Swami Arunachalananda
Yatras Pre-2008
In childhood days with family had visited religious places in Maharashtra like Shirdi, Trymbakeshwar, Wani, Mahur,
Gangapur, Ganeshpuri etc. During college days with friends had gone to several treks on forts around Pune (Sajjangadh,
Raigadh, Rajgadh, Torna, Rajmachi, Sinhagadh etc.) and in 1996 for National Integration Youth Camp at Ramakrishna Math Chennai
(then Madras)! From Chennai we had gone to Pondicherry, Rameshwaram, Madurai, Kumbhakonam, and Kanyakumari.
In US, with friends had been to Boston, Washington DC, New Hampshire, Atlantic City, Disney land and Universal Studios California,
Oakland etc. and with family had gone to Niagara Falls; also had visited Swami Muktananda Ashrama at South Fallsburg
along with father (2001). (For Pics see 'Introduction' page)
January 2003
With father, Uday Shinde and Dattaprasanna Joshi started from Ramakrishna Math Pune on Swami Vivekananda Tithi Puja day for Belur;
went to CSMT (then VT) station of Mumbai and boarded train to Howrah. After Belur Math darshan went to see other
Leelasthanas of Thakur-Maa-Swamiji in Kolkata, later to Kamarpukur, Jairambati, Maayal-Ichhapur, Antpur, and Tarakeshwar.
From Howrah we all went to Puri; stayed there at Ramakrishna Math which was located near the beach; had Jagannath temple, Shankaracharya
Math darshan. From Puri went to Bhubaneshwar; stayed at Ramakrishna Math; we had Lingaraj Temple darshan with Rev Nandakumar Mj,
his asked me if i was ready to join Ramakrishna Mission then and there! I was ready but father said later! Then we all went to Konark temple visit.
May 2003
After starting to stay in Ramakrishna Math Pune from March 2003, in May that year went to Himalayan Chardham yatra with father and
mother. First by Rajdhani Express we went to Delhi where we stayed with Umesh and from there went to Kankhal; there we
stayed in Ramakrishna Mission and had Haridwar, Rishikesh Darshan; hired taxi for Chardham with kind help from Manjunath Mj.
In about a week we had darshan of Uttarkashi, Yamnotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Chopta, Badrinath, Joshimath, Rudraprayag, Devprayag,
Kalimath, Ukhimath, Triyuginarayan etc. Before Badrinath darshan we faced rains and landslide which delayed our visit by one
day. First experience of Himalaya was awe-inspiring and sublime. We returned to Kanakhal ashrama and from there hired direct taxi
to Umesh's place in Delhi. From there returned to Nashik.
Some Pics: Chardham Yatra
Next : Yatras 2008-2011
----------- Om Tat Sat -----------
