Hemkund Sahib Revisited

The Journey begins at Govindghat
which is a 9-10 hour bus ride from Rishikesh. There are many ways to do it, by  taxi (expensive), shared taxi, small bus; and  one can break the journey or do it at one go.  I  spent the night at Srinagar and so had a shorter journey to Govindghat the next day., here I spent the night so that I could start my walk early next morning.
I have been to this region before and both times have combined a pilgrimage to  Hemkund Sahib with hikes to the Valley of Flowers.  My blog to the Valley of Flowers this year is placed here.  For a blog of my previous hikes please see Valley of Flowers and Hemkund -a Trek to Paradise ;  the photographs I took are at Valley of Flowers  , and at The Flora Around Hemkund.  

From Govindghat to Ghangariya
is a journey that is now made easier by riding in a  shared taxi for 4.8 km until Pulna and walking 10 km from there to Ghangariya, which is to be my home for the next four nights. The walk is along an easy, well paved path with gradual steps and climbs.  At this time there are many pilgrims along this route, most walking, some riding and the very old or infirm being carried up in  dolies.

Great faith in people going up...
...this young mother  walking barefoot, carried her sleeping child, for almost the entire distance.  The child was blissfully unaware of the tiring steps of faith her mother had taken. For the unfit like me, baggage can be carried up by porters who are mainly itinerant workers from Nepal who lift loads of 30 kilograms or more  with ease.

From Govindghat to Hemkund there is plenty 
to eat and drink along the way.  Catering to the popular taste of the pilgrims, tandoori paratha, fruit, cold drinks and water are available at path-side eateries along the way. The lemon tea peculiar to this region is particularly refreshing and a must try.  I spend my next four nights at GMVN at Ghangariya.  GMVN has a comprehensive network of staying places (about 90 or so) all over Garhwal.  They are not very expensive, neat and clean.  On the other hand they have elaborate rules of booking in advance with full payment and a cumbersome cancellation policy.

Mules and Porters
line the end of the busy bazaar of Ghangariya. There are hundreds of mules, in fact, I believe there were more mules than pilgrims as at every stop the mule drivers were touting rides. People go up by mule, doli, pithoo, but the intrepid majority just walk.  Walking up is a true act of faith as it  is a 6 km steep climb (from 3000 metres to 4600 metres) from Ghangariya.
On my previous pilgrimage in August 2015, the monsoon had already set in and it got considerably overcast by mid-morning.  Since I wanted to take photographs I went by mule, (excuses, excuses), which is much faster. 

Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara
one of the places of Sikh  pilgrimage at high altitude, it is located at  4600 metres and is the place where Guru Gobind Singh is believed to have obtained Enlightenment.  I reach it after a long and arduous journey over two days by road, walking and a mule. One can not spend the night here and it is best to start down by 2 pm if one is to reach Ghangariya before dark as it is the nearest where one can stay the night. 

The view from the top
is spectacular. The Gurudwara Sahib is nestled in a hollow with a lake (sarovar or kund) by its side, both being surrounded by lofty peaks and the most breathtaking views. The mule I rode up heaved an audible sigh of relief at the top when I slid my rather heavy frame off its back, at last he could rest before the return journey.  From a riders perspective, going up is easy, its the descent which is a bit hairy as the mule nonchalantly goes to the edge of vertiginous cliffs and turns. 

Inside the Gurudwara Sahib
on this day there are many pilgrims, in various attitudes of worship, most are exhausted by their walk up.  There are raagis singing and later prayers are said.  This time I found far more pilgrims than the few last time hence the tranquility was less and the bustle more.  There are blankets everywhere for exhausted and cold pilgrims who have walked the 6 km up.

The devout by the lake side at Hemkund Sahib
the lake is clean,  clear and very cold, in fact there is snow and ice right up to its edges. At 4600 metres it is cold here, though the sun is very sharp, (very carelessly I got sunburned) the ice remains in shadowed areas.  I saw traces of ice along the entire way, right until Ghangariya, being residual ice, at most places it was dirty.  There is a path around the lake, but I was forbidden to go along it by one of the caretakers, I didn't argue.

A ritual bath
in the ice cold waters cleanses these pilgrims, who take it in turns to  dip in while the others give encouragement. There were many pilgrims on this day, possibly because it was a weekend and that the season had not yet started in VoF and so there was accommodation available.  The support infrastructure for pilgrims along the entire route is very well laid out in terms of stay and food at Gurudwaras and travel.

Ringing the bell
at the entrance arch to Lokpal Laxman Temple right next door. This temple and the Gurudwara are in total harmony in prayers, bells and timings. Most pilgrims visit both places as the the temple is nearby and situated on the edge of the  same lake.

The langar at Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara
is a simple but delicious fare of khichdi, almost every activity in the langar and elsewhere is done as sewa, voluntary work so essential to the Sikh faith. Cooking, serving and cleaning the utensils are all done voluntarily here and at every Gurudwara, where one can get a meal and a place to stay at no cost.

The rising clouds are a sign that I have to start back.
I had climbed another 100 metres up a hillside by the side of the Gurudwara.  On my last visit here I had seen the famous Brahma Kamal flower, this rare plant blooms in August for a short while only so I did not get to see it this time.  With a last wistful look at this wonderful scene, I begin my descent and journey back.

As the famous Russian mountain guide, Anatoli Boukreev so aptly said:
"Mountains are the cathedrals where I practise my religion"