Tour of Nepal - April 2017

A Spiritual Yatra to Muktinath

         ( Day 4 - Part 4 )                                                           

                                                                                   
                

                                                                

 अच्युतं केशवं रामनारायणम्   कृष्णदामोदरं वासुदेवं हरिम् ।
श्रीधरं माधवं गोपिकावल्लभम्    जानकीनायकं रामचंद्रं भजे ॥

Worship Vishnu in all his different forms

and all his different actions.                                                     
              

Sunday 16th April  2017  ( Day 4 )

We embarked at the early hours of 5am itself on 16-04-’17 from Hotel Kantipur. Our travel plan was to take the flight from Pokhara to Jomsom and then by road to Muktinath finally. Flights begin to Jomsom in batches from Pokhara and operate only in favourable weather.

We carried a small bag filled with essential items for overnight stay at Jomsom leaving our main luggage in the baggage room after vacating the rooms. We  reached Pokhara airport (2Kms) by 5:30am. The ‘TARA’ - airline counter opened by 6am.  We handed over our ids to receive the boarding passes and checked in our small bags at the counter.. Breakfast packets packed from the hotel ( pooris, sabzi, cutlets, fruit juice, and a banana) were distributed..

Sri Dasa briefed us regarding the flight schedule. Accordingly the first batch of 11 members from our group left by 6:45am  to Jomsom airport. The aircraft was very small and could carry only 15 passengers. The journey time to Jomsom is about 25 minutes  across  the Gandaki Gorge bordered by Annapurna Range of mountains. The return flight normally brings back the passengers from Jomsom who left the previous day.  Since the weather is mercurial and most uncertain, there are every chance of cancellation of flights.  In such eventuality Sri Dasa had cautioned us that the trip to Jomsom enroute Muktinath would not be possible. If such a situation arose, we would have to return to the hotel and chalk out a different plan.

            

      Waiting at  Pokhara Airport                          Sri Dasa briefing the Travel Plan

                 

                                   watching the first batch boarding the Aircraft

               

                                             In the air towards Jomsom

           

                                               View of Gandaki Gorge

          

         Nearing Jomsom Airport                        Dhaulagiri Peak

Since the first batch had already left by the flight, we had no anxiety and were discussing about darshan at Muktinath, the highest abode of Lord Vishnu. In the meanwhile we completed the security check and were ready to board  the aircraft “Tara’ when it returned. Seven of us lined up after sighting the aircraft landing little knowing about the tale of the first batch. We were shocked to see them alighting from the aircraft and walking towards us. We learnt  though the aircraft reached Jomsom airport, it could not land due to high wind velocity. Hence the pilot cancelled the landing as the situation became very risky. He had no alternative but to safely bring back the passengers to Pokhara. We were disappointed and looked for further announcement by ‘Tara’ airlines, keeping our fingers crossed.

 

                                                

            -                                  Waiting for the Announcement

The display board flashed that the flight to Jomsom was delayed and there was no change in the status  for the next two hours almost.. The small airport witnessed  movement of more people with the other arrivals and departures.

We were in a state of stress and walked towards the coffee shop to drink strong Nescafe coffee (INR 160 /) to refresh ourselves. Our wait became futile and by 10:30am it was  announced that the flight to Jomsom was cancelled for that day. Our hopes of having darshan at Muktinath hanged in suspense. But Sri Dasa was contemplating for the alternatives. He came with a bold suggestion that  we could still make it to Muktinath Kshetra but the mode of travel had to be by road only. He also cautioned that the journey might involve about ten hours and the travel had to be endured as  the vehicle had to go through  bumpy and muddy roads. Further it might be difficult to get proper food on the way. Sri Dasa asked us to make the decision..

We unanimously decided to go with Sri Dasa’s proposal to travel by road to Jomsom. We were united in this as we did not want to retreat in disappointment.. We could not think of another chance of visiting Muktinath. It was a rare opportunity and we accepted the proposal.

Sri Madhavananda Dasa was in smiles as he was able to conclude arrangements with a private transporter with the help of Tara Airlines officer . In a very short time, the local bus with an experienced driver ( who proved to be an asset), was ready to take us..

