Hem Kund Sahib
About the city
This very sacred Sikh shrine is situated on the foot of the Hemkund Lake (4,320 mtrs). It marks the place where Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last Guru, unified with God after prolonged meditation in his previous birth.The guru's autobiography which contains a detailed description of the place helped two devout Sikhs, Sant Sohan Singh and Havaldar Mohan Singh to rediscover it. According to Hindu mythology, Hemkund or Lokpal as it is also known, is where Lakshman had done his penance. Hemkund is a 15 km trek from Govindghat, which is the gateway to the Bhyundar or Lakshman Ganga Valley. Govindghat is on the bus route to Badrinath. The trek from here to Hemkunt takes one through forests of pine and rhododendron where wild roses, ferns, and alpine flowers bloom. The surging waters of the Lakshman Ganga are also visible. The last 5 km of the trek entails a steep climb from Ghangharia, which is a base for visiting Hemkunt. Hemkunt Lake is about 2 km in circumference. Its clear, still waters mirror images of Saptashringa Peaks (5,500 mtrs) which surround it. Bits of ice still float on the waters between July and October, the best season to visit Hemkund, The rock-strewn shores of the lake are covered with moss and flowers in bloom.Hem Kund is a 5 km walk (and a climb of 1300 metres) from Ghangria. You will see portly Sikh women being carried up in chairs on the backs of porters.