Few ascetics remain in bone chilling Gangotri Valley to continue penance
Vinod Chamoli | NEW TEHRI
The Gangotri area wears a deserted look after the closure of the temple for the winter on November 2. However, about 35 ascetics have stayed back and are engrossed in various devotional and Yogic pursuits. Some are doing it by remaining silent while some are involved in difficult penance and continuing their practices in the bone-chilling cold at an altitude of about 4,600 metres at Tapovan. The number of such ascetics is expected to rise with the absence of the devotees.
The Himalaya has been the centre of spiritual practice for centuries. There are still many ancient caves where the Sadhus performed extreme penance. Three to four decades ago, many seekers were seen here, but gradually the number has reduced over the years. Now around 35 Sadhus are practicing their penance amid the silence and grandeur of the Himalaya.
Yoga practice has special significance in the caves of Gangotri Valley, the origin area of the Ganga. For meditation, the ascetics build their huts under the shelter of boulders. They also keep essential items needed to survive during the winter. Those undertaking spiritual practices here include eight Sadhvis.
Mahant Ramakrishna Das, who has been doing penance since 1988 in Kankhu, two kilometers away from Gangotri, says that till two decades ago, there used to be snowfall in October itself and the tap water used to freeze. But this year there has been no snowfall even in November. It is said that in earlier times, there were more challenges while performing penance during winter.
Until 1995, he used to make gloves and socks himself from blanket material during the winter. Until the 1990s, one had to eat only bread made from Ramdana flour and potatoes or Rajma dal for six months during the winter. However, now ration and clothes are available in abundance. According to Swami Nirjanand, who is doing Sadhana near Gangotri Dham, the best time for Sadhana is winter. Due to solitude at this time, one gets ample time for meditation and prayer. Lalita Mata, who is meditating in a cave two kilometers away from Gangotri, says that tap water freezes during winter. In such a situation the water or ice in the tank has to be melted.
