Trekking to Kalpeshwar Temple, the fifth of Pancha Kedar pilgrimage circuit in 2024

Photo copyright: Satyabrata Maiti

In the month of January, 2024, My travel companion (Dr. Geetha ) with whom I was trekking since 2019 called me from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia informing that she will be back to Anand after voluntarily quitting the FAO (UN) job for spiritual journey as well as for giving company to her lonely aged mother. She also expressed that we should finish our last Kedar visit of Pnacha Kedar, i.e. Kalmeshwar Mahadev temple in this year and I must plan for it.  Hearing from her, I contacted my guide trekker of Uttarkhand, Diwan ji and also our car driver, Pradeep for preparing our programme in the month of June and also to book our hotels and home stays accordingly. After a lot of discussion and rearrangements, time to time an itinerary was drawn with some flexibility of days to accommodate some unforeseen, unexpected day loss in the trip.

Tour itinerary

15-Jun-2024: Departure for Delhi from Anand

16-Jun-2024: Delhi to Haridwar

17-Jun- 2024: Haridwar to Urgam via Dhari mata temple, Koteshwar Mahadev Temple, night stay

18-Jun-2024: Kalpeswar temple to Mana village via Yog Badri temple,  Buddha Badri temple, Vabishya Badri temple, Badrinath temple,  village night stay

19-Jun-2024: Manna village, Bhim pool, Vedavyas Cave, Ganesh Guha, Swargarohini marg,  Vasudhara falls night stay

20-Jun-2024: Badrinath temple to Mandal and night stay

21-Jun-2024: Mandal to Anausuya Devi temple, Atri Muni cave and water falls, night stay in Anausuya

22-Jun-2024: Anausuya temple to Sari village and night stay

23-Jun-2024: Sari village sight seeing and night stay

24-Jun-2024: Sari village to Haridwar and night stay

25-Jun-2024: Haridwar sight seeing and night stay

26-Jun-2024: Haridwar to Delhi to Vadodara to Anand

27-Jun-2024: Returned back to Anand

When we were to leave finally, we got the information that father of Diwan-ji passed away and he would not join us although he booked our accommodation for night home stays.  Mr. Pradeep took the duel responsibility of  guide-cum-driver in our entire trip till we could reach Sari village where we stayed in Diwan-ji’s home stay.

My journey began from Anand on 15-Jun-2024 by train which reached Hazarat Nizamuddin at 4:30 am on 16-Jun-2024. Geetha joined me from Delhi in the station by 7:30 am. Or train from Nizamuddin to Haridwar was at 9:30 am. Although we had two-2 A (AC) births but when boarded the train we found it was jam packed. Somehow we could get our sitting place. The TT was not visible to whom we could complain. We were told that due to heat weave, nobody is travelling in either bus or general compartment, all are rushing to AC compartments with non AC tickets. In addition to this heat weave, Eid celebration was also on the day and for Dashami celebration people were rushing to Haridwar for taking holy dip in the Ganga. We reached Haridwar at 4:30 pm and took a riksha to reach our hotel, Shiva palace booked on Agoda platform. Hotel was substandard and we had nothing to do at that stage other than accepting the inconvenience for night. Keeping the luggage on the hotel rooms, we decided to go the the Ganga rive for a dip if possible. After reaching the bank of river and seeing the crowed, I decided not to venture in holy dip. We took some photographs and returned back to hotel after taking dinner outside.

17-Jun-2024

We got up at 4:30 and got ready to leave the hotel by 5:30 am. Pradeep send his brother to pick up us but he was struck by the traffic jam in such an early morning. Finally, we left Haridwar by 6:00 am. We drove via Rishikesh ( 7:05 am) and had our breakfast (Allo Parontha and tea). Pradeep took over the steering on the rout.

We reached Devprayag confluence at 9:00 am and  Dhari-ma Temple at 11.30 am. Temple had also an unusual crowed because of Chardham Yatri and also for visitors of Hem Kund Sahib. We did not dare to reach the inside the temple and left by paying respect to goddess from the distance and taking permission for our trip. We reached Rudrapeayag confluence at 12.50 pm. Pradeep took us to Koteshwar Mahadev temple which was  about 3 km from Rudraprayag. About 500 to 800 m trekking down towards Alkananda river. It was an excellent temple with less crowded.

Koteshwar Mahadev Temple (कोटेश्वर महादेव) is a Hindu Mandir (temple  dedicated to lord Shiva which  is located approximately 3 kilometres (3,000 m) from the centre of the Rudraprayag, a little above the gorgeous Alakananda River. There as a cave with water flow and also a “Shani” Temple with a “Ghat” in Alakananda for taking holy dip.

We spent about an hour and returned to main road by 1:55 pm.

We had our lunch  at 2:45 pm form a road side hotel.  We reached Helang at 6:15 pm via Karnaprayag at 3:40 pm, Nandaprayag at 4:30 pm, Pipalkothi at 5:30 pm. From Helang we reached Urgam village at 7:30 pm for our night stay. We stayed in home stay name Krishna Lodge run by Mr Indarsingh Rawat who worked as  guide for about 10 years. It was a decent homestay with caring hospitality.

18-Jun-2024

I got up at 5:00 am and went for strolling in the Devgram village by 5:45 am. Took the guidance from the villagers and went to see a Gouri Ma mandir and also to see wish-granting Kalpvriksha (tree)—a fascinating legend from Hindu mythology. We were told that the “Pujari” of Kalpeshwar temple first comes to the Devi mandir by 7:30 for “Puja” and after that he goes to Kalpeshwar temple for “Puja”. We were also told that we can walk with him after Devi Puja. We waited there till 7:30 am and when Pujari did not appeared, we walked to Kalpeshawar temple not to miss the Puja there.

Kalpeshwar Temple: It  is a sacred Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. Kalpeshwar is the fifth temple in the revered Pancha Kedar pilgrimage circuit.

The temple’s ancient legend linked to the Pandavas,    is the fifth temple of the Pancha Kedar (five temples) of Shiva’s five anatomical divine forms; the other four temples in the order of their worship are Kedarnath, Rudranath, Tunganath and   Madhyamaheswar temple; all in the Kedar Khand region of the Garhwal region of Himalayas.  Kalpeshwar is the only Pancha Kedar temple accessible throughout the year. At this small stone temple, approached through a cave passage, the matted tress (jata) of Shiva is worshipped.

The trail to Kalpeshwar runs through dense forests and lush green terrace fields.

The trek begins from Urgam village, where the lively Kalpganga River flows. Urgam is known for its extensive apple orchards and potato farms. Previously, the trek route extended from Helang to Kalpeshwar (10 km), but now jeepable roads connect Helang to Urgam, reducing the trek to just 1.5 km. We also crossed a bridge over the starting point of Kalpaganga that comes from a water falls.

It was not much crowded and we were taken to Garbha  griha by the Pujari. After Arati we walked with friendly Pujari who also served in Indian army to Devi Mandir. We two were there in the mandir and Pujari did Puja and Aarti before us. We thereafter returned back to the Homestay and had our breakfast.

On the way back we also met some of the beautiful, joyful and wonderful school going children.

We left the Urgam homestay by 10:35 am for onwards journey as per the itinerary with a great feeling of “আমাদের এই পথ চলাতেই আনন্দ” (We have a great pleasure in trekking).

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