My Nonprofit Reviews

Spiritual Journey with Bhrigu Ashram California and devotees:

The treacherous road journey to Badrinath made easy through Divine Grace

Our Guruji and GuruMa planned a trip to Badrinathi in June/July 2015 this year as per Bhrigujis aadesh and agya from their Gurus. This was for 35 people of Bhrigu Ashram, out of which 26 them travelled all the way from California to visit the shrines in India along with their Gurus. The another major part of the journey was that there were kids in the group including 8 month old kid who travelled all the way to Badrinath without making any hue and cry on the treacherous journey to Badrinath from Haridwar.

The Badrinath temple is the most sacred places out of the famous char dham and chota char dham as well. Since the 2013 debacle of Kedarnath Yatra and millions of people losing out their lives during Yatra, the Badrinath Yatra was never on my mind. We always had this in mind that it’s the toughest place to reach to and not safe to risk life for such a journey. But when our Guruji and GuruMa told us that we from Bhrigu Ashram as a group of 35 people would be visiting the shrine, we knew that we are going and our Guru would be taking us there. There was no doubt or questions in our minds about going there.

All the preparations started from California itself, where in Guruji and GuruMa took care of the slightest of the things and did all the block bookings which included taxi bookings from Haridwar, Hotel bookings at Haridwar, walky talkies for coordination between 8 innovas and what not..

Even right now while I am writing this travelogue, my whole consciousness is filled with the moments and images imprinted on my mind that how we made it there where in just 2 days before the Yatra was stopped due to incessant rains, and broken bridges connecting Badrinath to Joshimath.

We had planned to leave from Haridwar on 28th June initially but due to the news of no Yatra we had to wait for our Guru to give us further direction. We kept reading news articles and watching news about the situation uphill but nothing crude was coming in.

Still without any news from media, our Guru Ji & Guru Ma told us that we will be taking our journey on 29th and Yatra will resume by then from Joshimath as we will reach there..(Which was Gurujis clairvoyance that came as Bhrigu Adesh)

Meeting at Bhrigu ashram Haridwar: All the devotes of Bhrigu Ashram California, got together at the Haridwar Ashram, where in we spent 2 days with Pujya Babaji, spending time together doing all the ashram activities, getting the spiritual discourses from Guruji, GuruMa, Babaji, doing sankirtan together, performing the Gau daan, enjoying the ashram meals, sitting with Babaji and feeling all the bliss by being around our Gurus.

29th June: Morning 2.30 Am it was when we were to meet at the lobby area of our Godwin Hotel in Haridwar, to start our expedition to Badrinath. It was planned such by Guruji GuruMa that we all leave the hotel at least by 4 am as there was a lot of coordination involved, the timing was certainly perfect. The amazing part was that everyone including the kids were so enthusiastic about it that at 2.30 am very early morning all of us were down at the lobby.

The planning for the trip was so perfectly done, that all the contingency planning were made by our Gurus, including carrying extra food in each car in case we get stuck anywhere and have to spend night in the car due to heavy rains, landslides and blocked roads..

When we started we all were so very much drawn to the majestic beauty of the mountains and charming weather. While on the route each Innova was given a walky talkie and proper coordination was done in case any of the cars had a problem or anyone inside was not feeling well - so that we could all stick together.

The awesome part was the Aarti performed by Guruji even when we were on road, through walky talkies, the vibrations of going with Gurus were unimaginable and not describable in words..

Decision to Stopover at Pipal Koti: It was almost 4.30 PM when we reached Pipal Koti, so Guruji, GuruMa decided to stop at Pipal Koti for stay as it was already raining and the next stop would have had been Joshimath. After that it was a good 3 hours of drive from there which would not had been safe and possible to travel in the deep majestic himalayan mountains while it was getting dark.

We booked a hotel there – as Guruji got to talk to Babaji, about staying there – she told that it’s a blessing as the place is supposed to be the tapasya sthal for great maharishis and siddha purushas, which itself gave a good omen for a successful trip to Badrinath. While we were there, Guruji kept contacting Panditji in Badrinath for the situation and he told that next day noon, yatra is getting resumed. Guruji did Bhrigu Divine reading at the hotel in evening, which was so powerful that it entrenched the feeling of calmness in all of us. In the reading Maharishi Bhrigu said that the yatra will be successful.! It didn’t seem at all while we all were sitting in Gurujis room that anyone was tired after a 12 hour arduous journey through the hills.

We closed our day doing dinner together and another session of an hour sitting together and listening to GuruMa's songs … I never knew about GuruMa singing so exceptionally wonderful…

30th June, Pipal Koti to Joshimath & Badrinath: We started at 6:00 AM next day for Badrinath, we were told that due to broken links we will have to walk down for few kms, which could be from 4 to 6 km , as no one was sure of. They also told us that for the luggage we will have Nepali porters helping us there, who carry all the luggage from one point to another. We all reached at the trek point by 12:00 PM which was about 14 Km away from Badrinath shrine. The moment we reached there, it started raining (pouring). Guruma asked for raincoats for everyone. We were not aware of what will happen and what is the due course but the faith in our Gurus, Gurus word and they being there with us, not even for a second we thought that any debacle might happen.

There were chilly cold water logs through which we had to pass, the landslide at one side and the open end hills at other side, then pouring from above – it all seemed to be such an adventurous trek with mixed feeling of adventure, fun, excitement, doing something for the first time, that too in such a large group, making sure all are together and how much time and Kms more ..

But we dint know it was not all ---- there was more to come.

When we covered our initial 2 Km trek, there were private cars which took us to another point 3 Kms ahead. From there – they had made a 90 degree slope on which only 5 people at a time were allowed to go, while some of us kept standing at one side and saw our people going to other, with landslides starting at that point as it was raining badly, but even in that situation everyone maintained calmness and kept walking swiftly…All this was happening with small kids in the group. GuruMas and GuruJis grace was such that we all reached the point safely with nothing touching any of us.

We called for a bus from this point as we were a huge group but the gov. officials kept telling us that it is coming in few mins with no sight. So we decided to start sending kids and ladies first by cabs which were taking the route up and down. Suddenly there were no cabs and buses and 8 of us were still left including Guruji , who did not take any cab in between to be there with us till the end. While we kept waiting Guruji kept coordinating with the police guy out there to get some transportation, for almost 2 hours nothing came in and the weather started becoming worse, to worsen the situation the BSF started telling us that there could be road block that’s why nothing is coming in.. But then with Gurujis and Gods grace with in another few mins a bus came out of nowhere in and we all landed at the hotel at around 5 PM. Everyone at the hotel was in tears to see all of us. The folks in Badrinath were astonished that how come we reached there when all the roads were blocked. Entire Badrinath was empty. But we made it because of Divine Grace.!

So there we were --- Badrinath, the majestic place with huge spiritual aura and lightness …

Guruji and GuruMa, used to call for a meeting every evening which we used to even look forward too, even after such heavy journeys as those meetings give you soothing effect in mind, body and soul and take away the tiredness as well.. Discussing and sharing experiences of the day and discussing the way forward for next few hours and next day..

Guruma used to order for food to the hotel staff with her own menu, making sure to have variety every day and we all used to gather at the hotel for our evening meals before signing off for the day ..


…To be Continued..Adventures At Badrinath…..
Always at thy lotus feet of my Gurus
With Deepest Loving Regards
Charansparsh
Omji.
-Kanika Bansal

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