Uttarakhand floods – VAGABOND IMAGES

When nature has the last laugh

Upendra SwamiDecember 7, 20215388 Views2

I had wished for long to travel to Darma Valley in Uttarakhand, ever since one of our senior photographer friend Jaimitra Singh Bisht from Almora had written about it in my travel magazine Awara Musafir. (You can read the article here.) Planned it a few times earlier, but couldn’t materialise. Two years of COVID only complicated the travel plans. But this year, I finally managed to put together an itinerary. And yes, on my favourite way to travel- my Royal Enfield Thunderbird bike! Majestic view of Darma valley with Panchachuli peaks in background. Photo: Jaimitra Singh Bisht Total trip was going to be long, almost 12 to 13 days, almost same as my bike trip to Ladakh. Well, I am not writing about the different destinations or the route or the biking here, as I will be doing so in co...

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Nanda Devi Rajjat yatra from 18th August

Upendra SwamiJuly 17, 20144556 Views3

After two years of postponement the eagerly awaited Nanda Devi Rajjat Yatra will finally take place from 18th August to 6th September this year. The Nanda Raj Jat takes place once every twelve years - the journey starts from Nauti village (Karnaprayag district of Uttarakhand state in India) accompanying a mythical four-horned sheep and Doli and all sorts of gifts for Nanda Devi, who is treated as a daughter revisiting her mother. Last Yatra happened in 2000. Hence it was originally scheduled in 2012 but was postponed due to Malmaas (one inauspicious month) in that year. Hence rescheduled to happen in 2013, again last year it was postponed due to natural catastrophe (flash floods) in Kedarnath area, which created widespread destruction and huge loss of life and property across Himalayan...

AdventureIndiaNews

Valley of Flowers national park to remain closed this year

Upendra SwamiOctober 9, 2013837 Views0

Valley of Flowers National Park — a World Heritage site — will remain closed this year even as the yatra to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, and Hemkund Saheb has been resumed. The national park opened on June 1 this year and closed on June 16 after incessant rains triggered landslips and destroyed a bridge near the national park. The bridge — across the Pushpawati river — connected the Valley of Flowers and Ghangaria. The three-kilometre stretch between the bridge and the national park was also destroyed after heavy rainfall triggered landslips in the area. Sarvesh Kumar Dube, Sub Divisional Officer, Nanda Devi National Park, Joshimath, said, “Had everything been fine, the national park would have remained open till October end.” “The Public Works Department (PWD...

AdventureIndiaPhotogallery

Hemkund Sahib- Lake & Gurudwara

Upendra SwamiSeptember 17, 20131797 Views0

Located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand in Himalayan India, Hemkund Sahib gurudwara is among those rare places which provide an excellent mix of adventure and pilgrimage. Hemkund Sahib (also spelled Hemkunt) is a Sikh place of worship Gurudwara, known as Gurudwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib Ji, devoted to Guru Gobind Singh Ji (1666–1708), the tenth Sikh Guru, which finds mention in Dasam Granth, a piece of work believed to be narrated by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It is situated at one end of a glacial lake surrounded by seven mountain peaks and each peak adorned by a Nishan Sahib on its cliff, it is located in the Himalayas at an elevation of 4632 meters (15,200 ft). Just like Valley of flowers (read: http://vagabondimages.in/2013/09/11/valley-of-flowers/) approach to Hemkund is also via Joshimat

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नंदा देवी राजजात यात्रा स्थगित

Upendra SwamiAugust 17, 20131683 Views0

एशिया की सबसे लंबी पैदल राजजात यात्रा को आखिरकार रद्द ही कर दिया गया। दैवीय आपदा के बाद उपजे हालात को देखते हुए 29 अगस्त से शुरू होने वाली राजजात यात्रा अंततः स्थगित कर दी गई। कुछ ही दिनों के अंतराल में राजजात यात्रा का नया कार्यक्रम घोषित कर दिया जाएगा। फिलहाल यह तय किया गया है कि 26 अगस्त को उन सभी स्थानों पर विशेष पूजा की जाएगी, जहां से राजजात में छंतोलियां यानि देवी के छत्र शामिल होने के लिए आते हैं। उत्तराखंड में आई विनाशकारी प्राकृतिक आपदा, सरकार के अनुरोध और अपने परंपरागत अधिकारों व उत्तरदायित्वों का प्रयोग करते हुए नंदा देवी राजजात समिति ने यात्रा स्थगित की है। 12 साल में एक बार होने वाली राजजात यात्रा 2013 इसी महीने की 29 तारीख को चमोली जिले के नौटी गांव से शुरू होनी थी, लेकिन आपदा के कारण यात्रा मार्ग बर्बाद होने तथा अन्य समस्याओं की वजह से यात्रा को लेकर संशय बना हुआ था।...