HIMALAYAS THE INCREDIBLE BEAUTY OF INDIA

 

Born in a Indian Hindu Brahmin family I grew up watching my parents worshiping many Hindu Gods. The Early morning Sound of the bell was a wake up alarm for us.

I remember my mother meditating in a small temple in our garden early in the morning and my father chanting mantras of Lord Shiva and Lord Hanuman. We learned to Meditation or Puja which would be an essential inevitable part of our family as this would help our mind to be calm and focused. This is how we started knowing about Gods and Goddess.

 According to Hindu mythology there are three supreme powers Lord Brahma the creator Lord Vishnu the Preserver and Lord Shiva the Destroyer. Now I could understand Creator and Preserver but why the Destroyer? Why would any God be a destroyer. As always my mother had answers to all my queries and curiosities. She used to read many religious books on Gods and Goddesses and  Shiv Puran ( Holy book on Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati) was one among those religious books. I then came to know about Himalayas and Lord Shiva his powers to destroy Demons and evil 

According to Shivpuran (a holy text ), Himalayas the snow-clad mountain range is the abode of Lord Shiva . The name of the range derives from the Sanskrit Himalaya ( "Abode of the Snow"), from Him("snow") and alaya (dwelling"). Which are now known as the "Himalaya Mountains" or "Himalayas".

It is  believed in Hinduism that Lord Shiva lived or lived on the highest mountain peak covered with snow called Mount Kailash Himalayas.

There are 5 holy peaks in the upper chest of Himalayas that are blessed by the holiness of Lord Shiva and considered being his mystic abodes.  The Kailash Manasarovar, Adi Kailash, Kinnaur Kailash, Shrikant Mahadev Kailash and Manimahesh Kailash. 

These 5 Himalayan peaks are known as ‘Panch Kailash’

 ( 5 Kailash Panch means five )and is known as a famous pilgrimage and adventure such as hiking/ trekking.

The Indian Himalayan Region is the section of the Himalayas within India, with 11 Indian states and union territories namely Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam and West Bengal.

There are three ranges of Himalaya 

Greater Himalayas ( Himadri)

Lesser Himalayas- Himachal 

Outer Himalaya- the Shivaliks 

The world's highest peak, Mount Everest, and other near−highest peaks - K2, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Nanga Parbat are part of the Greater Himalayas range.

WHY TO TRAVEL HIMALAYAS

Renowned Spiritual Center

The Himalayas are known as one of the Renowned Spiritual places in this world.

The Hindu God Lord Shiva is said to live and meditate above Mount Kailash mountains. Hence spiritually inclined, the Himalayas is considered a sacred region. Many temples, pilgrimage and other sacred routes are connected from one end to the other, including the foothills. There are many rivers  considered holy like The Ganges (Ganga) River, a sacred body of water for Hindus that begins high in the Himalaya Mountains and into the Bay of Bengal. The Himalayan river system originates in Himalayas which include the three main river systems of India Indus river system, Ganga/Ganges river system and the Brahmaputra River system, These river system not only include the rivers but also their tributaries and are considered holy rivers for Hindus.

The famous Temples dedicated to Lord Shiva in the region of Himalayas are 

Kedarnath Mandir (Kedarnath Temple) is a Hindu temple (shrine) dedicated to Lord Shiva (Mahadeva). Located on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river, Kedarnath is located in the state of Uttarakhand, India.

Tungnath Temple is one of the highest Shiva temples in the world and one the five Panch Kedar temples located in the mountain range of Tunganath in Rudraprayag district, in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.

Rudranath Temple is a natural rock temple situated within a dense forest of rhododendron dwarfs and Alpine pastures in the Garhwal Himalayan mountains in Uttarakhand. 

Madhyamaheshwar Temple is an integral part of the legend of Panch Kedar and is the fourth temple to be visited in the Panch Kedar pilgrimage circuit. The temple is situated in a beautiful valley  surrounded by Chaukhamba ( snow peaks)

Kalpeshwar Temple is located in Urgam valley in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. The temple is the fifth temple of the Panch Kedars

Scenic Beauty The Himalayas are home to some of the most exotic locations in the world, featuring the highest peaks on Earth with snow covered landscapes, beautiful meadows, lakes, rivers and valleys with an incredible landscape. The beautiful and stunning scenery here is the perfect spot for  the Photographers who visit from all over the world to capture this amazing view. The Sunset and Sunrise on these heavenly white peaks are a moment to capture these pure photogenic images with amazing different colors. 

 Other attractions are like 

legendary Valley of Flowers National Park with alpine flowers and the variety of flora.

