Here I Come, Himalayas- Day 1

After a couple of days' stay in the scorching heat of Delhi, I start off at an early morning in Shatabdhi Express to Haridwar. The journey reveals the dumped garbage and slums on either sides of the railway track. I am depressed when I see Yamuna being reduced to a drainage place.

After arriving at Haridwar, we take a phatphati ( a three wheeler with an engine of a bike) to Rishikesh. I enjoy the ride as I am exposed to fresh air and greenery. We get to see lot of ashrams and temples on the way.

Finally we reach the guest house of Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) at Rishikesh. Even though there is a nagging tiredness, both of us decide to pay a visit to the banks of River Ganga. So we walk through the narrow lanes to an ashram on the banks of Ganges. And then, I see Ganga. Al my weariness disappears as I look at the powerful, majestic river. There is a group of people out there performing a puja. So with their recitation of shlokas in the background, both of us sit on the banks and watch Ganga dumbfounded. I have never seen such a magnanimous river ever before.














I see a sadhu meditating on the banks of the river. The view of the mountains, the river and the meditating sadhu all together make me very spiritual and philosophical. In front of other creations of God, we are midgets.


We start finding our way back to the guest house as the sun sets.