Photo copyright © Satyabrata Maiti
In continuation from……..
Hiking with Rhododendrons in Rohini to Kilpur Bugyals in Uttarakand during March 2025
After visiting Rohini Bugyal and Kilpur Bugyal we decided to spent one more day in Sari village before we start descending from hill to plain (Haridwar).
27-Mar-2025
I planned with Deewan-ji for birds photography since Sari village harbours a lot of bird species. Both of us left early in the morning and spent about two and half hours capturing pictures of many birds. We also planned to visit the primary school of the village. At about 10:30 am after having breakfast we went to the school and spent about an hour interacting with the lovely students and pleased to know that most of them desire to join army. I was also told that many villagers are in army from this village.
We returned and had our lunch at about 1:00 pm. Pradeep and Deewanji went to Ukhimath for some personal work of Deewanji. We were advised to go to see Ramyan play by a women team as apart of Ram Navami celebration. At about 3:00 pm, Dr. Geetha and me went to the temple of the village where the play was staged. We spent there about and and half hours and enjoyed the Ramayan played by the local female artists.
28-Mar-2025
After having breakfast, we three (Pradeep, Dr. Geetha and me) left Sari at 7:15 am and proceeded towards Adi Badri. We reached Mandal via Duggalbitta, Chopta and Tunganath base at 9:30 am. On the way we spent some time for taking photographs of Rhododendron, Himalayan peaks, Himalayan deer, etc at Chopta. Chopta is another area for Rhododendrons (mainly pink coloured); even the road avenue sides were adorned with pink blooms of Rhododendron. It was another fascinating experience to watch the Rhododendrons in the background of snow-capped Himalayan peaks. We had tea in Mandal at 9:40 am and left Hotel Guru Krupa Palace. This was the same hotel where we stayed during our Anasuya Devi trekking in the last year. Reached Rudranath base at 10.12 am; Gopeshwar at 10.18 am; Chamoli at 10.50 am; Nandaprayag at 11.16 am; Karnaprayag at 11.48 and finally Adi Badri at 12.40 pm.
Adi Badri
Adi Badri lies in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, about 25 kilometers from Karnaprayag, en route to Dwarahat in Kumaon. It, also known as Chandpurgadhi, is a mesmerizing tehsil nestled in the picturesque Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, India. Elevated at an impressive 1,800 meters asl, this tranquil region is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, stunning natural beauty, and profound spiritual significance.
Adi Badri is more than just a destination, it’s a journey into spirituality, history, and natural beauty. Whether you seek divine blessings, historical exploration, or a peaceful escape into nature, Adi Badri has something to offer everyone.
The name Adi Badri, meaning the “First Badri,” underscores its sacredness as a precursor to the famous Badrinath Temple. It has been a focal point for spiritual seekers and devotees for centuries. Lord Vishnu resided here during the Satya, Treta and Dwapar yugas before moving to Badrinath during the Kaliyuga.
The Adi Badri Temple Complex is the heart of the region’s spiritual identity and forms an integral part of the Panch Badri pilgrimage circuit.Built between the 8th and 12th centuries, the temple complex is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, with additional shrines honoring various other deities.
The complex, originally comprised of 16 temples, however now has only 14 remaining structures, each showcasing the Nagara style of architecture. The main shrine is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, while the other temples are devoted to:
- Gaurishankar (Lord Shiva and Parvati)
- Annapurna (Goddess of nourishment)
- Surya (Sun God)
- Durga
- Ganesha
- Satyanarayan (An avatar of Vishnu)
- Garuda
- Janki (Sita)
The intricate carvings and designs are a testament to the craftsmanship of ancient artisans. The temple complex is believed to have been established under the guidance of Adi Shankaracharya, a revered figure in Indian spirituality.
After visiting the temple, we had our lunch in hotel Madhusudan palace at 2:20 pm. We started back by 2:40 pm touching Karnaprayag Haridwar Junction at 3.00 pm; Karnaprayag confluence at(Alakananda Pindar confluence) at 3.25 pm; Rudraprayag at 4.30 pm and reached Srinagar at 5:30 pm. We had tea there and proceeded towards Devaprayag where we had planned for our night halt and reached Danveer hotel, near Devprayag at 6.50 for our night stay.
29-Mar-2025
Owner of the Danveer hotel advised us to visit Chandrabadani temple on our way back to Haridwar. Accordingly, after having breakfast and checking out from the hotel we started at 8:00 am. The road to the temple was serein which reminded me the old Bengali song “ওই আঁকা বাঁকা পথ যায় সুদূরে” meaning: that twisted road goes too far. I stopped few times for taking photographs and finally reached the temple basement at 9:15 am wherefrom we had to climb the hill to reach the temple.
Chandrabadani is a Shakti Peeth temple situated 2,277 m above sea level on the border of Devaprayag tehsil and Pratapnagar tehsil at the top of the “CHANDRAKOOT” mountain. The story of the temple is mentioned in SKANTAPURAAN. In CHANDRABADANI, her BADAN (BODY) was dropped; therefore, it was named CHANDRABADANI.You have to trek 1km to access this nice temple. And this is 36 km away from the main road of Rudraprayag. The view from this temple is awesome. This temple is dedicated to goddess of power. It is believed that Ma Sati’s upper body part (torso) and some weapons (trishul, etc) fell down here , while Lord Shiva was taking away her burned body from the Dakshayaga place . Must visit place if you want to enjoy the nature and the temple. It is about 8000ft above the sea level. You can offer puja here .
Bhatts are the leading priests called “PUJARI” in the temple.
After temple darshan, we had our tea and pakoda in a nearby hotel . Reached Devprayag Junction at 12.56 pm and had our lunch in Chauhan Hotel at Dhari at 1.25 pm. We reached Rishikesh at 3.30 pm and finally reached Sun Hotel in Haridwar at 4.40 pm. Pradeep left and we settled in our respective rooms for recapitulations of our journey.
We stayed in Haridwar for two days (30 and 31-Mar-2025) since our train reservation was for 1-Apr-2025. On 1-Apr-2025, starting at 6:30 in Haridwar we reached Hazarat Nizamuddin Station by 2:30 pm and Dr. Geetha departed from there to stay with her sister. I boarded a train at 5:30 pm for Vadodara with lot of memories a realizatdion that “nothing is permanent”, whatever starts that ends.
Jai Bharat!
Satyabrata Maiti
Acknowledgement
My sincere thanks to:
- Geetha for her company during the trekking.
- Pradeep for driving and guiding us to these temples
References
- Wikipedia
- Other online information
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