My Char Dham Yatra Experience

One of our guests, Miss Anupama, 45, who traveled with us on the Char Dham Yatra, has agreed to share an account of her experience. Read on for her diary entries and beautiful descriptions.

Day 1: Home – Delhi

It was a typical summer afternoon in Delhi—hot and bustling with the never-ending hullabaloo of vehicles and a hundred thoughts racing through my mind. If not for the possibilities and promises of the pilgrimage that lay ahead, I would have written off the day as ‘just another.’ But there I was, about to embark on perhaps the most iconic journey of my life—the Chardham Yatra. I vividly remember the first time I heard about the pilgrimage. I was in my twenties, and I had accidentally stumbled across an article about the four pilgrimage shrines in the Himalayas, which piqued my interest. Interesting… Maybe someday. Well, twenty-five years and countless life lessons later, here I am, finally embarking on the journey.

Delhi is always on my radar. I find myself drawn to the city many times a year due to the demands of work and life. I decided to arrive a week before the pilgrimage began, to stay at a friend’s house and give time for the hundred anticipations before any trip to bloom wider.

I arrived at the New Delhi Railway Station to begin the journey. There, I was warmly welcomed by the staff of ChardhamTour.in, along with many other passengers. Fellow travelers had come from different corners of the country. Many had arrived in Delhi the same day, and for some, this was their first visit to the city. I immediately struck up a conversation with a Tamilian family—two sisters, one of whom was accompanied by her son. We started by talking about the weather, then saris, and finally how difficult it was for all of us to operate our smartphones. Many hours later, we were still talking.

The manager from ChardhamTour.in was accompanying our group and seemed like a very pleasant and helpful person. From the railway station, we were taken to a Hanuman Mandir, where Lord Hanuman is evoked as the guardian deity. May we all enjoy a spiritually fruitful trip! By now, the reality that the journey had already begun started to sink in. Although I had been preparing for this for over five to six months, I could feel my heartbeat rising. I had come so far into the unknown, and there was no turning back. The sense of security of being part of a larger group helped. Suddenly, Usha (one of the women I mentioned earlier, her sister being Nisha) placed her hand on my shoulder. The comfort of human touch when fear grips your body! I closed my eyes and offered the entire trip to God. May everything happen according to Divine will. Amidst the beautiful bhajans playing in the background, a huge burden lifted from my body, as my fears melted into trust—trust in the unknown, trust in Divine Grace, and trust in a Force higher than me.

The next day would take us to Rishikesh.

Day 2: Rishikesh – Barkot

We reached Rishikesh quite early in the morning, well before the city was taken over by its characteristic throngs. Our tour guide informed us that we would leave for Barkot only in the afternoon, leaving us with half a day free to explore Rishikesh! I had been to Rishikesh before, so I knew what to expect. One of the pleasures of traveling with a group is that everything takes on a different tone. It’s like the characters of the group allow us to see the place through new eyes. We visited iconic sites in Rishikesh—Laxman Jhula and Ram Jhula—and managed to take several pictures with cows! After a sumptuous meal, we left Rishikesh. Ain’t I glad I went with ChardhamTour.in? The cook travels with us, letting us enjoy delicious South Indian meals. By the afternoon, we were back on the road. We stopped at Kempty Falls along the way, and the sight of the pristine water refreshed my senses. I didn’t feel like getting wet, though. I was content to let the sound of the water soothe me. The drive to Barkot resumed peacefully. There’s something about the zigzag mountainous paths that enchant human hearts, maybe because they remind us of life’s winding trajectories. I slept soundly upon reaching the Samrat Hotel in Barkot, knowing an arduous day lay ahead.

Day 3: Barkot – Janki Chatti – Yamunotri – Barkot

Yamunotri

What a day! Today, I experienced what it truly means to be on a pilgrimage, like in the old days when one’s body embraced the challenges of the journey as an offering to the deity. I woke up well before 4 a.m. Perhaps the anticipation of the day didn’t let me sleep any longer. We were driven to Janki Chatti by motor vehicle, from where we began our trek. By now, I had become friends with several people in the group. Mr. Nagarjuna and his wife were such a jovial couple! Their never-ending jokes kept me laughing throughout the trek. It’s beautiful to witness people grow fonder of each other as time passes; they truly loved each other. Unlike many others, we decided to walk uphill, even though one could hire a pony or palki to ease the uphill trek. At times, I felt afraid, especially on the steep gradient. It took us 4.5 hours to reach the temple premises. The first 2-3 kilometers weren’t difficult, but the second half of the trail was quite challenging. The climb grew steeper, and the road seemed narrow. I feared people might bump into each other and fall off, though that was just my mind creating panicky scenarios. How glad I was to have the Nagarjuna family’s company. But I must admit, the sight of gushing waterfalls and the sound of the Yamuna River as we got closer to the temple made me feel like I was in a nature adventure film!

