Eighteen
GOVIND GHAT TO JOSHIMATH
The speeding buses, soon reached Vishnu Prayag, crossed the second bridge over the Alaknanda near the dam site and started going uphill towards Joshimath city. After an hour, on the other side of the mountain, the buses stopped in front of the Gurudwara. The yatris got down and walked to the Gurudwara. At a nearby P.C.O. I tried to contact Dehradun but the lines were still out of order. Meanwhile, Paramjeet had gone to the Gurudwara and managed space for the night rest. A few of our friends hired rooms in the nearby hotels.
All the first timers, like us, were curious to have a look at the Gurudwara premises. We visited the Darbar Sahib Room, yatri rooms, store and langar hall etc. Being located at the main road, the Gurudwara was well equipped to provide all possible facilities to the yatris.
We had a cup of steaming hot tea. Then we walked to the Darbar Sahib Hall to enjoy Kirtan. That Kirtan Jatha was a part of our group. After ‘Ardas’ and parshad the entire sangat had ‘langar’. All the yatris then retreated to their beds. It was quite cold due to the height of Joshimath and proximity of the Alaknanda River. Hurriedly, we again went to a PCO, but the lines for Dehradun were still not in order. When we returned, the blankets were lying at our beds. With much less tension now, the yatris were going to sleep at the earliest. The bazaar shops were being closed by the shopkeepers. All kinds of goods were available in the shops. The valley was very wide there. Concrete houses were in view both on the mountain as well as the valley side along the course of the river. One could see zigzag roads on the mountains on the other side of the river. The roadways bus stand was also nearby.
Next day i.e. 11th July 2002, we rose quite early and even after taking bath, we were back into our beds before 5 AM. Bathing with hard and cold water was a problem but it was well tolerated. The Jathedar requested everyone to rise and get ready to attend Kirtan in the Gurudwara from 6 to 7 AM.
By 5.30 AM the blankets were returned and we were up on our feet to move. Picking up shoulder bags, we walked down stairs to the langar hall, enjoyed tea and strolled in the fresh morning breeze. After 6 AM we entered the Darbar Sahib hall, paid obeisance and sat there amidst the other devotees. The Kirtan was being sung by our own Kirtani jatha. After Kirtan, the Ardas was over by 7 AM. Having parshad, the yatris moved to their buses. En-route we purchased one K.G. of special sweets of Joshimath. All the yatris had occupied their respective seats and it was 7-15 AM when the buses began moving forward.
www.hemkundji.com
GOVIND GHAT TO JOSHIMATH
The speeding buses, soon reached Vishnu Prayag, crossed the second bridge over the Alaknanda near the dam site and started going uphill towards Joshimath city. After an hour, on the other side of the mountain, the buses stopped in front of the Gurudwara. The yatris got down and walked to the Gurudwara. At a nearby P.C.O. I tried to contact Dehradun but the lines were still out of order. Meanwhile, Paramjeet had gone to the Gurudwara and managed space for the night rest. A few of our friends hired rooms in the nearby hotels.
All the first timers, like us, were curious to have a look at the Gurudwara premises. We visited the Darbar Sahib Room, yatri rooms, store and langar hall etc. Being located at the main road, the Gurudwara was well equipped to provide all possible facilities to the yatris.
We had a cup of steaming hot tea. Then we walked to the Darbar Sahib Hall to enjoy Kirtan. That Kirtan Jatha was a part of our group. After ‘Ardas’ and parshad the entire sangat had ‘langar’. All the yatris then retreated to their beds. It was quite cold due to the height of Joshimath and proximity of the Alaknanda River. Hurriedly, we again went to a PCO, but the lines for Dehradun were still not in order. When we returned, the blankets were lying at our beds. With much less tension now, the yatris were going to sleep at the earliest. The bazaar shops were being closed by the shopkeepers. All kinds of goods were available in the shops. The valley was very wide there. Concrete houses were in view both on the mountain as well as the valley side along the course of the river. One could see zigzag roads on the mountains on the other side of the river. The roadways bus stand was also nearby.
Next day i.e. 11th July 2002, we rose quite early and even after taking bath, we were back into our beds before 5 AM. Bathing with hard and cold water was a problem but it was well tolerated. The Jathedar requested everyone to rise and get ready to attend Kirtan in the Gurudwara from 6 to 7 AM.
By 5.30 AM the blankets were returned and we were up on our feet to move. Picking up shoulder bags, we walked down stairs to the langar hall, enjoyed tea and strolled in the fresh morning breeze. After 6 AM we entered the Darbar Sahib hall, paid obeisance and sat there amidst the other devotees. The Kirtan was being sung by our own Kirtani jatha. After Kirtan, the Ardas was over by 7 AM. Having parshad, the yatris moved to their buses. En-route we purchased one K.G. of special sweets of Joshimath. All the yatris had occupied their respective seats and it was 7-15 AM when the buses began moving forward.
www.hemkundji.com
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