#Day 0

27^th May

Post my JEE exam on 26th, we set off from Vizag on 27th afternoon, headed to our base camp, Vizianagaram. This time, there were only the four of us(my sister, our parents & me). It took us a while to gather our stuff & load them into the car.

Reaching Vizianagaram, the car was off to be serviced, to be returned in the evening. Rest of the day was spent packing & repacking everything to make sure we had everything. We headed to bed early, excited for the upcoming day

#Day 1

28^th May

Excitement got the better of me & I couldn’t sleep. The alarm went off at 2:30 am & tons of procrastination later, we could make it to the car only by 4:30. Waving goodbye to my grandmother, we set off into the unknown just as the sun started rising.

Buildings, houses & fields whizzed by. It took us an hour to leave behind Salur (last town of AP) & enter Orissa through the ghats. Reminiscing about our previous trip (it was the same route), we made our way across Orissa moving on towards Chattisgarh. The plan was to go past Nagpur & halt for the night. The Vizag-Raipur expressway was still under construction, leaving us to resort to moving through more crowded highways. Nevertheless, we reached Makri Dhaba, our signature spot, & had a hearty lunch

Learning from previous experiences, I knew that the internet would be choppy in these places & downloaded the map. My sister threatened that she’d push me off a cliff if we got lost in the forests of Chattisgarh again(it would’ve been our 5th time). Thankfully, I didn’t give her that chance. Merging with the main highway at Seoni, we drove on to Narsinghpur reaching by 8 pm. Checked into our hotel, & fell asleep

#Day 2

29^th May

Day 2 began with the same drill of getting up early & hitting the road. The kilometres kept rolling. We crossed a few notable places like Sagar, Lalitpur & Talbehat to reach Jhansi by 11. An early lunch later, we were back on the road. Temperatures were a scorching 48° on the outside. The car AC was doing a fantastic job & we didnt feel much of the heat. As we approached Agra, the temperatures dropped & it started raining. Just as the rain subsided, we were caught in a sandstorm. We experienced a plethora of different climates on the same day.

We reached Mathura at 4:30. In Mathura, the original place where Krishna was born (the jail) was destroyed by the tyrannic Mughal invader Aurangazeb who built the Shahi Idgah Mosque in its place. Post-independence, industrialists could only construct a temple conjoined by the Shahi Idgah Mosque. It serves as a stark reminder of the atrocities faced by Hindus under barbaric foreign invaders. We were flagged down by a guide who took us to Gokulam. He was all praise for the Yogi-Modi double-engine govt. He described schemes such as E-Rickshaw & Solar subsidies the government offers. We saw the place where Krishna grew up & his home in Gokul which was a magical experience. Equally surreal was the creaminess of the curd & Rabri. It is one experience I’d like to repeat again

Following this, we boarded the Yamuna Expressway at 7:30, & a quick pitstop in the Drive-In later, we were in NCR by 9:30. My fascination with the power circles of Delhi never ends. We drove by the India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan, Vayu Sena Bhavan, the Residences of Several Union Ministers, & the New Parliament. It was midnight by the time we finally checked into the Hotel

#Day 3

30^th May

In an attempt to hit the road early & skip all of Delhi’s traffic, we missed some much-needed sleep. Nevertheless, we boarded the Delhi-Meerut Expressway but not before catching a quick glimpse of Bharat Mandapam. Stopped at a Dhaba for a quick breakfast & were back on the road. Reached Tanakpur around noon and entered into ghats. The sudden shift in vegetation & terrain was hard to miss. As our elevation increased, the temperature started plummeting. In 20-30 minutes, temperatures plummeted from 46° to 16°. A flat tyre dashed our plans of reaching Pithoragarh by 6 pm. Enjoying the scenic views & the setting sun, we went by 7:30 pm

Our hotel manager gave some essential tips for the upcoming Adi Kailash trip. We were hoping to do the trip in our Nexon but he dissuaded us from it. According to him, the road was too rocky in several parts, which would damage our clutch plates & suspensions. Water falling from melting glaciers would be waist-high on the road & if any of it got into the engine, it would give out. Despite being apprehensive about his advice, we were forced to concede with him & went to bed

Day 4

31^st May

Woke up to a bright & sunny morning & had our breakfast. My sister spotted this trip’s first Himalayan peak. Despite hitting the road by 9, we could reach Dharchula by 1:30. It took us a while to get our passes from the agent. (Being so close to the Indo-China border, it is required to get passes from the army. We contacted an agent who got them for us. Number - XXXXXXXXX (Deepak)). Even he dissuaded us from going in our car & suggested to take one of their 4x4s. We ultimately conceded defeat. We left our car on the streets of Dharchula and boarded their 4x4. Thus began one of the most scenic drives of the trip

We could see large swathes of road ahead, winding through the mountains, with several 4x4s like ours. From 2-laned tar roads, they’d abruptly change to gravel & rocks, showing that a landslide had recently occurred. Several BRO workers were already working to stabilise the mountain & re-lay that patch.

