Spiritual Himalayan Pilgrimage
Badrinath and the Alaknanda River, 2017
A Vaishnava pilgrimage site of vital importance, the holy Himalayan town of Badrinath sits along the banks of the Alaknanda River. Although Hindu mythology considers the Bhagirathi River the source stream of the Ganges (Ganga), hydrologists consider the Alaknanda River to be the Ganga's source stream due to its great length and discharge.
Getting to this holy site was an extremely unsettling experience. As if on a whim, I decided to leave Rishikesh in order to savor the finer stratospheric air of the Himalayas. After dunking my mind and body in the Ganga, I was left with an insatiable spiritual thirst. I felt a magnetic pull, and Badrinath seemed to me to be the source of this northward pull. So towards the heavens I decided to ascend on one of those overpopulated rickety-rackety Indian buses. The only seat available was at the left back corner of the bus, which proved to be an unfortunate blessing. As the bus picked up additional passengers along the way the local Indians began to plop themselves on the floor. Eventually, the aisle of overflowing passengers reached all the way to the back of the bus and people somehow piled on in the carnival clown bus.
Getting to this holy site was an extremely unsettling experience. As if on a whim, I decided to leave Rishikesh in order to savor the finer stratospheric air of the Himalayas. After dunking my mind and body in the Ganga, I was left with an insatiable spiritual thirst. I felt a magnetic pull, and Badrinath seemed to me to be the source of this northward pull. So towards the heavens I decided to ascend on one of those overpopulated rickety-rackety Indian buses. The only seat available was at the left back corner of the bus, which proved to be an unfortunate blessing. As the bus picked up additional passengers along the way the local Indians began to plop themselves on the floor. Eventually, the aisle of overflowing passengers reached all the way to the back of the bus and people somehow piled on in the carnival clown bus.
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