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.
This is the base camp Ghagria. From here you can go to holy Hemkund Sahib or the Valley Of Flowers. With my Punjabi looks, beard and kada a number of my Sikh brothers seemed offended when they saw me turning left to the Valley Of Flowers as if saying how can a Sardar not go to Hemkund. How was I to tell them that I had been there way back in 1989.
Nature too has been bountiful in making this place beautiful. There is a majestic gurudwara (a Sikh place of worship) near the lake where people offer prayers after bathing in its cold waters. The place also attracts Hindus in large numbers. It is referred to as Lokpal in the Hindu texts.Like most of the hill stations of India, the Valley Of Flower was rediscovered by a British mountaineer, Frank Smiche, in 1938. His book, Valley Of Flowers, which became a bestseller in those days, dwells mainly on the beauty of this place.
How to Reach Hemkund Sahib
Hemkund is 19 km trek route from Govindghat. Govindghat is connected with Joshimath on (Delhi-Bardinath highway) with 18km long motorable road.
Nearest Airport : Nearest airport is Jolly Grant, 307 kms. (Dehradun 334 kms.)
Nearest Railway Station : Nearest railhead is Rishikesh, 293 kms.
Road Connectivity : Hemkund Sahib is 6 Kms. from Ghangharia, which is approachable on foot or on pony from Govindghat which is connected by road with Rishikesh, Kotdwara, Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, Ranikhet and other important stations of Garhwal and Kumaon.
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