Gateway to the Gods       

Haridwar (also called Hardwar) is a timeless, beautiful, holy city on the banks of the river Ganga or Ganges River.
The word Haridwar, meaning Gateway to the Gods, is derived from two words – ‘Dwar’ meaning Gateway and ‘Hari’ meaning God.It is here the holy Ganga enters the Indo-Gangetic plains of India after traversing 253 kms (157 miles) down the hills from its source Gaumukh at the tip of the Gangotri Glacier – 3,139 metres (10,300 ft) above sea level.

Mythology

The God and the Demons churned the oceans (Samudra Manthan) to obtain Amrita, the elixir of immortality. Amrita was deceptively taken by the Gods and carried away by Garuda – Lord Vishnu’s Vahan.

Some Amrita accidentally spilled over in four places – Allahabad, Haridwar, Nasik and Ujjain.
These four places are considered very holy and religious festivities called the Kumbha Mela are celebrated once every 3 years in each of these 4 places by rotation.It is believed that in Haridwar, the Amrita fell at the place called Brahma Kund at Har-ki-Pauri (meaning “footsteps of the Lord”) which is considered the most sacred ghat (river bank) of Haridwar.It is here that King Bhagirath, the great-grandson of King Sagar, brought down the mighty river Ganga from Heaven for the salvation of his 60,000 ancestors who had been turned to ashes by the Sage Kapil Muni.Lord Vishnu is believed to have left his footprint on the stone set in the upper wall of Har-Ki-Pauri, where the Holy Ganga touches it at all times.

History

Haridwar is a very ancient city.
Archaeological findings prove that terra cotta culture dating between 1700 BC and 1200 BC existed in this region.
Haridwar came under the rule of the Maurya Empire (322 -185 BC), and later under the Kushan Empire (1st – 3rd centuries).Haridwar was visited by the Chinese traveller, Huan Tsang, in 629 AD.
The Turkish invader Timur Lang (1336-1405) invaded the city on January 13, 1399.The first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak (1469-1539), bathed at ‘Kushwan Ghat’. Haridwar is also mentioned in the Ain-e-Akbari written by Abul Fazal during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar, in the 16th century.
During Akbar’s rule, there was a mint for copper coins at Haridwar.Raja Man Singh of Amber laid the foundation of the present day city of Haridwar and also renovated the ghats at Har-ki-pauri.
After his death, his ashes were immersed at Brahma Kund by Mughal Emperor Akbar himself.Bhimgoda Dam, one of the two major dams on the river Ganga, is situated here.
It was constructed to divert the waters of the Ganga to the ‘Upper Ganges Canal’ to irrigate the surrounding lands.
Work on the Upper Ganges Canal started in April 1842.
The Canal was opened in 8 April 1854.
Its main channel was 348 miles long, its branches 306 miles long and the various tributaries over 3000 miles long. The unique feature of this Canal is a half-kilometre long aqueduct over Solani River at Roorkee, which raises the canal 25 metres above the original river.
Before construction of this dam, ships of the East India Company, sailed right up to Tehri.
After construction of the Canal, much of the water was diverted to the fields and ships could no longer sail up.

Places to see


Hari-Ki-Pauri  – 1.5 km                                                        

This sacred bathing ghat also known as Brahmakund was constructed by King Vikramaditya  during the 1st century BC in memory of his brother Bhrithari.
The Aarti, or evening prayer, offered to Goddess Ganga at dusk every day is a fascinating spectacle.
The pilgrims float hundreds of diyas (lamps on floats) on the river.

Chandi Devi Temple – 6 kms

This temple dedicated to Goddess Chandi sits atop the ‘Neel Parvat’ on the eastern bank of river Ganga.
The main statue was established by the Adi Shankaracharya in 8th century A.D.
The temple is a 3 kms walk from Chandighat, but can also be reached by a ropeway.

Mansa Devi Temple – 0.5 km

Situated at the top of Bilwa Parwat, the temple of Goddess Mansa Devi, (literally meaning Goddess who fulfills desires) is a popular tourist destination.
The cable car offers a picturesque view of the entire city.

Maya Devi Temple – 0.5 km

This is one of most ancient temples dating to the 11th century.

Daksha Mahadeo Temple and the Sati Kund – 4 kms

Lord Shiva’s first wife Sati self-immolated herself here.

Bhimgoda  Tank – 1 kms

This tank is situated at a distance of about 1 km from Har-ki Pauri.
When the Pandavas were going to Himalayas through Haridwar, Bhima drew water from the rocks here by thrusting his knee, or goda, into the ground.

Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar – 3.5 kms

This Bird Sanctuary is situated on the main Ganga River, or Neel Dhara, at the Bhimgoda barrage.
It is a paradise for bird watchers and home to many migratory birds during the winter season.

Jairam  Ashram

Here is a massive white statue depicting the famous Samudra Manthan.
 
Sapt  Rishi Ashram and Sapt Sarovar – 7 kms

A picturesque place. The seven great sages or Saptarishis – Kashyapa, Vashisht, Atri, Vishwamitra, Jamadagni, Bharadwaja and Gautam meditated here.
At this place, the Ganga split herself into seven streams so that the Rishis were not disturbed.

Parad Shivling – 2 kms

Situated in Harihar Ashram, Kankhal.
There is huge Shivling weighing about 150 kgs and Rudraksha tree.

Pavan Dham

This modern temple is made entirely of glass pieces.

Bharat Mata Mandir

Each floor of this multi-storey temple, dedicated to Bharat Mata (Mother India), depicts an era of the Indian History, from the days of Ramayana to India’s independence.


Reaching there

Air
The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun,
But most tourists come through New Delhi airport.

Railway
Haridwar has a railway station with direct links to all major cities of India.

Road
Haridwar, is well connected by road by the National Highway 58, between Delhi and Mana pass.
It is 200 kms. or about 6 hours drive from Delhi.

Recommendation

Haridwar is one of the seven holiest places of the Hindus.
A dip in the Holy Ganga here is believed to wash away all sins.
A lot of Hindus visit Haridwar.Moreover, this is the usual entry point to Rishikesh, the Char Dhams and the Himalayas beyond.Haridwar is also an important centre of Ayurvedic and herbal medicine and the unique Gurukul school of traditional education. The Pandas of Haridwar keep meticulous genealogical  records of Hindus visitors who come here.
You can find the dates your ancestors or relatives visited the place.

