On a spiritual trek in India

India is home to many ancient cultures with deep-rooted spiritual fervor and mysticalheritage. Apart from its very own pre-historic Vedic tradition, the country has embracedvarious other religions and has been the birth place of many new religions. It has not onlybeen magnanimous in accommodating diverse religions for ages, but has also absorbed themas part of its rich culture. This rich culture is reflected in its ancient temples and holy placesas well as the daily lives of the people here.

A spiritual trek in India is therefore a rare experience of meeting a multitude of cultures andexploring their religious dimensions. A trip to this place of origin of yoga and meditationwill surely rejuvenate the soul, mind and the body.

Source of Ganges - Gangothri Trek

This is a place where the holy river Ganga begins its journey. The literal meaning of‘Gangothri’ is ‘the descent of Ganga’. According to Hindu mythology, this is the sacred placewhere the river Goddess bestowed mercy upon King Bhagiratha by descending gently fromLord Shiva’s hair locks as a river cleansing the sins of his forefathers and agreed to wash outthe sins of people who take a holy dip in the river. It is one of the four important holy placesin the Himalayas called ‘Chota Char Dhams’.

The exact origin of the river Ganges is at Gaumukh in the Gangothri glacier which coversapproximately 19 km of trekking expedition. The trek typically starts with a holy dip in theriver Ganga called as ‘Bhagirathi’ in this place and a visit to the famous Mother Gangatemple at Gangothri which is situated at about 3048 metres above sea level and leads toBhojwassa. The journey from Bhojwassa to Nandanvan is visually enchanting with exoticgardens and meadows and spiritually enriching due to the serene atmosphere, especiallynear Tapovan which is the base for trekking to several other peaks like Shivling andBhagirathi. Nandanvan is located at a height of 4570 meters offering the view of mountainsheep and rare species of birds.

Adi Kailash Trek

This is known as ‘Chota Kailash’ meaning a small version of the main temple at Mt. Kailash.The religiously famous ‘Om parvath’ which has the snow mark resembling the sacredsymbol ‘Om’ is very close to this place.

It is a difficult trek with slippery rocks and thin inhabitation. The trek begins atDharuchala and covers Pangu, Sirkha, Galgad, Malpa village, Budhi, Gungi. The deviationroute to Om parvatha starts here and stretches to Om parvatha via Navidang. The straightroute without deviation proceeds from Gungi and passes through Kuthi village, Kalapaniand Lipulekh passes and ends at Adi Kailash temple. Some of the scenic elements of this trekare the vigorous Kali River and the serene Parvati Lake.

Panch Kedar Trek

The trek derives its name from the fact that it covers five important holy places to worshipLord Shiva that are situated in the Garhwal Himalayan ranges. The spiritual journey beginswith Kedarnath, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas known to be the most significant luminousforms of Lord Shiva. It is also one of the ‘Chota Char Dhams’. This place attracts manypilgrims with the number stretching upward each year, like the steep hiking routes of thisregion.

The five places are Kedarnath (3583 meters), Tungnath (3680 meters), Rudranath (2286meters), Madhyamaheshwar (3490 meters) and Kalpeshwar (2,200 meters). The spiritualaspirants visit these places in the order mentioned above as visiting in this order is spirituallyelevating. The story of the place is that Lord Shiva took the form of bull to avoid seeing thePandavas, the five heroes of the Hindu epic ‘Mahabharatha’. He then reappeared in parts inthese five holy places to relieve the sins of the Pandavas, who then built these temples forthe benefit of others.

The trek also covers Mandal, Chopta, Jagasu, Chaukhamba, Guptkashi and Gaurikund. Thistrek is enjoyable with breathtaking views of high peaks and charming villages.

Mani Mahesh Lake Trek

It is located in Himachal Pradhesh and has abundant spiritual significance related to LordShiva. As per Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva resides in this region for six months startingfrom Janmashtami, the birth day of Lord Krishna in August till Shivrathri day in Februaryand lives in Kailash region during the remaining period. The name is derived from the jewelin the crown of Lord Shiva and it is believed that the reflection of moon’s light from thisjewel is visible in the Mani Mahesh Lake on full moon nights. There is another belief statingthat Lord Brahma resides in Bharmaur city, Lord Vishnu resides in a waterfall in this placeand Lord Shiva resides in the Mani Mahesh Lake.

The trekking journey begins at Kareri village and stretches through Minkiani pass, Lam DalLake, Drakund and Bharmaur city which has the famous Chaurasi temple. It then proceedsto Mani Mahesh Lake which is situated near Dhaular and Pir Panjal hills.

Hemkund Sahib Trek

This is an easy trek to Hemkund, a holy shrine of Sikhism and the foremost of allGurudwaras. The highlights of this trek are the Nandha Devi national park and the valley ofFlowers. They are known for housing a diverse range of flora and fauna including Musk deer,Serow, Thar and butterflies.

The trek from Govindh ghat to Hemkund Sahib via Ghangria provides an exhilaratingtrekking experience. The star shaped shrine is located at the center at the bank of HemkundLake with seven cliffs at the circumference. Located at an altitude of 3000 meters, this placeis a treat for explorers and lovers of photography.

The place has religious significance for the followers of Hinduism as well due to thepresence of a temple for Lord Lakshmana at the source of Lakshman Ganga which is locatedin the rear side of the Hemkund Sahib shrine. With an abundance of treks known for theirspiritual history and exciting landscapes, India is the ultimate destination for hikers whoaspire for spiritual extravaganza.

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