Trekking to Anusuya Devi Temple and Atri Muni Ashram in 2024

Photo copyright: Satyabrata Maiti

In Continuation of my previous Blogs (https://test.biotriktest.online/trekking-to-kalpeshwar-temple-the-fifth-of-pancha-kedar-pilgrimage-circuit-in-2024/)

https://test.biotriktest.online/our-journey-to-badrinath-temple-and-night-stay-at-mana-village-last-village-of-india-in-2024/

Visit to Anusuya Devi Temple was in our itinerary when we visited Tunganath and Deoria Tal. But it could not be fulfilled since we had to cut short that trip due to heavy untimely rain in October 2021 (https://test.biotriktest.online/trekking-to-tungnath-temple-chandrashila-and-deoriatal-a-thrilling-experience/). We had to drop Mandal and Anusuya Devi from our itinerary to adjust two days that we lost because of road block due to heavy rain. There is saying that “everything is pre-destined” hence Ramayana was written before Lord Rama was borne. The day for our visit to Anusuya Devi temple now fixed by the Almighty in this trip and we headed towards it.

20-Jun-2024

After leaving Badrinath Temple, we stopped in Pandukeshar for our breakfast at 10:00 am. We proceeded further at 10:30 am leaving Yoga Badri temple, Govindghat  on our left side. We reached Vishnuprayag at 10:45 am and stopped for while to take few photographs. We left the place by 11:00 am and reached Kshetrapal village and stopped over there  for tea  at 1.00 pm. On the way we crossed   Joshimath, Tapovan, Bhavishya badri Junction,  Kalpaganga Alkananda confluence, Kalpeshwar junction from Helang, Patalganga, Garudganga and Pipalkothi. We reached Chamoli at 1.24 pm and took a turn towards Chopta via Gopeswar. Road was extraordinarily slow because of parking of vehicles on both the sides of road in certain places. Moreover, there was no traffic police for controlling the crowed. Some of the drivers took proactive responsibility to helping the drivers for clearing the jam.   We could see Sagar village wherefrom Rudranath trek starts.

Finally  we reached Mandal at 2:25 pm. We had our lunch first in the hotel Grihakripa palace (Sarita Devi)  and thereafter settled for night stay in the same hotel.  At about 5:00 pm we went to Balkhila river that is flowing in the village and saw women villagers working in the agricultural field. We spent some time in river side and returned by the sunset.

21-Jun-2024

We started in our  Anusuya devi trek at 8.00 am after having light breakfast. The trek was   about 6 km from Mandal.  One km was motorable road, yet we walked and thereafter hill trekking started. Beauty of the trekking path was unbelievable which cannot be expressed with my limited stock of words. It can only be felt: Amrit Ganga was flowing along one side of the entire trek and other side was having dense tree cover with birds chirping. Five km was like dream walk and we forgot all our hill climbing stress.

We reached the Rock Inscriptions after slightly more than an hour of trekking. It is not in a very good shape. Apparently it is written in Sanskrit using Northern Brahmi script. As per the details mentioned on the ASI plaque, The inscription mentions one Kshatriya Naravarman under the aegis of King Saravarman constructed a temple and a water-reservoir for the merit of himself and his parents. Other details are not mentioned, including the exact dynasty of the king but on the basis of palaeography it has been dated back to mid-6th century AD. So, the king mentioned is believed to be Maukhari King Sarvavarman who ruled sometime around 570-580 AD. Distance  of the temple was about 500 m from the Rock Inscriptions.

Coming back to the trek, we continued moving upwards and about 20 minutes after the rock inscription, reached an open meadow in the middle of the mountains and the temple of Anusuya Devi also turned visible. It was basically a small village built around the temple. We also found a  Ganesh statue on the way about 50 m before the temple.

We finally reached Anusuya Devi temple at 11.30 am. Pujari-ji called us immediately for Darshan. He was waiting for closing the temple gate after our visit.

About famous Anusuya devi temple

Uttarakhand is famous for its beauty of nature and also known as DEVBHOOMI, which means there are lots of famous temples in Uttarakhand. Anusuya devi temple is one of the such famous temples.  

Anusuya devi,  worshipped in this temple was the wife of Atri Muni, one of the seven great Vedic sages known as the “Saptarshis”.

There were many ancient relics scattered around the temple compound. Some of them must be from the days of those people mentioned in that rock inscription.

The temple is very beautiful  and  there is Ganesh statue on the way about 500 m before the temple. Inside the temple also there is a statue of Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva  and Mata Parvati.

