BAREFOOT TRAVELER - 6

Govindghat & Badrinath

We got the taste of Kerala all of a sudden. A hartal caught us unawares. It was called up by the opposition parties for the next day. In Uttarkhand, bandhs are pretty strong. We saw a scurry of activities around. Since we didn’t have any idea how a bandh had to be tackled in the state, we stopped and inquired with the policemen. Unlike that in Kerala, it was going to be an absolute halt. Obviously our travel plan had to be changed. There was no point in stopping at an interim place where we would be trapped. We had to reach Badrinath at any cost or we would be losing one day. The original plan was to travel 285 km (8 ½ hour) reaching Joshimatt. It takes only 45 km (1 ¼ hr) to get at Badrinath. Driving non-stop to the final destination would be crazy. Landslides and rain have made journeying extremely difficult. Nobody travels through this stretch during night-time.

The road is closed at  Joshimatt by the Army at 7.00 pm. Anticipating this, we took a detour which actually treads through the Army Camp. Private vehicles are not allowed there. We were spotted but the men in uniform didn’t seem to bother. We decided to cover as much distance as we could and halt at an agreeable place. Rajan was at the helm taking decisions. He took us to Govindaghat travelling non-stop for ten hours. Time was 9.30 p.m. and we were really tired. We checked into a hotel which was built above Alakananda, well almost, flouting all rules. Rooms were dirty and the toilet, unspeakable.

Take it or leave it, Rajan said.

We had no other go. For food, we made a beeline to a roadside joint which was run by the hoteliers themselves. The owner-cum-manager Ashok Singh did the cooking aided by a single assistant and they prepared chapattis, pyaj, cabbage side-dish with an obscure name supplemented by dahi and achar. To be true, the food was really tasty. However, they charged Rs.25 for a bucket of hot water. People were fleecing hapless travelers in a tacit arrangement with our man.

rajan and me @ govindaghat

I couldn’t sleep a wink. Alakananda was roaring throughout as if to protest against the atrocities being done. The temperature was not unbearable but certainly cold.

The place is the gate-way to Valley of Flowers. The village Gamgeria is just 19 km away. Helicopter service is available from Govindaghat to Gamgeria for Rs.6000 per head (to and fro).

We started off early morning at five so that we would be reaching Badrinath well before road block. The 16 km covered was the most dangerous drive in my life.  It took one hour. The time was just before daybreak.

The mountain peaks were already being illuminated by the first rays of the sun. The snow turned molten gold. The temperature was the only spoiler. We were feeling the punch in spite of thermal-wear and woolen add-ons. 

We stopped at Sankaran  Namboothiri’s place. He was running a hotel, Adwaita Bhavan with enough facilities. The rooms had been booked in advance. Namboothiri hails from Payyannoor and divides his time equally between the Himalayas and Kerala. In November when snow-fall is heavy, he packs his bags to unite with his family at Perumbayillam. It’s a sabbatical of sorts till May next. Unfortunately for us, he had left much early this time leaving us at the mercy of North Indian cooks. In fact, the USP of his hotel was simple, vegetarian Keralite food and home-made pickles.

Soon after settling, we set off to visit the temple. We had three layers of clothing when we went to take a dip at Taptakund situated at the base of Badrinath temple. The place was packed with people eager to take the hot water dip. Steam was rising up from the pond. In fact, the whole place was filled with steam. The smell of Sulphur was predominant among other odors. I was a bit scared to venture into the pond. Seeing my hesitation, a veteran who was swimming in the pond yelled,

Rambhau, get familiarized with the temperature at each step. That’s the way.

I did just that. And I was happily swimming in a couple of minutes’ time. The veteran approached me in butterfly stroke.

Bhaisaab, see, the Swami sitting by the pond-side will do some special poojas for you.

No need, I said. By taking a holy dip at Taptakund, I am assured of a painless death. What more is to be aspired, Sir?

The guy took a haste retreat in free style.

However, I couldn’t hang around for long. My head was reeling. I thought I would drop down. I looked around and saw several others in the same predicament. Luckily I scraped through.

Interestingly, I was quite accustomed to the low temperature after the taptakund dip. Felt refreshed and very pleasant! The sun was rising through the mist. We proceeded towards Badrinath temple.

It is the only major temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The architecture is similar to that of South Indian temples.There is thidappally and pradakshinavazhi. Obvious AdiSankaracharya influence. Additionally there exists a hall right in front of the sanctum sanctorum where people can squat, sing bhajans and watch the proceedings. Two separate enclosures are also provided in front of the sanctum-sanctorum for the exclusive usage of Pandas and Vedapatis (singers reciting vedasukta and mantras). A small balcony is also there at the front entrance, diametrically opposite to the deity, approximately at the same level. The place is reserved for sanyasis.

Easwar Prasad Namboodiri is the Rawal (Head Priest) selected by Government of Uttarkhand   from a list of names forwarded by Government of Kerala. He is young, a graduate, knows Sanskrit and a bachelor. He’s got a deputy (Nayab Rawal), Narayanan, also with the same credentials. Both of them are from North Malabar. The previous Rawal had a disgraceful exit as he got caught in a honey-trap in a similar incident that happened in Kerala a few years back.

Salary and fringe benefits of a Rawal is an envy to even Corporate Heads. Its 7.5% of the total offerings to the temple plus a fixed salary. Two residential accommodation, each at Badrinath and Joshimatt, fully furnished with an array of cooks and servants. (We visited Easwar Prasad later at his quarters and found him a plain and approachable man).

After attending the aarati, we took a round (pradakhshinam) when I was 'stuck' by a most beautiful sight. The west-side thidappally was full of meditators, mostly sanyasis in padmasana. An extremely good-looking young woman in orange-robes was in deep meditation. Her graceful face was further dignified by morning rays of the sun.

I gazed at her losing all sense of time. In fact Time stood still.

A stunner couldn’t have done this to me, I’m sure!
There is something beyond stunning looks.

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                                                                                           Photo credits: R. Jayakumar, Nandu Bodhi