“The greatest gift of life on the mountain is time. Time to think or not think, read or not read, scribble or not scribble—to sleep and cook and walk in the woods, to sit and stare at the shapes of the hills.” — Phillip Connor

The world has become harder to hold. Not just busy, but uncertain in a deeper way. Wars that bleed into our timelines every morning. Trade decisions made in distant rooms that ripple into our daily lives. We carry all of this alongside our own private struggles: our ambitions, our relationships, our questions about who we are and whether any of it is enough.

How do we navigate a world that wallows in uncertainty?

In times like these, we hold on to what we have. And what we do have is connection and community, and within that we have ourselves and the multitudes of nature within us. And we wish to build more of that: community, connection, and communion with nature. It is through these processes that we wish to transform ourselves, and change the world.

To strengthen our community and deepen understanding of our world, both inner & outer, we are seeking to go on a journey this June. A Walking Pilgrimage (पद-यात्रा) into the mountains.

Padh-Yatra, a walking pilgrimage, celebrates the idea of a silent conversation with nature. Padh-Yatra was born 12 years ago in the cohort of ONUS - (2014-15) as a journey into the mountains, a mere journey churned such profound meaning for each Yatri that it shed its skin on its own and turned into a pilgrimage. The Yatra aims to create a space where you fetch what you seek, where the horizon is the inspiration and nothing is the limitation, where you let nature be your facilitator.

What does it entail?

As the name suggests, the program is focused on practicing and going deeper into the experiences of mindful walking, silence and being one with nature. We hold each other during this pilgrimage as a community, retreat from the city for a few days into the vastness and expanse of the snow-covered mountains, camp in a jungle far away from the crowds, the rush and the madness we have become accustomed to, thus offering moments of complete rest, stillness and peace to our body, mind and soul.

We invite you to this inner and outer adventure, to hold each other's hands and walk together in the wilderness, keeping our individuality and silence intact. We will have reflective and contemplative processes, and community strengthening exercises, apart from a 2-3 hrs mild trek from Rajgundha into the meadows on an off-beat trail, not usually ventured into and explored by the tourists.

Padh Yatra 2026

The 3-Day Walking Pilgrimage (पद-यात्रा) from 12th - 14th June, 2026

Date: 12th June Morning (Arrival in Bir) - 14th June Evening (Departure for Delhi). 

Place: Bir, Himachal Pradesh. Trek route: Rajgundha valley to Palachak.

Travel: Arrive in Bir by 9 AM on 12th June. An overnight bus from Delhi/Chandigarh is the most convenient option. Trains run till Pathankot or Amb Andaura for those who prefer rail. Closest airport is Gaggal Airport (2 hours from Bir). Local transport within Bir is included; to and from Bir is not.

*Based on the number of participants from Delhi, we can do a group booking as well once everyone confirms.

Accommodation: Shared tents on both nights. All equipment provided. We will be camping in the wilderness along with support staff.

Participation: The participation is capped at 18-20 participants. Applications close once we reach capacity for an intimate, deep reflective space during the program. The program is open to all YA alumni, and you are also welcome to invite and register a friend, colleague or partner whose values and mindset align with our community. Please have them speak to a member of the organizing team before registering

Suggested Contribution: Sliding scale of INR ₹4,500 - ₹7,000, which covers accommodation, all meals, and camping equipment. If you can contribute more towards facilitation, design, and coordination, the team would be grateful. And if finances are a constraint, please reach out. We would not want you to miss out this opportunity! Please note that travel to and from Delhi is not included in this amount, local commute from Bir to Rajgundha and Palachak is included.

Space holders: Alumni Arzoo and Ayushi along with YA team member Rishabh and Om are organising and facilitating this Padh Yatra 2026.

FAQs

1. Can you share more details about the location?

We all gather in Bir on Day 1. From there, we go to Rajgundha valley, nestled in the Beas valley with the Dhauladhar range rising behind it. We stay the night in Rajgundha and the next morning we hike to Palachak, a less explored trail route spanning a 3-4 hour walk, after which we set up camp there. The next day, we walk back to Rajgundha and by evening, return to Bir.

2. Will the accommodation be shared in the tents?

Yes, shared tents on both nights. This is intentional. Living in close quarters, looking out for each other: that's part of the experience. The idea is to live together as a community and support each other. 

3. Will there be support in carrying our stuff during the trek?

Yes, support will be available. That said, we encourage you to travel light, both as a practical choice and as a small practice in itself. Please avoid single-use plastics and disposables; we want to leave these places exactly as we found them.

4. Are there any restrictions during the program?

Alcohol and drugs of any kind are not permitted at any point during the Yatra. Smoking is restricted and possible only at designated spots. Please be considerate of the shared space and the people in it.

5. Will we get time to explore Bir or nearby areas?

The program doesn't build that into the first two days, and honestly, the Yatra itself will give you plenty to take in. On Day 3, we wrap up by lunch. After that, Bir is yours to explore.

6. Will there be a re-fund of the contribution amount if I withdraw before the program?

The following refund policy would be applicable for Padh Yatra 2026 with genuine reasons for withdrawal:

A week or 10 days before the program i.e. 2nd June - No refund would be possible

Between 15th May - 2nd June: Partial refund (50%)

Before 15th May: Full refund

Alumni Reflections

Ritu

'And you shouldn’t be surprised when I say I fell in love with you, with her, with him and the mountains or the birds or the flowing river, after all, we all met in a place where only love seems to exist!' Read her full reflection: I felt like I was home even when I had never been there before.

Ashita

'I witnessed human connection at the very raw form in these two days where nobody (mostly) knew other names to everybody feeling connected deeply with each other, happened. I witnessed the magic of an open and free space where we could cry out loud, we could display immense gratitude for the motivation to climb up despite of the physical uneasiness, where our privacy is valued without any judgments. That is the power of group.' Read more

Rachit

'Our silence talked, I discerned how silence being the universal language is ‘spoken’ across biodiversity, transcends the demarcations of men and nature alike. Rumi puts it best “Silence is the language of god, all else is poor translation”. As the dusk fell we huddled back to our beautiful nest, quickly earthed deep into our comfy beds envisioning the walking pilgrimage that we were to take the following day.' Here's the full reflection: The lust of a mountain goat

Heena

'Meeting all of you passionate souls along with nature's magic enriched my soul. More than any questions or answers, I went with a burden that I have subjected my soul to, from last 8 years. I had tried everything I could to free myself from these shackles and I believe I have finally been able to do that.' Read more..