Gateway to the Himalayas  
   
                                              
Rishikesh is a picturesque holy city on the banks of the Ganga or Ganges River at the foothills of the Himalayas.
Rishikesh and its surroundings are ideal for Vedic learning, yoga, spiritual meditation and similar activities. You can climb into the ice and snow covered mountains; stroll through the dense forests harbouring a variety of animals and birds; or engage in a number of adventure sports.Rishikesh is also the starting point for onward travel to the Char Dhams – Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri  (the four holy pilgrimages) – and is therefore known as the gateway to the Himalayas.

Mythology


Lord Rama performed penance here after killing Rāvana, the demon King of Sri Lanka (Ceylon).
Adi Shankaracharya visited the place and established the original Bharat Mandir temple on the banks of the Ganges River in the heart of the old town during the 12th century.
The Inner sanctum of the temple has an idol of Lord Vishnu, carved out of a single Shaligram.
Above the idol is a Shree Tantra installed by Adi Shankaracharya.
There are numerous temples, ancient as well as new, along the banks of the Ganges River in Rishikesh.

Vedantic Studies and Yoga

Rishikesh is known throughout the world as ‘the world-capital of Yoga’.The 120 year old Kailas Ashram Brahmavidyapeetham, an institution for the preservation and promotion of traditional Vedantic Studies, is located here.
Swami Vivekananda, Swami Rama Tirtha and Swami Sivananda studied in this institution.During the mid-1960s, The Beatles visited the now closed Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram.
Several artists, like Mike Love of The Beach Boys, Donovan and Gyp Mills, and the Hollywood star Kate Winslet have visited the place to contemplate and meditate.You can spend a few weeks, or months, in one of the many Ashrams delving into the secrets of yoga and meditation.

Description

The term Rishikesh is loosely applied to five distinct sections encompassing the town and the settlements on both sides of the river Ganges.
These include:
1.  Rishikesh town, the commercial hub;
2.  The suburb Muni-ki-Reti, or the “sands of the sages”;
3.  Sivananda Nagar, north of Rishikesh, home of Sivananda Ashram and head quarters of the Divine Life Society founded by Swami Sivananda;
4. The temple section of Lakshman Jhula, a little further north; and the
5. The Ashrams around Swarg Ashram on the east bank.

What to see

Town  Area

Bharat Mandir
This is a major centre of attraction.
The original temple was destroyed by Tamur lane in 1398 A.D. and later rebuilt.

Triveni Ghat
This is the most popular ghat in the town area where most pilgrims take holy dip in the river.
The daily evening Arti at the Ghat is really fascinating.

Rishikund
Close to Triveni Ghat is the most ancient place, the Rishikund.
Goddess Yamuna purified this pond with her water.

Ram Jhula Area

Geeta Bhawan
One of the oldest temple complex in the area.
The two famous Indian epics Ramayan and Mahabharat are described on the walls of the temple here.

Parmarth Niketan
One of the most famous temple complex and ashram in the area .
It is doing a lot of religious and charitable work in the area.

Transcendental Centre of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Situated on the extreme end of Geeta Bhawan, amidst peaceful forests, is Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Centre.
It is now laying practically abandoned.

Lakshman Jhula Area

Tera Manzil Temple
This is a multistoried temple complex of idols of Gods and Goddesses.
You can have an excellent view of the entire area from the top floors of the temple complex.

Places to Visit around Rishikesh

Vasishtha Goofa
About an hour’s drive from Rishikesh up the river is the Vasishtha Goofa, where sage Vasishtha meditated long ago.
The cave is very peaceful and is a perfect place for meditation.

Kunja Puri Temple
Kunja Puri is  one of the thirteen most important Goddesses of Shivalik range in the lower Himalayas.
You can witness beautiful  sunrise and sun set on the Greater Himalayan Peaks and the vast Indo Gangetic plains .
You can see most of the peaks of Garhwal Himalayas from here.


Wild Life

The Rajaji National Park is close by.
Chilla, the core zone the Park,  is a mere  19 kms drive from Rishikesh.
The Park is located where the Himalayan foothills end and the Indo Gangetic Plains begin.
You can see a great variety of animals and migratory and domestic birds along the Ganges.
You can meander through the forest on elephant back, or on jeeps, or both.

Skiing

Auli – 8-9 hrs drive from Rishikesh – is one of the best Skiing slopes in Asia with many high peaks such as, Nanda Devi, surrounding the slopes.
You have to drive up Rishikesh along the Ganges River to Devprayag, the ancient town at the beginning of the holy Ganga; along the Alakananda to Joshimath;  and on to Auli passing through the unbelievably beautiful towns of  Rudraprayag and Karanprayag perching on the confluence of various rivers. The Skiing season at Auli starts from the end of December or early January and lasts till the end March.


White Water Rafting and Camping

Rishikesh is one of the best places for white water rafting.
You can spend one or more days.
The  activities and trips can include rock climbing, rappelling, small treks, kayaking and camping.

Spas

Rishikesh has the best Spas of India and all kinds of authentic Ayurvedic treatment centres.

Ananda in the Himalayas
Situated inside the Palace of Garhwal Rulers at Narendra Nagar, Ananda is the best Spa. This is a little expensive. 

High Bank Peasants Cottage (HBPC)
HBPC has spa and also provides Ayurvedic treatment including “Kaya Kalpa”.  

Reaching there

Air
The nearest airport is Jolly Grant in Dehradun only 35kms away from Rishikesh.
But most visitors prefer to come via Delhi.

Rail
The nearest station is Haridwar.
Haridwar is a major railway station in the region.
There are many express trains connecting Haridwar to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Allahabad and other cities.

Road
Rishikesh is very well connected to the major cities of Uttaranchal and India, such as, Agra, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Delhi, Haridwar, Lucknow, Mussourie and Nainital.
But the most convenient way is to travel by road from Delhi
Rishikesh is 224 kms (6 hours drive) from Delhi.

Recommendation

The Lakshman Jhula – the hanging bridge across the Ganges River is fascinating.
Rishikesh is a perfect place for a few days rest and recreation.
You can visit the high mountains and the Char Dhams, meander through the Rajaji National Park, or try one of the adventures sports.

The western most of Adi Shankaracharya’s Four Dhams

Plato first mentioned ‘Atlantis’ in his dialogues Timaeus and Critias writtenin 360 B.C.
For unknown reasons, Plato never completed Critias.
According to Plato, “Atlantis, lying “beyond the pillars of Heracles”, was a naval power that conquered many parts of Western Europe and Africa 9,000 years before the time of Solon, or approximately 9,500 B.C.
After a failed attempt to invade Athens, Atlantis sank into the ocean “in a single day and night of misfortune”.Scientists and researchers agree that there was no such island as Atlantis.
Atlantis was a piece of sheer imagination.
But the ancient Dwarka has far too many similarities to the imaginary Atlantis.
This cannot be pure coincidence.Dwarka is about 4000 years old.
Plato wrote about Atlantis only around 360 B.C., that is, much later.
I think the only plausible explanation for the striking similarities is that Plato heard about Dwarka and based his imaginary Atlantis on Dwarka.

