EXPLORING LEGENDS OF VEDIC HISTORY---VISITING KEDARNATH AND BADRINATH

EXPLORING LEGENDS OF VEDIC HISTORY---VISITING KEDARNATH AND BADRINATH

http://creative.sulekha.com/exploring-legends-of-vedic-religion-some-myths-some-mysteries_439698_blog

THIS IS MY TRAVELOGUE TO HARIDWAR_RISHIKESH_KEDARNATH AND BADRINATH WITH PHOTOS SUITABLY EXPLAINED AND DISPLAYED APPROPRIATELY.

I am not a historian nor a dispenser of Vedic knowledge but the myths of VEDIC people enamour me and I undertook a journey to BADRINATH and KEDARNATH to explore some mysteries---I have come back with some clear ideas and less confusion.

Just look at it---Lord VISHNU has FOUR wives----LUXMI, PRITHVI, VRINDA (TULSI) and GANGA----the latter three had to come to this WORLD because of a curse by GODESS LUXMI. He had displaced LORD SHIVA from their ABODE in BADRINATH through a Clever trick----Do I see a Confluence of Indigenous NAGA PEOPLE and those who returned as ARYAN after some 4000 years. I am convinced the ORIGIONAL INHABITANTS of INDIA were NAGAS of SUNDA LAND---whose presiding Diety was lord SHIVA. They went NORTH and WEST from here at the end of ICE AGE. they were the CUSTODIANS of VEDIC KNOWLEDGE. Anyway-------

There are SEVEN " RIVER SARAWATIS" as per Chapter 38 of SHALYA PURAAN of MAHABHARAT---they are SUPRABHA in PUSHKAR; KANCHNAKSHI in NAIMISHANYA; VISHALA in Gaya; MANORMA in AYODHYA; OGHAWATI in KURUKSHETRA; SURENA in GANGADWAR and VIMLODKA in HIMALYA.

BADRI-----is a wild berry tree under which LORD VISHNU had meditated on a TAUNT by sage NARDA----LUXMI took the shape of BERRY plant to protect VISHNU during his MEDITATION---so the BADRI NATH Temple. There are large number of BADRI bushes in this ALAKNANDA VALLEY called KANDH MOOL in local dialects.

KEDARNATH --one of the twelve HOLY JYOTILINGAS is actually a HUMP of a BULL---PANDAVAS came here in search of LORD SHIVA to absolve themselves of KILLING THEIR KITH & KIN and TEACHERS. Lord Shiva had not wanted to absolve them---so he disappeared from BENRAS--- old KASHI to UTTARANCHAL---GUPT KASHI on river MANDAKINI---they followed --he went to KEDARNATH VALLEY---PANDAVS came there ---He took the form of a BULL and joined other cattle grazing there---By evening all cattle returned by moving under the gigantic but widened legs of BHIM--But lord SHIVA as a bull did not and was recognized---BHIM saw him---Lord SHIVA sank into the EARTH but BHIM caught the HUMP. Lord was pleased and he absolved if they built a temple for the HUMP and worshipped----PANDAVAS did it and temple was constructed by them.

GANGA----Actually a confluence at DEVPARYAG of ALAKNANDA coming from ALKAPURI GLACIER some 15 KM North of BADRINATH and BHAGIRTHI coming from GANGOTRI-----

ALAKNANDA is joined by MANDAKINI at RUDRAPARYAG----PINDER at KARAN PARYAG----NANDAKINI at NADPARYAG-----DHAULIGANGA at VISHNUPARYAG------RISHIGANGA at BADRINATH and SARASWATI at KESHAVPARYAG.

MANDAKINI takes off from MERU-SUMERU foothills at KEDARNATH---it is made by KHEER GANGA, MADHU GANGA and DOODH GANGA. Later KAALI GANGA and SONE GANGA join it at SONPARYAG some 19 KMs down stream.

