Swargarohini

Swargarohini
Swargarohini and Bandarpunch massifs
Highest point
Elevation	6,252 m (20,512 ft)
Coordinates	31°05′04″N 78°30′58″E / 31.08444°N 78.51611°E / 31.08444; 78.51611
Geography
Swargarohini Uttarakhand, India
Parent range	Garhwal Himalaya
Climbing
First ascent	1990 by a team from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering
Easiest route	technical rock/snow/ice climb

Swargarohini is a mountain massif in the Saraswati (Bandarpunch) Range of the Garhwal Himalaya. It lies in the Uttarkashi District of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, west of the Gangotri group of peaks. It comprises four separate peaks: Swargarohini I is the main peak, and is the subject of this article. While not particularly high by Himalayan standards, and not the highest in the Bandarpunch range, Swargarohini I is notable for its dramatic local relief. For example, its north face drops 2,000 metres (6,560 ft) in less than 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) of horizontal distance, and its south face achieves the same drop in less than 3 kilometres (1.9 mi). This makes it a steep and challenging climb. Swargarohini I has two summits, east and west. The east summit is given an elevation of 6,247 m (20,495 ft), slightly lower than the west summit. However the first ascensionists of the west summit claim that that summit is the higher of the two.

This snow-clad peak along is the source of the Tons River and along with the Bandarpunch massif it acts as a watershed between the Yamuna and the Bhagirathi Rivers.

Swargarohini 1 has been climbed by a 4-man team from West Bengal. The first civilian to reach the summit on 29 June 2016 at 6:45 am was leader, Thendup Sherpa. The expedition was organised by The Natures Foundation Kanchrapara of West Bengal. Its members were Suman Dey, Debabrata Dutta (team leader), Bikramjeet Nath and Bikramjeet Debnath. It was very technical between Camp 1 and Camp 3. There was no site for Camp 2, but ultimately after long hard work, the team successfully summited Swargarohini 1, the first civilians to do so.

Suman Dey Summit member

Swargarohini derives it names from the legends associated with that it peaks forms the path to heaven that was followed by Pandavas, but only one pandava [Yudhishthira] and a dog had reached heaven. According to the legends it is believed that this is the only way one can go to heaven with the human body itself.