Haridwar--Open air ancestral ritual on the banks of the Ganges.  The little brown figures at center represent past ancestors; the sacred fire at right conveys offerings to them through the smoke.  Note the shoes in the foreground--one removes these for any religious ritual--and the people sleeping in the background (the only people who truly pay attention are the priest and the primary patron).

Morning in village Kimana, Uttarakhand.  By mid-October the monsoon has passed and the skies are usually clear, allowing for unrestricted mountain views all day everyday. 

Garhwali breakfast at Himalayan Mountain Home Stay--cooked vegetable, fresh sliced cucumbers, yogurt, chapattis, and pickles.   Since most of the ingredients are locally grown/sourced, the meals are not only delicious, but also help to support local agriculture.  

With Pandit Dinesh Gaur at Kalimath temple.  Dinesh is a Kalimath tirtha purohit (pilgrim guide who facilitates both ritual worship and any other pilgrim needs).  I first met him in January 2020, when he led me though Kali puja in the temple, followed by a leisurely tour of all the site's temples.  He did the same for this year's group, and also arranged for a delicious lunch!   

Final ascent to the Kartik Swami temple.  The temple is a relatively easy 4 km walk from where the road ends at  Kanak Chauri.  Built on a mountain summit at 10,500 feet, Kartik Swami affords panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. 

Tungnath (12,000+ elevation) is the highest of the Panch Kedar.  The footpath from Chopta moves from pine forest to rhododendron forest to alpine tundra, in which fully-grown rhododendrons are six inches tall.  This photo shows the path's last part, which seems to ascend without end.  The temple itself is hidden from view by the knoll at the top right, and appears once one has passed beyond it.  The high elevation and exposed terrain mean that lots of sunscreen is essential here!