Depending on when one reaches Gobind Ghat, the ascent to Gobind Dham begins
either on that day itself or early next morning. As one crosses the
suspension bridge spanning the Alaknanda , one feels the trembling and shaking
of the bridge due to the powerful gushing of the river beneath. The start of
the long zig zag winding path up the mountains can be seen from here
itself and climb is started with a prayer.
The path consists of stones of various of stones of various shapes and sizes set
into the earth and is wide enough to allow two mules to pass through
.Often, one hears cries of the ghora walas on the way down urging the
others to get to on side of the path. The maneuvering of the path is not only
difficult for the mules but also for the humans. The monsoon make the path
slippery and it is difficult to get a foothold. It is best and advisable to
tread on the stones and not the earthy portions because they can be degenerate
due to the pressure. The yatris (travellers) help and encourage each other
. After about two kilometers, the trail begins to follow a stream-the Hem Ganga-that originates from the Hemkunt lake and finally falls into the Alaknanda.
The sounds of the stream as it trips and tumbles over the boulders forms the
background of the major portion of the journey. Drinking in the beauty of the
surroundings mountains cape and the lush forests, the pilgrims slowly edges
forward. Three kilometers from Gobind Ghat is the village of pulna, at a height
of 1920 m., where the locals settle for the winter and through which trail
passes. Wherever one pilgrim sees another , sees another , he greets him with
the words ' Waheguruji ka khalsa, Waheguruji ki fateh!" ( The Khalsa is
the God's, The victory is God's). People on the way down encourage the ones on
the ascent often distributing prasad in the form of patashas (sugar crystals),
dry fruits sweets etc.
There is a sense of togetherness and familiarity even
amongst strangers as they forge ahead. The pilgrims keep counting and following
how many more are to be covered. Around five kilometers after Pulna lies
Bhyundar , which is located at a height of 2,239 m and where the villagers
settle during summer . The pilgrim gets its first view of the snow capped peaks
from here. Throughout the route and specially around the villages, one can find
clusters of tea stalls-temporary structure made from local materials and roofed
with plastic sheets-where a pilgrim can halt to rest , eat and stretch their
legs. There are even long benches where a pilgrims can take a nap if he so
desires. There is also an area for the mules where they can rest and drink
water. These tea stall are run by the local villagers who switch to doing so
because of the income that this season of pilgrims and tourists generates. The
stall hawk a plethora of hot snacks and drinks along with an assortment of
biscuits, sweet, chocolate bars etc. But the specialty of the region is the gram
soup- a steaming concoction of black grams spices! It is wonderful to sip the
hot broth , see the beautiful surroundings and feel the tiredness ebb.
Rejuvenated, the pilgrim again begins the climb stopping at times to read the
various sayings and messages tacked onto the trees. A kilometer from bhyundar is
a small bridge that spans a stream after which the climb is even steeper and the
path rocky. This path winds through dense forests and takes long before the
corrugated roofs of Gobind Dham come into view. From the forests, one is led to
an open meadow that blooms with mountain flowers. A helipad can also be seen
from here it does not take long before the corrugated roofs of Gobind Dham come
into view. For the exhausted yet enthusiastic pilgrim or tourist, this twelve
kilometer trek from Gobind Ghat to Gobind Dham takes around four to seven
hours.
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