11:30am --We finished our lunch at  Lakshmi Marwadi Bhojanalay at Prithvi Chowk- Typical Nepali Roti meal-hot rotis, rice,dal, mooli aloo mixed sabzi, tomato chutney, pickles and mishti dahi. Everyone was relaxed with the final arrangements and relished the tasty food and enjoyed the good service at the restaurant..

                                  

                                       Bus to Jomsom in front of Bhojanalaya

By 12 noon we got into a mofussil bus exclusively booked for our trip up to Jomsom. The driver stopped a few times to accommodate the waiting passengers on the way and the process slowed down the journey. We felt hot as there was  no air conditioning and became aware of an arduous journey ahead. There were remarks from our group members that the path to  ‘ Mukti ‘ or ‘ ‘Liberation ‘ is filled with challenges and sacrifices ..

       

                               

                                   I Love not Man the less, but Nature more

                  

                                        

 

                                                       Amidst wilderness

By 4pm.  we reached Beni (70Kms) and stopped at Pulaha Ashram. We crossed Jada Bharata Ashram on the way. We entered Sripada Ramanuja Mata. Pulaha Ashram is connected with  Bharata Maharaja  after whom our country is called as Bharata Varsha.. Before that it was known by the name Aja Nabha Varsha..

King Rishabha and his wife Jayanti had 100 sons, Bharata  was the eldest of them all. Bharata accepted the responsibility as the next king after his father Rishabha renounced the world. Bharata ruled the country for a long time in the most notable manner upholding the traditions and encouraging dharma. Eventually he gave up all his possessions, material opulence and attachment for worldly life. After apportioning his kingdom among his sons he relinquished the royal life to embrace sanyas. He came to Pulaha Ashram to perform penance and engage in spiritual pursuits. He  was totally involved in tapasya and worshipping of the Lord ..

One day as he was meditating he happened to see a pregnant deer being chased by a ferocious lion. The deer was crossing a waterway and delivered a fawn in water and died.  Bharat felt pity for the newborn  and took the young deer under his care. He was happy to feed the infant with his own hands. He became more and more occupied with caring and tending to the needs of the young and enchanting deer - thus got attached to it totally..

One day when he was engaged in his regular prayers the deer started disturbing him. He pushed it aside and the deer went away, He felt sorry and began to search for it frantically.  Even when he was dying he thought of the deer only and requested the Ashram people to take good care of it.

यं यं वापि स्मरन् भावं त्यजत्यन्ते कलेवरम् I

तं तमैवति कौन्तेय सदा तद् भावभावित: II   BG 8:6

(Krishna says to Arjuna)

Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kunti, that state he will attain without fail.

In his next birth Bharata was born as a deer ( ref: BG 8.6 above ) and he could remember the mistakes of his past life. Whatever goodness he had acquired  spiritually made him realise his weakness and attachment for mundane things. He stayed away from his group and remained totally  detached  from all worldly affairs. He came to Pulaha Ashram and spent the time in the company of sadhus.

In the next birth he was born as the son of a brahmin.. He stayed aloof  without  uttering even a word. So he was called Jada Bharata. Finally he attained mukti because of his tapasya and total devotion to the Lord. ( The story is really long to accommodate here ).

                                                        

                                             

Pulaha Ashram Galeswardham

     

                                        

     

We had  hot and sumptuous Kichadi and pickles as maha prasadam. Sripada Ramanujacharya, one of the greatest advocates of the Hindu Philosophy  and propagator of Vishishtadvaita Vedanta had visited this place long long ago. We were fortunate to be  there just a few days before the 1000th year celebration of his birth anniversary. We thanked the people for their hospitality and continued our journey towards Jomsom..

The road was muddy and we had to close all the windows to avoid fine sand entering inside the running bus. We saw Kali Gandaki River gushing on our right with the chain of Annapurna Mountain Range standing as a strong fort wall all along the route..

     

                 

                                      Forests are the Flags of Nature

     

The Kali Gandaki River has its source at the border with Tibet at an elevation of

6,268 M in the Mustang region of Nepal. The river flows southwards through a gorge known as Kali Gandaki Gorge or Andha Galchi between the mountains Dhaulagiri to the west and Annapurna 1 in the east. This is supposed to be the world’s deepest gorge. The river is older than the Himalayas. At Devghat the river joins the Trishuli River and flows southwest of Gaindakot town . Then it curves towards southeast as it enters India where it is called Gandak. It forms a tributary of Ganges in India. Below Gaindakot the river is known as Narayani or Sapt Gandaki having seven tributaries, the Kali Gandaki, Trishuli River and five main tributaries of  Trishuli -the Daraudi, Seti, Madi, Marsyangdi and Budhi. Largest Hydro electric projects had been set up on the Gandaki basin due to the ample availability of water as the resource.