There are two stories floating about the Anusuya devi:

1st story:  Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar wanted to test the chastity of mother Anusuya. They came in the form of “Sadhu” and demanded food from Devi Anusuya. When she was ready for offering food, these sadhus put a condition   that she had to offer food being fully naked. Anusuya devi remembered her husband, “Atri Muni”  at that moment for the direction and through his divine vision she could see the Gods in the Sashus. She then said intelligently that whatever sadhus wanted would definitely be fulfilled, but for that, sadhus have to take the form of  infants and become her son.   Hearing this, all the three Gods changed into infant form and in this way all the three Gods started living as the sons of Goddess Anusuya. When the three Gods did not reach back to “Devalok” even after a long time, Parvati, Lakshmi and  Saraswathi became worried.  They went  to Goddess Anusuya and  prayed to bring back Gods to their original form. Listening   the prayers, mother Anusuya  gave their original form back. There is a belief that these three Gods later born as Dattatreya.

2^nd Story: Once, the Gods were troubled by the demons’ king and they approached Anusuya Devi for help. She agreed and used her power to turn the demons into infants, she fed them and put to sleep. When the demons’ king  returned, he found  that his  army had been converted into babies.  He then begged Anusuya Devi to restore them. She did so, and the demons’ king  became so grateful that he wanted to grant  Anusuya and her family a boon. Anusuya Devi asked for a son who would be an incarnation of Lord Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar. Her wish was granted  and Dattatreya was born.

After Darshan in the temple we went to a nearby homestay which was booked by Diwan-ji in advance. We had our tea and took some rest. At 12:45 pm we proceeded towards Atri Muni Ashram which was about two km from the temple. The path was covered with dense foliage of the trees and we found very few visitors. We reached there by about 2:15 pm. It was in a unique location. It was on the top of the hills, behind a water fall where one can reach through a small stone covered opening by crawling only. One has to crawl about 4 – 5 ft by entering through a 10 inch passage in the front and 18 inch at the end. To reach the Atri Muni temple was a real adventure and needs great mental power. We all being lean and trimmed, we could reach there with little efforts. After that we came down by rounding off the water fall.  The water fall was thin but pretty steep creating a bright green pool of water at the bottom.

At the base of that Arti Muni ashram, a “Mouni Baba” who does not speak and we were told that he is there for about last 10 years.  Before coming to Atri Muni Ashram,  he was a professional doctor.

We started returning back from Atri Muni at about 2:45 pm and reached back to homestay at 3:30 pm. We had our lunch and took some rest.

In the evening we went to Anusuya Devi temple to see “Sandhya Aartai”. Most of the villagers joined in Aarti. It was very nice and the Pujari ji and the children from the village were chanting.

22-Jun-2024

I got up at 5:00 am. At 5:30 am I went to Dattatreya temple newly constructed near the Anusuya temple. I was told that a mela is organized in December to celebrate the birth of Dattatreya.

After taking tea, we say good bye to Narayan Singh, the excellent  caring homestay owner. He alone was managing the homestay.

We all went to Anusuya Devi temple once again before leaving the place.  We finally left at 8:30 am and reached Mandal at 10:00 am.

We enjoyed the beauty of same trek and reached back to metal road head where Pardeep and me enjoyed bath in Amrit Ganga and thereafter walked down to the same hotel where we stayed earlier. On our path we met some of the local ladies coming from Rudranath, local girls going for work and  some children coming from Anusuya Devi with their mother. We had our breakfast in the hotel and proceeded towards Sari village with immense satisfaction drawn from the trek. Trek is so beautiful, I wish that it should maintain its serenity and divinity and should not be exposed much to the unruly traffic having no sense and concern for the nature.

Last word:Remembering  what Isha Upanishad  said “The entire universe is to be looked upon as the Lord.”  All of existence is divine. Though there may be apparent differences in form and name, undergirding all of existence is the same divinity.

Jai Hind!

Satyabrata Maiti

(To Be Continued …. )

Acknowledgement:

1. My Co-trekker, for her cooperation and support;
2. Pradeep, Driver-cum-guide for his generous support and friendly discussions while trekking;
3. Diwan, Guide for providing an excellent stay in his newly built home stay rooms and taking around the village.
4. On line resources were used for the write up.

References:

1. https://test.biotriktest.online/trekking-to-kalpeshwar-temple-the-fifth-of-pancha-kedar-pilgrimage-circuit-in-2024/
2. https://test.biotriktest.online/our-journey-to-badrinath-temple-and-night-stay-at-mana-village-last-village-of-india-in-2024/

3. https://test.biotriktest.online/trekking-to-tungnath-temple-chandrashila-and-deoriatal-a-thrilling-experience/
4. https://test.biotriktest.online/my-rudranath-trekking-toughest-of-the-panch-kedars-in-2022-a-lifetime-experience/
5. https://test.biotriktest.online/my-madhyamaheshwar-trekking-a-heaven-on-earth-experience-3-nov-2022-to-6-nov-2022/
6. The Wikipedia for giving insight of various subjects
7. Online open source of information