Three friends who set off from Chhapra to have Baba Kedarnath's darshan on skates, carrying nearly 57 kg of weight on their backs, were spotted near a roadside temple in Ballia during coverage of flood-hit areas.
Four days from Chhapra to Ballia
The trio covered the distance from their village to Ballia in just four days, skating the entire way. They believe that at this pace, they will reach Kedarnath in around 1.5 to 2 months. People along the route have been welcoming them and stepping forward to help at every stop, which keeps the group's spirits up.
A journey born out of a vow
Chandan Kumar, a resident of Chhapra, said he set out with his two friends to have Kedarnath's darshan by skating, and that the three of them reached Ballia from their village in four days. "We have been practising skating for about 2.5 years," Chandan said. He and his friends built a 27 kg model of the Kedarnath temple themselves and are carrying it along with a 30 kg bag on their backs, adding up to roughly 57 kg of weight in all. Chandan's father runs a grocery store in their village.
The vow behind fellow traveller Akash Kumar's journey is even more striking. Akash had made a vow to Baba Kedarnath that if he completed his skating practice, he would carry the deity's doli and travel to Kedarnath on skates. Akash is currently an intermediate student, and his father works a private job. He said the first competition he ever took part in also had his brother competing, and both brothers won, for which Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar gifted them 2 pairs of skates as a prize.
Camping and temple stops through the monsoon
The third member of the group, who goes by Ganga Skater and hails from Parsa village in Chhapra district, said the route also passes through Haridwar on the way to Kedarnath. Since it is monsoon season, the group sets up camp or stays at a temple whenever needed. They have already packed everything from cooking equipment to daily essentials in their bags so they aren't caught short on the road.
According to Ganga Skater, villagers along the way have been extending a lot of help, some offer food, others provide water and breakfast. Several dhaba owners have refused to charge them for meals. To save money, the three avoid staying at any particular hotel, settling for whatever shelter is available instead. Ganga Skater has been practising skating for the last 6 years, though Baba Kedarnath's darshan is still ahead of him.
A long road still ahead
Reaching Ballia is only one stop on this journey. The three friends still have a long, uphill stretch to cover via Haridwar before they reach Kedarnath. Skating with 57 kg of weight is no easy task, but the support they are receiving along the way is keeping their spirits up, and all three are confident they will have Baba Kedarnath's darshan within 1.5 to 2 months.