Dwarka

The present day Dwarka is a city in Gujarat state in Western India.
The name Dwarka has come from the Sanskrit word “Dwar” meaning door.
Once upon a time, if you were coming from the West, Dwarka was the gate way to India.
Today, Hindus regard it as a gateway to Heaven.The legendary city of Dwarka was the dwelling place of Lord Krishna.
It is believed that due to damage and destruction by the sea, Dwarka submerged under the sea six times; and the modern day Dwarka is the seventh city to be built in the area. The Dwarkadhish Temple

The word Dwarkadhish comes from Dwarka and Dhish meaning Lord of Dwarka.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna.
The city is believed to have been built by Vishwakarma, the celestial architect.
And the ancient temple was built by Sambha, the grandson of Lord Krishna.The present temple built around the 16th century has a five storey tower.
It is made of limestone and sand.
The structure of the temple is quite complicated.
A 24 metres (84 ft.) long, multicolored flag, decorated with the symbols of the sun and moon, is hoisted on the temple tower every day.
It majestically flitters in the air welcoming the pilgrims. The temple has two gateways:
· Swarg Dwar (Door to Heaven), through which pilgrims enter, and
· Moksha Dwar (Door to Salvation), through which the pilgrims exit.
From the temple, one can see the sangam (confluence) of Gomati River and the Arabian Sea.

World Famous Ratha Yatra

Jagannath Puri, or simply Puri, is one of Adi Shankaracharya’s Char Dhams (or Four Places of Pilgrimage) located in the four corners of India. The other three are: Badrinath in the North (Himalayas); Dwarka in the West; and Rameshwaram in the South.
Badrinath is located amidst the snowy peaks of the Himalayas. The other three are located on the shores of the seas around India.

Jagannath Puri is world famous for its unique Ratha Yatra (Chariot Procession).

Ratha Yatras, on a smaller scale, are simultaneously organised in several parts of India and even abroad.Fairs and melas are organised during the nine day festivities.In Kolkata (Calcutta), the fairs attract shops selling plant and pets.

When I was small, I loved to go to these fairs and purchase a few plants and pets.As a result, I have kept such unconventional pets as lizards, scorpions, snakes, python, deer and peacocks.And all this was possible only because my parents never objected or protested.I don’t remember ever being reprimanded for my pets and plants.They heroically suffered the less than normal whimsical fancies of their little son.

Origin of the Word Jagannath

The word Jagannath comes from two Sanskrit words Jagat (meaning universe) and Nath (meaning master).Jagannath, meaning Master of the Universe, is another name for Lord Krishna.The most famous and oldest Jagannath temple in India is in Puri, Orissa.Because of this temple, Puri is also known as Jagannath Puri.

Mythology

There are two mythological stories relating to the deity.

Lord Krishna appeared to his great devotee, King Indradyumna and ordered him to get his deity carved out of a log he would find washed out on the sea shore.King Indradyumna duly recovered the log and found a mysterious old Brahmin carpenter willing to carve the deity.The carpenter insisted that under no circumstance, he should be disturbed while he was carving the deity.The king anxiously waited outside his room.

When all sound stopped, King Indradyumna could not restrain himself any longer.He opened the door and entered the room.He found the deity half-finished and the carpenter gone.King Indradyumna was very upset because the deity had no arms and legs.

Ultimately, Narada Muni appeared and explained that the carpenter was Vishvakarma, the heavenly sculptor of the Gods; and the form of Lord Krishna, the king saw, was one of the forms of Lord Krishna.

According to the second story, the gopis (maids) were talking about the pranks of Krishna, and about their love for him.The gopis had instructed Subhadra (Krishna’s sister) to keep watch and warn them if Krishna came.But after some time, Subhadra became completely engrossed in the conversation.She did not notice Krishna and his brother Balaram approaching.The two brothers listened to the gopis’ talk.Their hairs stood on end, their arms retracted, their eyes grew larger and larger, and they smiled broadly in joy.That is why Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra look the way they do.

The Temple of Lord Jagannath

There is some disagreement amongst experts about the exact period of construction of the present temple. Construction of the present temple was started in the 12th century A.D. by King Ananta Burman Chodaganga Deva, founder of the Ganga dynasty in Orissa.But he could not complete it during his lifetime.The construction was completed by his successor Ananga Bhima Deva III.

The temple is built in the Kalinga style of architecture.It consists of a tall shikhara (dome) housing the sanctum sanctorum (garba griha) where the deity is placed.A pillar of fossilized wood is used for placing lamps as offering.Singhadwara (lion gate), guarded by two guardian deities, Jaya and Vijayais, is the main gate to the temple.A memorial column, brought here by the Raja of Khurda from the Sun Temple of Konarak, known as Aruna Stambha, faces the main gate.The three deities – Jagannath, Balabhadra (Balaram) and Subhadra are worshipped inside the temple.

Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple.Even Indira Gandhi was not allowed to enter the temple.More recently, a Thai princess was not allowed to enter the temple.
But once a year, during the rainy season, usually in June or July, the deities are brought out in one of the most clourful processions any where in the world.

Ratha Yatra

This festival is known as Ratha Yatra (Chariot Procession).The three deities – Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are taken out on three separate richly decorated chariots, resembling temple structures, through the streets of Puri so that everyone can see them.The largest chariot is that of Jagannath – 45 feet high and 35 feet square.It is supported on 16 wheels with a diameter of 7 feet.New chariots are built every year.The Rathas (Chariots) are pulled by the millions of pilgrims who come to attend the festivities.It is considered a privilege to pull the Ratha.The King of Puri takes part in the procession.He sweeps the path in front of Jagannath’s chariot.

The Ratha Yatra commemorates Lord Krishna’s return to his home in Vrindavan after killing Kansa.Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra (Balaram) and Subhadra are taken to their aunt’s temple (Gundicha Mandir) – a distance of 2 km from the temple.The deity remain on their chariots for the night.In the morning, they are installed in the Gundicha Mandir.They remain there for seven days.On the ninth day, they are placed back on their chariots and return to their temple.By this time, most of the pilgrims would have gone back.Labourers have to be hired to pull the Rathas.

What to see

Puri is an important town of Orissa.It is famous for the Jagannath temple.
Its sprawling wide beaches, fishing farms and the superb resorts make Puri a major holiday destination of Eastern India.

Recommendation

Visit the exotic sea beaches.Swim in the sea.Watch the fishermen catch their fish.

