Vijay Sapps

Hemkund Sahib is a remarkable place, and its story is worth knowing. At nearly 15,200 feet in the Garhwal Himalayas, beside a glacial lake surrounded by seven snow covered peaks, stands one of the highest Sikh shrines in the world. Its significance comes from the Bachittar Natak, part of the Dasam Granth, in which Guru Gobind Singh Ji speaks of meditating in a previous life at Hemkunt Parbat, Sapt Sring. The story of how the present day shrine came to be is equally fascinating. Pandit Tara Singh Narotam had traced its geographical location back in 1884. Later, the writings of Bhai Vir Singh inspired Sant Sohan Singh to search for the sacred site. He identified the present location in the 1930s and the first small Gurudwara was built in 1935. There is also a Lakshman temple beside the lake, reflecting the Hindu belief that Lakshman meditated here. I find this particularly fascinating about our Himalayas. These mountains have been a source of spiritual inspiration for centuries. Hindu temples, Sikh Gurudwaras, Buddhist monasteries and Jain pilgrimage sites all find their place in this extraordinary landscape. Different faiths, different traditions and different ways of seeking the divine, yet all finding something sacred in these same mountains. I have been to Hemkund Sahib just once. The trek is steep and treacherous in parts, and the altitude makes you respect every step. I would love to go again. Perhaps some of my Sikh friends will take me along on their next pilgrimage. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.