On the way to Badrinath and unknown folktales
While crossing Karna Prayag,
I told Susmita the folktale about this Prayag. Prof. Nanda Kaushal accompanied
by her two Japanese two students doing research work in Folktales joined our discussions and we learnt a lot in
this discussion.
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( LINKS TO OTHER PARTS FROM 1 TO 8 ARE GIVEN AT THE END)
On the way to
Badrinath, our vehicle stopped for lunch break after Karnaprayag and we opened
our eyes. We learnt to sleep comfortably even in bumpy roads.
Other co-
passengers on the vehicle were leaving for Lunch in the adjoining dhaba.
Susmita shook
her and took out two packets of Biscuit, one 100 gm pack of Roasted Kaju and
few dry fruits. It was only my advice not to take any heavy food while going up
or down in a hilly road.
As we finished
our dry lunch, I said “Aha! We crossed Karna Prayag, the confluence of Alakananda
and Pindar Rivers
She said, “I
heard about Pindar Glacier, below the Nanda Devi
range.”
“Right you are.
This river originates from that.”
She said
“Then why the name is Karna Prayag?”
I scratched my
head “Now I remember. Karna of Mahabharata meditated here for long and finally
was successful to meet his actual father Surya dev. Surya dev rewarded him with Kavacha (amour)
and Kundal (Ear ring) which made Karna formidable. However, just before the war of Mahabharata, Karna
donated them to a Brahmin as he promised to that Brahmin.”
She heaved a
deep sigh “In Mahabharata, I have a soft corner for him. I also heard Swami
Vivekananda also meditated here for eighteen days.”
“Unfortunately,
last time, during the feasibility survey for Hydro power I did not find any
place preserved here in his sacred memory.”
A middle-aged
lady with a scholarly and university Professor Type look joined our discussions
“There is a temple built by ADI Sankaracharya known as Karnashila where besides
Karna there are idols of Parvati, Mahadeva and Ganesha.”
I could not stop myself saying “The birth
of Karna and Pandavas were from a similar process of act of kindness from the
Devas. This part of Himalaya is Dev Bhoomi. I heard that in historic past, the some
of the people here used to have a common wife as Draupadi of Mahabharata. There
was also a system of sacrificing life by the elders of the family by jumping
from the Hills similar to the “Mahaprasthan” of Mahabharata. From all these may I make a wild guess that
Pandavas might be related to People of Himalayas .”
The lady said “I teach comparative literature
and I do know not anybody did some research on it. But what you thought is
interesting.”
We saw a small
rivulet with deep blue waters flowing at very high speed.
I said, “That may be river Nandakini. We are
about to see Nandprayag, the confluence of Nandakini with Alakananda.”
The Lady said,
“I heard a popular folktale about this Prayag”
Susmita said “Oh
go on please.”
Lady resumed
“Nanda Raj and Yashoda meditated for long and finally Bhagwan Vishnu was
pleased and agreed to born in their house as Krishna .
However, he already promised the same to Devaki and Bosudev. So he amended that
he would born first to Devaki's but Nanda raja and Yashoda would become his
foster parents from the same night.”
At the outskirt of
Joshimoth, our vehicle stopped and stood at the tail end of the more than
Kilometer long queue of the stranded vehicles.
Meanwhile after
initial exchanges of introduction we requested the lady to have tea with us in
the adjoining tea shop.
She is Nanda
kaushal and Professor in Hindi literature and now on a fieldwork with two of
her Japanese research students on a project of Folklores of Himalayas.
Susmita became
her fast friend and I said, “You two would get along nicely because Susmita’s
nickname is Aloka and yours Nanda and both in combination make a great river
Alakananda.”
The vehicle
started moving and I said, “Soon the last of the Prayags Vishnu Prayag, the
confluence of Dhauli Ganga and Alakananda can be seen.”
Nanda shook her
head “Further upstream there is one more Prayag. Just near Mana village,
Sarswati river meets with Alakananda and after this Alakananda flows near Badrinath Temple
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We were just a few kilometers away from Badrinath town and crossing a bridge. Actually, there was a Glacier here. The snow line receded back to few Kms away and now we could trace it from here in the slopes of the adjoining mountain.
LINKS TO PART 1 TO 8 ARE GIVEN BELOW.
For Part 1
For Part 2
For Part 3
For Part 4
For Part 5
For Part 6
For Part 7
For Part 8
http://pradipwritenow.blogspot.in/2013/09/a-trek-to-dev-bhoomi-for-devas-part-8.html
3 comments:
Nice detailed account of your trip. It is safe to eat light during journey.
Thank you Indrani for your comments. While trekking on foot we take only fruit juice and if so wished occasional tea and coffee. The recharge of energy and no vomiting is guaranteed.
Nice one, nice pictures
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