Puri belongs to the Golden Triangle Circuit of Orissa covering Bhubaneswar, Konarak and Gopalpur-on-Sea.You can visit these places as well.
Incidentally, the English word ‘juggernaut’ owes its origin to these huge chariots.

Jyotirlinga Shrine

Visiting Char Dham or the ‘four holy pilgrimages’ – Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri is every devout Hindu’s dream.


Kedarnath

Perched at the head of Mandakini river, 3584 metres above sea level, the Kedarnath Temple is the most important Hindu temple in the Himalayas.
It is also one of the most important Shiva temples in India.
I have visited Kedarnath twice.

The second time, it was in the month of June.
We travelled by car from Delhi via Dehradun and Mussourie.
We reached Gaurikund (14 kms from Kedarnath) around 4 P.M.
The road passes through beautiful mountains.
At times, you can see a river snaking far below.
And you pass over frail looking bridges.

From Gaurikund, you can either walk up, be carried in a basket (for youngsters and aged), hire a palanquin, or ride a pony.
I wanted to walk up.
But since it was getting late, I was coerced into hiring ponies.

The scenery was extremely beautiful.
But the pony tracks were far too narrow, at times just sufficient for a single pony.
On one side of the track would be the mountain face.
On the other, a steep vertical fall.
And whenever I looked down, I was reminded…. that if…..……. the pony slipped, I would land thousands of feet down.

I had never seen a snow fall.
I was hoping we would see snow fall.
But the pony owners told us it was too late for that.
Just two kilometres short of Kedarnath, the sky started turning dark.
Visibility fell rapidly.
And we were covered with what we felt were fluffs of soft cotton.

But these were not fluffs of cotton, but beautiful flakes of snow.
In a few minutes, the sky became completely dark.
We could not see anything beyond a few inches.
Visibility was zero.
Our hands started freezing.

We were just one kilometre from Kedarnath.
Our pony owners told us we must stop.
Because one slip in the darkness meant certain death.

There were no hotels on the way. Mere ‘chattis’ – small shops made of roughly hewn stones stacked on top of one another – where one can have tea, coffee and simple vegetarian meals.
They also keep blankets, pillows, etc. for a night stay.
Even today, some pilgrims prefer to walk the 14 kms.
And they spend the nights in these ‘chattis’.

So we entered a ‘chatti’.
The crackling log fire was more welcome than any five star luxury.
We had some hot tea followed by some good simple meals.
The snow on our clothes melted.
We had not carried any extra clothes.
So we had to take off most of our clothing and hang them up to dry.

There were no beds.
The ground was rocky and uneven.
Icy winds blew in through the holes and crinks between the stones.
We squeezed into some blankets huddling to each other like penguins.

A little past midnight, I ventured outside in my undergarments.
I was in fairy land!
The scene was so enchanting, I did not feel the cold.

All around were beautiful ice clad blue mountains I had read about in fairy tales.
There was no moon, yet visibility was good.
It was one scene, I have never seen again.

Mythology

According to mythology, after the Pandavas defeated the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war (Mahabharat), they felt guilty of having killed their own brothers and sought the blessings of Lord Shiva to repent for their sins.
But Lord Shiva did not want to bless them and evaded them repeatedly.
Finally, Lord Shiva took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull.

The Pandavas followed him…… relentlessly.
At Kedarnath, Lord Shiva dived into the ground to hide, leaving only his hump on the surface.

The stone hump is the form in which Lord Shiva is worshipped in Kedarnath temple.
The remaining portions of Lord Shiva appeared in four other nearby places and are worshipped there as his manifestations.
The arms appeared at Tungnath; the face at Rudranath; the belly at Madhmaheshwar; and his head with locks of hair at Kalpeshwar.

Kedarnath and these four shrines (Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhmaheshwar and Madhmaheshwar), where different parts of Lord Shiva appeared, are known as Panch Kedar.
There are five holy peaks here. Rudra Himalaya, Vishnupuri, Brahmapuri, Udayagiri -Kanha and Swargarohini.
Swargarohini (meaning Road to Heaven) was used by the Pandavas and Droupadi to reach heaven.
Arjuna did severe penance here to please Lord Shiva and get Pasupata, the most potent weapon.

The Temple

According to mythology, the Pandavas built the original temple at Kedarnath.
Adi Shankaracharya visited Kedarnath during the 8th century A.D. and he built the present temple.

Adi Shankaracharya took his Samadhi in Kedarnath at the young age of 32.
His Samadhi lies just behind the temple.
Beyond this sketchy detail, we don’t have any indication about who built the temple and when.

The present temple is built of large grey stone slabs.
The temple has a ‘Garbha Griha’ the sanctum sanctorum, which contains the image of Lord Shiva in the form of a stone hump (a conical rock formation measuring about five feet by four feet);and a Mandap where pilgrims and visitors gather.                                    

In this form, Lord Shiva is known as Lord Maheswar-Kedareswar

The inner walls of the assembly hall are decorated with figures of various deities and mythological scenes.

Just outside the temple door is a huge and beautiful statue of Nandi (the Bull), Lord Shiva’s vahan.

Time to Visit

Kedarnath temple is surrounded by high mountains.
During the winter months, it is impossible to reach Kedarnath.

In November, Lord Shiva, is carried down from Kedarnath to Ukhimath; and is brought back to Kedarnath in the first week of May.

It is believed that Lord Shiva is worshipped by the lesser gods for six months and the rest of the year by the humans.
May to October is the best season to visit Kedarnath.

Places of Interest

· Chorabhari Tal or Gandhi Sarovar (3 kms).
· Gaurikund (14 kms) – hot springs of medicinal values and a temple dedicated to Gauri.
· Vasuki Tal (6 kms) – this beautiful lake is 4135 m above sea level.
· Triyuginarayan (5 kms from Son Prayag) – this is the mythological place where Lord Shiva married Parvati.
· Gupt Kashi (49 kms) – famous for the temples of Ardhnarishwar and Vishwanathji.
· Ukhimath (60 kms) – winter home of Lord Kedarnath, and the seat of the Rawal (Priest) of Kedarnath during the winter months.
· Panch Kedar – the five most important temples of Lord Shiva in the Garhwal Himalayas.
· Chopta (40 kms from Gopeshwar) – one of the most picturesque spots in the entire Garhwal region. It provides a breathtaking view of Himalayan ranges.
· Deoria Tal – in the early morning, the snow-capped peaks are clearly reflected on the waters of this lake on the Chopta – Ukhimath road.
· The Kedar Massif – is an outstanding massif formed by three major mountains.

Reaching there

Rail

The nearest station is Rishikesh (221 kms).

