Prologue:
The experience of Life: An Introduction
Date: 18th August 2017
It was a much awaited day, since the initial thought about the trek came to the group in March 2017. Since then, there had been so much planning, thought, preparation and dream towards this trip - And there I was ; early morning 5:45M at Bangalore airport to board the flight to Dehradun!!! Part of the Group were on the same flight.
It was a tiring flight; We landed at Dheradun in the afternoon. The taxi service at Dheradun is very bad and it seems to be monopolized by a set of private operators with ridiculous rates.
The group took a cab after paying high rate to reach the west side of Lakshman Jhula, Rishikesh. We reached the hotel after a long 15 mins walk - first crossing the Lakshman Jhula bridge and then navigating though the small road in the area.
Finally we checked-in around 2:30PM.
Rishikesh was very hot and humid and it seems to be like a coastal city rather than the Himalayan foothills.
After a brief freshen-up, we ventured out to have some food. The place selected was "Zorba Organic" which served good food for the group of hungry tummies.
What next? We had not planned anything specific for this day!!! Ganga aarti was in the mind and the group wished to find the nearest place where the aarti happens.
We enquired at the streets to get details on where the aarti happens. People were helpful to give the correct information.
It was a long walk, the gang flowing on one side. There were shops on the narrow street and the Ganga was visible in patches during the walk.
There was place beside the road where we spotted few peacock!!!
Finally after a long 20 minutes walk, we reached the Ganga bank near Ram Jhula.
The sight of flowing Ganges was really refreshing, We relaxed for sometime at the shore watching to the rhythm of the Ganges.
After relaxing at the shore for about 20minutes, we started walking towards the temple at "Parmarth niketan". It was a very nice temple at banks of the Ganges where aarti happens everyday during sunset.
As we enter the temple, there is an energizing idol of sri Hanuman depicting his love and devotion to Load Ram and Sita Devi.
The group sat silently beside the shore listening to the bhajan and watching the sunset.
The blissful experience of the Ganga aarti was performed by everyone after the sunset. It was a complete different feeling to participate in the aarti which involuntary arise from within just by the presence of the might river.
The group walked silently back towards the hotel. Some of the group members who arrived late and participated the aarti at Lakshman jhula was waiting for us. After initial chit-chat we strolled thru couple of restaurants on the road and finally decided on the dinner place.
After the dinner we dispersed for the night with the plan to assemble the next day morning at 6:30AM ready for the rock-n-roll ride towards Govind Ghat.
The experience of Life: An Introduction
Date: 18th August 2017
It was a much awaited day, since the initial thought about the trek came to the group in March 2017. Since then, there had been so much planning, thought, preparation and dream towards this trip - And there I was ; early morning 5:45M at Bangalore airport to board the flight to Dehradun!!! Part of the Group were on the same flight.
It was a tiring flight; We landed at Dheradun in the afternoon. The taxi service at Dheradun is very bad and it seems to be monopolized by a set of private operators with ridiculous rates.
The group took a cab after paying high rate to reach the west side of Lakshman Jhula, Rishikesh. We reached the hotel after a long 15 mins walk - first crossing the Lakshman Jhula bridge and then navigating though the small road in the area.
 |
| Lakshman Jhula |
Finally we checked-in around 2:30PM.
Rishikesh was very hot and humid and it seems to be like a coastal city rather than the Himalayan foothills.
After a brief freshen-up, we ventured out to have some food. The place selected was "Zorba Organic" which served good food for the group of hungry tummies.
What next? We had not planned anything specific for this day!!! Ganga aarti was in the mind and the group wished to find the nearest place where the aarti happens.
We enquired at the streets to get details on where the aarti happens. People were helpful to give the correct information.
It was a long walk, the gang flowing on one side. There were shops on the narrow street and the Ganga was visible in patches during the walk.
 | ||
| View of Lakshman Jhula during the walk |
Finally after a long 20 minutes walk, we reached the Ganga bank near Ram Jhula.
The sight of flowing Ganges was really refreshing, We relaxed for sometime at the shore watching to the rhythm of the Ganges.
 |
| Playing with the water!!! |
 |
| Golden water before sun set!! |
After relaxing at the shore for about 20minutes, we started walking towards the temple at "Parmarth niketan". It was a very nice temple at banks of the Ganges where aarti happens everyday during sunset.
As we enter the temple, there is an energizing idol of sri Hanuman depicting his love and devotion to Load Ram and Sita Devi.
 |
| Lord Hanuman |
 |
| The Sunset view from 'Parmarth niketan' |
The blissful experience of the Ganga aarti was performed by everyone after the sunset. It was a complete different feeling to participate in the aarti which involuntary arise from within just by the presence of the might river.
The group walked silently back towards the hotel. Some of the group members who arrived late and participated the aarti at Lakshman jhula was waiting for us. After initial chit-chat we strolled thru couple of restaurants on the road and finally decided on the dinner place.
After the dinner we dispersed for the night with the plan to assemble the next day morning at 6:30AM ready for the rock-n-roll ride towards Govind Ghat.