SARASWATI disappeared at MANA GORGE---some 5 KMs north of BADRINATH due to a curse by SAGE VYAS---it starts from 5 KM north of MANA PASS which is about 15 Kms from MANA village. Some residual water does come out of the GORGE and joins ALAKNANDA some one km from it VANISHING GORGE.

Uttaranchal has four DHAMS---YAMUNOTRI---GANGOTRI---KEDARNATH and BADRINATH. The crow flight distance or the aerial distance is some 28 KMs between YAMUNOTRI on the WEST and BADRINATH on the EAST. If you take the road distance it is 1500 KMs and require 10 days on the run. we went to only KEDARNATH and BADRINATH via RISHIKESH between---19-24 September 2009. Kedarnath is for lord SHIVA and BADRINATH is for lord VISHNU.

HARIDWAR---HAR KI PAUDI---HARIDWAR IS ONE OF THOSE 12 PLACES where ELIXIR (NECTAR OF LIFE) fell after the CHURNING OF OCEAN by SURAS and ASURAS. Four places are on earth and 8 places in HEAVENS. The other three on earth are: ALLAHABAD,NASIK and UJJAIN. At these places MAHA KUMBH FESTIVAL is HELD every 12 years. The MAHAKUMBH at HARIDWAR is due in 2010. Why after ever 12 years? Simple once a year for each one of the 12 places---- Next turn will come after 12 years only.

RISHI KESH---PARMARTH ASHRAM---RISHIKESH is the city of SAGES and Piligimages.

RISHIKESH---PARAMARTH ASHRAM---before evening AARTI---This ashram is on the EASTERN BANK of GANGES. one has to come through the road passing through BARRAGE on GANGES some 6 Kms short of RISHIKESH

DEVPARYAG--some 71 Kms from Rishikesh---CONFLUENCE of BHAGIRTHI on the LEFT and ALAKNANDA on the RIGHT. See the colour of the water. It becomes GANGA hereafter. THe route to GANGOTRI is along BHAGIRTHI River on the Left.

Another view of DEVPARYAG--The route to KedarNath and Badrinath is on the right along Alaknanda

VIEW OF GANGA from DEVPARYAG VIEW POINT. Legend has it that Bhagirath---descsndent of IKSHAVAKU and ancestor of RAM had worshipped for the release of GANGA by VISHNU---who did after Lord SHIVA the earthly BOSS agreed to accept her in his HAIRS. Do you see the logic of confluence of NAGAS and RETURNING inhabitants of SUNDALAND---calling themselves as ARYANS. Before this, SARASWATI was the main river---disappeared around MAHABHARTA PERIOD. Sage Vyasa's curse?

ALAKNANDA RIVER meandering along---near SRINAGAR (GARHWAL HILLS---established by king Ajay Pal in the 14th century---do not confuse with J&K) ---some 106 KMS from RISHIKESH and 34 KMs from DEVPARYAG .

Another view of meandering ALAKNANDA. Srinagar has got good hotels and accomodation is aplenty.

RUDRAPARYAG--some 34 KMs from SRINAGAR and 140 KMS from RISHIKESH. Here MANDA KINI on the LEFT and ALAKNANDA on the RIGHT (just a slight portion) meet. MANDAKINI loses her identity here.

KEDARNATH TEMPLE with MERU and SUMERU snow covered peaks in the backdrop.It is at a height of some 3581 meters or 11500 feet. Built by PANDAVAS---you find their engraved statues inside the temple. It is located some 130 kms from RUDRAPARYAG-----the climb to KEDARNATH begins from GAURIKUND---ROAD HEAD---- some 19 kms from SONE PARAYAG and 40 Kms from PHATA---HELIPAD. Gaurikund to KEDARNATH is a climb of 14 KMS. Choice is there to come by HELICOPTER

Another view of KEDARNATH COMPLEX from the HELIPAD----Helicopter service is from PHATA some 56 KMs away. it takes some 7 minutes to arrive by heptr ---else you got to come by road. one round trip for one person is Rs 7000 and a couple Rs 14000/- It is wiorth it.