Road

Kedarnath is connected by road with Delhi (450 km), Haridwar (250 km), Rishikesh (226 km), Kotdwara (256 km), Badrinath (242 km).

Accommodation

Plenty of reasonably good accommodation is available in Kedarnath.

My recommendation

Kedarnath is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Kedar or Lord Shiva.
Even if you are not interested in religion and temples, do visit the Char Dhams.
They are really beautiful places to visit.

The Most revered Temple of Lord Vishnu

Visiting Char Dham or the ‘four holy pilgrimages’ – Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri is every devout Hindu’s dream.

Badrinath also known as ‘Vishal Badri’ is situated on the banks of Alaknanda river – 3,133 metres above sea-level.
This temple is the largest and most popular of the five Badri or Vishnu temples in the Himalayas.

The first time I visited Badrinath was during the initial phases of my training as a civil servant.
Class I officers are selected on the basis of a written examination followed by an interview.

The selected officers comprise an odd assortment – from different regions, with diverse educational backgrounds, coming from different strata of society, representing different cultures, etc.
They are given an orientation training designed to enable them to mix with each other and adjust into the elite bureaucratic set up.

It seems rather strange that the training never did me any good.
Till my last days in service, I could never feel myself any different from the ordinary man.
I was and remained a commoner.
My office was open to everyone and sundry.
I never left my office without meeting the last visitor.

As a part of their training, new entrants to the civil services are sent to different parts of the country.
To see things – first hand!
We were sent to Badrinath and Kedarnath.
The program included a visit to the Jawans (Indian army) in the Mana pass.
From Joshimath, military vehicles and escorts took us into the heights of the Mana village and then onwards to the military camp.

The commander there had arranged a mock battle for us.
Two groups of soldiers fought against each other as they would in real war.
Machine guns rattled.
Shells burst and dense smoke billowed.
There were mock attacks.
The soldiers shrieked and shouted and even fell down stone dead as if they had been hit by a bullet.
The soldiers did their best to show off their acting talents.
And they succeeded.
The battle looked very realistic.

I started taking photographs of the mock battle.
A soldier came up to me, reminded me that we were in a prohibited forward area and asked me to stop.
The Commander (a lieutenant colonel) who was watching from a distance immediately stepped in, asked what the problem was, and gave the green signal. “Go ahead. Sir”, he said.
We tasted the normal lunch which our jawans usually have in the high altitude border areas.

I have visited Badrinath twice after that.

Mythology

Badrinath is mentioned in the Hindu ancient texts.
There was an ancient temple here during the ancient times.
Although the statue is very old, the present temple was built recently.
The statue of Lord Vishnu in Badrinath temple is made of Shaligram stone.
It is in the padmasana or sitting pose.

One legend explains why Vishnu’s statue is in the padmasana pose, rather than in the usual reclining pose.
A sage saw Lakshmi (Vishnu’s wife) massaging the feet of Vishnu.
He rebuked Vishnu.Vishnu came down to Badrinath to perform austerity and meditated for a long time in padmasana pose.

The area around Badrinath attracts yogis who come here for meditation and seclusion.
Another legend says that Shiva and Parvati were residing in Badrinath.
Vishnu came disguised as a small child, crying loudly and disturbed them.
Parvati asked the child why he was crying.
He replied that he wanted Badrinath for meditation.
Shiva and Parvati recognised Lord Narayan in disguise.
They left Badrinath and moved over to Kedarnath.

Adi Shankarachary visited Badrintah in the 8th century.
He retrieved the statue of Badrinarayan from the Alaknanda River where it had been thrown away centuries ago and installed it in a cave near the Tapt Kund hot springs.

The King of Garhwal established the present temple in the sixteenth century.
The temple was badly damaged by the earthquake of 1803.
It was then rebuilt by the Maharaja of Jaipur.
Some authors claim that the temple was built on a former Buddhist temple site.

The Temple

Badrinath temple is flanked by two mountain ranges known as Nar and Narayan.

The majestic Neelkanth peak provides a befitting backdrop.
This area was once carpeted with wild berries which gave it the name ‘Badri Van’, meaning ‘forest of berries’.
The statue of Lord Vishnu is made of Shaligram and depicts him sitting under a badri tree under a gold canopy.
There are fifteen more statues in the temple including statues of Nara & Narayana, Narasimha (the fourth incarnation of Vishnu), Lakshmi, Narada, Ganesha, Uddhava, Kubera, Garuda (the vehicle of Lord Narayan) and Navadurga.

Facing the temple at the bank of Alaknanda river is a hot water spring known as ‘Tapt Kund’. It is supposed to have medicinal properties and curative powers.A bath in this spring is very refreshing. There is a separate tank for women.

Time to Visit

Badrinath is too cold and inaccessible during the winter months.
The temple is closed in November and the statue is moved to nearby Jyotirmath .
The best time to visit Badrinath is between May and October.

General Information

Rail

The nearest station is Rishikesh (293 kms).

Road

Badrinath is connected by road to Rishikesh (293 km), Haridwar (313 km), Kotdwara (325 km), Joshimath (42 km) & Valley of flowers (38 km), Kedarnath (242 km) and Delhi(518 km).

Places of interest

· Mana Village (3 kms) – the last Indian village near the Indo-Tibetan border. Even today, the traditional people here maintain their own way of life.
· Bheem Bridge – this is a natural bridge over the river Saraswathi, near Mana Village, made of a huge boulder.
· Vasudhara Falls – this is a high waterfall 5 kms after Bheem Bridge.
· Satopanth Lake – this beautiful lake full of lotus flowers is 18 km from Mana Village.
· Pandukesar (20 kms) – this is a memorial for the Pandavas. There are two ancient temples with intricate carvings.
· Govind Ghat – 2 kms before Pandukesar, this is the gateway to the Hem Kund Lake and the fabulous Valley of the Flowers. The Hem Kund is 20 kms by foot from here. The Valley of the Flowers is a 17 kms walk.
· Hanuman Chatti – 13 kms before Badrinath – this is a temple. Nearby is a nursery of rare birch trees.
· Kheerau Valley – when you cross the bridge on the Alaknanda River on the way from Hanuman Chatti to Benakuli, you see this extremely beautiful valley. 4 kms from here is the Kheerau village.
· Joshimath (42 kms) – Adi Shankaracharya visited this place in the 18th century and founded the Mutt called Jyotir math or Joshimath.

My recommendation

The statue is considered to be one of eight swayam vyakta keshtras, or self-manifested statue of Vishnu.
A peculiar feature of this temple is that in accordance with the practice started by Adi Shankaracharya, the Rawal, or head priest of this temple, is a Nambudiri Brahmin from Kerala (south India).

