At Devprayag, you are at the cross roads to Char Dhams

Adi Sankaracharya, a Kerala seer, in 8th century initiated four abodes of God, sacred and revered by Hindus, a 'must' to visit them as a pilgrimage in one's lifetime. Badrinath, Dwarka, Jagannath Puri, and Rameshwaram. Two Vaishnavite, one Shavite, and other mixed. Later on, around mid 20 th century, Chhota Char Dham was recognised, all in Garhwal in Uttarakhand- Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. Kedarnath is home to Lord Shiva, Badrinath home to Lord Vishnu; Gangotri is home to Goddess of Shakti Ganga, and, Yamunotri to Goddess of Shakti Yamuna.

Two maps given here show the route. Best time is when there is not deep winter or heavy rains. Most travel can be done by vehicles, but, for all these four destinations, one has to walk or take a mule ride for about final 10/11 kms of distance to reach temples. Roadside dhabas provide good vegetarian food.

GMVN, state government tourism dept also provides bus and car services for these destinations. Pl speak with the one who has already been there to finalize your journey.

Deoprayag town has many known Purohits and Sadhus who can take you there in all the comfort. One gentleman is Mukesh Bhat, Adyaksh Badri Panda Panchayat at 9411 548063, and, Vinod Dhayani, Badrinath purohit at 9410 106125. Best luck

Want a direct taxi to Delhi from Devprayag-door to door pick-up?

Gabbar Singh runs a taxi service from Devprayag to Delhi on daily basis. He will pick up in Delhi anywhere and will bring you to Devprayag and vice versa. Just call him at his cell no. to know the availability -9568 362323 and 9917 772471. He charges R 600 one way per person, he told me when I met him in Deoprayag in the month of March, 2011. He will pick you up in Delhi from your house at about 11.30P and land you in Devprayag early morning at 6A. I have not tried him and have no experience at all of travelling with him. Hope travel with him may be pleasant.

Great scope to set up one business in Devprayag

Internet Cafe is one business which one can start and make a good living as there is none at the moment. With many foreighners visitors and the local Indian youths, a two/three monitor shop can be a good earner.

Besides, a clean restaurant and a cafe at the bus stand serving tea/coffee and city-snacks which may have a fly-screens on the doors/windows, with clean waiters can also provide good income for an entrepreneur. Lady manager/owner can be an asset.

How to reach Devprayag, Uttarakhand, India

From Delhi, you can take very comfortable train, called Shatabdi to Haridwar, or a fast bus or a taxi. About 10 trains run between Delhi, Punjab and other towns. Saharanpur or Roorkee are the major towns before you reach Haridwar.
Nearest airport Jolly Grant is 90 kms away at Dehradun.

Haridwar-(20 mts to) Rishikesh-Shivpuri-Kaudiayala-Deoprayag. One can also go to Dehradun, the state capital-Haridwar-Rishikesh-Deoprayag. Local buses ply every hour during off-peak or every 20 mts or so in a peak season from Rishikesh (distance 70kms) and charge R 65 one way for about a two and half hour journey; while taxi charges R80.

Never ride a taxi in back seat if you do not have a strong stomach. Vomiting is quite common for the bus riders, very few say sorry if they puke on you. Midway food stop for most of the transporters between Rishikesh and Devprayag is a big 'dhaba' town -Saat Dhara. Eat at a very fresh food and hygienic place Hotel Ganpati operated by a young man Alok.

If you are worried about water-borne diseases, buy bottled water for R15. Locals use river Ganga water for drinking with lot of respect and presume to be pure while at the same time throwing lot of garbage into the holy river; or, they may be using handpump drawn.

Do not worry about your luggage on the bus being stolen or pocket picked, people are honest and simple. Eve teasers can only be found among the travellers or devotee-visitors, locals are gentleman.

Paratha with lentil is the best breakfast. It costs about R20 to 35 for two. Most dishes cost about R35 while flat bread costs R4 and tea R7. In the night, do not walk on the roads without a torch otherwise you may end up as dinner for leopard (guldaar).

Devprayag: Holy Ganga starts from here

Devprayag:

Devprayag, a town in Uttarakhand, India, at 630 meters is a religious historic town, the city of 'gods', the originating place of the sacred river Ganga, the confluence of Bhagirathi and Alaknanda, settled in 14th century by religious heads landed from southern India, callled 'jajmans' who would take their devotees to 'char dham yatra' and to Badrinath and Kedarnath for another 6 months travail on foot journey to worship.

A small town, a Degree college, a Tehsil, a Panchayat managed town ( Chairman is JP Pandit the ever eager smiling gentleman), still run by rich and influential 'pandas' where labor is supplied by nearby villages or bordering Nepal. Nearest ATM or hospital is 36 kms ahead in the town of Srinagrar or 65 kms back in Rishikesh. A town where there is no meat or liquor sale. On the town borders you can buy meat and cook yourself.

A busy bus stand, a single petrol pump, it has one high end hotel for about R2300 a night, three medium hotels at the entrance of the hotel at R500/night ( one clean and well managed is Pious Ganga run by KK Kotiyal), one nice R340/night GMVN govt run hotel, and few others. Food is at 'dhabas' or at hotel restaurants.

People are honest. District hq is Pauri 2 hrs away. Water is by town or from hand pumps installes on the main road corners which is a national highway now. State's scary news of every alternate day is -2/3 people dead in automobiles falling down (strangely local bus or taxis never involved) from risky mountain roads, 3/4 villagers killed by leopard, 2/3 by slipping down in the gorge while tending their daily life like cutting grass, one leopard killed by villagers every 20 days or so and police immediately arresting him. Dogs are kept indoors in room at night not to be made late night dinner for jungle cats, where woman carry 40kgs bags on their heads and walk to 500 mts high house on mountains. A few city dwellers have reached the town seeking peace and life away from city hassles. One is engineer Naresh Sharma who lived in Australia for 26 years, now building a glass house nearby at Saat Dhaara,
a 'dhaba town' midway. Another IAS couple lives on the river banks.

One NGO-Live For Others Foundation has started a mission of cleaning Deoprayag of garbage/plastics/ animal waste and make it as the first garbage free town of the country. Will also set up a girl-child family home for kids to provide them a family living and education. A woman cottage industry to tailor cotton hanging bags as souvenir sale has been started under the management of Malti Rawat. English speaking course for degree students has been started to help them qualify in job interviews with Delhi, Gurgaon employers.