4000 km Solo Journey 12 Nights Across North to South India (Chapter 1)

Chapter 1: Visiting Khatu Shyam Ji

After leaving up my job for a month, I have made the decision to embark on my dream trip to visit West and South India. I have been all around North India in the past several years on so many different trips, but I have never ventured too far from Delhi. It took me 12 days and a distance of 4,000 kilometers to go solo across the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi.

Starting the journey:

The day before the Geeta Jayanti event at Kurukshetra on December 1, 2022, I left for my travel there. At that time, I'd want to travel for the first time to the Khatu Shyam Ji Temple, which is around 40 km from Jaipur. I've gotten on the freezing, nighttime Sabarmati Express train from Kurukshetra to Jaipur. I already have my sleeper class ticket. I packed a lot of warm clothes, a blanket, and an air cushion that I bought from Geeta Jayanti because I was aware of the temperature in North India. I was carrying two bagpacks, each weighing 30 and 70 liters. Despite trying to keep my luggage as light as possible, my wife and mother convinced me to bring along a few snacks. However, it helps. I had a power bank, Gimble, two water bottles, a first aid kit, a blanket, and all the other things I needed. I have to get up early around 3:30 am, so there isn't much to do at night. I recently went to sleep after my meal.

Jaipur at 4:00 am:

I reached Jaipur early in the morning, around 4 a.m. When I got off the train at Jaipur railway station, the weather was the same as what I felt in Kurukshetra. The sound of a cold breeze or platform. It feels a bit different, although the station is the same. There was nothing different except I saw a double-decker train standing on the platform and the Maharaja Express.

Boarding another train at 4:30 am:

Then I boarded the train at Ringus Railway Station. I have to book it through UTS (you can book an unreserved ticket from your Adhar Card at any time). It was a general ticket, so I had to go away from the rail line by approximately 20 metres, so I came out of the railway station and booked my train ticket to Ringus (the nearby railway station to Khatu Shyam ji is Ringus). Then I boarded the train, which arrived at 4:30a.m. When I entered the train and was searching for an empty seat (in general, you have to do this most of the time), I met someone who also belongs to my village and was in the same train. We had not met before and were surprised to see each other on this train. He was with his family and going to Salasar Balaji.

Reaching Khatu Shyam Ji:

I got off the train and came out of the station. People were chanting Hare ka Sahara Baba Shyam Hmara. I also do the same, Hare ka Sahara Baba Shyam Hmara. I boarded the bus from Ringus to Khatu Shyam Ji at 6 a.m. It cost me 40 rupees. As the sun began to rise, I entered Khatu, a small village. There was a huge open gate structure on the road, and people were chanting Hare ka Sahara Baba Shyam Hmara. I am feeling tingling in my stomach. I started searching for restrooms, then somebody said, me oh! It is on the way to the temple, just 200 metres from here; go straight. I found it and got fresh. I noticed the people were purchasing nishans for Khatu Shyam Ji. Some are walking 100 miles from their home town on their bare feet. It's all about faith. I was so curious to see Khatu Shyam Ji, but I remained shocked when I learned the entrance was closed for some reason as renovations were going on inside the temple. I saw there were barricades and people were just doing prayers from outside. Suddenly, I started crying, crying with the hope I would come again whenever the temple was open to the public. Then I was feeling dizzy at that time. I am feeling hungry, and I have to go to Jaipur the next day, as my plan was to stay at Khatushyam, but the temple was closed, and hotels were not allowed to take tourists. So I first eat poha from a street vendor; it costs me 20 rupees. Darshan of Khatuji was closed for around 2 months, but I wasn't aware of it. I was hopeless.

...to be continued in the next chapter...

What do you think?

What happens next?

Did I reach Jaipur?

Or I came back to home?

How do I spend my whole day?

Video Link: Reaching khatu Shyam Ji