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Hemkunt - The Land Of The Holy Gurudwara

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Hemkund, located in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand is a popular pilgrimage centre of Sikhs. This holy place is perched at an elevation of 15200 ft above sea level and can only be reached on foot from Gobindghat, located on the Rishikesh-Badrinath Highway.

The name of the place is derived from the two Sanskrit words, Hem and Kund meaning snow and bowl, respectively. This destination is situated amid seven mountains, each of which is festooned with Nishan Sahib, a Sikh holy triangular flag. The seven-peaked mountain is known as Sapt Shring. According to a legend, this is the same place where the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh Ji meditated for years.

Tourist Places In And Around Hemkunt

The destination is famous for its gurudwara, the Hemkund Sahib, which is dedicated to Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Hemkund even finds mention in the Dasam Granth, the holy book of Sikhs, written by Guru Gobind Singh.

The construction of the Gurudwara was initiated in the year 1960 and was handled by Major General Harkirat Singh. He was the Engineer-in-Chief, who selected Architect Siali to take over the charge of the construction process.

Travellers can also find a beautiful lake in proximity to the Gurudwara. The region is closed owing to snow between the months of October and April. In the month of May, the Sikhs do ‘kar seva’ or work service and help in repairing the damaged path.

If time permits, travellers can also visit the Laxman Temple, which is known by the name Laxman Gopal in this region. Vasudhara Falls, close to Badrinath is another popular attraction of this region. Bounded by mountains, this waterfall looks amazing with water falling down from over 400 ft.

This place can be reached by trekking; the trekking trail starts from Mana Village, through a cobbled path, where it is easy to walk for 2-3 km, but after that, the path becomes quite steep. Nanda Devi National Park, perched at an altitude of 7817 m is another prominent attraction near Hemkund.

The famous valley of flowers is situated on the north-west of this park. The Nanda Devi National Park along with the Valley of Flowers forms the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, covering a total area of 2,236.74 sq.km, bounded by a buffer zone of 5,148.57 sq.km.

Hemkunt is Famous for

Hemkunt Weather

Best Season / Best Time to Visit Hemkunt

  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • July
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec

How to Reach Hemkunt

  • By Road
    Travellers can reach Govindghat by buses and taxis from places like Rishikesh, Pauri, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Ukhimath, Srinagar, Kotdwara, Dehradun, Haridwar and Chamoli. Travellers need to trek a distance of 19 km from Govindghat to reach Hemkund.
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  • By Train
    The nearest railway station to Hemkund is Rishikesh, which is connected to major Indian destinations by frequent trains. This railway station is located at a distance of 273 km from Govindghat. From here tourists can reach Hemkund by a trek of 16 km.
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  • By Air
    Jolly Grant airport of Dehradun is the nearest airbase of Hemkund. It is situated at a distance of 268 km from Hemkund. Travellers can easily hire taxis and cabs from the airport to Hemkund.
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