* Gandaki river is mentioned in the Mahabharata..

* Its evolution is described in Shiva Purana, Kumarkhand in the chapter of killing                Shankhachuda..

* Episode 1 of “ The Living Planet ”., David Attenborough’s Second nature documentary series is set in the Kali Gandaki Gorge..

       

I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery

                      Gushing Waters of Gandaki

Gushing Waters of Gandaki,

Dancing and splashing,

Twisting and rolling,

Dashing over rocks and pebbles,           

Reflecting the light above,

And the tall trees on the edge.

Mighty hills kissing the blue sky,

With Gandaki, a treat to behold.                              

Nature waves her wand,

To weave a vision so grand,

A movement graceful and enchanting,

A moment divine and inspiring..

Flowing from time immemorial,

Treasure chest of Shaligram Shilas,

Guiding us on the right direction,

Showing us the path towards ‘Liberation’.

White foam with its spray,

Enacting a musical play,

The murmuring ripples stringing the lute,

The roaring wind playing the flute,

The bubbling liquid beating the drums,

The tossing flowers nodding their heads,

The rustling leaves clapping their hands,

To the harmonious orchestral band..

Our van moves like a toy,

At the speed of a snail,

Imprisoned between deep valley,

And the Annapurna Range,

Light glistening from the silvery peak,

With the snow covered cap,

Lined by cascading waterfalls,

Along the creeks in the mountain walls..

Driving miles on the rough terrains,

The path gets tougher and dangerous,

Scenery changing dramatically,

Small villages popping their

Beautiful faces on the way,

Passing through dense forests,

We wave at an occasional trekker,

Or a bird soaring up in the sky..

As we watch the sun setting,

The darkness forming a covering,

The distant stars peeping,

Through the holes in the dark roofing.

We reach Jomsom safe at the end,

Journeying a hazardous 100 miles or so,,

Scenery Spectacular and Thrilling,

A memorable journey indeed !!,

6;30 pm- we stopped at Tatopani Checkpost for special permission to enter Annapurna Conservation Circuit area.. We came across a hot spring. The sun had set by then and it was becoming quite dark. We passed through small villages where they had literally downed the shutters . Thakkali Restaurant, the board was seen in many places. Thakalis , native of Nepal region are business people who have established Hotels serving special Nepali meals..

We were moving at 10mph speed as we had to stop  and give way for the vehicles coming from the opposite side. At some places we were crossing small rivulets or driving over stones and pebbles. Only an experienced, driver could drive in such locations and conditions. We could hear the roaring sound of the Kali Gandaki  from the valley below. At 10 pm with God’s grace we reached Seema Prahari Chowki  close to Jomsom to get one more entry permission. It was getting late and everything seemed to be dark and sleepy on the long drive and finally we stopped in front of an inn by 11 pm. We got down with our small bags when rooms were allotted for our night stay. With the instructions for the next day’s program we climbed the stairs to reach a very small room with a bed and a bath. We ordered some noodles and tea . The noodles was insipid and cold. So we drank  only the tea and retired to bed with the prayers for a  good darshan at Muktinath the next day.

We will be taking you to one of the most sacred places on earth tomorrow..

Natarajans

 

                                                                

 Tour of Nepal - April 2017

A Spiritual Yatra to Muktinath

         ( Day 3 - Part 3 )

                

             Tulasi Mata                                                                         

नमः तुलसी कल्याणी नमो विष्णुप्रिये शुभे I

नमो मोक्षप्रदायिके देवी नमः सम्पत् प्रदायिके II

गायत्री तुलसी गङ्गां कामधेनुं अरुन्दतीम् I

पञ्च  मातु स्मरेन नित्यं  महा पातक नाशनम्  II

यन्मूले सर्व तीर्थानि यन्नाग्रे सर्वदेवता I

यन्मध्ये सर्ववेदाश्च तुलसी तां नमाम्यहम् II

Salutations to Tulasi  Mata at whose base exist all holy places, at whose top are all mi the deities and in whose middle are all the vedas !! She brings goodness in life, who is beloved to Lord Vishnu, who is auspicious, who grants liberation, and who bestows prosperity. Pranams to her.