In the temple, there were two idols of river goddesses—one black for Yamuna Maa and the other white for Maa Ganga. There was also an idol of Hanuman Ji. After circumambulating the idols three times, we went to receive Prasadam—boiled potatoes from Surya Kund. It amazed me to think such hot water springs from underneath the earth in such a cold environment. The Prasadam is prepared by boiling the potatoes wrapped in muslin cloth.

I didn’t want to enter the cold waters of Yamuna, but I was filled with both joy and sorrow to witness Yamuna at her origin. The Yamuna at Yamunotri was pristinely pure, unlike the polluted Yamuna I am used to seeing in Delhi. I was struck by how we can worship the River as a Goddess in the temple, yet fail to honor her waters and surroundings in real life.

I truly enjoyed the downhill walk, as my fears had eased. I was at leisure to enjoy the scenic beauty of the mountains. Suddenly, a thought crossed my mind: I might never walk this path again. How short is this mortal life! How few our journeys! How often do we forget to truly be present to life as it is?

I dozed off on the way back. My body really needed rest, and I retired early for the night.

Day 4: Barkot – Uttarkashi

Well, there’s hardly anything a good sleep can’t cure. But my legs still ached a bit in the morning. Thankfully, I had carried a bottle of Arnica with me. I knew one or two doses would relieve me of the pain. Today, we were taken to Uttarkashi, to a hotel named Hotel Bhagirathi. I loved the room I was given, with its beautiful scenery outside the window. I didn’t join the group for most of the sightseeing, as I needed a quiet day to rejuvenate. However, I had a sudden urge to visit the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in the evening. How could I come this far and miss visiting the Shiva temple? The temple was as sacred as one would expect, and the Shakti Temple with its massive Trishul (trident) was equally awe-inspiring. I was filled with a sudden sense of reverence for the Divine Mother. After all, everything is the Mother’s play—this world of Maya that entraps us, and the Grace that can free us from it.

Back at the hotel, I dreamt of the Mother. When I woke up, I felt as if I had been embraced by Her. I couldn’t help but sob, feeling that I was shedding grief I didn’t even know I had been holding onto for decades.

Day 05: Uttarkashi – Gangotri

Gangotri

Wow! Just wow! How can one describe the magnificent beauty of the path to Gangotri? Never before had I seen places as beautiful as those we drove past that day. Some of the locations were Sukhi Top and Harsil—where, I was told, a famous Bollywood movie was shot. We passed many idyllic apple orchards and climbed over four mountains on the journey.

The Gangotri darshan was much easier than the Yamunotri trek. My body no longer ached, and I was relieved that this darshan involved no trekking. The serene Gangotri Temple appeared as iridescent as the holy Ganges herself. Inside the temple, there were idols of Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha, Lord Hanuman, and King Bhagirath.

I resolved to return to Gangotri one day. I want to reach the Gaumukh Glacier and see the physical origin of the Bhagirathi stream. The thought fills my heart with warmth—I knew I would return soon.

Day 6: Srinagar

Srinagar

Our tour manager informed us that we would be visiting Srinagar the next day. At first, I was confused. Why would we go to Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir while on a pilgrimage in Devbhoomi? He clarified that this particular Srinagar was in Uttarakhand.

I thoroughly enjoyed the bus ride today. Some of us sang, while others attempted dancing, but thanks to the meandering mountain trails, they had to settle for clapping along. I had no idea Usha could sing so beautifully. I almost had tears in my eyes listening to her. Her voice resonated with a familiar ache, bringing me closer to her. I knew I had met a friend for life.

En route, we stopped at Tehri Dam, and everyone went crazy taking a hundred pictures. I wasn’t in the mood for photography. I just let my eyes soak in nature’s divine beauty. A few poems came to mind, and I had to quickly write them down before they vanished into the mist from which they were born.

Day 7: Dhari Devi Temple – Rudraprayag – Sitapur

Dhari Devi Temple

We started earlier than usual today as we were to meet the much-feared Goddess at Dhari Devi Temple. I had heard rumors about her fury being linked to the 2013 floods. It’s hard for me to imagine the Mother as anything other than the benevolent presence she has always appeared to me as. But who can truly understand her maya?

I was struck by the intense presence of Shakti at the temple site. One cannot deny its spiritual potency. We also witnessed the beautiful confluence of the Alaknanda and Mandakini rivers at Rudraprayag, the first of the five confluences we would encounter in the coming days. In fact, the tour guide mentioned they are collectively known as the ‘Panch Prayag.’

