Joshimath is also called Jyotirmath. At the altitude of 6,260 ft, it is a city and administratively also has a municipal board in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Joshimath is always associated with Adi Shankara’s tapasya and sedtting up of the subsequent order for the Hindus.
Adi Shankara Bhagavatpadacharya is the first of the Shankaracharyas of Hinduism, whose tenets are coinsidered the holy script and therefore, whose credentials in the society is always at thye top pof alkl Hindusism practices. Adi Shankara was probably lived between 788 and 820 BC. An exponent of Vedanta, Adi Shankara preached the unity of the soul with Brahmah, a philosophy which later came to be consolidated as Advaita Vedanta. Thus soon he was regarded as an incarnation of Bhagwan Shiva.
Adi Shankara set up four Maths where he preached Vedanta and his new doctrine. His prfeachings were catalyst in developing the post-Budhhist Hinduism and Advaita Vedanta. One of these Maths was in Joshimath, where ‘jyoti’ — pious torch of fire, symbolising the unquenchable divine knowledge of truth. All his Sanskrit speeches and and works are still extant. Iut was at this place Adi Shankara exp;onded tenets of Advaita Vedanta and refuted arguments of Samkhya and Budhhism. He said, there is no dualism between human soul and the Brahma and preached that all knowledge would indeed assimilate into Brahma.
Adi Shankara had set up a number of Pithas, where he used to teach and explain his discourses. Those Pithas are attraction for the pilgrims as well as the travellers. The drive to Joshimath along the Ghat Road takes one through Devprayag, Rudraprayag, Karanprayag, Vishnuprayag and Sonprayag. All these places are actually the confluences of Himalayan rivers.
At Devprayag fierce Bhagirathi meets poised and calm Alkananda at Alkapuri giving the confluence a contained boisterousness, at Karanprayag the newly empowered and mature Alkananda meets the Pindar from Rupkund, at Vishnuprayag the Vishnu Ganga meets the Alakananda, at Sonprayag, the fierce flowing river Son meets with Ganga and Mandakini rivers. One becomes awe-struck at the magnanimity of the beauty of rivers, which is not soft and charming, but breathtaking and imposing.
The rivers’ magnitude merges with the aura of sparse greenery, vast snowy plateaus, the aurora and peaks to create a lasting insurmountable command. There are also deep gorges and ravines that would take one to irreparable fear psychosis.
A simple awkward slip may bring untreatable physical ailments, while slipping down through the gorges would end up into a journey to mythological Paathaal Lok. The austere mountain peaks only add up to the mighty wonder and fear.
Though very close to Badrinath, the second of the ‘Char Dham’, the math was in controversies in about mid-20th century three other Shankarachayas from different parts of the country tried to take control of this math after Adi Shankara’s samadhi. However, after that there was never any controversies associated with it. Joshimath is a must-visitg destination for the pilgrims.
HOW TO REACH JOSHIMATH
•The site is 257 kms from Rishikesh on route to Badrinath.
•The cold is as normal as that of Rishikesh, so there is no necessity to carry additional baggage of woollen clothes.
•Upto Rishikesh there are all kind of modern services. Bus, taxi, private Car etc.
•From Rishikesh ponies are available or trekking is the best options, because to avoid the vagaries of Nature, generally people avoid the automotives.
•Joshimath is cradled in halcyon nature, so every step is expected from the district authorities to arrest air pollution there.
WHAT PILGRIMS MUST KNOW
•Buses from Rishikesh to Joshimnath are not regular at services. So night stay at Joshimath is ideal.
•There are good dharmashalas for tourists and pilgrims.
•Yaks can be found as high altitude porters. Bhutias of Mongol origin mostly grow them for this purpose.
•Nrisimha temple is a must-visit place here as, it is the only temple where in winter Lord Shiva is worshipped.
•There are also idols of Nava Durga and Ganesha for regular prayers.
•Other attractions at Joshimath are: a 2,400-year-old ‘Kalpavriksha’, An Image of Lord Shankara procured from the Mount Kailash, idols of Shambavacharya and his disciple Toraka Nanda. All these are preserved in the cave named after Adi Shankara.
