As Close to Heaven as it gets

Sai Ram
I recently visited Badrinath in the Himalayas. This was my second time traveling there. I wanted my husband David to experience the resounding beauty and splendor of this very holy place on earth. Although I swore I would never again ascend those winding, treacherous roads that lead to this Shangri-la, the breathless Himalayan horizon called to my Soul. And in mid May I went with a group of Sai Baba devotees to this wondrous locale.

As we ascended the mountain one heart-pounding vista after another embraced our saucer wide eyes.
The majestic Himalayan mountain range rising up from the depths of Om welcomed us with hands
folded in Namaste. My husband now realized why I wanted him to experience this as he stared at
the God-kissed peaks.

There is a very special place in Badrinath that is literally in my opinion the threshold of heaven.
After we arrived in Badrinath the next day we climbed roughly 3 kilometers to this celestial portal ~
Vishnu's Paduka.

Vishnu's Paduka


earth dwindling from view
it seems I've trekked this golden highway
before
maybe somewhere in my dreams
I gaze speechless at God's colossal Footprints
and the long procession of sadhus, saints and sages
following 
like the Pandavas I feel I too could 
keep walking towards the blinding light
and heaven's open door

~sonya ki tomlinson