badrinath
Hearing that there are traffic jams now. Praying we reach on time.

Couldn't reach #Badrinath last night. Landslides forced roads shut. Now in a place called Govind Nagar. The Gurudwara here opened doors for all stranded passengers.
The hall is open for anyone to sleep in. Free.
Rooms are given ONLY to families.
#Chardham

Langar has been opened. Everyone gets food to eat. Place to sleep.
Comfortable clean rooms provided by the Gurudwara which sprung into action immediately! #CharDham

Hearing that the roads are getting cleared. Still an hour away from #Badrinath
Hoping to leave in another 15-20 minutes from here towards Badri. The last of the #CharDham destination in our itinerary

Also met this Baba on his way to #HemkundSahib
Walking from Amritsar to Hemkund. ~800+ KMs

The Gurudwara at #Pandukeshwar near #GovindNagar en route #Badrinath which gave us shelter for the night after getting stranded by landslides #CharDham

This fellow gave and received a lot of love. Right outside the Gurudwara. #CharDham

From Pandukeshwar to #Badrinath
Stunningly beautiful. But really treacherous. Extremely landslides prone. Average speed is ~20KMPH. Sometimes it feels like Bangalore in terms of speed. 🤪 #CharDham

#HanumanChatti The place where Bheema and Anjaneya met. Very small temple by the road. You can find more details about this temple in this tweet thread.

https://twitter.com/Priyamvada22S/status/1518920944219136000?t=dJfex7sFNO9_bgsNH5A5qQ&s=08

National Vehicle of India. Clearing roads.
#JCB #Badrinath #CharDham

There was a road here. Now it isn't. Border Roads Organization. Please take a bow. As much as people complain about the poor roads here, if not for BRO #Badrinath will not even be accessible. We just have thankless folks around! #CharDham

Nara and Narayana. Prayers at your feet. #Badrinath
Fourth Dham of the #CharDham reached. Praying for a good darshan. Meanwhile will visit Mana today! Hopefully! :)

#JaiBadriVishal Just had a wonderful Dharisanam at #Badrinath
#CharDham completed by the grace of Kedar Baba, Badri Vishal, Maa Ganga and Maa Yamuna.

Before that we went to #Mana yesterday. Mana is the last Indian Village before Tibet begins!

First stop in #Mana Village. Ganesha Gufa.
The cave where 18 puranas and the Mahabharata were written. With Ganesha as a scribe and Vyasa giving the dictation.
Extremely small. But very divine
#CharDham

Stop 2 in #Mana Village
India's last tea shop. Written in all languages in our currency note 🤪
Had to climb on top of the store to get this pic with the flag! 🙈
Small pleasure
BTW the tea here is actually very good!
#CharDham

Just next to the "last tea shop" is stop 3. Vyas Gufa.
The cave of Mahamuni Veda Vyasa. Again: a very small cave from where he has been a person who knew everything happening everywhere in the world!
They had no boundaries!
#CharDham

Stop 4: Bheem Pul/Saraswati Origin/Saraswati Temple
The origin of Saraswati is so beautiful. The roar with which she bursts out of the rocks and then quietly merges with Alaknanda within a short distance is 😍 #CharDham

Met Lala at #BheemPul
And this time I did what he does. Made a video of him and put it up on @instagram
#CharDham

instagram.com/reel/CdqKTCEJv…

Prayers to Maa Saraswati. 🙏🙏
#CharDham

There's TOTAL financial inclusion in as remote a village. Although signals are weak. So UPI is a bit sketchy
#FinancialInclusion #Mana #CharDham

Just walked across to the #Badrinath Temple towards 17th evening. And this was the first look of the temple for me. 🙏🙏🙏
The grandeur was just amazing. #Badrinath #CharDham
We had made a booking for Maha Abhishekam for 18-May (today). Begins at 4:30 in the morning

We went to the temple at 3:30 AM. The place was "lit"!!!
With Alaknanda by the side, the temple is just heaven on earth. #AdiShankara must've realised it pretty early to have constituted the #CharDham temples. There's Shankara everywhere in this route!

The Maha Abhishekam starts at 4:30 AM. Starting with Nirmalyam, Ennai Kaapu, Abhishekam from Narad & Tapt Kund hot water, Alankaram, Archanai, Naivedyam and Aarathi.
We were in front of #Badrinath ji for 2:30 hours. Total bliss. #CharDham

The main priest at #Badrinath is a Namboodri. While he goes about the Pujai, the other priests explain the events & also guide through the Sankalpam etc. There was a group chanting of Vishnu Sahasranamam. #CharDham

So after 2:30 hours with #Badrinath ji, we were out of the temple by about 7:45. On getting back to the hotel, we just packed and left for #Rishikesh
#CharDham

On the way back we also visited Narsing (Narasimhar) Temple at #Joshimath
Ideally this should've been done on the way up. But our onward to #Badrinath was eventful 😂
This is the temple where the "Urchavar" from Badrinath comes during winters.

Hoping to drop by at #DhariDevi temple. Let's see!

BTW, reaching Rishikesh technically ends the #CharDham yatra. However, there's a lot more to be shared as lessons from this trip. I might end up doing that as branching threads. I hope this serves as some basic guide when undertaking #CharDham yatra. 🙏🙏

#DhariDevi Mandir. The temple is in the middle of the river. #AdiShankara influence. The main Murthi was in a temple which was 21 feet below where it is now. Don't know if it is a coincidence, but a day after the Murthi was shifted was when the cloud burst occurred #Chardham

instagram.com/reel/CdtGXLxJQ…
Made a reel of #DhariDevi Mandir. Loads of monkeys. They tend to attack for the Prasadam. So #SidNanda started feeding them. And made friends with one of those Vaanarams. 😂

instagram.com/reel/CdtHeKcJh…

Monkeys communicate beautifully. Watch this video. #CharDham #DhariDevi

Okay! We are back in Rishikesh. Technically the #CharDham trip ends here. Thanks for reading & participating in this journey with me. Loads more to share, which shall become branch threads when I get some time. God bless you all. #JaiShreeKedar #JaiBadriVishal

@threadreaderapp Kindly unroll my thread. Thanks