Down the Memory Lane: Cloud Nine Ecstasy – Over the Clouds, at Guru’s Doorstep [Part

Today, October 7, a very auspicious day for Hindus, it is Mahalaya. This day, when an invocation and invitation given to the mother goddess to rise, awake and descend on earth to wipe out the evils. In addition, start of Devi Paksha, people offer Tarpan in the memory of their deceased ancestors. After many years got up in the morning and was listening the age-old recital of Chandi sholaka from none other than Lt. Birendra Krishna Bhadra and company. In this era of satellite television nothing can compare to that piece, it is just incomparable. Therefore, Navaratri will start from tomorrow and seven days countdown just started for Durga Puja. Now, let me continue with my tour diary. Hemkund Sahib: The place is famous for the Gurudwara that known as Sri Hemkund Sahib, it is devoted to Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru and it is a Sikh worship-place. Hemkund with a glacial lake surrounded by seven mountain peaks. Situated at an altitude of 15,000 ft., only accessible by foot from Ghangaria but now this day’s one can hire a horse to reach there.
Handshake with Cloud	Cloud Covered Lake	Flowers
Next morning, August 28, all mountain peaks fully covered by dark clouds, the sight was not encouraging. After bath and tea when we were all set, it started drizzling. Mr. Rana, tour guide asked us to put on our raincoats, it was very cold too. Hemkund sahib, six-kilometer stiff trekking from 10000ft. to 15000ft. and equally difficult for any horse rider. Started early but the route was narrow and it was raining. It was dangerous but at the same time it given a rare experience, climbing a mountain and rain was pouring down. Clouds and clouds hardly could see anything below. I was with Madhuji, her husband Goyelji decided to dropout from this trip from the midway and gone back to the hotel. Some of my group members too decided to skip this tour, among others Induji and Kailashji decided to visit Valley of Flowers once more and Madhusudhan Bhaiji surprised everyone with his decision to return back to Govindghat a day earlier. Stopped for fifteen minutes at a tea stall but never had anything over there. On the way could not take any snap as it was raining but just before entering Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara, for the first time got the view of the flower which we heard all along, “Brahma Kamal’, a rare lotus, in Hindu mythology it is believed that this flower use for worshiping Lord Brahma, the god of creations.
Brahma Kamal	The Glacial Lake	Holy Dip by Pilgrimages
When we reached at Hemkund Sahib, all seven peaks were cover by cloud and water in the lake was very cold but slowly sun shows up. After washing our hand in the lake, we visited the Gurudwara and then to langar, where they served us hot tea and khichdi, had both, it was marvelous feeling while eating a bowl of hot food at that time and that altitude, it tasted like nectar. Langars in all Gurudwars always fascinate me a lot, only place where rich and poor eating same food without any fuss. That make the Sikh community apart from other Indian and whole world too, no mater where they are and how difficult it is they will always ready to feed the hungry one. I visited many famous Gurudwars, includes Golden temple, Anandpur Sahib, Manikaran and one in Singapore too. Singapore Gurudwara, which I visited many times during my stay over there. stayed over there for one and half-hour and then returned to Ghangaria, this trip was more dangerous than one which when we gone up. By mid afternoon we were back and instantly dropped to my bed. That particular evening tried to explore Ghangaria a bit, Bought two Kada (bangles made out of steel) from near by shop, then visited the Ghangaria Gurudwara, the biggest concrete structure can be seen in Ghangaria, remembered that there was one just near the bridge of Govindghat. The Sikh pilgrimages those comes from different parts of India get their first halt at Govindghat Gurudwara, then trek to Ghangaria, where they rest for the day in this Gurudwara and next morning they proceed to Hemkund Sahib. Therefore, all their woes taken care off, but still it is very tough journey. One thing that I missed out the forest that situated just behind the GMVN TRH, because by the time it was discover it was very dark to visit the place. Hope will come back again, sometime. Night decided to skip the dinner and instead took a hot glass of milk and gone to sleep. Looking forward to the next day, have to go back to Govindghat, down the hill and the same fourteen-kilometer route.
The Langar	The Gurudwara	Coming Back