Kedarnath - An unforgettable journey to heaven

Life feels good when you spend your time doing what makes your heart happy. After the second outbreak of pandemic, I was leading a normal and satisfying life. I had a job, friends, and everything else a person needed to be happy. However, everything still felt surreal. I am a 20-year-old girl who has spent her entire life in a crowded metropolis like Delhi, distant from the sight of serenity. Out of nowhere, one day I asked myself, "Do I want to live my life like this?" And the response was, 'Hell, no!' I endeavored to connect with my heart and discovered the missing aspect of my life, which was travel. I knew I needed to travel to uncover my true self and to calm the storm in my heart. Amid all the confusion and bustle, I found the ideal companion who shares my passion for travel-my best friend. He chose to accompany me on my travel journey. We immediately decided to plan a trip and were excited to embark on new adventures together.

After a few discussions, we finalized our destination and my siblings also joined us on our journey. The five of us were ready to hit the road and explore the lush green valleys, untrailed roads, and the peacefulness of alpine highlands of Uttarakhand.

We took a very unplanned excursion to the Kedarnath shrine. Kedarnath is the most remote of the four Chota Char Dham Pilgrimage locations. It is situated in the Himalayas, approximately 3,583 m (11,755 ft) above sea level, near the Chorabari Glacier, the source of the Mandakini river, and is flanked by snow-capped peaks, most notably the Kedarnath Mountain. The Kedarnath Temple is one of Lord Shiva's twelve Jyotirlingas. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams (the most religious Shiva temples in the world). It is also the most important of the Panch Kedars.

After deciding our destination, we had a lot of questions in our heads. The elders always told me that thousands of people aspire to visit the Kedarnath shrine till their last breath, and no one is luckier than those who get the chance. I'm not sure if they were merely sayings or what, but we were all utterly oblivious of our options. Ignoring everything, we prayed and left Delhi at midnight. We arrived in Rishikesh after a five-and-a-half-hour drive. We decided to stop for a little while there. We parked our car and went to immerse ourselves in the tranquility and exquisiteness of Rishikesh. We went straight to Ganga ghaat, Rishikesh's most picturesque location. The cold wind gushed through our hair near the ghaat. We encountered a magnificent sunrise, bubbling river, and spiritual chanting all over the place. The aura of that place unleased the agitation of our souls.

Then we went to Ram Jhula, a suspension bridge across the Ganges that connects two villages: Tapovan in Tehri Garhwal district, on the west side, and Jonk in Pauri Garhwal district, on the east bank. The entire bridge is composed of iron and stands 70 feet above the river.

After admiring the magnificent bridge, we went to an unexplored waterfall near Rishikesh, the Neergarh Waterfall. The waterfall was about 5 kilometers from Rishikesh. It provides breathtaking vistas and is an ideal location for photographers.

We hiked a short distance to enjoy the unrivaled beauty of this location. After exploring Rishikesh, we left for our final destination that was the Kedarnath shrine.

On our way we stopped by Srinagar to have our lunch and then Agastyamuni to experience the great red sunset burning over the blue river.

The next morning, we reached Sonparayag. We registered our details at the portal and left for Gaurikund, the initial point of Yatra that was 7 km from Sonparayag. Devotees use different modes like pony, helicopter, or by foot to reach Kedarnath Temple. We decided to complete the 18 km trek on foot. Officially, the total distance of the trek is 18 km, but the locals informed us that the actual distance of this trek is approximately 21 km.

With the vision of the sacred Kedarnath shrine in our minds, we embarked on our journey with ardor. The entire trail was surrounded by mountains, all of which were quite steep. The beginning path of the trek was quite stinky and crowded because of the ponies. But in the evening, the sky was ablaze with the fire of the setting sun. We encountered multiple cataracts that looked like a wall of blue satin threaded with silver, water dropping from mountains, the sound of a rushing stream, and other natural delights before dusk. Some trails were dizzying, exhausting, and dangerous after dark. People cautioned us to take it cautiously because there were few street lights on the trail and a lot of mud on some paths with no boundaries.

The path was hardly crowded at all during the night hike. There were hardly any people or ponies. There were only five of us strolling under a star-studded sky, surrounded by nature's splendor. We stared up at the endless blanket of stars, and the pale crescent moon glittered like a silvery claw in the night sky. While trekking, all we can hear is the sound of waterfalls swishing over the rocks joyfully, running rivers, and small insects.

We were all fatigued after walking 10 kilometers, but the sight of the temple kept us going till we arrived at our objective. We took short rests and ate dinner to refuel our bodies before continuing on our trek. After a few more kilometers, all five of us were dead on our feet. The temperature plummeted to 2 degrees Fahrenheit. It was frigid outside, and we were trembling from the cold. Because of the high altitude, we were also having trouble breathing. We were all about to give up, but our will to reach the shrine kept us going. Our bodies were exhausted after the 18-kilometer trek, and we had no stamina to continue. It was almost 2 a.m. when we reached Kedarnath base camp.

We decided to rest in base camp and finish the remaining distance in the morning. We awoke at 7 a.m. and emerged from our tent. I can't put into words what I saw with my own eyes. In the heart of the Himalayas, I saw the spellbound snow-capped peaks surrounding the lush green valley and an air of holy mystery. I felt as if I were in heaven.

We resumed our trek the next morning to the holistic Kedarnath temple. We reached the temple after completing a 1km trek in half an hour. For a brief period, everything around us came to a halt. We were taken aback by the grandeur of the holistic temple that we saw with our own eyes. After witnessing the spectacular grandeur of the location, all of our tiredness vanished. The white icebound Himalayan mountains and snowy clouds have encircled the shrine.

We put on our masks and waited in line to enter the temple. The temple is made of stone pieces linked with iron clamps, and it has an outside hall dedicated to Goddess Parvati, Lord Krishna, the Pandavas, and several other mythological deities. A statue of Lord Shiva's vaahan – Nandi – stands just outside the main temple door, and the linga inside the sanctum sanctorum is an unusual triangular-shaped construction. Sadashiva, the incarnation of Lord Shiva, is claimed to reside here. Inside the temple, we endured a tiny hall adorned with statues of Parvati and the Pandavas. Inside the main temple, we worshipped a conical rock that is said to be the Sadashiva.

After touring it from the inside, we did the parikrama of the temple and sat outdoors for a few hours. The place was crowded with devotees from all around India. Outside the temple, people were chanting mantras and worshipping Lord Shiva. The entire journey flashed before my eyes as I rested and observed the temple.

From seeing the temple virtually to physically participating in the yatra, I felt like God had blessed me with everything. After spending some time at the temple, we decided to return to Gaurikund. I returned my attention to the temple for the final time. My heart was overwhelmed with various feelings, and a tear fell from my eyes. The entire trip was indescribable and remarkable. I wasn't ready to leave, but I promised myself that I would return. This place is like a narcotic; the more you go there, the more you want to come again. and I must say the first trip of my life became the best and the most memorable one.