Twenty
SEWADAR S OF SRI HEMKUND SAHIB
As is generally known, the yatris are not allowed to stay at Gurudwara Sri Hemkund Sahib during the night. They are advised to return to Gurudwara Gobind Dham after the third and final Ardas, which is performed at about 1-15 P.M. The return journey is undertaken either on foot or on horseback. It is worth the imagination, as to how the Gurudwara complex, which hummed with life, may look after the devotees have left and the icy silence took over. Even after the last yatri was off, some sevadars and the "granthi" do stay back in the Gurudwara in honour of the ‘Granth Sahib’ and the entire complex. In this context one naturally would like to think about the life at the Gurudwara and the area around it, after the departure of last yatri and before arrival of the first yatris from Gurudwara Gobind Dham the next day morning.
Had the yatris stayed back at the Gurudwara for night, life would have been different. But that situation is not practicable for various reasons which merit mention here. Some problems would automatically get solved, if a motorable road is built from Gobind Ghat to Sri Hemkund Sahib. That will make the journey easy and hassle free and increase the inflow of yatris manifold. The economy of the area would naturally get better than it already was. The devotees would, however, visit Sri Hemkund Sahib just as easily as they visit Badrinath temple.
But the motorable path, easy journey and fillip to the local economy, should be evaluated strictly through the spectrum of natural environs. As far as possible the purity, serenity and originality of the natural setting may not get affected, bruised or damaged in pursuance of any facility because pilgrims would continue to undertake journey to Sri Hemkund Sahib irrespective of the existence of any odds or facilities. The truth is that yatris embark on the journey chanting ‘HIS NAME’ throughout and at proper places in thankfulness to HIM, they directly and heavily contribute to the economic position of the area through the medium of shops, dhabas and means of transport of the locals.
From the geographical angle, the altitude, the high mountains and the glaciers have a direct and strong effect on the weather. It is not friendly. The weather changes every now and then. Persons not accustomed to such weather, may be badly affected. In order to escape from possible vagaries of nature, the devotees are advised to return to Gurudwara Gobind Dham the same day, otherwise, snowy winds, rain and hailstorm could lash them any time and create serious troubles for them and the management.
At the high altitude, air is rarefied and availability of oxygen becomes less. Consequently, breathing problem is faced. The intensity of cold affects lungs and causes congestion in windpipe. This all could aggravate an existent heart problem and create a dangerous health situation. To face and deal with all such problems, a dependable medical clinic would be required. That would add another problem - i.e. maintenance of the clinic and its infrastructure. The simple solution to all these problems was that all the yatris return to Gobind Dham the same day.
Another problem was the shortage of proper accommodation and that of provisioning of ‘langar’ items. No less than air-conditioned building or large scale heating facilities would be needed for surviving the cold going down to minus degrees. Electricity is not available at Hemkund Sahib, otherwise some problems could be eased out. Beside this, the problem of langar items (rations) was also colossal, as it involved tough transportation, stocking and cooking at Hemkund Sahib. All this was not feasible under the current circumstances and the situation. Thus, the yatris could not stay for night at Hemkund Sahib.
As already stated, the survival problem in the night is very serious. One cannot move about in the freezing cold except at risk to life or under divine blessings. A few sevadars and the Bhai ji, who stay at night during the yatra period, have to take adequate precautions against freezing cold. They stay in the wood lined basement using necessary number of blankets. Intake of dry fruits and warm water as supplement may be keeping them fit against cold. Recitation of Gurbani and seva consciousness, may be keeping them in high spirits when no pilgrims were around them. This kind of the seva was unique and it was revered by one and all. Selflessness and total devotion was the essence of this seva.
www.hemkundji.com
SEWADAR S OF SRI HEMKUND SAHIB
As is generally known, the yatris are not allowed to stay at Gurudwara Sri Hemkund Sahib during the night. They are advised to return to Gurudwara Gobind Dham after the third and final Ardas, which is performed at about 1-15 P.M. The return journey is undertaken either on foot or on horseback. It is worth the imagination, as to how the Gurudwara complex, which hummed with life, may look after the devotees have left and the icy silence took over. Even after the last yatri was off, some sevadars and the "granthi" do stay back in the Gurudwara in honour of the ‘Granth Sahib’ and the entire complex. In this context one naturally would like to think about the life at the Gurudwara and the area around it, after the departure of last yatri and before arrival of the first yatris from Gurudwara Gobind Dham the next day morning.
Had the yatris stayed back at the Gurudwara for night, life would have been different. But that situation is not practicable for various reasons which merit mention here. Some problems would automatically get solved, if a motorable road is built from Gobind Ghat to Sri Hemkund Sahib. That will make the journey easy and hassle free and increase the inflow of yatris manifold. The economy of the area would naturally get better than it already was. The devotees would, however, visit Sri Hemkund Sahib just as easily as they visit Badrinath temple.
But the motorable path, easy journey and fillip to the local economy, should be evaluated strictly through the spectrum of natural environs. As far as possible the purity, serenity and originality of the natural setting may not get affected, bruised or damaged in pursuance of any facility because pilgrims would continue to undertake journey to Sri Hemkund Sahib irrespective of the existence of any odds or facilities. The truth is that yatris embark on the journey chanting ‘HIS NAME’ throughout and at proper places in thankfulness to HIM, they directly and heavily contribute to the economic position of the area through the medium of shops, dhabas and means of transport of the locals.
From the geographical angle, the altitude, the high mountains and the glaciers have a direct and strong effect on the weather. It is not friendly. The weather changes every now and then. Persons not accustomed to such weather, may be badly affected. In order to escape from possible vagaries of nature, the devotees are advised to return to Gurudwara Gobind Dham the same day, otherwise, snowy winds, rain and hailstorm could lash them any time and create serious troubles for them and the management.
At the high altitude, air is rarefied and availability of oxygen becomes less. Consequently, breathing problem is faced. The intensity of cold affects lungs and causes congestion in windpipe. This all could aggravate an existent heart problem and create a dangerous health situation. To face and deal with all such problems, a dependable medical clinic would be required. That would add another problem - i.e. maintenance of the clinic and its infrastructure. The simple solution to all these problems was that all the yatris return to Gobind Dham the same day.
Another problem was the shortage of proper accommodation and that of provisioning of ‘langar’ items. No less than air-conditioned building or large scale heating facilities would be needed for surviving the cold going down to minus degrees. Electricity is not available at Hemkund Sahib, otherwise some problems could be eased out. Beside this, the problem of langar items (rations) was also colossal, as it involved tough transportation, stocking and cooking at Hemkund Sahib. All this was not feasible under the current circumstances and the situation. Thus, the yatris could not stay for night at Hemkund Sahib.
As already stated, the survival problem in the night is very serious. One cannot move about in the freezing cold except at risk to life or under divine blessings. A few sevadars and the Bhai ji, who stay at night during the yatra period, have to take adequate precautions against freezing cold. They stay in the wood lined basement using necessary number of blankets. Intake of dry fruits and warm water as supplement may be keeping them fit against cold. Recitation of Gurbani and seva consciousness, may be keeping them in high spirits when no pilgrims were around them. This kind of the seva was unique and it was revered by one and all. Selflessness and total devotion was the essence of this seva.
www.hemkundji.com
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