Revered saint and Nepal Kesari Dr. Manibhadra Maharaj, who is on the ‘Sarvodaya Shanti Yatra’, Thursday reached Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar.

The Yatra, which started from.Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, has reached the Patanjali Yogpeeth in March 2024 and from.there, it extended to Badrinath and Kedarnath Dham, before finally reaching its milestone Haridwar.

The pilgrimage, upon its return to Haridwar, was warmly welcomed at Patanjali Yogpeeth.

Praising Dr. Manibhadra, Patanjali Yogpeeth’s General Secretary, Acharya Balkrishna, remarked that Dr. Manibhadra is a great saint of Jainism.

He highlighted that Jain monks and sadhus constantly travel, and this journey epitomizes that tradition.

He commended the monk for completing the arduous Himalayan journey with limited resources. Acharya Balkrishna also offered alms to the Jain monk.

On this occasion, Dr. Manibhadra expressed his fraternal bond with Acharya Balkrishna and lauded Patanjali’s diverse activities, community service, and creative works.

He noted Patanjali’s outstanding contributions in the fields of yoga, Ayurvedic medicine, education, agriculture, research, cow protection, industry, and technology, all playing a significant role in nation-building.

Sharing his journey experiences, Dr. Manibhadra described Uttarakhand as the most beautiful state in India, rich in natural splendor and home to many religious sites.

He was delighted by the simplicity and honesty of the people in Uttarakhand.

The pilgrimage route took him through Dehradun, Mussoorie, Rishikesh, Shivpuri, Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Nandaprayag, Joshimath, and Vishnuprayag, reaching Badrinath Dham on May 12.

Dr. Manibhadra also elaborated on the geographic and spiritual significance of Badrinath Dham, situated at 3,100 meters in the Garhwal Himalayas, between the Nar and Narayan mountain ranges, established by Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century.

He emphasized the Dham’s natural beauty and spiritual essence, highlighting its fusion of Vedic and Shramana traditions, with the Jain deity Ghantakarna Mahadev and Manibhadra being local guardians.

Following Badrinath, the next leg of the journey to Kedarnath began on May 14, passing through Gopeshwar, Chopta, Ukhimath, Guptkashi, and Sonprayag, reaching Kedarnath on May 25.

Despite the challenging path, the beauty and serenity of Kedarnath’s surroundings, including the majestic peaks of Kedarnath, Karachkund, and Bharatkund, and the five rivers enhancing the landscape, made the journey exhilarating.

Dr. Manibhadra thanked Acharya Balkrishna and Patanjali Yogpeeth for their support, noting that the journey concluded smoothly with their goodwill.

He mentioned his previous visits to Patanjali Yogpeeth in 2007 and 2011, with 2024 marking the second time Patanjali served as a milestone for his journey.

During the journey, Dr. Manibhadra was accompanied by Shri Abhishek Muni and Shri Ashish Muni.