Hemkund

Hemkund Sahib Punjabi: ਹੇਮਕੁੰਟ ਸਾਹਿਬ Hindi: हेमकुंड साहिब Shri Hemkund Saheb
pilgrimage site; Gurudwara
Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib
Hemkund Sahib Show map of Uttarakhand Hemkund Sahib Show map of India Location in Uttarakhand, India
Coordinates: 30°42′0.78″N 79°36′57.54″E / 30.7002167°N 79.6159833°E / 30.7002167; 79.6159833Coordinates: 30°42′0.78″N 79°36′57.54″E / 30.7002167°N 79.6159833°E / 30.7002167; 79.6159833
Country	India
State	Uttarakhand
District	Chamoli district
Elevation	4,632.96 m (15,200.00 ft)
Languages
• Official	Hindi
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	249401
Vehicle registration	UK
Website	www.hemkunt.in

Hemkund Sahib (also spelled Hemkunt), formally known as Gurudwara Sri Hemkund Sahib Ji, is a Sikh place of worship and pilgrimage site in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India. It is devoted to Guru Gobind Singh Ji (1666–1708), the tenth Sikh Guru, and finds mention in Dasam Granth, a work dictated by Guruji himself. With its setting of a glacial lake surrounded by seven mountain peaks, each adorned by a Nishan Sahib on its cliff, it is according to the Survey of India located in the Himalayas at an elevation of 4,632 meters (15,197 feet). It is approached from Gobindghat on the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway. The main town near Gobindghat is Joshimath.

Hemkunt is a Sanskrit name derived from Hem ("Snow") and Kund ("bowl"). Dasam Granth says this is the place where Pandu Raja practiced Yoga. In addition, the Dasam Granth says God ordered Sikh Guru Gobind Singh to take birth while he was in deep meditation at the mount of Hemkunt.

Hemkund is inaccessible from October through April because of snow bound paths and glaciers. Sikh pilgrims arrive in May and set to work to repair the damage to the path over the winter, which tradition is called kar seva ("work service"), a concept which forms an important tenet of the Sikh faith.

The take-off point for Hemkund Sahib is the town of Govindghat about 275 kilometres (171 mi) from Rishikesh. The 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) trek is along a reasonably well maintained path to the village of Ghangaria (also called Govinddham). This path can be covered either by walk or by pony and a Gurudwara here gives shelter to pilgrims. In addition there are a few hotels and a camp ground with tents and mattresses. A 1,100-metre (3,600 ft)climb on a 6-kilometre (3.7 mi) of stone paved path leads Hemkund. Overnight stay is not allowed at Hemkund Sahib and so it is necessary to leave by 2 PM to make it back to Govindghat by nightfall.