Chardham 1 – Yamunotri

For a devout Hindu, visiting the 4 shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri is a must in his lifetime. Located in the upper echelons of Uttaranchal, amongst highly inhospitable terrain, it needs a 15 day tour which can tax your health by the time it ends

The start of the journey from Sayana Chatti

The region abounds in some of the most scenic views such as these

Yamunotri lies on the 1^st lap of this Yatra. The source of the river Yamuna is about 3200 meters above sea level amidst extreme harsh climate, surrounded by mountains and dense vegetation. The area being prone to landslides, our driver remarked that his focus was not only what lay ahead on the road but also occasionally what was tumbling down from the mountains on the vehicles sides. Our journey started from Sayana Chatti, around 21km distance from here. The roads are highly inhospitable, broken down by the incessant rain and landslides. So you need to wake up early morning for a visit, more so as the heavy traffic on its narrow roads can sometimes end your journey before it even begins. We had some luck on our side and managed to reach the place well within time.

The shrine enveloped in a thick fog

The place is typically shrouded in thick fog and visibility is restricted to a few 100 meters. The shivering cold makes it very difficult to hold your camera so photography here can sometimes be a challenge and taking a good scenic shot of the temple more so

The Cobra flower is seen amongst the crevices

Besides a visit to the temple, another attraction here is a hot water spring located within the premises of the temple itself. Devotees are allowed to cook Rice and even Potatoes as offerings to the Goddess which can then be carried back home. One thankful note here is that it has not been impacted by religious tourism like most of the other prominent sites in India so you may typically not be hassled by beggars and shopkeepers

More scenic views on the return journey

Anuradhapura again

 Our Driver + Guide Ranga had arranged the Services of a local guide just for us, he was a close friend of his . “We can save on the Ticket money as he knows many people inside and we can sight see for free” said Ranga…though we were not sure whether there really was a fee to be paid anywhere. We ended up paying a hefty Tip to him though (of which Ranga may have probably pocketed a good 30 – 40%)….

Recycling Lotus Blooms is a flourishing trade

A traditional canopy for Candles and Oil Lamps  

 That is anyways is taken for granted here. As one of the local shopkeepers once told me that at every place your guide takes you, he is sure to have a Commission due . With few shops available inside you have to buy whatever is needed at the outskirts. So when we bought a few bottles of mineral water from a shop at an exorbitant price, Ranga managed to pocket a bottle for himself free of cost.. 

The famed Moonstone..replicas are available at many local stores

With so much to see you can literally spend an entire day here, the main sites being the Stupas, the Bodhi tree, the Royal Palace, the Moonstone and the Brazen Palace. The Stupas are referred to by the locals as "Dagobas", a plagiarized version of "Pagoda" but am not sure which one came first. 

Flower offerings can be bought outside the premises, this itself is a flourishing trade here as in all religious sites. We were lucky to see a Marriage procession in progress, not sure whether photography would be allowed I handed my camera to the Rangas friend who turned out to be a great shutterbug.Walking in the hot sun barefoot can be a really taxing experience 

A marriage ceremony in progress

To quench our thirst midway during the tour we approached a Coconut vendor…should have probably asked the price before starting to drink but when she asked me to pay Rs 70 for the Coconut I was almost at the verge of abusing her…thankfully Ranga intervened and she reduced this to Rs 50…you can get this outside at local shops for Rs 30..and during off season it even comes down to Rs 15 said Ranga

The Old Stupa where the Buddha relic was kept 

 This older Stupa had its Dome damaged some time back due to a lightning strike. It was never repaired and has since been abandoned as it leaks during heavy rains. The Buddhas belt which was originally kept here has since been relocated to the newer Stupa which has a better seating capacity and more amenities . All sermons and teachings for the Monks have since been conducted from the newer Stupa

There are few eateries around and looking at the ambience you would rather give it a miss. We arrived at a shanty type Hotel late evening …..few options available so we ordered an Indian Dosa, which turned out to be good eventually. Ranga meanwhile had arranged a few Avocados which were sumptuous and came at a reasonable price

Stupas like these are manifold and you eventually lose interest in photographing them

An ancient Temple and its mystery images

 

The Temple of Lord Parshuram located in the Chiplun city of Maharashtra has a unique distinction of hosting one of the few such temples in the country, and the only one in Maharashtra.  Lord Parshuram, the 6^th reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, was a devout worshipper of Lord Siva and after undertaking a severe penance was duly rewarded with an Axe which came to symbolize his might and prowess. You may find many such images of him in Chiplun and quite a few places also named after him, from Apartments to Hotels and Shops

The temple is located some 10km away from the city center. You need to park your vehicle close by to the highway and the Temple is reached after a further 15 minute walk. The temple complex, half an acre in area holds 2 temples and a water body. The main temple at the center of the premises is dedicated to Lord Parshuram while his mother Renukas temple is smaller and located just behind it. It is believed by the locals that the Lord stays in the temple during the night and leaves in the morning for Mahendra Mountain, his abode of worship. 

There is a huge reservoir of water inside the premises. It is believed that this water gushed out of the earth when it was pierced by the Lords arrow. Both the temples in the Complex are equally ancient in origin but the more interesting part for a casual tourist would be the images carved on the Pillars of his Mother Renukas temple. 

Some of the inscriptions are related to Hindu Gods and Goddesses which can be deciphered easily, some though are a bit difficult to comprehend and would leave you guessing on their origins …..

A God seen above lifting an Elephant in each hand……a similar image is seen on an adjacent wall but this God is 2 Headed (Heading Photo). Is this a symbolic image or something beyond our world........ancient Aliens anyone?

Below is seen a man with a strange Headgear probably playing a musical instrument or smoking a long pipe....?

 An ancient inscription at the Entrance, the script appears to be in Sanskrit and could be regarding the origins of the temple

Most probably an image of Lord Siva …again one which is seen rarely with 4 arms one of which holds the Head of a Demon     

An image of Lord Hanuman seen destroying an enemy

 

 

A peculiar symbol resembling a Swastika but an enquiry with a local priest could not get us an answer …….this image again appears twice, once on a  Pillar and on the Entrance wall 

 

Of the 2 Gods depicted here, one happens be Hanuman but there is no story or scripture which mentions him being lifted on the palm of another God