writenow: A Trek to Dev Bhoomi for the Devas

We saw innumerable wide slide zones and deforestation activity before and after the proposed Hydro power station at Srinagar. Rudraprayag is a divine blend of rhythmic dance of water flow stepping on the boulders of the riverbed and the roar of falling water. The folktale about Rudraprayag is narrated. At midnight, we also enjoyed a concert of nature at Rampur which engulfed us with dormant emotions.
( links to other episodes from 1 to 8 are given at the bottom of the page)

From Devprayag to Night halt of Rampur.

We stopped for half an hour for a breakfast break immediately after Devprayag.

Alakananda is wide here with meandering turns. We settled for Toasts without butter, coffee and sat just beside the river to enjoy the audio-visual show of the nature.

After few hours, we were crossing Srinagar, about 100 km from Rishikesh, on the left bank of Alakananda. This is an important educational and commercial center and the last city on the plains and the First Hydro-power station towards the upstream.

There are few other Hydro power projects upstream upto Vishnuprayag. Deforestation and blasting activity took place during their constructions with simultaneous loosening and increase of slide zones. We saw a big hiatus of any vegetation and growth of adjoining wide slide zones.

Minutes later, our vehicle started going up the Himalayas and Alakananda, down the valley, gradually diminished to a grey silver thin meandering strip.

However, my Aloka, sitting beside me with a god-gifted asset of sleeping was enjoying a comfortable nap. I braved (because she told me so) to tap her shoulder as the Hills and mountains throb her heart more than my presence.

After a few minutes, she shifted her gaze from the window of the bus speeding across the foothill of Siwalik.

She said “Even at the foot hill area it is not a dense forest with tall trees. I am yet to see any moving bird.

“Leave aside the birds. There are not even crickets and their continuous songs. You can only hear..”

She quipped “the sound of vehicles and fill your nostrils with burnt diesel. Better tell me about the Next Prayag.”

“That is Rudraprayag, the confluence of Alakananda and Mandakini. In the mythology, Narada Muni meditated here to learn music from Shiva. Shiva was pleased and taught him so in the form of Rudra. Just at the confluence, stairs go up to the temple of lord Rudranath on the top of a hill from the confluence of Rudraprayag. Pilgrims also visit the adjoining Chamunda devi”

Just then, our vehicle entered the GMVN hotel of Rudraprayag for the lunch break. We occupied a table at the window side and ordered for a very humble lunch of Daal-Roti as if the breath-taking feast of eyes and ears nearly filled our stomachs.

The ecstasy of conjugation of the two rivers is not a roar but a divine blend of rhythmic dance stepping on the boulders of the riverbed, in the background of accompanying music of the ripples.

Just at the beginning of a melancholic dusk, made by the fumes of the scores of stranded vehicles; we reached Rampur at about 8 Km away from Gourikund.

Nature at Rampur whispers, sings, or perhaps both. Close at midnight, we both felt the later at the forlorn rooftop of the GMVN guesthouse of Rampur.

After a quick early dinner, we thought of seeing the News of TV at our room and then go for a stroll. By that time, there would be no stranded vehicle and no more fumes.

Three hours later, a cold wind entered our room through loose window. The wind, whispered to wake us up, signaled to come out from our room, and reach the lonely rooftop. We were there for hours together and listening a rare classical concert in the amphitheater of nature.

Continuous ripples of the Mandakini, 100 meters deep down the valley, accompanied by a battery of Tanpura and sworod from the cluster of crickets with rhythmic classical dances of fireflies were the distinguished performing musicians and dancer besides prompt occasional announcements of next numbers by some anchors, a lone Owl and few Jackals.

We never heard before such a great concert by the artists of nature. It filled our heart with thrill, and ignited the warmth in the veins of both of us.

We felt the warmth of togetherness and our lips responded by caressing each other’s.
Links to other episodes are given below

For Part 1

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-1.html

For Part 2

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-2.html

For Part 3

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/trek-to-devbhoomi-for-devas-part-3-we.html

For Part 4

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/08/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-4.html

For Part 5

http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-5.html

For Part 6