Saturday 15th April  2017  ( Day 3 )

The weather on Day 3 was inclement and it was still drizzling at 7 a.m. when we brought our luggage to the reception area in the hotel.  We greeted each other ‘Hare Krishna’ and looked forward for the improvement in weather as we were to travel 260 Kms by road to reach our next destination. It rained throughout night accompanied by intermittent lightning and thunder. We became hopeful when we watched through the windows the abating rains and sun rays  appearing.

We had breakfast in Blue Coriander Restaurant attached to the hotel. We started with cut fruits, water melon juice, bread toast with butter chiplets and jam followed by corn flakes, batura, bread sandwich, tikki, masala poha, potato-basil fry, pineapple halwa and finished with  a cup of hot coffee/ tea.  .

    

    Hotel Reception Area            Watching the Rain through Window

Our luggage was loaded in the luxury bus. It was 8.10 am when we started our journey towards Pokhara. We began our prayers with the Narasimha Stotra and sang bhajans after Shri Dasa. We took the Tribhuvan Highway in the beginning and later Prithvi Highway up to Pokhara for 200 Kms..

The journey after we left Kathmandu was through the mountainous belt characterized by number of serpentine turns and twists. Luckily the dust had settled down after the heavy rains, the previous night. The tall hills with a sheet of green covering presented a beautiful scenic view.. We crossed a few hydro electric project sites..

Devghat  a sacred town was in our schedule of visits. As there were some repair works, the road was blocked. Hence it was decided to visit Damauli which is also considered as a holy place by pilgrims. Devghat is located at the confluence ( sangam ) of Seti Gandaki and Krishna Gandaki rivers. Hindus consider the place as an important pilgrimage center. It lies 150 Kms  southwest of Kathmandu.There are many temples situated in this zone, dedicated to Sri Radha Krishna, Sri Galeshwor,  Sri Sita Ram,  Shri Laxminarayan and Sri Shankaracharya.  Tourists visit the ashrams which were the abodes of saints and also the Caves where Sage Vasishta and Sita Mata had resided..

Makar Sankranti is celebrated religiously when fairs are organised. Bathing in Krishna Gandaki river is considered highly auspicious as ‘Shaligram Shilas are found here. People  worship them as Lord Vishnu. Hindus consider it as sacred to spend their last days at this place where they are engaged in worships, meditation and reading of holy scriptures..

After nearly 2 hours of drive from Kathmandu our journey continued along the Trishuli River.

The Legend says that the Trishuli River was originated by Lord Shiva when he drove His Trishul in the hills just above Gosaikunda lake to create three springs. Lord Shiva used this spot at times to take rest.

We crossed places like Mugling where we saw cable cars going up towards Manakamana  Temple, a holy shrine dedicated to Goddess  Parvati and Gorkha. The city was the capital of erstwhile Shah dynasty.

       

             Barren  Mountain                                        Greenery all over

The scenery was  totally absorbing with deep river valleys, rocky gorges, mighty hill ranges and  roaring rapids passing through ancient villages. Cascade of terrace rice fields on one side and the range of mountains on the other side were delightful to watch.  We viewed rafting in the river with keen interest. There are also restaurants and road houses which provide ample place for the tourists to have lunch. The wash rooms are  clean with good water supply. We stopped at a road side house where benches were lined up for eating meals comfortably. It was an attractive spot for photography with Trishuli river meandering between tall range of hills almost touching the blue sky..

      Gushing Waters of Trishuli  River ..                        Rafting in the River

Our packed lunch was from Mirage Inn Hotel.--- Poori with aloo sabzi, fried rice and banana.  We made a sandwich of pooris with banana and sugar. We could also get thick, fresh curds on request.. By this time we got used to the sweetened curds in Nepal. .

                                       

                                            Lunch at a Roadside House

       

                                                    

                                                  Amidst glorious Nature

                                     

                                                      

We resumed our journey after lunch.and by 2:20 p.m., reached Damauli the Sangam place of Sweta Gandaki and Madi Gandaki.  We clustered around Shri Dasa to learn about the significance of that place. He also explained about  the origin of the Gandaki River.

