Vasudhara Falls – On the trail of Pandavas to Heaven

The Valley

Majestic Vasudhara falls

Location: Mana Village, Uttarakhand, India.

Date:18th August,2011

All I want is to stand in a field
and to smell green,
to taste air,
to feel the earth want me,
Without all this concrete
hating me.

DevBhoomi (Land Of Gods) is situated in Uttarakhand,India.

I happened to visit this place and must say that it has everything for any kind of person.Adventure,thrill for a trekker or an adventure freak.Landscape,streams and a heaven for a photographer.A sacred place for all the pilgrims.

Peace,Calmness for kind of people who just want to get away from the fast life of cities.I must say every moment spent there was thrilling due to all the adventure, passing through active landslides which was an eperience to remember.

Chilling weather which we couldn’t get rid off even with loads of clothes on.And breathtaking due to the beauty of the valley and each time you see you find something new,splendid and you cant resist just saying ‘WOW’.

18th August Morning : A cloudy day,woke up early in the morning as we had to leave to Vasudhara falls and get back to Joshimath on the same day.

After having a hot bowl of Noodles for breakfast,we rushed towards Mana village which is the starting point of the trek which is a 10 mins drive.
Vasudhara falls which is a 6km trek from Mana village.

Mana Village

Mana ,the last Indian village in the district of Chamoli in the Indian state of Uttarakhand before the Mana Pass and is 24 kilometres from the border of India and Tibet.This trail is said to have travelled by Pandavas on their journey to heaven (Swargrohini).After a steady climb ,you will reach Bheem pull.
Why is it called Bheem pul?
Pandavas on their journey to heaven had to cross Saraswati river. Bheem had laid a huge boulder to cross Saraswati.

Bheem Pul :

Bheem Pul

A few meters ahead,lies lush green Himalaya meadows on the either side and the Alaknanda river on one side rich with flora.
I could only hear the chirping birds singing a song,cold air whispering into my ears.

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.

The trek path is laid out well and a moderate one which would take approximately 4 hours if you are a moderate trekker.A view of mana village after travelling few kms from the village towards Vasudhara falls:

On the way further,you will need to cross few streams where the path gets washed away sometimes due to landslides.

It was a clear sky and suddenly clouds came from nowhere.Within no time we were walking along with the clouds.A scary walk though with almost zero visibility.

Finally we reached Vasu dhara falls,but it wasn’t very clear.After few minutes the clouds cleared and we were able to see the majestic falls falling from such a great height.

Some info about Vasudhara falls:

Gushing waters of this cascade falls down with a roaring sound from an elevation of 400 feet. Apart from the gorgeous scenario of a dancing water fall, there is belief that the water fall turns its away from those who are not pure and clean at heart.We were lucky enough though.Once you visit the site one would feel like heaven because of its land scape and you will enjoy the cool medicated springs from the falls.

The falls allures the visitors with its exciting charm.It is difficult to stand or reach closer to the falls due to the presence of a glacier which is a steep climb down and a risky one without proper equipment or a guide.

Carry enough water to drink as there are no shops on the route but you can find a few streams ahead which are like ice cold. The last shop is at Mana village. So do carry enough stuffs to eat,may be Glucose,biscuits etc.

From Vasudhara falls, the trail leads to the Lakshmivan which is a lush green meadow, the place where Draupadi had believed to have left her body.A bit further,Arjuna gave up his body at a place called Chakratirtha.And finally after a few more days you can reach the Door to Heaven (Swarga rohini) where its like you can see the stairs to heaven. Yudhisthir reached the door to Heaven (Swarga rohini).

On your way you can see caves where sadhus reside during the year.For them, the mind is a power, and when controlled and directed, its force and subtlety are apparently unlimited.

A few things for your reference:

Stay : There are many Dharamshalas,hotels available at Badrinath which are available at moderate prices.
Things Not To Forget:

Rain coat,Poncho
Thick Woolen Jackets,Shawls,Mufflers etc as it is very cold.We had travelled there during Mid August and the experience was chilling.
Keep your plan flexible as the roads there get closed due to land slides.

Some tips for photography enthsiasts: