Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand

Fast Facts

"Jolly Grant is the nearest airport, which is 307 km. From Dehradun, it is 334 km.", "Rishikesh is the nearest railhead at a distance of 293 km.", "Kumaoni, Garhwal and Hindi are the languages spoken", "Best Season to visit is between July and October"

Did You Know

"Hemkund Sahib is the highest temple in India and a highest Gurudwara in the world.", "Pandit Tara Singh Narotam, who was a 19th century Nirmala scholar, was the first Sikh to trace the location of Hemkund. He wrote aabout Hemkund in Sri Gur Tirath Sangrah, as one among the 508 Sikh.", "Sardar Sohan Singh, a retired `granthi' from the Indian army, found the place in 1934 and the first gurudwara was built in 1936."

Must Do

Enjoy Festivals like: Guru Nannak's birthday, Guru Govind Singh's Jayanti, A winter sports festival, which is held during February and March. Visit places like: Hemkund Lake, Lakshman Temple, Valley of Flowers, Gurudwara Hemkund Saheb

Introduction

Hemkund Sahib, a popular religious and pilgrimage center for both Hindus and Sikhs, is situated in the Garhwal region of Uttaranchal. The name `Hemkund' refers to a lake in the Himalayas. It is located at an altitude of about 4329 meters. And owing to temperatures below zero degrees, it is nearly impossible to reach it between the months November and May i.e. seven months. Hemkund Sahib is also known as Lokpal by many Hindus across the cities in the nation.

Hemkund Sahib in Garhwal is surrounded by snow-capped mountains on all its sides. There is a lake of pristine blue water beside this pilgrimage site. The Sikh shrine of Hemkund Sahib is, indeed, a place of ultimate peace and beauty.

There are seven peaks encapsulating the Hemkund Sahib in Uttaranchal, which is known as the Sapt Sring. It is believed that the penultimate guru of the Sikhs i.e. the Tenth guru called Guru Gobind Singhji, meditated in these mountains for years before getting united with the Almighty. Hence, this star-shaped Gurudwara is a memorial of this guru.

Moreover, according to the Hindu mythology, several other hermits like Rishi Medhasa of the Markandeya Purana and Lord Lakshman, the brother of Lord Ram performed penance at this place. There is even a temple here, which is dedicated to Lord Lakshman.

The ritual of 5 Ks among Sikhs also originated from here. These Ks include: