Trip to Vaishno Devi...

Reached back today morning at 5.00 a.m. Trip was as wonderful..did a nite journey and got down at Pathankot…then took another train and reached Jammu..looking at the city I found that it looks like a Volcano…I mean sleeping all the times and suddenly bursting out…anyways part of life…Reached Katra…and checked in a hotel. Started for the temple at 7.30 in the nite when it was dark. I thought of walking and some accompanied me while others took the horse to reach half way. 14 kms is the length of the stretch on the hill with a steep journey. First 3 kms were steeper than rest. After 3kms I realized that walking in a shoe was helping me only in getting blisters and shoebites on my feet. So decided to remove the shoes and walk barefoot. Rest 11 kms barefoot…there were many ppl barefoot..so that wasn’t unique…I decided not to wear a jacket or pullover to make it a tough one for myself..and at 12.30a.m I reached the temple with others…Cold icy breeze was enough to give me the idea of the toughness of the journey…After the Darshanam went to Bhairav temple(without visiting this temple the journey is not considered as complete) but we took a horse as we were short of time. We covered the whole journey in 12 hrs time…

Only thing which I hated was sitting on a horse..poor horse would have cried off when I sat but could not do anything…after getting down from horse I seriously apologized him and god…funny isn’t it...but I seriously felt bad…and worst of all after completing the whole yatra I wasn’t able to walk…wasn’t tired of walking but was tired of sitting on the horse….the lower part of body just did not move…I only know how I walked 2 kms to reach the rick stand…while coming back, I asked goddess “why this tough journey..is there any shortcut to have a meeting with u on one to one basis” but haven’t heard from her…seems like I am in a Queue and have to wait for some more time…jokes apart…but I wud not suggest anyone to sit on horse as the pain it cause is just not worth describing…try at ur own risk…

Then what finally were in train again and morning was in office..most ppl from the trip were absent but guess my body and energy level is stronger than others...i was in office at 12.00 and it takes 2 hrs to reach my office from my home…

Only thing I don’t understand is why god and goddesses preferred these mountains as their residence?? Tirupati Balaji, Vaishno Devi, Amarnaath…etc etc…and how did they manage to reach there without proper lights and roads…with lights also it wasn’t easy how without lights??? And how did they manage without wollens as I have never seen a single god’s pic/statue or portray with pullovers or jackets or sweaters.

But whatever I say, I saw so many things which will never go from my mind apart from the scenic beauty and the faith...i saw a person with just one leg and was climbing the hill with all his effort to visit the temple..i saw a newly wed couple in the wedding dress, going to take blessing from the goddess..i saw small kids walking faster than most of us in excitement to see the temple..i saw a dog..following the crowd to reach the temple..and mind u I saw the dog at 11th km also…I don’t know what drove him there..he wasn’t following anyone or was not chasing anybody…he was walking like any other worshipper..taking rest attimes..but at a constant speed…that’s something which I can not forget from this trip…that’s the faith which calls most of us…that’s something which is within most of us but some realize and some don’t. I never knew I could walk 14 km in hrs barefoot in the cold weather…will surely go if I get a second chance…