MY VISIT TO BABAJI CAVE IN KUMAON HIMALAYAS - FEB 2016.

 

My Trip to Babaji Cave in Kumaon Himalayas – Feb 2016 

My name M sekar, Chennai,  my long desire was to visit Babaji Cave in Kumon Himalayas.  Regarding this I have searched in google for about two months.  After carefully collecting the details, I set to go immediately .

 During the January the weather would be  very very cold, So decided to go in the month of February, of course weather was cold.  Being a experienced trkker in Himalayas, I took this decision.  Immediately I called my friend who has not visited this place and aware of the destination. 

We planned for maximum 10 to 12 days.  We booked our flight ticket to New Delhi for 8/2/2016, On 10/2/2016 we boarded Shatabdi from New Delhi to Kathgodam, reached at 12.15 noon.  As planned we took a tourist taxi to Mukteswar, on our way we had lunch and proceeded to Mukteswar 45 kms from Kathgodam.  At about 4.00 pm reached the temple, lhad very good darshan of Abode of God, Lord Shiva  at Mukteswar, one of the oldest temple.

After spending one hour in the temple, we started our journey towards Kausani , short cut forest road leading to Almora, route was little tough and rugged in some places, somehow we reached Kausani around  8.30 pm, taxi driver took us to The Himalayan Mountain View in Kausani.  The rate was very reasonable and comfortable stay.  The weather was very very After having dinner we went to bed.  Next day morning we visited

We visited Bajinath Temple, 16 kms from Our hotel,  road conditions was really good around 9.00 am,  the beautiful and the oldest temple built during 12^th century, ofcourse visited during my trip to Kailash Manasorovar Yatra in 1995. 

 

From Bajinath, we proceeded to Bagnath temple, Bageswar, on the banks of river Saryu and Gomti , one can see the beautiful sangamam.  We just reached temple  5 minutes before closure, requested the pandit  for darshan, he very much obliged . 

Saryu River & Gomti River sangam

After having good darshan of Bagnath, we proceeded to Dwarat, appx 3 to 4 hours journey.  Due to misunderstanding with the taxi driver, we dropped ourselves near Someshwar.  From here we took a jeep half the way to Dwarahat, and from there by bus to Dwarahat.  Road leading to Dwarahat  was very rough, and journey difficult one. Around 3.30 p, we reached Dwarahat and stayed in a moderate hotel, opposite to the bus stand Hotel Chandralok, very comfortable stay.

BAGNATH TEMPLE

On 12.2.2016 we got into the TATA Sumo to go to Kukuchina, unless the the vehicle is full, they wont take the vehicle.  Finallly around 9.30 our tata sumo started towards Kukuchina, around 14 kms from Dwarahat Village via Dunagiri, since we had no time we could not stop at Dunagiri to visit the temple. Around 10.30 reached  Kukuchina i.e. near Joshi’s Restaurant, last shop in that region.  One has to buy whatever we want from this shop only.  They are also having good rooms for stay. Fare from Dwarahat to Kukuchinna Rs.40/- per person one way and the vehicle will not wait for us till we return from the cave.  It is better to stay at Joshi Restraunt, (contact no:09411318540)

From here we had to trek  3 kms on a mud road after that a steady climb leading to the Baba ji Cave, sign boards are available in three places.  The last climb is little steep near to the cave. 

After spending 2 hrs near the cave, started trekking towards Kukuchinna.  We had our Maggie at Joshi Restaurant.  By the time we arrived  there was no transp[ort so we had to trek for 5 kms to reach Dunagiri.  We had our tea and then got into the TATA Sumo to reach Dwarahat.  After reaching the village we talked down Yogananda Ashram to have look.     So we spent our night in the village.   My friend was not well so he left for New Delhi next day early morning.  I left around 8.00 am to Raniketh and then to Nanital.  I had a comfortable stay at Kumon Vikas Mandal Nigam, but it is not well maintained.  I had to spend a night and next day morning  i.e. on 14/2/2016 I left for New Delhi stayed at YHAI.,  on 15/2/2016 I left for Chennai. Best season to visit the cave from March to November except in season.  I personally advise travellers to stay at Joshi Guest House in order to spend more time, watching the Himalayan Ranges.

My visit to the Cava  was planned  and it was completed with in a week. I would like to mention it is a miracle for me to visit the BABAJI CAVE,  I did not even dream about the same ..  But the entire trip was successfully completed within 8 days only, Chennai, New delhi, Kathgodam, Kausani, Dwarahat, Raniketh, Nanital, New Dehi to Chennai.

MY ITINERY 

• DAY 1         BY FLIGHT CHENNAI TO NEW DELHI
• DAY 2         VISITED AUTOFAIR IN NEW DELHI
• DAY 3          BY SHATABDI TO KATHGODAM - 
•                      BY TOURIST TAXI TO MUKTESWAR - KAUSANI
• DAY 4         KAUSANI TO BAJINATH, BAGNATH , SOMESWAR - DWARAHAT
•                      STAY AT DWARAHAT
• DAY 5         DWARAHAT TO KUKUCHINNA - TREK TO BABAJI CAVE
•                      RETURN TO DWARAHAT
• DAY 6         BY BUS TO RANIKETH - THEN TO NANITAL
• DAY  7        BY SHATABDI  KATHGODAM TO NEW DELHI
• DAY  8        BY FLIGHT NEW DELHI TO CHENNAI

Total Expenditure appx. Rs.17000/- only