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Hemkund Sahib, The Highest Sikh Pilgrimage in Uttarakhand

Located amidst the pristine valleys of the beautiful Indian state of Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, the Hemkund Sahib area, also known as Gurudwara Shri Hemkunt Sahib, is one of the prime locations for the tourists to visit. The gurudwara is dedicated to Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who happens to known as one of the ten Sikh Gurus. It is the highest and the greatest Gurudwara of the Sikh community, located right on the shores of the prestigious lake.

The weather changes quite rapidly at the place and almost every season is great to have a trip to the place. The highlights of the place are its waterfalls, deep forests, the crystal clear and an amazing view of the Himalayas. Any time a year is perfect to have a visit to the place but the season from June to October is generally considered the perfect one to do so.

How to reach?

The nearest railway station is the Rishikesh railway station which is situated 273 km before Govindghat on NH8. Taxis and buses can be availed from Rishikesh to Govindghat. Jolly Grand Airport happens to be the nearest airport to Hemkund Sahib but the roads are only connected up to Govindghat from where you will have to begin the trek.

Govindghat is the starting point of the trek to Hemkund Sahib and it well connected by motorable roads. The trek from Govindghat to Ghangharia is a steep one and covers 13 km. The remaining 6 km route is the steepest and can be the toughest one to travel.

After having a visit to the beautiful lake and the Gurudwara, you may feel the need to explore some places nearby.

Places to see

Ghangaria- On the long trek to Shri Hemkund Sahib, Ghangaria is the last stop where the traces of civilization exist. Located at an altitude of about 3000 meters above the sea level, Ghangaria is a beautiful place for sightseeing and for taking a few hours rest before you continue the journey to Hemkund Sahib. The trek up to this point is the toughest one. The region remains open from May to October and closed afterward due to the heavy snowfall that keeps occurring in here.

Valley of Flowers- Valley of flowers is a beautiful paradise situated at a 4 kms trek from Ghangaria. Also a reputed world heritage site, the valley of flowers is a must visit place on your way and purely a botanist’s delight. The entire valley is a valley of rare flowers and generally a rug of colors – green, yellow, red, blue etc. The entry ticket to the valley is 150 INR per person (for Indians) and 600 INR per person (for foreigners) and valid for 3 days entry. Whereas still cameras and movie/video cameras are free to carry, charges apply for professional video camera charges, that is 500 INR for Indians and 1500 INR for foreign nationals. The opening time of the valley is 6 am.

Please note that one should not litter anywhere in the valley and it is advisable to

carry some food from Ghangaria as you won’t get anything to eat up there.

Food served

A simple meal, comprising of Khichdi(rice dish) and tea is served here to all the pilgrimage, as a part of the langar. In case if you do not want to opt for this it is highly advisable to carry your own food and eatables as you will not find any restaurants there.

No visitor is allowed to stay overnight at gurudwara except the caretakers of the place, hence one needs to come back to Ghangaria for a night stay.

Places to stay at Ghangaria

A few options for a good and comfortable stay are Hotel Deepak Lodge, Valley of Flowers Holiday Home, Hotel Kuber Annex, Sarovar Portico Badrinath and Hotel Narayan Palace.

Hemkund other than a beautiful valley full of amazing landscapes and breathtaking visuals also happens to be a sacred place for the Sikhs, especially from northern India. The virgin beauty of the place is indeed reminiscent of the beautiful country we are living in.

UNESCO sites that you should visit in North India

In 2014, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognised 32 places as World Heritage Sites in India. These are the places that are great importance of cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Of these 32 sites, 25 are cultural sites and the other seven are natural sites.

Here is the list of UNESCO sites which can you should visit in North India

Qutab Minar & its monuments, New Delhi

One of the most popular & visited heritage site in India. It was build in 1311 by the muslim ruler . The Qutab complex includes Qutab Minar, Alai Darwaza, Alai Minar, Qubbat-ul-Islam Mosque, Tomb of Iltumish, and Iron Pillar. Its foundation was laid by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, but completed by other rulers.The Qutab Minar is the tallest brick minaret in the world, inspired by the Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan, The Qutab Minar is 72.5 metres (239 ft) high, has five distinct storeys, each marked by a projecting balcony carried on muqarnas corbel and tapers from a diameter 14.3 metres at the base to 2.7 metres at the top, which is 379 steps away.

Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

This observatory was built by Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh in 1734 CE. It has a collection of nineteen architectural astronomical instruments. Apart from this it boasts of having the world’s largest stone sundial. The instruments helped in observing astronomical positions with the naked eye.Not only this, it is one of the best preserved observatories but also a great example of the scientific & cultural heritage of India, shared over the centuries.

Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh

This is one of the hotspot for Buddhist tourist in India. Monuments at Sanchi are the oldest stone structure in India and was originally commissioned by Ashoka, the Great. Sanchi Stupa is the most important of all the monuments here. Stupas are large hemispherical domes, which has a central chamber, in which the relics of the Buddha were placed. The Sanchi Stupa is one of the best preserved early stupas in central India. This stupa is surrounded by a railing with four carved gateways facing all the four directions. This Buddhist vihara is located Sanchi Town in Raisen, 46 km north-east of Bhopal.

Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam

This famous sanctuary is located in Assam and known for its one horned rhinoceroses. Apart from Rhinos, the park is a home for many endangered species Tigers, Elephants,wild water buffalos, swamp deer & birds.

The project was started by Lord Curzon in 1905. The park is located in Nagaon district. Nearest airport is Guwahati, which is 271km away from the park.

Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh

The park was established in 1984 & is located in Kullu region. It is part of the Himalaya biodiversity hotspot and is home to 25 different forest types along with a rich collection of fauna species, several of which are threatened. One can spot very rare species of plants and animals such as blue sheep, snow leopard, Himalayan brown bear, Himalayan Tahr, musk deer spruces, horse chesnuts and huge alpine meadows. The park is spread over an area of 1,171 km2 at an altitude of between 1500 to 6000 m. One can do trek and camp inside the park by taking prior permissions.

Humayun’s Tomb, New Delhi

This was the first garden tomb of India & was built by Begum Bega in the memory of his husband Humayun. This monument is considered as the precursor monument to the Taj Mahal, which was built a century later. Apart from the tomb of Humayun, it houses about 150 tombs of various members of the royal family.

The Red Fort Complex, New Delhi

Red Fort Complex, also known as Lal Qila is a palace fort built in the 17th century by Shahjahan, when he shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi. It is one of the ceremonial & political centre of Mughal government It got its name Red fort because of the red sandstone used to make the enclosing walls.The fort complex was planned according to iSlamic prototypes & reflect Persian traditions. Today , every year on15th Aug, the PM of India hoists the national flag and delivers the national speech. Light & sound show about the Fort history ,is also a major attraction

Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks, Uttarakhand

It was established in 1982 , near the peak of Nanda Devi, in West Himalayas. The gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park complements the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park & Together, they form a unique zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya.Like GHNP, this park also give shelters to many rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear,snow leopard,musk deer,brown bear, red fox,blue sheep etc.

This summer vacation, get your kids on an educational tour to UNESCO sites, and let them cherish the rich heritage they belong to.