Summer Vacation Excursion Part III
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Author: Dr. K.S. Kang
This
was a special year for me as this year I was turning fifty and that too in the
Summer Vacation. As usual I had gone for the vacation to Punjab
and I was in the village named Sujapur to which my in-laws belonged. So I
decided to have something special in this special and historic year of my life.
I decided to visit the holy shrine of Hemkunt Sahib, the place where Guru
Gobind Singh ji meditated in his earlier life. And we also decided to visit other
historic gurudwaras at Paonta Sahib in Himachal Pradesh and Rishikesh in
Uttrakhand. So I was joined by my family members- my wife, two kids who had
grown into fine young gentleman by now and other member of my in-laws family
including my wife’s two sister-in-laws and her aunt and of course the driver of
the taxi. We started from village Sujapur early in the morning and after
crossing Ludhiana and Ambala Cantt, we entered Punjab and by early afternoon we were at Paonta Sahib a
historic Gurudwara associated with the life of Guru Gobind Singh ji. As he had
stated at this place for some time. After seeing the famous Gurudwara we
proceeded to Rishikesh via Dehradun. As we passed through Dehradun I had the
majestic glimpse of the majestic Chetwode Hall of Indian Military Academy and
imposing structure of Forrest Research Institute. It not only renewed my
memories of this place visited a few years before and the memories of this
place associated with my parents and my elder sister as they had spent a few
years here when my worked as Physics Demonstrator in Indian Military Academy
from 1952 to 1962 A.D. As the Sun was moving towards western horizon we reached
Rishikesh and at this place we decided to make the night stay and to proceed
further towards Hemkunt Sahib in the morning. In the evening we visited the
famous Rama and lkshaman Jhoolas (Bridges) built over great grand River Ganga and that joins two parts of the town. In the
morning we proceeded towards Govind Ghat which was a journey of about eight
hours on the serpentine roads of mountains via several places like Rudrya
Prayag and Joshi Math. In the evening we reached Govind Ghat Gurudwara where
road to Hemkunt Sahib ends and there is only a mountain trail that has either
to be covered on ponies or on foot. We stayed for the night at Gurudwara Govind
Ghat and in the morning we proceeded to another place Govind Dham which was
nearly 13 kms mountain trail from Govind Ghat. Here I grossly miscalculated my
stamina and energy when I decided to go on foot along with my sons. My wife was more pragmatic and
practical in this matter as she hired a pony from the very beginning. One
sister-in law of my wife surrendered within a couple of kilometers from Govind
Ghat and she simply gave up the idea of going to Govind Dham and Hemkunt Sahib.
After staying overnight at the Gurudwara Govind Ghat we started for the next
phase of journey to a place known as Jhanjharia or Govind Ghat. Pony owners
were so clever that they continued to walk along with us. I was unable to
understand why they were doing this but then I came to know that as the journey
and steepness of the path increased as the pilgrims started growing tired the
rate of pony owners went up cashing in upon the need of the pilgrim. This place
Jhanjharia was about 13 kms from Govind Ghat. As we progressed on the journey
even our clothing seemed burdensome and I handed over my bottle, and outer
wears to my wife who was riding a pony. On the way we rested to have a
refreshing cup of tea and also on the way we came across a glacier which was a
novel experience for me though the glacier had turned brown due to the dirt of
the pilgrims and ponies walking on it. Even those people who were on ponies had
to get down and cross the glacier on foot because even the hoofs of ponies slipped
on the frozen ice of the glacier. After crossing the glacier the terrain was
getting steeper and steeper and the going was getting more and more difficult.
But people coming from the opposite direction were always motivating and
inspiring me to complete this phase this journey. It nearly took 8 hours for me
to cover 13 kms of this mountain track. As the sun was going down in the
western horizon I slowly walked into the airport which was the beginning of
Jhanjharia and Govind Dham. I had gown so tired that it appeared as if I had no
feet underneath me. My wife and sons quickly rented a room for me in a hotel
and I and my two sons rested in this hostel for the night. I slept instantly
and I did not know how night passed but my legs were still aching in the
morning that it appeare nearly impossible for me to continue and finish the
last phase of this journey but still I was contented that at least I could come up to this place. My wife along with her
relatives stayed in the local gurudwara of Jhanjharia or Govind Dham. In the morning I
expressed my incapacity to continue my journey but my wife had other ideas she
talked with a coolie who would take me on his back in this phase of journey and
agreed to carry me on his back right up to Govind Ghat. Some of his fellow
coolies even taunted him that he wanted to become a millionaire in a fortnight.
But his reply was that he appears to be fat but he is hollow so he does not
have much weight. So after breakfast I started the last phase of this
pilgrimage on the back of this collie. He bent forward asking me to shift my
weight also forward which would be more convenient for him. Though this journey
was not comfortable but there was no option or alternative. Soon all the
members of our group separated from each other as my wife was riding a pony, my
sons were still walking and I was riding a man. Soon the walls of snow appeared
on both the sides of the path and army men were removing the snow to make path
for the pilgrims. This was not end of my trouble in this journey. As my carrier
was moving on a steep path a young man immaturely came running with ponies and
one of the pony collided with the coolie and he fell down on one side and I on
the other side so as to avoid slipping into the valley I shifted my weight on the
other side as a result of which I came down crashing on the ground just besides
a rock and my head banged against it. Collie was more worried about me than
about himself as he feared that now I would change the coolie and refuse to pay
him. As I was resting beside the rock a number of pilgrims surrounded me and
some body offered me water, while some other offered me glucose, fruits,
cashews, almonds and sweets that gave me instant energy. So I decided to
continue my journey on the same coolie after getting well. Now I could hear the
voice of divine Kirtan coming from the Gurudwara. Soon I sighted the dome of
the building of the Gurudwara with saffron flag flying. As soon as coolie put
me down just in front of Gurudwara I sighted my wife who due to low temperature
and thin air was having a sinking feeling she was holding the hand of her
sister-in –law. So I took the round of the Gurudwara which is surrounded by the
chilly ice water of frozen lake around it. I came inside the Gurdwara to pay my
obeisance and thanked the almighty for accomplishing this journey successfully.
Some devotees were taking dip in the holy pond even seventy years old aunt of
my wife also took dip in it but I could not muster up that much courage. On the
way back all the members of my family again separated from each other giving
this feeling that everybody has come alone in this world and he will have to
depart alone from this world leaving all the worldly things behind. So on the
way I talked with my coolie who had changed at Jhanjharia. I really appreciate
the stamina, courage, and skill of these people who were helping the people in
completing the pilgrimage. A real salute to man and almighty God who had made
such a flexible human body that could be moulded to any extreme. On the way the
sight that was heartening and encouraging was the sight of my two sons and my
wife riding their ponies and crossing me on the way. And as they passed they
cheered and encouraged me to endure a bit more as I was quite near to complete
the journey. By the time it was dark of the evening and lights were coming up
in the town of Govind
ghat my coolie put me down safely on the ground. I knew that my body has grown
stiff and my arm was aching due to fall so I visited an ayurvedic dispensary to
get some ointment. What I feared proved to be reality as next morning my hand
was swollen and my body was aching badly and we had to resume the journey back.
But we continued our journey back as our taxi operator waived at us as soon as
he sighted us and after one stop at Paonta Sahib for the night we were home
safe and sound. This was the only journey of my life in which not only I had
used automobiles but also my foot and back of another human being to complete
my journey.
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