Visit the place.
The journey is most enjoyable.
You will forget the hustles and bustles of city life and get immersed in a world of peace and tranquility.

The Birth Place of Ganga

Visiting Char Dham or the ‘four holy pilgrimages’ – Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri is every devout Hindu’s dream.

I stood on the bank of the river Bhagirathi bubbling and gurgling on its 1,500 miles long journey to the oceans.

All around were snow clad mountains.
I took off my clothes to take a dip in the holy river.
I am used to taking chilled shower after a steam or sauna in my gym.

When I entered the river, I shivered.
The water was far more chilly than I was accustomed to.
I shivered very badly.
But after a few minutes, my body adjusted to the coldness and I felt quite comfortable.

At that time, a strange thought crossed my mind.
Many of my foreign friends find it surprising that Indians worship the Ganga (or Ganges river).
Think from an Indian’s point of view.

The river waters the Gangetic plain – an area of 359,400 sq. km., roughly 10 per cent of India’s total landmass – providing the people water for drinking, cooking, washing and agriculture.
Every year, the rains wash down a lot of minerals from the mountains into the river which increases fertility and prosperity of the land.
During the ancient days, when there were few roads and far more dense forests, road journey was hazardous.

The river provided a safe means of transport – free from wild animals and other perils.

In the evening, I attended the temple prayers and aarti.
I had a strange feeling.
I felt the high mountains were looking down upon me – smiling and blessing me.
May be, all this was my imagination.

But many visitors have a similar feeling.
This is what makes the journey to such places so fascinating.

Gomukh

The Ganges River originates amongst the melting snows of a glacier – called Gomukh or Gangotri glacier – in the Himalayas. It is difficult to identify and pin point any particular spot.
But the river’s origin is taken as Gomukh (meaning cow’s mouth) – 18 kms trek from Gangotri.Here, the river comes out of a cave which does look like an open mouth.
Since the last Ice Age, the glacier has been melting and receding due to global warming.
But the rate of melting has doubled since the1970s.

In 1866, the British traveler Samuel Burn travelled up t o Gangotri.
He wanted to visit Gomukh.
But the local people did not allow him to go.
According to Burn, they believed that Gangotri was the holiest place and human interference in Gomukh was non-religious.
Today’s foreign tourists are lucky.
They can travel right up to Gomukh.

Bhagirathi

The river originates as Bhagirathi.
At Devprayag (prayag means a place where two or more rivers meet), another river, the Alaknanda, meets the Bhagirathi.
The two rivers mingle with each other – the name changes to Ganga (or Ganges) and travel onwards.

Gangotri

Gangotri is a small town nestling amongst the Himalayas at a height of 3,042 metres above sea level.
The Goddess Ganga is believed to have descended to the earth at this spot.
The Ganga temple was built on the bank of the Ganga river by a Gurkha General Amar Singh Thapa in the late 18th or early 19th century.

During the winter months, the place becomes inaccessible.
The temple is closed down on Diwali day (November) every year and reopens in May.
During this time, the idol of Goddess Ganga is shifted to Mukhba village, near Harsil.

Mythology

How Ganga came down to earth

According to legend, after slaying the demons on earth, King Sagar decided to perform the Ashwa Megh Yagya to proclam his supremacy to the world.
A horse would be taken around the earth accompanied by the King’s 60,000 sons from Queen Sumati and one son Asmanjas from the second queen Kesani.
Indra, the supreme ruler of the gods, was afraid that if the Yagya was successful, he might lose his throne.

So he wanted to interfere with the Yagya.
He stole the horse and tied it to the ashram of sage Kapil Muni, who was then in deep meditation.
When King Sagar’s sons could not find the horse, they searched everywhere.
Finally, they found it tied near the meditating Kapil Muni.

The sixty thousand and one angry sons of King Sagar stormed the ashram of Kapil Muni disrupting his meditation as Indra had planned.
Kapil Muni was very angry.
He opened his eyes and turned all the sons into ashes.

The only way to bring them back to life was to bring down Goddess Ganga from the Heavens and wash the ashes with the holy water.
Bhagirath, grand son of King Sagar, meditated for a long time to persuade Ganga to come down to the earth.

But the coming down of Ganga would have been too torrential and would have caused colossal damage.
Finally, Lord Shiva agreed to receive Ganga in his large tresses to break her fall.
Ganga descended down to the earth, washed the ashes and all the sons came back to life.

The Bhagirathi ‘Shila’ located near the temple of Ganga marks the spot where Ganga descended on earth from heaven.

Recommendation

Gangotri, the source of the river Ganges and seat of the Goddess Ganga, is one of the four Char Dhams (Four Dhams).
Whether or not you believe in religion or mythology, the Four Dhams are exquisite places.
Visit them for their beauty.
At least for some time, you will forget all your worries and be one with nature.

Gangotri can be reached in a day by road from Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehradun.
The journey is enchanting.
There are several good places where you can stay.

Grateful thanks:
The photo ‘Beautiful Mountains and Rivers’ has been taken by Amir Jacobi.

The First of the Char Dhams

Visiting Char Dham or the ‘four holy pilgrimages’ – Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri is every devout Hindu’s dream.

When I was very small, my grandmother went on a pilgrimage to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath.
The journey was really tedious, involving walking long distances.
The roads, where they existed, were very bad.
There were no proper hotels or eateries on the way.
I don’t remember the exact duration, but it took her almost three months.

The Original Char Dhams (Four Holy Pilgrimages)

Char Dham originally refered to the four holy places, or dhams, established by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century.
These places are located in four far-flung corners of India.

Badrinath nestles amidst the Himalayas in the North.
Rameshwaram overlooks the Bay of Bengal in the extreme South.
Jagannath Puri is again located on the Bay of Bengal in the East.
Dwarka floats on the Arabian Sea in the West.

A visit to the Char Dhams used to be a lifelong ambition of every devout Hindu.
It was my mother’s wish, and my readiness to fulfill her wishes, that I visited Adi Shankaracharya’s Char Dhams.

The Chota Char Dhams

Somewhere down the line, Badrinath became the centre of what came to be known as Chota Char Dham – the lesser four dhams.
The original Char Dhams established by Adi Shankaracharya are too far flung.
So the Chota Char Dhams in Uttarakhand in the Himalayas – Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath – became increasingly popular.

The 1962 Indo China war forced India to improve the border roads.
More and more tourists and pilgrims started travelling to these places.
Around that time, the word Chota dropped out somewhere, and the Chota Char Dham became Char Dham.
Today Char Dham is used for Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath.

Going there

There are two routes to visit the Char Dham – one is via Mussourie and the other via Haridwar and Rishikesh.
The latter route is far more picturesque.

