That was my first Girnar Trek. I had already heard a lot about the place and was eager to go there. Girnar – Ten thousand steps to get atop. It’s considered to be one of the sacred places in India and is a pilgrimage location for Hindus and Jains. Many go there for religious purpose and some for just trekking, like an adventure, but not more than fifteen per cent of the initiators can get to Gurushikhar. I had thought I could complete the trek easily and was very excited. The date of journey was fixed and the bookings were also made. My elder brother, a Pune resident, was also with me on the journey.

I first traveled from my city to Pune to  in a sleeper coach. It was night time and I could see the almost full moon out from the window. I wasn’t feeling sleepy so needed something to pass the time.

I am a follower of lord Krishna, not because I had heard fascinating stories about him or for he spoke out wisdom that we Hindus consider our holy grail. I follow him because there is so much to learn from his life. He didn’t teach us how to live; he lived a very intense life and put an ideal example, so with a conscious mind, we can absorb at least a tiny portion of him to make our lives blissful.

So that was the best possible thing I could do then. I opened YouTube and started watching videos of storyteller talking about Krishna’s life. I continued to watch till my eyes started closing. At about 2:00 am I fell asleep but couldn’t have that pleasure for more than half an hour. The road onto which our Volvo was running was in a bad condition so I was bouncing inside the vehicle. That completely disturbed my sleep and once again I got much time to kill. I looked of out of the window and saw the moon was still there; and I could also see the Orion constellation. Though the stars weren’t appearing bright because of the moon, identifying Orion wasn’t a difficult thing. I did the observation for some time and after all of them disappeared from my sight; I again tried to sleep by inclining myself a bit, because sleeping in complete horizontal position was just impossible. I could sleep only for a few more minutes and then I was all awake till Pune. I looked into the clock and it showed 5:00 am. Now my first destination was coming closer and excitement was increasing. Once again I looked out of the window but then there was neither Moon nor Orion; only Pollux and Castor from Gemini were hanging on. Suddenly I heard the cleaner shouting “Swargate… Swargate…”. My destination had arrived. As soon as the bus stopped, I pulled out my bag; got down and went straight to my brother’s home.

The day passed beautifully meeting and talking with everyone. At 5:00 pm my elder brother- Salil dada and I left for the airport. He had booked tickets of the plane journey, and hence I was privileged to travel by plane for the very first time. We got there; I saw  many new things and that experience was just awesome. That was my first journey by plane so he had asked for a window seat so I could look outside. When the plane took off, all the city appeared like a speck in seconds, not even minutes. All those things were new to me as it was my first time by plane. We reached Ahmedabad airport only in an hour and I was amazed: How fast!

Ahmedabad airport is very beautiful and I couldn’t resist myself taking pics. I was continuously updating my instagram stories. Getting out of the airport, we went to the pickup spot of Mahasagar travels where we got a bus to Junagadh. I couldn’t sleep that night also. At 6:00 am we reached Junagadh and our final destination was not far than a few kilometers. Junagadh Taleti – a village where Girnar climb begins. We got room in a lodge and went out for breakfast and site seeing. We ate Gujrat’s special fafda and samosa; then had some medically useful potion ‘Kawa’ although we didn’t like its taste. Hours passed roaming here and there, visiting temples and clicking photos. In the afternoon we went inside the Gir forest to Kashmiri bapu’s Ashram. We were lucky that he was there, back from Kumbh mela. Kashmiri bapu is a hundred and forty year old yogi. He was sitting there and indicating something with his hand movements and wasn’t speaking any word though he could. Also there was a disciple of him, Narmada ben- a hundred and ten year old lady, still active and joyful. I was surprised to see them that way in that age. First of all I could not believe they are that much old. They were the living examples of how yoga can transform one’s life to a different level – physically, mentally and energetically. We were served meal and it tasted divine.

We were back to the lodge and I was completely tired as I had spent two nights without sleep. We had decided to start climbing next day at 3:30 am and hence it was a must for us to sleep that evening as early as possible. Though I was determined that I wouldn’t sleep that afternoon, I immediately fell asleep as we entered the room. In the evening Salil dada awakened me and somehow I managed to get up. Those two sleepless nights and other things had affected me and I was feeling a bit ill. We went out for tea. I saw the tall mount Girnar and gasped. I was already feeling sick and hence immediately declared “I don’t think I can climb till the topmost point. I will walk at my pace; climb only up to my capacity and then will return. You people go ahead.” I was scared within.

An old man from my hometown had joined us that evening for the trek. His nick name was ‘Bhau’, meaning ‘brother’. He was seventy year old and a true devotee of lord. Even in that age he was willing to climb mount Girnar. The evening passed off roaming over and visiting temples. We also visited Shernath bapu’s place. He is also a yogi and has constructed a beautiful Lodge-like building for accommodation of devotees. It’s cheaper than the outside lodges and they provide tea and meal for free.

