Gangotri II

Diary for 10th October
Relaxed wake up, at 0600. Can’t help it. I sleep at 2030 !!

Variation for breakfast. Had a couple of idles with sambar and then couple of poor is with aloo sabji. 

There were these 3 Bengali families having breakfast. Last evening they had been sitting at one long table. For breakfast, they had occupied every table !!! Believe me, their attitude was as though they owned the place. Obviously the staff did not appreciate this. I got served hot pooris which they were waiting for !! Politely offered them what was left over. Brats, all of them.


Left for Gangotri after breakfast. Carried my laptop, hoping there would be decent data signals for me to get some connectivity work done.

Easy, slow drive. Take a look at the pictures. No better story can be said.





Gangotri is organised. Parking is planned. You drive till about a kilometre short of the temple. Then walk thru this narrow lane with curio shops and canteens. Every second canteen was displaying jilebiis. Resisted temptation, as they were thankfully not fresh hot.

There was a crowd at the temple, so went past to the Ganges. Walked a bit up the river till I found place to sit on the stones, without a human within 100 meters. Spent a while there, dipping my feet in the water. Freezing cold is all I can say.






Got back to the temple area. There seemed to be a break in the crowd. No queue. So decided to go in. By the time I had taken my shoes off and reached the steps, countless goondu mamis arrived to shove me around. Well, I was halfway up the dozen steps, so continued as part of the fat. The diety radiates power, is all I can say.

Walked back down the lane, till I found a canteen that looked semi decent. Had a masala dosai and a plate of aloo tikki for lunch. Thought I’d please my elder daughter by copying her taste for junk.

Drove back slowly. Parked at a vantage point on a curve, with the sun on me. Was there for almost an hour, before I got back to the resort.



My room has been changed. In a smaller room, still facing the river. But, a corner room, so gets the afternoon sun. Must have done something good.

Stayed out in the sun till it went down. Unfortunately clouds were covering the snow peaks to the east.



The room was nice and warm with the heater on. Did not reduce input of spirituals.

More tomorrow.


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