The Ganges river enters the plains at Haridwar.
And Rishikesh is the undisputed gate way to the Abode of Gods.
Haridwar and Rishikesh are favourite pilgrimage and tourist places, on their own right.

Get hold of a map of India or use the one on this blog.
Open your right palm wide and place it on the map (palm down).
Put your right thumb on Rishikesh.
The four fingers will point at Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath.
You can see their exact locations and the routes in the map.

Yamunotri

The first of the Char Dham is Yamunotri.
Incidentally, it is also highest of the four.
Yamunotri is the source of the river Yamuna which originates from a frozen lake of ice and the Champasar Glacier 1 km above the temple at an altitude of 4,321 metres.

Champasar Glacier is located on the Kalind Mountain at a height of 4421 metres above sea level.
Access to Champasar Glacier is extremely difficult and normal pilgrims cannot reach it.
This is the reason, Yamunotri temple was built at the present location.

Yamunotri is about a day’s journey from Rishikesh, Haridwar or Dehradun.
The temple is accessible only by a six kilometres walk from Hanuman Chatti and a four kilometres walk from Janki Chatti.
Of course, you can hire ponies and palanquins.

The trek from Hanuman Chetty to Yamunotri is exceedingly picturesque with beautiful views of the snow covered mountains, deep valleys and a number of water falls.

The Temple

The temple of Goddess Yamuna is perched on top of a flank of the Bandar Poonchh peak (3,165 metres above sea level).
The original temple was built by Maharani Gularia of Jaipur in the 19th century, but it was destroyed by the weather and natural elements.
The present temple on the left bank of the Yamuna was constructed by Maharaja Pratap Shah of Tehri Garhwal.
The deity is made of black marble.

Places to see

The chief attraction at Yamunotri is the temple of Goddess Yamuna.
Close by the temple are hot water springs (kunds) gushing out from mountain cavities.
The most important spring is Suryakund.
Devotees boil rice and potatoes by tying them in a piece of muslin cloth and dipping them in these hot water springs.
The cooked rice and potatoes are eaten as ‘prasad’.

Near the Suryakund there is a shila (stone) called Divya Shila, which is worshipped before puja is offered to the deity.
There are a number of thermal springs at Jankichatti (7 kms away).

Recommendation

Adi Shankaracharya’s original Char Dhams are all Vaishnava shrines.

The Himalayan Char Dhams are a mix of three sects – Vaishnava at Badrinath; Shaiva at Kedarnath; and Devi at Yamunotri and Gangotri.
Today, the Char Dham are extremely popular religious and tourist places with all modern amenities.

All the four Dhams become inaccessible during the winter.
Therefore, they are closed down from Diwali (sometime in November) to15 April.
The mountain roads become wet and treacherous during the rainy season.
But the mist and dense swirling clouds only add to the mystic charm.
Spend your next vacation in these places.
You will definitely thank me.

The Holy Sagar Island

When I was a young student in Calcutta, I often heard about Gangasagar (also known as Sagar Island, Sagar Deep or simply Sagar).

There is a popular saying that you can visit all the places of pilgrimages again and again, but you can visit Gangasagar only once.

I fancied Gangasagar was a small mysterious place which would come out of the oceans every year on the annual ‘Makar Sankrati’ festivities held there on the 14th January.
(Don’t ask me how an island can come out of the oceans and later disappear – because no one could ever explain this to me).

I first visited Gangasagar in 1986, to watch the Hailey’s Comet zoom past in the pristine early morning sky there.

The visit was organised by the Sky Watchers Association of Calcutta.

They had selected Gangasagar for the sighting because there was no electricity there.

But there were many other small villages without electricity – nearer to Kolkata.

Probably, the mystique surrounding the island was the reason they selected Gangasagar.

There was no electricity.

A generator provided power for three hours every day.

Even today, a generator powers some areas of the island for three hours every day between 6 and 9 PM.

The second time, I visited Gangasagar on ‘Makar Sankrati’ day, the 14th January, to see the festival.

My younger brother, a senior police officer, was in charge of the police arrangements there.

He invited me to visit the island.

I watched in fascination as he and other police officials worked almost continuously for three days and nights with short spasmodic spells of sleep.

A fire broke out in the fair.

Thick black smoke filled the air.

But the fire brigade quickly moved in and quelled the fire.

This is the largest fair in India – after the Kumbh Mela which is held every 12 years in three different centres – Haridwar, Allahabad and Nasik – by rotation.

But in Gangasagar, the logistic problems are multiplied several times by the fact that the pilgrims have to be ferried to the island.

The boatmen try to overload their boats.

After all, they get this unique opportunity only once a year.

Sometimes, boats collide with one another.

Sometimes, they capsize.

In 2008, the auspicious day spilled over to the 15th January.

The number of pilgrims swelled to 5 lakhs (half a million).

The Island
Gangasagar is a little known island located on the continental shelf of the Bay of Bengal at the confluence of Hooghly river (a tributary of the Ganges River) with the Bay of Bengal – about 150 km south of Kolkata.
Gangasagar does not sink into the sea.

It is quite a large island with an area of about 300 sq km.

It has 43 villages with a population of over 160,000.

There are schools, post office and even a police station.

There are numerous waterways and small rivers.

There are mangrove swamps.

This is also the home of the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger.
The Kolkata Port Trust has a pilot station and a light house here.

The West Bengal government is planning to build a deep water port on the island.
Mythology

According to legend, after slaying the demons on earth, King Sagar decided to perform the Ashwa Megh Yagya to proclam his supremacy to the world.
A horse would be taken around the earth accompanied by the King’s 60,000 sons from Queen Sumati and one son Asmanjas from the second queen Kesani.

Indra, the supreme ruler of the gods, was afraid that if the Yagya was successful, he might lose his throne.

So he wanted to interfere with the Yagya.

He stole the horse and tied it to the ashram of sage Kapil Muni, who was then in deep meditation.

When King Sagar’s sons could not find the horse, they searched everywhere.

Finally, they found it tied near the meditating Kapil Muni.

The sixty thousand and one angry sons of King Sagar stormed the ashram of Kapil Muni disrupting his meditation as Indra had planned.

Kapil Muni was very angry.

He opened his eyes and turned all the sons into ashes.

The only way to bring them back to life was to bring down Goddess Ganga from the Heavens and wash the ashes with the holy water.

Bhagirath, grandson of King Sagar, meditated for a long time to persuade Ganga to come down to the earth.

But the coming down of Ganga would have been too torrential and would have caused colossal damage.

Finally, Lord Shiva agreed to receive Ganga in his large tresses to break her fall.Ganga descended down to the earth through Shiva’s tresses.

