Trip to land of God (Haridwar)

It was Friday evening when I came early from office picking nice liquor for me and good kababs, also, my old time favorite movie. Reaching home I got freshen up and started enjoying my drinks and lovely kalmi kababs. I was about to put my movie dvd in the player I overheard my mom talking to her friend. As such it is not good to over hear someone’s discussion but it was mom so it was okay. Actually my mom used to go in a temple and have a great belief there and the main priest used to come once in a year to Haridwar for a day or two and used to perform rituals for the temple’s ancestors. My mom was about to go there along with her friends but because of her health she could not and same she was discussing with her friend and feeling sorry about not to go although she was interested.

When I overheard the conversation I felt pity and decided to take my mom although I was having some important meeting but everything comes second before this. When mom was done with her conversation then I spoke to mom and told her to pack the stuff as we will be leaving early morning. Although I can drive in night time also but driving early morning is always safe that’s what other says and per my personal experience.

I don’t know but my mom felt proud when I told her that you don’t worry about your health and your trip. I will take care of this and take you there for darshan. It seems that something re-enjuavated my mother and in next one hour every thing was set. It was 4:30 am when my mom woke me up and in next half an hour we both were all set to leave and we started.

Haridwar is 7 hours journey from Delhi via Meerut and Rorkee. On my way to Haridwar we stopped at Chetal restaurant (It is a very famous restaurant and very economical too). If you are coming via public transport most of the buses stops here. After having good stuffed paranthas and sweet lassi we left Chetal restaurant and driving nonstop I was in Haridwar at 12:45. Since that priest is having his own Ashram so we don’t have to look around for hotel or dharamsalas but for the information sake I am telling that there are very good dharamsalas and hotels exists in Haridwar and on a very economical rates. Mostly dharamsalas give the room in somewhat around 100-200 bucks and hotel from 250-1000 bucks. All you have to do is just drop in to some dharamsala and simply take the room but you have to follow the rules and regulations which are set by those people and franky speaking they are very strict to that.

The ashram where we dropped in is very close to “Har-Ki-Phuri” (name means that these are God’s steps). After dropping in that ashram and taking a room, the first thing mom asked me to take her to “Har-Ki-Pauri” and we left for that. That is a devine place where river Ganga flows and all the people take bath. Also, the people who dies, there relative performs ritual there too and drop the ashes so that the person who died go to heaven.

We took the bath in holy river Ganga and went to a very famous restaurant which is just next to that place, the name is “choti wala”. He is very famous for poori-chola, halwa which he prepares in pure desi ghee. We had our lunch there and came back to ashram. Since I waked early morning and drived all the way to Haridwar I was very tired and went for a nap whereas my mom went to meet her friends.

It was five when bells of the ashram woke me up and it was all set for evening pooja. Normally I don’t attend these kind of pooja but because of my mom I went and sat in the corner.

As time passed and pooja went, I started feeling some great energy going inside me and I was simply speechless and just went on hearing. At 6 my mom asked me to take her again to “Har ki pauri” and when I took her I was amazed, the holy river was full of diya and that place was full of priest performing there poojas and singing bhajans. Oh god that was amazing and I enjoyed that fully and once it was over I headed back to ashram and finally had our dinner which was very simple and sobor & went to our bed.

In morning about 5 again I woked up because of ringing bells of temple and after taking a bath I was at the main priest’s place along with my mother. She did her pooja and finally we were free by 8 am. After having our breakfast my mom desired to visit few temples like “mansa devi”, “chamunda devi asharam”. I took her to all those temples, infact in Haridwar there are lot of temples and every temple has its own story and strong believing by its followers. In Haridwar there is a huge market where you can get good pickles, toys, cassettes, pooja stuff, etc.

By 1 pm we started back for Delhi and by 7 pm we touched Delhi and in another hour we were at home. After reaching home I was too tried and straight I hit the bed, I was about to sleep when my mom came and put her hand on my head and said “thank you son”, I overlooked and saw tears her eyes and those tears were full of joy and that gesture made me feel proud.