Three friends from Chhapra are skating to Kedarnath carrying a 57kg temple on their backs to keep a vow

Three friends from Chhapra, Chandan Kumar, Akash Kumar and Ganga Skater, are skating their way to Baba Kedarnath's shrine while carrying nearly 57 kg on their backs, fulfilling a vow they had made.

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.

Questions & Answers

1. Who are these three friends and where are they from?
They are Chandan Kumar, Akash Kumar and Ganga Skater, all three from Chhapra district.

2. What vow are they trying to fulfil with this journey?
Chandan and Akash had vowed to Baba Kedarnath that once their skating practice was complete, they would travel to his darshan on skates.

3. How much weight are they carrying on their backs?
They are carrying about 57 kg in total, made up of a 27 kg Kedarnath temple model and a 30 kg bag.

4. How many days did it take them to reach Ballia from Chhapra?
It took them four days to reach Ballia from their village.

5. When do they expect to reach Kedarnath?
The three friends are confident they will reach Kedarnath in about 1.5 to 2 months.

6. Where do they stay and how do they get food along the way?
When needed they camp or stay at a temple, and villagers and dhaba owners provide them food and water free of cost.

7. What prize did Akash Kumar receive from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar?
After winning a competition, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar gave Akash and his brother 2 pairs of skates as a prize.

8. How long have they been practising skating?
Chandan has been practising for about 2.5 years and Ganga Skater for the last 6 years.

Inspiration & Lessons
The journey of Chandan Kumar, Akash Kumar and Ganga Skater shows that a determined goal can be achieved even under the toughest conditions.

• Years of practice pay off: Chandan and Ganga Skater trained for years before starting this journey, which is why they can now cover such distances while carrying 57 kg.
• Building it themselves: They constructed the 27 kg Kedarnath temple model with their own hands instead of waiting for outside help.
• Travelling on a tight budget: To save money, they avoid special hotels and rely on temples and camps along the way.
• Strength in friendship: They are not doing this alone, three friends are sharing the burden and the resolve together.
• Turning a vow into action: Akash and Chandan did not stop at making a promise, they tied it to the hard condition of completing skating practice and are now living it out.

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