That night we ate only sandwiches and avoided heavy dinner because we didn’t want any trouble to happen on the next day. We returned to lodge, with Bhau accompanying us. I was still feeling unhealthy and so wasn’t confident of the successful trek. We went to sleep at 10:00 pm.

And then there was ‘The most important day’ of journey- the actual day to climb on. We got ready; wore sweaters because we thought there would be too cold outside. I was facing some throat problem so I covered my nose and mouth with a cloth so as to resist cold air directly going in. And we started, taking stick in one hand, torch in another and bag on the back. A stick is needed during the trek for support. We all began together. Before initiating the trek we bowed down to the almighty. I was already unsure of myself so I started praying lord Krishna, my idol and requested him to take me atop successfully and my trek must be enjoyable.

Salil dada and I went forward and Bhau was left behind. It’s difficult to climb at the age of seventy. Just after approximately hundred steps he handed me his water bottle and told us to go ahead. He was completely exhausted and was gasping for breath. We requested him not to insist to climb till the last point; do only how much he could and then to rest. He said okay and we left; and a series of all-new and profound incidents occurred.

I was going for speed and just in a few minutes I started feeling excessively warm and then realized we had worn sweaters only to increase our load. I took off mine and tied it around waist and also removed the cloth I had covered my nose with. I was no longer feeling unhealthy and then there was some hope that I could go to the last point. Throughout the trek, I continued to chant the name of lord Krishna because it gave me hope.

There were many other devotees to climb up the mountain. First few minutes were enthusiastic and I climbed up at a good speed. Being ahead of others also motivated me so I continued to go in speed. We had the train for return journey on the same day in the afternoon so it was necessary to climb up and get down as early as possible.

The beginning was enjoyable and all I wanted then was a cup of tea, or may be two. There are tea stalls on the way where we can stop and get refreshed. I halted at the very first stall to complete my basic need- tea. Salil dada also arrived within a minute and we had two cups of tea. We got refreshed and again started climbing. But that enthusiasm wasn’t going to last forever. That was a ten -thousand steps trek. With passage of time, I started feeling tired and the heart had been pumping at high rate so then onward I started this way: 15 minutes climb, then 3 minutes halt; and continued. Minute by minute the trek was getting difficult. At a certain point Salil dada and I exchanged the material in our bags as per convenience. He said “We will go together, wait a minute.” But I was scared of that height. I needed to keep myself motivated by going ahead of all so I left him behind and started to walk again. I felt bad for the moment but I had to do it because without motivation there was no guarantee of me going atop.

I was alone and was going full speed as I could, overtaking all other climbers. There is provision of palanquin for those who cannot climb. There are professional palanquin carriers to take one atop the mountain. These are the local people who do it to make a living I saw two of such palanquin carrying people halted. I wondered seeing them. We normal people find it difficult to climb with no load and those are the ones who carry another person to the top on their shoulders. How tough it is!

I got to hear their conversation. One of the two seemed tired. All sweating, he insisted his partner to halt so that both could rest their hearts and the whole body for a few seconds. Even after passage of minutes, he found himself in an exhausted state.

“Should we switch? You take rest”, asked his fellow in a caring voice; but he was all determined. Wiping out his sweat, he took one of the ends of palanquin onto his shoulder, putting into words his devoted mind – “I’ve been doing it for twenty eight years. Not going to give up now. My lord is with me!” And both of them once again began to climb up, with a third person onto their shoulders in the palanquin who was bound to pay them for taking him to the top of the mount Girnar – ‘Gurushikhar’.

I was amazed and impressed seeing their hard work. I continued to climb, and another palanquin came down in rush. This time there was an unconscious man lying in the palanquin and the carriers were going full speed to take him down for medical help. Minutes later a woman went down crying, looking for the palanquin carriers. Her fellows were telling not to cry in the house of almighty; but it was her husband who had got unconscious because of heart problem. The whole scene was too serious and distracted me for a while.

Whenever I saw tea stalls, I halted and had a cup. I overtook almost everyone on the way; then looked up and felt like half of the trek was done. Five thousand steps must have been completed; but for my disappointment, I saw something written on a rock with yellow paint: ‘1000’!

I continued to climb, halting whenever needed. A time came when I felt like giving up. That was too much for me and I couldn’t climb even a few steps after long breaks. Somehow I reached the first peak- ‘Ambamata’s peak’. This is one of the three peaks of mount Girnar. Just after the temple there is a tea stall so I stopped and took two cups. I was exhausted and uttered “How much is left?” and a man in that stall said something that consoled me: “Reaching this point is difficult. Now the trek is easy.” And I sighed with relief.

