Shangri-La, Rudraprayaag

A little after sunset, we reached Rudraprayag. On our earlier trip in 2000, we had stayed two nights at Shangri-la, a small wayside hotel with a dhabaa. Unwilling to take the risk of driving upto Gaurikund, as per schedule, in the dark, we thought of stopping at Shangri-la. Idris was willing to drive, but preferred to stop due to lack of any help for the car for the next 87 kms, in case of an unexpected problem. My parents were willing to sit for 3 hours more, without dinner, even though dinner might not be available at Gaurikund due to the late hours of our arrival. We stopped, disregarding the full payment made for accomodation at Gaurikund.

Shangri-La had changed almost beyond recognition. The dhabaa was now a full-fledged restaurant. Another building had been added. Only the small Hanuman temple under an old banyan tree by the road was the same. Like last time, we greeted Hanumanji and sought his blessings for the journey. Shangri-La is a better place than Hotel Corbett, a little down the road and a more homelier option than Monal, some 5 kms outside Rudraprayag.

Like last time, we gathered all our used clothes for laundry and handed them over to the boys at Shangri-La, who arrange washing and ironing at Rudraprayag. The owner, as we knew him, was not to be seen and on asking I found that he would be back after some days. The same room that we had used in 2000, was available to us. And we had the luxury of a real bath, that too with warm water, since 05.10.06!

D had found out via smses to Mumbai that the moon had risen, but by the time I finished my bath, the moon had risen visibly at Rudraprayag too. We prayed and I broke my fast. ‘Welcome to our second honeymoon!’ my husband said, since we had labelled that journey in 2000 and especially the stays at Shangri-La as our first honeymoon, though we had got married in 1999. My husband and I had treasured the early morning view from the balcony of Shangri-La as one of the best mornings in our lives. We slept around midnight, dreaming of reaching Kedarnath the next day.