Hemkund Sahib : A sacred shrine of the Sikhs in The Himalayas

ॐ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः ॐ श्री शिवानन्दाय नमः ॐ श्री चिदानन्दाय नमः ॐ श्री दुर्गायै नमः 

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Hemkund Sahib is a pilgrim place for the Sikhs in the Himalayas in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India. With a setting of a glacial lake surrounded by seven mountain peaks,each peak is adorned by a Nishan Sahib on its cliff.

It is located in the Himalayas at an elevation of 4632 meters (15,200 ft) It is accessible only by foot from Gobindghat on the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway.

Hemkund Sahib is Sikh place of worship, known as Gurudwara Sri Hemkund Sahib Ji, devoted to Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Sikh Guru.

Hemkund is a Sanskrit word for snow.This is the place where Pandu Raja of the Hindu epic Mahabharatha practiced Yoga.

Hemkund is inaccessible because of snow from October through April. Each year the first Sikh pilgrims arrive in May and set to work to repair the damage to the mountain path over the winter.

The tributaries of the Ganges merge along the way and the towns at the confluences are known as Prayag. 

About 3 km from Gobinddham is the world famous Valley of Flowers, which is 5 kms long. The Indian Government has declared this valley a national park. 

The trek to the valley is relatively easy and is a popular second destination for pilgrims visiting Hemkund Sahib. 

Please have a look at some of the beautiful pictures of this Sacred Shrine, amidst the awe-inspiring, snow-capped peaks of the majestic Himalayas, in the holy land of India :