Upon reaching Sitapur, we were escorted to the hotel. The next day would take us on what was perhaps the most challenging part of the pilgrimage – the Kedarnath trek. I needed a good night’s rest for the taxing day ahead.

Day 8: Sonprayag – Gaurikund – Kedarnath

Sonprayag

We were dropped off at Sonprayag as our large tourist bus couldn’t go further to Gaurikund. From there, we boarded a smaller jeep to take us to Gaurikund. The mountainous trail ahead promised the blissful darshan of Shiva’s jyotirlinga at its end. I offered everything to Him, hoping He would guide the way forward. Of course, my religious practice of walking 5 km every day for the past three months, along with numerous rounds of climbing up and down the stairs in my flat, had me confident in my fitness level. However, I was a middle-aged woman, and I was still a stranger to the challenges of the mountains.

I made friends with Mr. Harry, an Australian gentleman from our group. It felt as though Lord Shiva Himself had chosen us to be companions for the trek ahead. We had a lot in common, particularly our explorations into mysticism and spirituality. Amidst the stories we shared and the few beautiful silences inspired by the serenity and majesty of the Himalayas surrounding us, we reached the Kedarnath shrine.

We had VIP passes, and the darshan was blissful. Let me just say, I fell even more in love with Shiva.

The downhill trek was much easier. Perhaps it was the fullness in our hearts after Lord Shiva’s darshan that made it seem so. We barely spoke, as the silence around us felt enough.

Once we reached Sonprayag, we were driven to Hotel JPG at Sitapur. Those of us who trekked to the temple, rather than flying via helicopter, were physically exhausted. We retired early for the night.

Day 09: Joshimath – Badrinath

Badrinath Temple

By now, we were already nine days into the pilgrimage, and the only dham left in the Char Dham Yatra was Badrinath. It felt as though I had always been on this journey, as if my life before this trip had vaporized into a distant memory, something I could no longer easily access. The people on this trip seemed like family. Sharing a pilgrimage with strangers has a way of bringing you closer to yourself and to everyone around you. My personal diary entries had become more vivid, as if I had begun to recognize the strange languages dreams spoke to me in.

If I had to pick a favorite day of the entire trip, it would be this one. How could it not be, with all the different confluences we witnessed along the way? Each of the confluences at Karnaprayag, Nandprayag, and Vishnuprayag had its own unique rhythm. I let my camera capture the dazzling beauty of each confluence.

We also stopped at the famous Narsimha Temple in Joshimath. I felt fulfilled by the time we reached Hotel Yoga at Badrinath. The promise of a spiritually enriching day ahead helped me lose myself in deep sleep.

Day 10: Badrinath – Mana Village – Pipalkoti

Mana Village

I woke up earlier than usual to enjoy the beautiful darshan of Lord Badrinarayan. It was every bit as beautiful as the hymns of the Badrinarayan aarti I had been waking up to each morning. I couldn’t get enough of the temple. Even after everyone else had retired, I lingered, soaking in the spiritual nectar of the temple.

Just when I thought the day couldn’t get any better, we were taken to the beautiful Mana village. A stroll through this ‘last Indian village’ brought many instances from the Mahabharata to life. I particularly enjoyed the sight of the Saraswati River. Just knowing that the Mahabharata was written in this land gave me goosebumps.

We were taken to Hotel Comfort Inn at Pipalkoti for an overnight stay. As usual, I slept peacefully.

Day 11: Devprayag – Haridwar

Devprayag

This was technically the last day of the trip, although our group would continue together for one more day. We witnessed the most iconic of all confluences – Devprayag! It is from Devprayag that the Ganga earns her name. The merging of the mighty Alaknanda and the peaceful Bhagirathi rivers to form the Ganga is a sight to behold!

We reached Haridwar by afternoon, and an unearthly sense of fatigue overtook me. It felt as though my soul had already stripped away its desire to be on the move. All I longed for was the stable foundation of my home. I spoke to my mother longer than usual, missing her terribly. She had expressed a desire to come on a similar pilgrimage with me next year.

The Haridwar aarti was the perfect highlight of the day. If I had felt anything was missing, the aarti filled that space. I wanted to stand by the shore, watching the thousand floating diyas, forever. It was as though the night had dressed itself beautifully for our indulgence. It was the perfect way to end this eventful trip.

Day 12: Delhi – Home

We returned to Delhi by morning, thanks to the overnight journey. I felt a sudden surge of gratitude for the organizers of this trip, the tour manager, the guide, the cook, and everyone who had warmly taken care of our many needs during the journey. I had tears in my eyes as I parted from the few friends who had become akin to family over the past ten days.

The trip had unfolded perfectly in alignment with divine will. I truly felt changed on a deeper level. What shape this transformation will take in my everyday life is yet to be seen, but for now, I am happy to be heading home.