King Bhagiratha then preceded the holy river in his chariot and ripped open a gorge through which Ganga could flow.

The river followed Bhagirath to Gangasagar where Kapila Muni livedand washed the ashes.

All the sons came back to life.
Reaching there
To reach Gangasagar, you have to cross the Muriganga river/creek by ferry.

You can take the ferry either from Harwood Point (80 kms from Kolkata) or Namkhana (13 kms more from Harwood Point).

After landing at Sagar Island, you will have to cross the whole stretch of the island (32 kms) by local bus or taxi.

It is possible to travel from Kolkata right up to Gangasagar by car or taxi.

At Harwood Point, the car can cross the river on a barge.
Places to see
· Kapil Muni Temple
· Fair Grounds
· Sea Beach
· Sagar Marine Park
· Sagar Lighthouse and Port at Beguakhali
· Ramkrisna Mission Ashram
· Sushama Devichowdhurani Marine Biological Research Institute. (SDMBRI) at Bamankhali
Accommodation
There are sufficient boarding and accommodation facilities at Gangasagar.

· State Youth Hostel
· Bharat Sevashram Sangha and some other ashrams
· Larica Sagar Vihar (the only hotel)
Recommendation

Gangasagar is a remote, secluded, not much visited spot.

If you are looking for novelty and raw nature – this is the place you should head for.

The West Bengal Government is planning to construct a bridge connecting the mainland with Sagar Island.

The 3.3 kms long bridge is likely to cost around Rs 600 crores.

A feasibility study has already been completed.
Visit the place before the bridge is constructed.

The southern most
of Adi Shankaracharya’s
Four Dhams

Rameswaram is a small town on Pamban Island – an island in South India – separated from the Indian mainland by the Pamban Channel.

Rameswaram is the place used by Lord Rama to cross over to Sri Lanka (Ceylon).Rameswaram is one of the four Char Dhams established by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century A.D.

A pilgrimage to Varanasi (Kashi) – famous pilgrimage in North India – is considered incomplete without a pilgrimage to Rameswaram.

For this reason, Rameswaram is a very important and frequented pilgrim centre.

Both the Vaishnavites and Shaivites visit this pilgrimage which is known as the Varanasi of the south.
I visited Rameswaram and found it much more than a religious place.
It is a nature lover’s paradise.

The Pamban Railway Bridge and Indira Gandhi Setu

There are actually two bridges over the Pamban Channel.
The older one is the 6,776 ft (2,065 metres) long cantilever railway bridge which was opened for traffic in 1914.
It still has a functioning vertical lift section that can be raised to let ships pass under the bridge.
It is so low, that from the train, you can literally wash your hands in the sea.

The railway bridge had meter-gauge (narrow gauge) railway tracks.
The Indian Railways upgraded the tracks to broad-gauge in August 2007.
The 2.3 kms long road bridge is also known as Pamban Bridge.

But its real name is Indira Gandhi Setu.
It is the longest sea bridge in India.
The beautiful bridge is located very high up in the sea.

From the middle of the bridge, you get panoramic views of the sea, the scattered islands and the rail bridge far below.

Mythology

Lord Rama built a bridge at Rameswaram – the Ram Setu (also known as Adam’s Bridge) – to cross the sea to Sri Lanka to bring back his wife Sita, from her abductor, Ravana.

This is also the place where Rama worshipped Lord Shiva to be absolved of the sin of killing Ravana.
What is not known is that there is one more legend as to how Adam’s Bridge got its name.

According to this legend, Sri Lanka was the site of the biblical earthly paradise, and Adam’s Bridge was created when Adam was expelled from paradise.

The Shivalinga

After Lord Rama had defeated and killed Ravana, the Rishis (sages) advised Rama to install and worship a Shivalinga at Rameswaram, along with Sita and Lakshman, to expiate the sin of Brahma Hatya (killing of a Brahmin).
(Ravana was a Brahmin – the great grandson of Brahma).

Rama fixed an auspicious time for the installation and worship.
He sent Hanuman to Mount Kailash to bring a linga.
But Hanuman was late, so Sita made a make shift Shivalinga of sand.
By the time Hanuman returned with the linga from Mount Kailash, the puja (worship) was over.
Hanuman was disappointed.

To appease him, Rama also installed the linga brought by Hanuman (Visvalingam) by the side of the sand Ramalinga, and ordered that all rituals should first be performed to the Visvalingam.
In Rameshwaram Temple, you can have “Mani Darshan” (Glimpse of the Mani) early morning every day.
This “Mani” made of “sphatik” (crystal) is in the form of “Shivalinga”.
According to the Hindu texts, this is the “Mani” of “Sheshnag”.

The Temple

The main deity here is in the form of a Shiva Linga with the name Sri Ramanatha Swamy.

The huge temple, built in the Dravidian style of architecture, has the largest temple corridor in India with 1000 beautifully carved granite pillars.

Construction of the temple started in the 12th century.
Different rulers added to the construction of the temple over a period of time.
The temple has 22 wells which are considered sacred.
The water of each well has a different taste.

Places to see around

Sethu Karai

This is a place 22 km from Rameshwaram where Lord Ram built a floating stone bridge – the “Ramasethu”.
The remnants of the Ramasethu are submerged under the sea as shot from Gemini 1 satellite of NASA in 2004.

Dhanushkodi

The southernmost tip of Pamban Island is called Dhanushkodi.
The road ends at a fisherman’s village.
The entire village was completely washed away by a cyclone in 1964.
But the Kothandaramasamy Temple here remained intact.

 Dhanushkodi is 18 kms from Rameswaram.
According to mythology, it was here that Vibishana, brother of Ravana, surrendered before Ram. Dhanushkodi has a fine beach.

On the way to Dhanushkodi, during the winter months, you can see millions of migratory birds, including flamingoes.
Dr. Abdul Kalam, the ex-president of India, comes from Dhanushkodi.

Kurusadai Island

To the south of Rameswaram are dozens of islands.
Kurusadai Island is an uninhabited Island lies to the west of the Pamban Bridge between the mainland and Pamban Island.
10,500 sq. kms of the sea around here constitute a Marine Biosphere, a paradise for Marine Biologists and nature lovers.

There are plenty of coral-reefs and fishes.
You can also see dolphins and sea-cows (Dugong).
Kurusadai Island is about 4 KMs from Mandapam.
But you have to obtain permission from the Director of Fisheries, Chennai.

Recommendation

Large ships cannot navigate through the shallow waters of the strait and have to travel around Sri Lanka.
As early as in 1860, there were suggestions and proposals to dig out a shipping canal.
The present Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project, is mired up in politics and litigation.
Visit Rameswaram.

Apart from being a holy place, it is a paradise for nature lovers.