Sir — Even as I watch the scenes of devastation of the Kedarnath shrine and its approach areas, I am reminded of my visit to the Kedarnath temple around four years ago. The journey was arduous and dangerous for us mere mortals who undertake the trip as a picnic, apart from religious reasons.
The route from Gauri Kund, with a halt at Rambara, is not easy for city mortals. The stay at night in Rambara even in June was far too cold and I had almost decided to return, but then continued. The roads are made more treacherous by the mules who walk by the side.
The first sight of the temple with glaciers in the background is breathtaking. But waiting for a darshan in long queues in the cold and continuous drizzle is not easy. Now that we know that the area around the Kedarnath shrine has been destroyed, it means that some of the relics belonging to Sri Shankaracharya are now lost.
Interestingly, nature’s wrath did not spare gods this time, leave alone mere mortals.