Legend:-  Damauli is derived from the name Dwaipayana also known as Veda Vyasa. This is the birthplace of the revered sage Vyasa. There is also a village by name Vyasa nearby. Gandaki River is considered as the most sacred river on par with Ganga. There are two transcendental sources for  the river :-

1. Ganda in Sanskrit means ‘cheek’. Gandaki means that which has come from the cheek of none other than the Supreme Lord Narayana. (Ganga has its origin from Vishnu Pada and is called Vishnupadi).  The perspiration (sweat) coming from both the cheeks of the Lord is the source for the holiest of the rivers..

2. Long long ago (Brahma Vaivarta Purana) in Vrindavan, Radha and Vrinda were close friends. They were also the two dear most  Gopis of Lord Krishna. There was some misunderstanding between them. Due to the arrangement of Lord Krishna known for his deliverance to his devotees, Vrinda was made to appear in this material (mundane) world. She married Jalandhara, a demon king. (Jalandhar  the city is named after the king ). There is an ancient temple ‘Vrinda Devi Tulasi Rani Mandir,’ now also exists in this place. Jalandhara was very powerful and he defeated the Devas who sought Lord Shiva’s help. Even Lord Shiva could not vanquish him with all his weapons.  Then they approached Lord Vishnu. He knew none could defeat Jalandhara until Vrinda’s chastity was broken. Lord Vishnu  came in the guise of Jalandhara when he was away and approached Vrinda. The latter realised the mistake and in her rage cursed the Lord  to turn into a stone for being such stone hearted. Lord Vishnu showed his real identity to her and Vrinda felt sorry. When she was in Brindavan she wanted to marry only Krishna. Now Krishna cursed her in return saying that her hair would  become the holiest plant -  the Tulsi plant and her divine form would appear as  the most sacred Gandaki river. In transcendental form she was elevated as Vrinda Gopi.  Jalandhara was turned into a conch or shankha. Jalandhara was Sridhama who was Krishna’s best friend in Brindavan. He was also the elder brother of Radha. He too had a misunderstanding with Vrinda and both were made to appear in this material world. A conch filled with Ganga jal is used for performing abhishekam for the Saligrama when a tulsi leaf is also offered. Thus Lord Vishnu, Vrinda Devi and Jalandhara remain inseparable..

According to Varaha Purana at the beginning of creation  by way of teaching the entire world,  it was inscribed that one should perform tapasya to attain moksha. Lord Narayana himself went to the Saligrama Kshetra near Saligrama mountain surrounded by abundant Sala trees to perform tapasya. While He was doing severe penance the intense rays of sun heated the cheeks and sweat appeared from his cheeks  becoming the source of Gandaki River and in turn the source of all saligrama silas  (actual Vishnu form).

Later Lord Narayana ordered Viswakarma to take the form of Vajra Keeta which would carve different forms such as Sudarshana, Vasudeva and Narasimha Saligram. Vajra

keetas are river worms which have  teeth and nails harder than diamonds. The vajra keeta worms drill the stones and get inside to reside there. During their stay inside they cause different shapes in the stones. Lord Narayana returned to his spiritual abode after leaving behind his manifestations in different forms like Saligrama silas, Gandaki river and Tulasi plant  (hair of Vrinda Devi).. ‘What ever benefit one may get from bathing  in all the holy rivers and by taking part in all the yagyas, can be got by one drop of Gandaki River’..

Wherever the perspiration of Lord Vishnu fell, the main Gandaki  river divided into seven branches.  Skanda Purana mentions the names of  these seven branches:-

1. Dharmadhara also known as Trisuli Gandaki.  2.Yashodhara-(Tadi) 3.-Vishwadhara (Bhudi), 4.-Stithaprabha / Seti Gandaki / Swetha Gandaki which has its origin from Manikuta Parvata now known as Machapuchare ,the mountain peak having the shape of a fish tail.

5. Ratnadhara / Madi Gandaki has origin from Ratnakuta Parvata now known as Annapurna Range. 6. Swarnabha / Marsyangdi 7. Most sacred Kali Gandaki / Krishna Gandaki..

