AMBICA

 Examples of Virtual Reality Experiences

1. The story of our Amarnath Yatra

The author and his wife made a trip to the sacred shrine of Amarnath located in Jammu And Kashmir State of India in the year 1995. This story is about their experiences.

The travel was with a team of thirty individuals. All adults, both Men and Women. Jammu Kashmir at that time was a disturbed State. People had to travel taking prior permission to visit. Also, as the Shrine is at a high altitude of >16000ft, travelers were only permitted after medical tests for fitness to hike were cleared. Our group travel started from Hyderabad by train to New Delhi with above said paperwork; and thereafter to Jammu. Having train reservations the travel was nice. 

At Jammu, all of us visited the local temples having good Darshan. Leaving Jammu all of us reached Gulmarg by road boarding bus. Halted overnight in a hotel.

The following day, all of us left the hotel.  The climate was quite cold. The terrain was rough and uneven. We were expected to hike and stop at a place called Sheshnag by the evening and ascend from 7000 to 12000ft for an overnight stopover. On this ascending trip, my wife with her varicose veins in the legs couldn't keep pace with the team members. As a result, we both were left behind rest of the team members. I should also mention here that the belongings of all members were loaded on mules, as we were hiking. In this process, we both gave even our warm clothing to the pony keeper. So we both did not have even the minimal requirements to keep warm nor the aids for freshening.  We walked the entire day. Couldn't reach Sheshnag by the evening. The day passed off with no one around on the trekking track other than both of us. At 6 p.m. we were stopped by the BSF Javans. We were informed hiking is not permitted in darkness and required to halt overnight. We were accommodated in a tent. We were charged for it and the blankets and beds. 

Once we settled in the tent, we were offered hot tea. Thereafter, a doctor arrived and took our temperatures and BP of both of us. They noticed that I was running temperatures of 103 and shivering. I was administered medicine after giving food and permitted to take rest. In the morning the doctor checked the same parameters. The temperature noted was normal. So we're allowed to continue trekking.

On continuing our trekking, our subconscious issues started bothering us, such as the lack of toothbrushes, towels, basics like soap, combs etc., as well as the absence of toilets, bathing for the day, and as to how to meet them. We proceeded with faith in Lord Shiva and HIS consort Goddess Parvati and Ganesha to resolve. In keeping with our faith, very soon we were totally drenched due to a heavy downpour of rain giving us a heavenly shower. The vendor gave neem sticks and water to finger brush our teeth resolving the brushing issues. In the meantime, the vendor made hot tea and biscuits ready to regain energy to proceed further on our journey. Seeing our clothing completely soaked, the vendor allowed us to warm up ourselves sitting beside the heating device using firewood. 

We trekked and trekked at our pace and reached Sheshnag by the evening. We were delayed by more than a day. We announced our arrival by using the local camp facilities with the hope of retrieving our baggage and our requirements. But the group with whom we embarked on the trip left for  Amarnath darshan. We had to camp in a tent and halt for the night. This halt allowed us to go to the freshwater lake at an elevation of 12000ft and also view the Snake living in it giving its Darshan in moonlighting. We felt happy that the visit progressed as decided by Almighty, though delayed. We stayed overnight.

In the morning, we had breakfast and started trekking again to go to Amarnath Shrine located in a naturally formed open cave at an elevation of 17000ft above sea level with temperatures of -17 C, and had to cross a glacier to reach the Shrine. On this trekking my wife gave up and wanted our return soon to the base camp at Gulmarg feeling our clothing unchanged for two days, not having enough rest, feeling weak and not energetic to walk any further. I pleaded and prevailed on her by engaging pony ride for her and trekked alongside, crossing the glacier to reach the Shrine. We witnessed deities of Shiva, Parvati, alongside Ganesha of diminishing sizes formed in ice due to the dripping from the rock of the caves Stellagtite rocks. We felt the unbearable. However, having reached the Shrine, I was keen on offering the daily prayers. I sat down at one place doing prayers audibly before the three deities for over 90 minutes, unmindful of the environs, visitors at the Shrine, besides my wife (much to her discomfort).  I thanked Almighty for bestowing presence of mind with concentration to fulfill the prayers, and at a loss to know how I could sit and carry out the prayers, but for the Almighty's virtual blessings, especially at such negative temperatures that we are not used to.