The next peak ‘Goraksh shikhar’ wasn’t far and I didn’t feel any difficulty getting there. It is the highest among the three peaks with an elevation of 3666 feet. To go to the last peak ‘Gurushikhar’, we have to first climb down a thousand steps and then again climb up another thousand steps. I was heading toward the last point and then there was no doubt about my trek; anyhow it was going to be completed. On that way I got blessing of a naked sadhu. That time also I had to take short breaks while climbing but finally reached there!

Yes! I was extremely happy. I looked into the watch and it was only 6:33 am. I had completed the trek till the topmost point just in three hours. On the top is a small temple and inside it there are footprints of Lord Dattatray and also an idol dedicated to the deity. There is peace of heaven inside the temple and one feels the real satisfaction of his entire trek. Ten thousand steps to bow down to the almighty and then all the way back. Not an easy thing. Only a true devotee is mad enough to complete such a tedious trek; because for him, it’s not just a temple with bricks. For him, that place is heaven and the idol is like almighty standing in front himself. Only a devotee can see its beyond- physical nature; only he can feel the vibes at sacred place and only he can listen to the words uttered by the lord through the winds; not everyone is capable of that. My entire trek taught me about this: ‘Bhaktiyog – the path of devotion’.

I came out of the temple and looked around. The sun had begun to rise and that was one of the best sunrises I had ever witnessed. That view was breathtaking. It’s always nice view from the top but first one has to climb hard to get there; without hard work there is no beauty.

Our return journey had begun. There is one more point in the mountain range – ‘Kamandalu kund’ where there is continuously burning fire. We visited that place also and there we got prasad. While returning, first we need to climb up to Goraksh shikhar and then climb down.

On the way I asked Salil dada “What about Bhau? He must have given up. He was exhausted in the beginning and must be in the room now.”

It was 8:00 am then and we all devotees were bathing in the sunshine. The return trek till Goraksh Shikhar was okay but then our legs started complaining. While climbing up, all the pressure is on heart; but while climbing down, it’s legs that take all of it. Walking at a convenient speed and halting in the whenever necessary, we reached to the first peak, that is Ambamata. It was past 9:00 am and we started climbing down.

After a few hundred steps down I saw something that totally shocked me. I couldn’t believe my eyes and gasped seeing that! It was Bhau climbing up. “What!” I uttered. I was literally shocked to see that seventy year old man there. That was a real example of the fact the a devotee’s mind never gives up; not because it believes it has enough strength and power to accomplish anything; instead, it’s always burning with the fire of devotion. The question ‘To do or not to do’ doesn’t exist for a devotee. It’s the fire of devotion that keeps him away from dualities. I could feel the intense fire burning in his mind.

On the way down, we stopped at lemonade seller who was a sadhu himself and I was willing to learn something from him. He was making the juice for us and talking but I was unable to listen to him properly so I stood up; sat beside him and requested, “Tell me.” He smiled. He smiled in a way as if he was the most contented man in the world. He was about sixty year old, selling lemonade to make a living. Not rich by money and property but his face showcased the eternal ecstasy. He was contented within and was continuously radiating out happiness. Upon my request he returned:

“What should I tell you? Don’t try to learn by listening. Instead, learn by yourself. Be on the path of Dharma. Our culture has too much to teach. There are four Vedas – Rugved, Yajurved, Samved and Atharvaved. Study those. Yes, it’s not possible nowadays. Read Bhagwadgeeta. Recite one chapter everyday and try to understand what almighty is trying to teach. Whatever you do in life, stick to your dharma. Never go against it to do anything because only those are pure and blessed who stay on the path as described by their dharma; others are ruined.”

And then he recited the fifteenth chapter of Bhagwadgeeta. Those were one of the most beautiful moments of the journey. We had been sitting there for more than fifteen minutes and hence our legs got cramped. We somehow managed to stand straight and bowing down to that sadhu continued to walk down. We kept climbing down for long time and after some time our legs got into the worst situation and we were finding it too difficult to walk. We had reached a point from where only thirteen minutes were left to complete the trek, but we were in so severe condition that each step was appearing like thirteen minutes.

Eventually we got to the bottommost point. We could see the steps ending and the road starting, but we were too tired that we couldn’t even enjoy that ‘We made it’ feeling. We walked down with hands on each other’s shoulders for support. Salil dada again bowed down to the mountain on completing the whole trek. That was a divine experience. It was like we had just visited the heaven and back. Some might think this trek just foolishness – ten thousand steps just to bow down to an idol; but it’s not foolishness. It is much more than ‘just a trek’.  It teaches us so many things that we cannot learn in everyday life. The experience is indescribable.

We came back to our room and got our legs massaged; got fresh; had lunch and left. Our train arrived on time and then after a long journey we reached Mumbai on the next morning and then to Pune by a Shivneri bus. I stayed in Pune for a couple of days and returned back home with a treasure of golden memories and experiences.

 

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