World's longest pilgrimage on foot happens in India. It is once in a 12 year,280 KM long journey across the Greater Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, India. It is called Nanda Devi Raj Jaat Yatra.
It is probably also the toughest of all pilgrimages. the reason I say so is that unlike other difficult pilgrimiges like Kailash-Mansarovar or Amarnath Yatra, this one is solely conducted by locals and very little help from government or administration is taken.
This pilgrimage goes across tough Himalayan terrain and high altitude (highest point being 5200 meters). It covers exotic and diverse Himalayan landscape- forests, meadows, glaciers. It goes across a variety of Indian villages fro first 180 KMs and then across inhabited Himalayas fro next 90 KMs.
I did the pilgrimage in 2014 and I can vouch on the fact that it is an awesome experience. I even ended up writing the travel log of last 90 KMs (the inhabited part). here is the link of the 8000 word long article about 7 days of pure bliss.
The epic Raj Jaat Yatra — The Himalayan thing
If you want to know in detail about the pilgrim, read further.
The Back Story
When Goddess Parvati married Lord Shiv, she left her home in the lower Himalayas for Kailash in the upper inhabited Himalayas. For 12 long years, her maiden family did not invite her. This made her furious. On realizing that the Goddess was angry with them, her parents felt guilty and invited her home with due respect. After staying for some time with her family, the Goddess returned. Many people went to see her off.Since then, every 12 years locals conduct a Jaat (religious pilgrimage). Large number of people travel 280KMs across the greater Himalayas in Uttarakhand (a state in India) to bid farewell to Goddess Nanda aka Parvati (Nanda being her local name).
Pics
A picture can say thousand words. So here are few pics taken by me during the pilgrimage.
Bedini. Notice the tree line. above this altitude, trees stop growing. That's my friend Rohit Chhimwal.
The path.
The dead of Roopkund. Roopkund is a very famous lake. Considered among the weirdest places in the world, the lake is also known as the mystery lake and the skeleton lake. National geographic and Discovery have created shows over it. Scientists flock there to unravel the mysteries of the place. At 5100 meters above sea level, it is a high altitude, glacial lake in greater Himalayas. It is famous because of the huge number of human skeletons spread all around it. The 1100 year old skeletons belong to the pilgrims of one particular Yatra. Apparently a snow storm caught them.
The beautiful Shila Samudra. The origin of the stream visible in the pic is the destination. BTW that's my faithful tent. :)
The pilgrims.
Braham Kamal. The state flower of Uttarakhand. An exotic and endangered Himalayan Flower. The whole journey is full of such beauties.
A typical Uttarakhand village(Sutol) en route the journey.
The Complete Itinerary
Here is the itinerary of the pilgrimage held in 2014. (all distances are covered on foot). Note that the dates are bound to change by 10-15 days for next Jaat.
Through villages (all in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand)
Wan is the last Village and from thereon, path meanders through uninhabited part of Himalayas.
Again Sutol is the last village on the other side, and from thereon once again path goes through villages.
The stock of my pics and my words is endless. But the truth is that my mediocre photography and writing skills can never do justice with this humongous experience. Still I have tried to convey my experience in The epic Raj Jaat Yatra — The Himalayan thing. It is probably most detailed description of the journey through the inhabited part available on net or any other source for that matter.
In the end, one has to be there to really experience this once in a lifetime thing.
It is probably also the toughest of all pilgrimages. the reason I say so is that unlike other difficult pilgrimiges like Kailash-Mansarovar or Amarnath Yatra, this one is solely conducted by locals and very little help from government or administration is taken.
This pilgrimage goes across tough Himalayan terrain and high altitude (highest point being 5200 meters). It covers exotic and diverse Himalayan landscape- forests, meadows, glaciers. It goes across a variety of Indian villages fro first 180 KMs and then across inhabited Himalayas fro next 90 KMs.
I did the pilgrimage in 2014 and I can vouch on the fact that it is an awesome experience. I even ended up writing the travel log of last 90 KMs (the inhabited part). here is the link of the 8000 word long article about 7 days of pure bliss.
The epic Raj Jaat Yatra — The Himalayan thing
If you want to know in detail about the pilgrim, read further.
The Back Story
When Goddess Parvati married Lord Shiv, she left her home in the lower Himalayas for Kailash in the upper inhabited Himalayas. For 12 long years, her maiden family did not invite her. This made her furious. On realizing that the Goddess was angry with them, her parents felt guilty and invited her home with due respect. After staying for some time with her family, the Goddess returned. Many people went to see her off.Since then, every 12 years locals conduct a Jaat (religious pilgrimage). Large number of people travel 280KMs across the greater Himalayas in Uttarakhand (a state in India) to bid farewell to Goddess Nanda aka Parvati (Nanda being her local name).
Pics
A picture can say thousand words. So here are few pics taken by me during the pilgrimage.
The Complete Itinerary
Here is the itinerary of the pilgrimage held in 2014. (all distances are covered on foot). Note that the dates are bound to change by 10-15 days for next Jaat.
Through villages (all in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand)
- August 18- Nauti-Idabadhani
- August 19- Idabadhani to Nauti
- August 20- Nauti to Kansuwa
- August 21- Kansuwa to Sem
- August 22- Sem to Koti
- August 23- Koti to Bhagwati
- August 24- Bhagwati to Kulsari
- August 25- Kulsari to Chepdnue
- August 26- Chepdnue to Nandkesari
- August 27- Nandkesari to Faldiagaon
- August 28- Faldiagaon to Mundoli
- August 29- Mundoli to Wan
Wan is the last Village and from thereon, path meanders through uninhabited part of Himalayas.
- August 30- Wan to Gairoli Patal
- August 31- Gairoli Patal to Bedni
- September 01- Bedni to Patar Nachaunia
- September 02- Patar Nachaunia to Shilasamudra
- September 03- Shilasamudra to Homkund and Chandaniyaghat
- September 04- Chandaniyaghat to Sutol
Again Sutol is the last village on the other side, and from thereon once again path goes through villages.
- September 05- Sutol to Ghat
- September 06- Ghat to Nauti
The stock of my pics and my words is endless. But the truth is that my mediocre photography and writing skills can never do justice with this humongous experience. Still I have tried to convey my experience in The epic Raj Jaat Yatra — The Himalayan thing. It is probably most detailed description of the journey through the inhabited part available on net or any other source for that matter.
In the end, one has to be there to really experience this once in a lifetime thing.
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