Chandrashila Trek: Finding Love and Warmth at 12,000 feet

The shrine at moon peak aka Chandashila

It was a completely unexpected meeting and I am convinced it was divine intervention. I turned a corner and the whole Chandrashila peak revealed itself for the first time. The trail snaked its way up to the top and the whole route till the Chandrashila Peak could be seen from that point. I was panting and slightly out of breath. So, the moment I saw a pipe I decided to take rest. I  removed my jacket, for I was sweating profusely, and gulped down a lot of water which tasted amazing. However, within 5 minutes, the whole scenario changed. I started shivering, for such was the cold. Just when I decided to start moving, someone called me from behind. I saw a very old man, probably in his eighties. He asked me if I wanted to have tea. I obliged and went back to his small shack.

Anand Singh- a man who spent his entire life in the mountains near Chandrashila; selling tea in his shack to pilgrims and travelers

I ordered a tea and a string of conversations began. It was a lone-tea stall that stood on the edge of the curve which marked the last change of scenery en route Chandrashila peak. It took at least a couple of hours of walk up the hill to get here from Chopta, which was the last motorable point. From here, one could see the Tungnath temple as well as the Chandrashila peak. The man was Anant Singh, a native of Ukhimath, who had spent his entire life in this shack, selling tea to pilgrims and travelers. His family lived below the hill in Makhumath. He had his grandson for company, as he could not get all the jobs done by himself.

By this time it started getting dark. It was only 3:00 pm, but the weather is like this in the mountains. I went on to ask if I could pitch my tent somewhere here. He showed me some space right on the edge of the trail, enough to set up camp for the night. He broke the news that the next day was the auspicious occasion of reopening of Tungnath temple, after remaining closed for six months of winter. He asked me to get up early the next day and watch the sunrise from the Chandrashila top, and then come down and witness the ceremony in the temple. I was more than happy to have found a home. I pitched the tent teaming up with Ankit Negi, the grandson. I taught him a few things about the tent. We also talked about his school life. He had just finished higher secondary school and was hoping to join a graduation course that summer. After that, he told me, he hoped to go to Delhi to find jobs.

Camping en route to Chandrashila

Ankit Negi-Anand Singh's grandson, the new member of the mountain family

The night fell soon and it got really dark. I went inside the shack and sat down near the only fire, which they used to cook meals and to get warm. Anant Singh was preparing rice and dal after giving us a delicious chai. It was getting really cold outside as the winds were in full swing. I checked out the skies but they were disappointingly dark. I came back and by the time, Anant Singh 's son had returned from Chopta, after getting provisions for a few days. We had a hearty meal together. Anant Singh told me, " Swargraj toh yehi hain" . (Heaven is right here) . "Pata nahi log shaharon main kya pate hai, par in pahadon main bhagvan diktha hai hamein"( I don't know what people find in cities, but you can actually see the gods among these mountains). We had a great time talking and then we bid goodbye for the night as I stepped out to go into my tent, but I couldn't. By that time, the sky was full of shiny diamonds, twinkling in cold of the night. It was a surreal sight. I stood there watching the scene for a long time, with only beedis to my company. Close to midnight, it was freezing cold, so I decided to get into my tent. I set the alarm for 3.30 in the morning and slept.
I woke up at the right time, loaded up with dates, and started walking towards the Chandrashila summit. To make the scene more surreal, the moon was shining brightly above and lit up the whole scenery in dreamy light.
The walk was very difficult, as I had to stop after every 5 steps to catch my breath. I had dates every now and then to keep myself engaged. By around 5 am I reached the summit of Chandrashila peak. The scene was otherworldly. The light of the sun was leaking into the horizon and the blue hour had begun already. The stars, the moon, and the glistening snow-covered mountains made it simply glorious. No words can do justice to the feeling of being surrounded by such beauty and witnessing this all alone from the pinnacle.

Spectacular! Sunrise at Chandrashila peak

First light kisses the snow-covered peaks including Chaukhamba during the sunrise at Chandrashila peak

After spending a good 4 hours on top, I slowly descended to the Tungnath temple. The procession carrying the deity from Ukhimath temple was on its way. I watched the scene as the temple got suddenly covered in mist; probably nature's way of marking the special occasion. After the ceremony, I descended as it started raining. I met a Babaji on the way and sat down with him by the side of the road as we chatted over a chillum. He told us stories of Pashupatinath and the great Satopanth yatra, which he said, was the most difficult one he had undertaken. I bid him goodbye and returned to the shack, only to see the tent swaying in the rain. I immediately packed it into my backpack. I spent the remainder of the day in solitude, taking long walks to the woods down the hill and simply soaking in the heavenly beauty around. By afternoon, it started pouring and I had to take shelter in the shack. Anant Singh told me many stories which kept us warm as a full-on hailstorm battered the shack. Watching the rain, and listening to the stories and the occasional roar of the skies, the day was done. It was one cold night and there was no way of escaping it. We went to sleep early that night. I had to make do with just a thick blanket and it turned out to be one insanely cold night I would like to forget. I woke up every half hour struggling to fall asleep in the bone-chilling cold, yet somehow made it to the morning.

Glowing in the sunrise at Chandrashila Peak

Daylight spread freshness all around and I had planned to go back that day. As we sat down for breakfast, Anant Singh told me that it is my responsibility to bring my parents and sister to this place, to show them the beauty of the mountains and to let them bow before Lord Shankar. He asked me to bring them to his shop on our way to Tungnath temple. I promised him to do so and told him that I was leaving. I asked for his blessings and we hugged goodbye. I started a slow descent through the breathtaking mountainscape.

If you are wondering how to do the Chandrashila Trek by yourself, here are a  few Planning Tips: Getting to Deoriatal and Chandrashila

Delhi to Haridwar,

Distance-219 Km
Delhi to Haridwar Trains: available every day

Delhi to Haridwar Bus timing: Starting at 2:20 am and the last one leaving at 23:00
Rates between 500-1100(https://www.redbus.in/bus-tickets/delhi-to-haridwar.aspx)


Haridwar to Rudraprayag

Distance-165 Km
Haridwar to Rudraprayag Bus: There are several buses starting from Haridwar Bus Stand every morning(try to get the bus early if you want to reach Sari by evening). Fare-around Rs200/-

Rudraprayag to Ukhimath
Distance-44 Km
You can find many shared jeeps for about Rs 80/-

Ukhimath to Sari
Local buses from Ukhimath to Sari run till 18:00 every day.


Deoriatal Trek
Trek Difficulty: Easy
Time taken from Sari to Deoriatal: 2-3 Hours
Camping near the Deoriatal Lake: with the permission of Forest Department office situated near the lake.
Trek to Deoriatal: Starts from Sari village.

Chandrashila Trek:
Trek Difficulty: Easy
Time taken from Chopta to Chandrashila: 5-6 hours
Camping near Tungnath: possible


You have to get a shared cab from Sari to Chopta or from Ukhimath to Chopta to start the trek to Chandrashila

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