Drive thru Temple

> I've been sitting in the jeep on the side of the road for 1 1/2
> hours. Every 20 minutes or so we drive about 100 feet and then stop
> again. The driver just pulled down a video screen from the ceiling
> and a typical bollywood movie is playing. I guess it's a mountain
> traffic jam. Mangal, the driver, barely speaks English. I'm covered
> in road dust and feel like I smoked a carton of diesel fuel filled
> cigarettes.
>
> I woke up this morning at 4am to go to the Vishnu temple. We tried
> to go last night but it closed just as we were about to make it to
> the front of the line.
> This morning Maria and I ran thru the narrow winding streets trying
> our hardest to get to temple when it opened at 4. The plan was to
> go to temple and be in the car for 5:30 so we could get in line to
> make the 6am gate and hit the road. It took us 2 days to drive from
> rishikesh to badrinath. I am trying to make it back to rishikesh in
> one day.
> When we arrived at the festival style lit temple it was 4:45 and
> puja was still happening inside so we were not permitted to enter
> the inner sanctum. We joined the line on the stairs which quickly
> became a very intense mosh pit. People were pushing from all sides.
> Once again demonstrating the Indian perception of space.
>
> 3 hours - -- 2 kilometers. I have finished my book, meditated,
> mantra, done every seated asana I can think of and is possible in
> the back seat of this land rover thing, and completed a sudoko.
>
> 4 hours.
>
> After being shoved for God at our temple attempt we dashed back to
> the ice box ashram. I quickly began bringing the backpacks
> downstairs when all of a sudden I heard running water in the
> bathroom and the bucket sliding across the floor. I barked at Maria,
> "You're taking a bucket!!?" I immediately realized how hysterical
> this was and laughed to myself as she bargained with me behind the
> door for her right to cleanliness.
> Way too much action at this time of day and at this altitude!
> We made the 6 am gate and had spectacular peak sightings as we left
> Badrinath.
> We had planned to stop at the hanuman temple on the way down, but we
> were trying to make it 120k to Karna Prayag by noon.... That's 6
> hours to travel 75 miles.
> Spiraling down to the orange temple signifying the site where
> Hanuman picked up the mountain to bring herbs to his lord Ram, we
> agreed to stop but only for a a quick pranam.
> The driver pulled up to the road side temple and before we could get
> out the priest came to us with the puja tray. We rolled down the
> windows, made our offerings and recieved orange tilaks (forehead
> flair) without even getting out of the car! Jai Hanuman
> We reached Karna Prayag as planned and sadly said our goodbyes. A
> car was waiting to take me south to Rishikesh, Maria was to continue
> on in our car to go east for a few days.
> As I drove away waving out the window to Maria and Rakesh, I was
> reminded of the end of our last adventure together in India. We left
> one another at a train station, she went south and I went west.
>
> I reached Rishikesh 11 hours later. 17 hours total. The very end of
> the road came 6k from Rishikesh. Another landslide. After an hour
> Mangal woke me up and handed me his cell phone. Pankaj to the
> rescue. I hiked past the landslide in the dark with my belongings
> and was met by PK and a new driver. Mangal was to spend the night in
> the car, waiting until the morning for the road to be cleared.
> We arrived at the ram jhula bridge, PK got his scooter and delivered
> me safely to Raj Palace. Home sweet home.
> Best shower of my life!
>
> I'm in Chicago now. It was nice to brush my teeth with water from
> the faucet but I am already home sick for India. Counting the days
> until I return. PK rode with me to the airport after serving me
> lunch in his warm and loving home. Best guide guru you'll ever meet.
> I've got family in India that I will miss dearly.
> Come with me next year as I co-lead the Rishikesh adventure with Ms.
> Maria. It's sure to be unforgettable!
> Thanks for coming along on my pilgrimage to the heart land!!
> Om Namah Shivaya
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> Sent from my iPhone