After we heard the detailed narration regarding the origin of Gandaki River and other anecdotes, we climbed down a few steps to go towards the Vyasa Cave and  entered a small shrine with the idols of Ganesha and Sage Vyasa. We offered our prayers. Sage Vyasa was the compiler of Vedas. There were also  idols of other sages. Then we walked towards a stone mandap with a low ceiling to have the view of Vyasa’s cave. We could see a small gap in the roof with some light coming out. We literally had to crawl to come out of that place and it seemed  great effort. However we had the satisfaction and contentment that we were fortunate to be close to the abode of the great seer..

                      

Sage Vyasa with Sri Ganesha, the Scribe writing the sacred epic ’Mahabharata‘

                       

                                                            Idols of sages

    Vyasa Cave                        The narrow opening to the Cave      Viewing from below

   

                                           Veda Vysa Annakshetra

It was at about hundred yards from that place we could see the the confluence of Swetha Gandaki which is broader and white in colour and  Ratandhara or Madi Gandaki, narrower and darker. In between these two rivers there is an island where sage Vyasa was born as the son of Satyavati and  Parasara.  This was his janma bhoomi, karma bhoomi and also the tapo bhoomi. (From the word ‘Dweep’ meaning island, he was named ‘Dwaipayana’). He classified the Veda into four different Vedas ( Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana ) and hence got the name Veda Vyasa. His Avatara was the 17th of the 24 Avatars of Sri Maha Vishnu..

           

           

             Sangam of Swetha Gandaki and Madi Gandaki ( White and Black)

We had to carefully tread across many, slippery boulders and pebbles ( picture above), toreach the river bank and to have ‘prokshanam’ of the cool holy waters of Madi Gandaki and Swetha Gandaki. Our struggle proved worthwhile as we felt elated to have received the divine blessings direct from the Supreme Lord Sriman Narayana himself flowing in the form of the sacred rivers..

There in the open ground we saw a congregation of  young girls clad in bright red and green dress and men in grey. They were celebrating Parents’ Day, a day after Nepal’s New Year day

  

                                             Parents’ Day Celebrations

We left Damauli by 4:30 pm and proceeded towards Pokhara, a prominent town. We reached ‘Hotel The Kantipur’ near Lake Side by 6:30pm..

                                           

                                              

                                                            Entering Pokhara City                                                             

Pokhara is a city on Phewa lake in Central Nepal. It is a gateway to Annapurna Circuit, a popular trail in the Himalayas. Pokhara Lekhnath as it is known is the largest city in Nepal, 9 times larger than Kathmandu.The Annapurna Range with three of the ten highest mountains in the world, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, and Manaslu is within 15-35 miles of the valley which can be seen from the city.The Machhapuchhre (Fish Tail) is also visible from here. It is home to many Gurkha soldiers. It is referred as the most expensive city in the country. It is regarded as the ‘Tourism Capital of Nepal’. The Seti Gandaki (White River) is the main river flowing through the city.

Until the end of the 1960s the town was only accessible by foot and it was considered even more a mystical place than Kathmandu. The first road (Siddhartha Highway) was completed in 1968. Development of tourism took place and the city grew rapidly. The area along  Phewa lake side has blossomed into one of the major tourism hubs of  Nepal..

There are numerous temples and gumbas in and around Pokhara Valley. Many temples serve as combined places of worship for Hindus and Buddhists. Since we planned to go for Muktinath darshan, we did not have time to visit any of these places. Planning for one more day’s stay at Pokhara  becomes necessary to visit the most interesting tourists spots in the town..

             

          Hotel The Kantipur                                 Artistic Buildings

       

                      

                                 Admiring  the Geraniums -

                            A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.

We stayed in Kantipur Hotel that night. Kantipur is the poetic name of ancient Kathmandu. The hotel is inside a small lane.  The buildings painted in blue look artistic from outside surrounded by beautiful landscape. The rooms are comfortable. After freshening up we went out for dinner in Laxmi Marwadi Bhojanalaya situated near the lake. Hot rotis, dal, vegetables, rice, pickles, papad and sweet curds constituted the menu. Everyone relished the tasty food.  We spent some limited time in shopping and returned to the hotel. Sri Dasa gave us instructions for the next day’s schedule. As we had to leave the place as early as 5am we wished every one ‘Hare Krishna”/ Good Night and retired to our rooms..

Somewhere in our dreams  we were hearing the sounds of waters gushing in the holy Gantaki river.

The journey/yatra  goes into Day 4 on Sunday the 16th April 2017. The diary continues...

Natarajans .