View of MEANDERING MANDAKINI from the HELICOPTER WINDOW!

TRIYOGINARAYAN TEMPLE-- legend has it that LORD SHIVA and GAURI had got married here. It was second marriage after UMA had burnt herself in the YAGNA of Her father. The pond just in front of the temple is CLAIMED to have WATER pouring from the NAVEL (NABHI) of Lord Vishnu

BACK to RUDRAPARYAG from KEDARNATH---on our way to BADRINATH. We went ahead to GAUCHER some 23 KMS along Alaknanda towards Badrinath. we came from LEFT and went RIGHT.

At Karanparyag----some 33 Kms from Rudraparyag and 177 Kms from Rishikesh

At VISHNUPARAG---some 270 Kms from Rishikeash and 30 Kms short of BADRINATH. Here DHAULIGANGA and ALAKNANDA join. DHAULIGANGA water is GREYISH and this is the colour of the GANGA water---throughout. It is because of the limestone melting iunto it.

Vishnupryag is some 14 KMs ahead of JOSHIMATH which was set up by ADGURU SHANKARACHARYA--HIS MATH IS THERE. He is reckoned as incarnation of Lord VISHNU.

View of ALAKNANDA at the feet of BADRINATH TEMPLE--some 301 KMs from RISHIKESH and 160 Kms from Rudraparyag

View of the TEMPLE---It has the idol of Lord VISHNU---it is said the place was inhabited by Lord SHIVA and PARVATI but it was cleverly USURPED by Lord VISHNU ---who appeared as a child at the doorsteps and Parvati let him sleep inside the bedroom before the couple went to take Bath in the river. when they returned---it was locked from iside and lord Shiva and Parvati had to go some 10 Kms to the North

Another view of BADRINATH TEMPLE--inside idols of GANESH Ji, NAR & NARAYAN are also there.

The valley of BADRINATH is covered by two HILLS called NAR & NARAYAN. They were the sons of MURTI---youngest wife of DHARAM RAJ. Murthi was one of the 13 daughters of DAKSHA who was married to DHARAMRAJ. Narayan was the incarnation of Vishnu and NAR of the SHESHA NAAG.--In the next birth to fulfill a vow to NAR ---naryan as lord KRISHNA becomes NAR's (ARJUNA's) charioteer.

This is the River SARASWATI GORGE-----river Saraswati can be seen in the backdrop----it starts off from MANA PASS---some 15 Kms to the North-----The river disappeared here after a curse by SAGE VYAS---who was disturbed by the raging noise of the river while he was dictating BHAGWAT PURAAN to GANESHA JI. This gorge is some 7 Kms North of BADRINATH temple---just a KM ahead of the village of MANA---the last Indian village.

Disappearing waters of river SARASWATI

THE GORGE HOLE--UNFATHOMED for THOSANDS of YEARS--some residual water comes out of this to form a stream which joins the ALAKNANDA about one Km from here.

Garhwal scout guide on the SARASWATI GORGE He trekked us to this place . The gorge is above MANNA VILLAGE

The rectangular opening in a rock is called BHIM PUL---it was done by BHIM to make DRAUPADI cross the RESIDUAL SARASWATI.

RESIDUAL SARASWATI---joining ALAKNANDA RIVER in the distance. The confluence is called KESHAV PARYAG. In the far distance is MURTHI MATA's temple

Two lady visitors at the entry to MANA VILLAGE---Last INDIAN village before the TIBETAN BORDER.

This is the JAYPEE--HYDRO ELECTRIC PROJECT on ALAKNANDA some 19 KMs from BADRINATH on our way back to JOSHIMATH. a 14 KMs tunnel takes the water from this DAM to Vishnuparyag and electricity is produced. There are number of such PRIVATE project is in the offing on these rivers.