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The trip to Mukteshwar was born out of our strong desire to go somewhere. Anywhere. We started with a plan for Dharamshala, moved to Rafting in Rishikesh, and, at last, zeroed in on Mukteshwar. Main reasons for choosing Mukteshwar were:

1) Relative nearness to Delhi (10 hrs drive in a Qualis)
2) The fact that none of the group members had been there
3) It sounded peaceful

So after basic planning (booking hotel rooms and a cab), we started on Friday Night at 11:00 PM. The road from Delhi to Kathgodam is pretty bad so it definitely wasn’t a smooth ride. The journey till Kathgodam was uneventful and many of us (esp. the ones in the middle seat) spent it catching up on their sleeps. As for the front rider and the unfortunate fellows sitting at the back, they spent their time trying to keep others awake.

The drive from Kathgodam to Mukteshwar is very scenic with breathtaking views of Bhimtaal and lush green valleys. The end of spring and a sunny morning also meant vividly colored trees and the sweet fragrance of flowers blooming in the morning. In spite of having hardly slept during the night, we were wide awake during this drive. Except some people in the middle seat who were sound asleep all through.

We had booked our rooms in Krishna Orchard Resort which is about 5km from the 0 milestone of Mukteshwar. I would like to specifically mention here that the resort is reasonable, location is good, rooms are comfortable with excellent views, and the staff is extremely helpful. I will gladly recommend this resort to anyone who goes there with family or friends.

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Our family has a tradition of visiting Baba Balaknath Shrine in Himachal every year. Usually we drive down to the temple during the summer months. But last year we took Himachal Express to Una after monsoon. And it turned out to be the best way to do these annual trips.

When we deboarded the train at Una, the quaint little railway station won my heart immediately. It was such a pleasant change from the crowded railway stations of Delhi. A cab was to pick us up from the railway station and we had to wait for a bit there. We were initially reluctant to go inside the waiting room but eventually we had to as the constant drizzle was turning into proper rain. The waiting room was a surprize too. Totally devoid of any stench, it was comfortable and airy. The cab arrived in about half-an-hour and we set out to Baba Balaknath’s Temple.

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Most people are surprised when I claim this. After all, the open gardens of Akshardham do not appear so inviting when the sun is shining furiously. However, it surely turned out this way for us.

On Sunday, 22nd April 2007, we (Me, My Husband, Parent-in-laws) had our lunch and then thought of visiting the Akshardham Temple. We were reluctant at first as it was really hot outside but then just decided to go. By the time we were out of our house, it was already 2:30 PM.

Before entering Akshardham complex, our vehicle was searched thoroughly by the security people. The parking space in the temple is quite big and was fairly empty that day. We parked our car and headed towards the gate of the temple. Mobile phones and Camera had to be left behind as both these things are not allowed inside the complex.

Entry to the complex and the temple is free but you have to buy tickets for the three exhibitions that are hosted in air-conditioned halls and also for the musical fountains. Tickets for exhibitions cost Rs. 125 for adults and the tickets for the musical fountains cost Rs 20. There are some discounts for children and Senior Citizens.

For more details on timings, ticket costs, and discounts, you can refer: http://www.akshardham.com/visitorinfo/index.htm

For the exhibitions, all visitors were divided into batches of about 50 each.

‘Sahajanand Pradarshan’

This is the first exhibition and is spread across 6-7 halls with the audience moving from hall to hall to view various aspects of the Swami’s life. (more…)