The Kali River demarcated the international border between India & Nepal. It accompanied us till we reached Gunji. A few breathtaking glimpses along the way-

Just as the sun was setting, we reached Gunji. Nestled away in the foothills of the Himalayas, this village lay isolated from the outside world. We stayed in a small homestay, surrounded by the Himalayas from all sides. Despite carrying winter wear, we found ourselves to be underprepared for the cold. Lesson to self, wear at least 3 layers of winter clothing

#Day 5

1^st June

Woke up by 4 am to see the peaks bathed in the golden rays of the sun. Headed on to Jolingkong(basecamp for Adi Kailash) where our driver dropped us off. Despite being a short 1.5 km trek with vehicular access, mule riders had formed a union & barred any vehicles from going along the trail, forcing pilgrims to either walk or use their mules with obscene prices. We decided to walk on our own & enjoy the surrounding beauty. This was by far the highest we’ve ever been, at 4612m above MSL. We could feel the deficiency in oxygen, even a few hurried steps would have us panting for breath. A simple 1.5 km trek became difficult.

Adi Kailash is the second prominent peak among the Panch Kailash, the first being Kailash. According to legend, this is the place where Parvati performed Tapasya to marry Shiva. This is also the place where Lord Shiva set foot on Earth after deciding to marry Parvati. It is known as the Earthly abode of Shiva, & the place where he revealed his divine form to Sage Ashtavaktra. More details can be found here

After reaching the temple & catching our breath, I & my father sat down in the Garbha-Griha & started chanting Sri Rudram. My father was reading from a Telugu script & immediately, a total stranger joined us. He opened a Hindi text & followed along with us line-by-line. And they talk about the North-South divide. Our voices resonated synchronously inside the temple. Meanwhile, clouds parted to reveal Adi Kailash in its full glory. The views were breathtaking-

Post this, we proceeded back to Jolinkong where, an obscenely priced mediocre lunch later, we decided to spend the night at OM Parvat viewpoint. Unexpected road maintenance by BRO delayed our plans with us having to spend the night at a homestay near Gunji.

Day 6

2^nd June

Started early in the morning towards Om Parvat. Om Parvat is a mystical mountain on which snow falls in the shape of ॐ without human intervention. Reached by 7:45 to witness it in overcast weather. Little by little, the clouds parted to give us an 80% view of the ॐ. We started back towards Dharchula by 9:30. A few more breathtaking views-

Despite reaching Dharchula by 2:30, we were delayed by 3 hrs just before the town due to road maintenance. A big thank you to BRO for maintaining roads even at such altitudes. We could reach our Nexon only by 5:30. The familiar blue colour was a sight for sore eyes. Bidding our driver adieu, we decided to continue on till Pithoragarh. Arriving completely exhausted & without proper sleep for many days, fell asleep into a deep slumber.

Day 7, 8, 9

3^rd, 4^th, 5^th June

It was the eve of the election results, & we decided to crash someplace cool to calm down & enjoy the counting. We picked a resort in Choukori for its pristine Himalayan skyline, cool climate and internet connectivity. Checked in by 2 pm & chilled out for the next 3 days while enjoying the results. The drop in the number of seats for BJP was a let-down, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying these magnificent views-

Day 10

6^th June

Started the return journey after a heavy breakfast by 9. Descended back into plains. The long straight roads where we could go 120s were missed in the mountains. Soon enough, Uttarakhand was left behind & we were travelling in mainland UP. The street food of UP is fantastic. The Aloo Tikki Chaat is a must-try delicacy. Having tried 5 random roadside stalls, our observations were

• Food is pretty cheap
• Tasty & Hygienic
• Less Spicy (In Andhra, only taste that’s appreciated is spicy)

The highways were nothing short of awesome. Even while travelling through remote UP, the single-lane roads through villages were smooth & pothole-free. Finally, we reached Lucknow by 9 pm & checked into our hotel

Day 11

7^th June

Started from Lucknow by 7 am. It was a special day as we visited Ayodhya, our first time since the Pran Prathistha. As we were leaving Lucknow, I noticed a long stretch of the metro parallel to the road. I hopped on board while my father followed behind in the car. The Lucknow metro was neat, clean, spacious (& fast!)

Soon, Lucknow was left behind. To facilitate easy movement of devotees, the Lucknow-Ayodhya highway was maintained well. The outskirts of Ayodhya were decorated vibrantly with statues of Rama, Valmiki & Hanuman. We played Tyagaraja Swamy, Muttu Swami Dikshitar & Syama Sastry’s best compositions on Sri Rama in the car which was a memorable experience. Only when he understands the lyrics behind the Ragam, can one truly appreciate the beauty & intellectual genius of Tyagaraja

Reached Ayodhya by noon. Being peak summer, the temperatures were North of 48°. Phones or other metallic objects were prohibited in the temple premises. To enter the temple, we had to go through security tighter than an Airport. After being frisked multiple times & depositing our footwear at the temple-operated stands, we were allowed near the Garbha Griha. The flooring surrounding it was made of a special type of marble that didn’t absorb heat. As we climbed the steps, I got my first glimpse of Sri Rama. I was stunned & transfixed by him, & my head was blank. Cries of “Jai Sri Ram!” resonated throughout the chambers. The energy of the resonating cries gave me goosebumps. What a struggle it was to get here!

