Yoga Teacher Training - Pilgrimage to Ukhimath
It seems friday is excursion day for us on our month long, 300 hour, yoga teacher Training. Today was no different, except that we left a little later. 7 am into the jeeps and an hour long nail biting journey from one side of the valley to the other. Sounds easy right? Just the other side of the valley right? Its just that our vehicles have to navigate one destroyed road after another. Waterfalls using the road as a pathway and the usual passing of large vehicles on one way roads next to several hundred metre ravines!
Of course we were protected and arrived at the stunning village of Ukhimath, the Site of the most ancient temple in the whole of India. Carbon dated to 5000 years ago and home to the supremely sacred Kedernath statues during the worst of the seasonal Himalayan weather. A seriously important pilgrimage place for devotees.
We were doubly blessed as the main priest for the whole Kedernath area was there and able to perform the Puja and read us two stories of historical significance to the temple. After the ceremony we went to the site of Sri Krishna's own grandsons wedding, just next door and then inside to a smaller side temple of equal historical weight. The priest on duty in the smaller temple was reading, or rather chanting from ancient scriptures as a part of a vigil, shared with other priests, to honour NAVA RATRI. The nine nights of the goddess. This lovely space, known as Chandi Temple was on an energetic high as the feast of the nine aspects of Dhurga was in play. My spiritual name is Ambika, an aspect of Dhurga. So a special place for me to visit today.
It was a visual feast and we were treated to some drumming in the forecourt, a man making sandalwood paste droplets for sale in the big cities, so. I was told. I thought he was an artist! Even an actress turned up for the filming of a scene form a movie. The locals were friendly and happy to pose for pictures and share their spiritual wealth.
Of course we were protected and arrived at the stunning village of Ukhimath, the Site of the most ancient temple in the whole of India. Carbon dated to 5000 years ago and home to the supremely sacred Kedernath statues during the worst of the seasonal Himalayan weather. A seriously important pilgrimage place for devotees.
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| The temple facade under renovation, following the devastating rains of 2013. |
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| Temple detail. |
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| Making Sandalwood spots for city folk...at least that is what I was told! |
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| Incense burning at the site of the marriage of Krishna's Grandson. |
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| The temple forecourt |
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| Friends:) |
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| The Temple forecourt drummer. |
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| The actress who came and conquered. Her entourage doubled the village population. |
We were doubly blessed as the main priest for the whole Kedernath area was there and able to perform the Puja and read us two stories of historical significance to the temple. After the ceremony we went to the site of Sri Krishna's own grandsons wedding, just next door and then inside to a smaller side temple of equal historical weight. The priest on duty in the smaller temple was reading, or rather chanting from ancient scriptures as a part of a vigil, shared with other priests, to honour NAVA RATRI. The nine nights of the goddess. This lovely space, known as Chandi Temple was on an energetic high as the feast of the nine aspects of Dhurga was in play. My spiritual name is Ambika, an aspect of Dhurga. So a special place for me to visit today.
It was a visual feast and we were treated to some drumming in the forecourt, a man making sandalwood paste droplets for sale in the big cities, so. I was told. I thought he was an artist! Even an actress turned up for the filming of a scene form a movie. The locals were friendly and happy to pose for pictures and share their spiritual wealth.
