A padayatra is a spiritual quest, a tribute to an ancient tradition, and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit
The Walk of Life is on a mission to champion walking as a transformative way of life—one that strengthens the body, sharpens the mind, and awakens the spirit
Vijay Rajvaidya
Sacred ‘snaans‘
I did not intentionally plan this leg of my padyatra (walk) from Neemrana in Rajasthan to Kedarnath in Uttarakhand to coincide with the Mahakumbh snaan (holy bath) in Prayagraj, yet fate had its own design. What made the experience truly unique was that I bathed in the sacred Ganga at Haridwar one morning and, the very next day, again in the Ganga at Prayagraj—after an arduous yet fulfilling journey.
The Walk of Life is more than just a journey—it is my mission. I am walking to the 12 Jyotirlinga temples in sequence, retracing the footsteps of Adi Shankaracharya from his legendary pilgrimage in 722 AD. My odyssey began in May 2022 from Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain, and I have now reached the base of Kedarnath after passing through Omkareshwar, Somnath, and Naagnath—covering over 2,800 km (1,750 miles) on foot.
This particular stretch of my walk in February 2025 spanned 569 km (356 miles) from Neemrana in Rajasthan to Gaurikund, the base of the revered Kedarnath shrine, completed in just 18 days.
25 Miles a Day
During each phase of my journey, I walk for at least 15 days, twice a year, averaging around 40 km (25 miles) per day. This pilgrimage is not just about distance; it is a spiritual quest, a tribute to an ancient tradition, and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
The most profound aspect of my walk is the opportunity to connect with the local people, flora, and fauna in ways I had never experienced before. Each interaction has deepened my understanding of my own internal conflicts, refined my sense of self, and reshaped my purpose in life. At this stage, I have the privilege of looking back on my journey with clarity, allowing me to reexamine myself from a fresh perspective.
Yet, my padyatra is adding new dimensions to this reflection, enriching me beyond anything I could have imagined. Rather than “settling down,” I find myself on an endless quest for learning and discovery. This is the essence of Tapasya—a transformative process for those willing to embark on it.
Paradoxically, this experience feels both immense and unhurried. If I compare the insights from my walk to everything I have learned in my lifetime, it seems like an intense crash course, eclipsing years of accumulated wisdom. And yet, the padyatra unfolds at the slowest, most deliberate pace—an intimate traversal through the vast expanse of the universe.
Noticing slow transformations
The walk brought into focus the changes around me—changes that had always been there but were imperceptible before. When we move through time and space, change becomes visible only in large, discrete observations over long intervals. Our senses often fail to register the slow transformations happening around us.
However, during my slow walk, I noticed abrupt shifts in my surroundings, particularly at man-made state borders. The contrast in infrastructure and administration was striking as I crossed from Rajasthan into Haryana or from Haryana into Uttar Pradesh. In Haryana, walking through the backroads and villages felt like I was walking through rural California. The availability of resources directly impacted people’s living conditions and overall well-being.
So far, I have walked through Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand—in that order. I prefer walking through small villages and side roads, where the differences in quality of life between states are evident. Surprisingly, I did not encounter beggars in rural areas, towns, or even semi-urban regions. People were engaged in economic activities everywhere. While there were slackers, there was no sense of despair.
Google Maps & Compasses
For navigation, I primarily follow walking routes suggested by Google Maps, which works reasonably well in India. However, it proved unreliable in small villages and completely failed me in the Rann of Kutch. In that featureless terrain, I had to rely on an unreliable compass to navigate, especially during the dark hours.
Occasionally, Google directed me to walk along major highways. I try to avoid highways as they are both unhealthy and unsafe for pedestrians. However, walking on them gave me firsthand exposure to the hazardous traffic conditions in India.
The urgent need for traffic regulation is undeniable. Drivers, particularly those operating commercial vehicles, require systematic training and retraining. Alarmingly, bus drivers stand out as the most reckless, closely followed by private car drivers. Currently, the enforcement of traffic rules is almost nonexistent. Wrong-side driving is rampant, involving even large vehicles and machinery like harvesters. My most recent observations are based on my experience walking along National Highway 8, a major artery connecting Delhi to western India.
My observations
Another noteworthy observation is the varying degree of women’s participation in the political process across states. In some states, nearly all election hoardings featured women contesting local civic body elections—an encouraging sign of progress.
However, I also encountered an unhealthy practice in Haryana. Roadside provision stores and tea stalls frequently had big hookah setups, allowing customers to purchase small wads of tobacco, load the hookah, and smoke on the spot. Alarmingly, I saw many high school students indulging in this habit. This is a concerning trend that the state administration must pay attention to.
Uttarakhand is truly a land of divine beauty. Blessed by nature, its landscapes are breathtaking, though the region occasionally faces natural calamities that result in loss of life. The entire Himalayan belt remains geologically unsettled, requiring constant infrastructure reinforcement to mitigate the effects of landslides, which, though infrequent, pose challenges. Despite this, the warmth and hospitality of the people make every journey here an enriching experience.
A pilgrimage with friends
The next leg of my Padyatra begins on September 29, 2025, from Gaurikund, where we will ascend close to 12,000 feet in altitude to a 17-kilometer-long walk to Kedarnath. I say “we” because I will be joined by friends who will walk with me for this part of the journey. After Kedarnath, I will continue my pilgrimage on foot to Shri Kashi Vishwanath in Benaras.
The Walk of Life is on a mission to champion walking as a transformative way of life—one that strengthens the body, sharpens the mind, and awakens the spirit. We believe that true wellness is holistic, rooted in the powerful connection between movement, mindfulness, and meaning.
At the grassroots, we are committed to promoting literacy and education for those left behind, empowering individuals, and uplifting communities.
Through this journey, we strive to revive and expand access to India’s vast civilizational wisdom in academic institutions worldwide. We invite all generations to step forward and support this endeavor.
Read – Walking Through The Rann Of Kutch: A Journey Of Faith & Fitness
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Vijay Rajvaidya is a veteran of the high-tech and Information Technology industry of Silicon Valley. Vijay has an MBA in Finance from Santa Clara University and multiple degrees in engineering. Passionate about India’s rich culture, heritage, and civilizational history, Vijay is walking through all 12 Shiv temples (Jyotirling Temples) in India, a walk longer than 6,000 miles, replicating the journey of Sri Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century. He is also visiting rural high schools during his walk to promote the Literacy Project “Each One, Teach One” of Rotary India. Vijay is a theater actor, a pilot, a mountaineer, and a certified scuba diver.
Courtesy: India Currents