It took us 1 hour to come out of the temple complex. We saw people from every state. A good chunk of them were Telugites. Adi Shankaracharya was right when he envisaged temples to unite the country! The scorching sun was too hot to bear. The air was as hot as an oven. Even a few paces seemed to drain out all the water in the body. Somehow, we made our way back to the car. The car AC was a respite from the burning heat outside. Making our way through the narrow gullies, we boarded the highway, & headed to Vishwanath’s abode, Varanasi.

I saw the Amul Banas dairy on the outskirts of Varanasi. Entering Varanasi, the streets were crowded with tourists. Navigating the narrow lanes on our way to the temple was a driving test for my father. We were late for the Ganga Aarti, so we decided to visit the temple early the next morning. We found a hotel close to the temple and checked in. The afternoon sun had exhausted all of us, but it didn’t stop me from exploring Varanasi’s street food. I enjoyed the Rabri, Tomato Chat, & Kachori Sabzi. It was past midnight by the time I went to bed.

Day 12

8^th June

Had to wake up at 3:30 am and get ready because of the Kasi Viswanath temple. We wanted to get there early for a quick and hassle-free Darshanam. However, it was very crowded being Saturday, with hundreds of people flocking to the temple. We had to pass through strict security measures similar to those at an airport, with watch towers situated across the temple premises. Even though we joined the line at around 4:30 am, we could only complete our Darshanam by 7:00 am. Nearly half of the devotees were Telugu, and even the shopkeepers had learned passable Telugu to sell their wares. It made me wonder how Andhra and Kasi, despite being so far apart, were still so deeply connected. This was our first time in Kasi after the Viswanath corridor was opened. We got to see Nandi turned towards the mosque, awaiting his master’s return, as well as the newly opened Vyas ka tekhana basement. The expansion of the Kashi corridor from last time made it much more spacious & devotee-friendly. Now, we don’t have to squeeze through narrow unclean gullies to get to the temple.

We had breakfast of Idly and Vada at Annapoorna Trust Annadanam Kendram. When leaving the temple, we lost our way and ended up going in a completely different direction. We had deposited our footwear in a locker upon entering, and not knowing which gate we had come through made things more complicated. The only place we were familiar with was our hotel. Trying to retrace our steps back to the hotel, then to the temple, and back to the hotel again took up a lot of time. We were all starting to feel homesick. Despite being exhausted from lack of sleep, we continued on our way back home. It was 12:30 by the time we hit the road. We stopped on the outskirts of Kasi and had some thick and creamy mango lassi, which was so delicious that we ended up having three more glasses and skipped lunch. All the places where we had street food in Uttar Pradesh were completely random, and I doubt I could find my way back to the same place again. Nevertheless, we always enjoyed tasty food at very reasonable prices. As we continued our journey, we noticed a significant change in the landscape. Passing through rural Uttar Pradesh, we saw mostly clay huts with very few facilities. Many of them didn’t even have electricity. Despite this, the people seemed content and carried on with their lives, managing to make ends meet. Their ability to find happiness despite having very little will always inspire me. Reached Ambikapur by 8 pm & checked into our hotel.

Day 13

9^th June

Tired from the previous day, we could only hit the road by 9:30. My JEE Advanced result was due to come in at 10:00 am. Unfortunately, I didn’t qualify by 2 marks. Melancholy took over me thinking about the 3 years of hard work I’d put in for it. The plains of Chattishgarh flew past & soon we were in Orissa. Terrain changed as we entered into the Eastern Ghats. Fuel was dangerously depleted & there wasn’t any petrol pump around, just green forest as far as the eye can see. To further complicate things, we were out of cash & there was no signal. Luckily, we found a pump that accepted cards & the worker assured us that we were on the right path.

Refuelled & energised, we continued on to leave behind the eastern ghats, just in time to witness the Prime Minister’s oath-taking ceremony. Continued on to reach Brahmapur by 9pm. Hungry from the afternoon, we decided to enter Andhra & eat some Idlis. Surprisingly, not one restaurant served Idlis. Everyone only had a dozen non-veg biryanis with plenty of booze. Andhra is not for tourists. Highly disappointed, I called my grandmother & asked her to prepare rice & potato fry, a comfort food after 2 weeks of Rotis. Very sleepy & tired, we finally reached home by 1:15 am

While travelling through different regions, I couldn’t help but notice the incredible diversity of our country. With 1.4 billion people from various walks of life, all united by one word: Bharat. This experience also helped me to appreciate what I have, as I encountered many people who were less fortunate than myself

Do read the post written by my mother- Post