Mythologically it is believed that it was this place where Sanjivani Booti ( Herb )grew and was taken by Lord Hanuman to cure Laxman ji. Hence has a rare exotic flora.

Hiking  The Valley of Flowers is also the world's most preferred hiking destination and the Trek is 38 km long. The distance can be said to be covered in 4 days (If you trek approximately for 6 hours every day).The trek begins from Govindghat, which is an 11-hour drive from Rishikesh. Make sure anyone planning such an adventure must be physically and mentally fit for the trek.

Valley of Flowers Trekking can be started  from  New Delhi

New Delhi - Rishikesh.

Rishikesh - Joshimath

Joshimath - Ghangaria

Ghangaria - Valley Of Flowers - Ghangria

Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib

(From Ghangria you can travel to 

Hemkund Sahib which is a place of worship and pilgrimage site in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, India for Sikhs)

Ghangaria - Joshimath

(Narsingh Temple Joshimath is a dedicated to Lord Narasimha, the fourth avatar of Lord Vishnu and a famous pilgrimage for Hindus) Joshimath - Haridwar

 Haridwar - Delhi. 

The other hiking treks options are also available that can be one day hikes to hard multi-day hikes such as the Annapurna Circuit trek, which is challenging but adventurous with trekking through some of the most remote places on the rooftop of the world. 

The treks are fascinating which takes you to a mesmerizing journey in the Himalayas and a new world of serenity.

Many travel agents and companies provide different trekking routes packages.

WILDLIFE IN HIMALAYAS 

The Himalayas are home to many species of birds and animals that migrate up and down the mountains seasonally from the grasslands of the plains below to the high peaks.

These forests have an outstanding richness of wildlife. With some of the rarest and also the largest species like Tibetan blue bear and home to following animals as well 

The Yak 

Snow Leopard

Red Panda

Blue Sheep (Bharal)

Himalayan Black Bear

Royal Bengal Tiger.

Himalayan Monal (Danphe)

Himalayan Tahr

HIMALAYAN PEOPLE 

Sherpas also called Mountain People of the Himalayas live in the northeastern part of Nepal, in the valleys of the Himalaya Mountains. 

Sherpas probably came to Nepal from Tibet and most of the sherpas are Tibetan Buddhists

People, clans and ethnic groups dwelling in the Himalayan mountains. Includes Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, and the Indian states of Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh.

Of the four principal language families in the Indian subcontinent

Indo-European, Tibeto-Burman, Austroasiatic, and Dravidian—the first two are well represented in the Himalayas. The Champa, Ladakhi, Balti, and Dard peoples live to the north of the Great Himalaya Range in the Kashmir Himalayas.

Human settlements in the Himalayas have also been highly influenced by topography and economic patterns. The climatic conditions are the most important factor and the extreme climate conditions in the Himalayan region caused restricted living conditions with limited communication and movement. Due to this extreme weather conditions there's not much areas where people can build settlements as cold icy weather puts huge strains on those living there. Houses in the Himalayas are generally made of wood, with sloping stone slate roofs. Due to plenty of rainfall with the plentiful rain and snowfall people use slanting roofs so that the rain and snow easily slides off.

Winters are hard and harsh 

with paths covered with snow making the transport of goods almost impossible. Terracing is a common sight in the mountain valleys of Nepal. These conditions are the reasons we find these people very hard working ,strong and very active. The other reason is the availability of fresh food with zero pollution and this is also the secret to their nice and healthy glowing skin.

Himalayan Plants and Aromatic Medicinal Herbs

The types of plants that are found in these areas depend on the altitude and the weather conditions . In the lower forested area Birch, Juniper, Blue pines, Firs, Bamboo and Rhododendron are found. 

The zone above this area is found to be dwarf or shrubs. As the altitude increases, plant life is restricted to lichens and mosses.

The flowers are found in monsoon areas and abundant in high-altitude places like the Valley of Flowers and Hemkund Sahib. They are used as offerings in the Nanda Devi Temple.

Many useful herbs which are used as medicines grow on the slopes of the Himalayas. These herbs and aromatic plants have played an important role in the lives of tribes and people living in the Himalayas. These plants and herbs are not just medicines but also used as food. The Aromatic medicinal plants are mainly from the Indian Himalaya, Nepal, and Bhutan focusing on plant species with which volatile compositions. 

There are different types of medicinal plants grown that are used as Himalayas are the treasure of herbs and for many years these herbs and plants are used in food, cosmetics, as herbal remedies, to heal ulcers, wounds, and scars and more of what we might not be aware of. Some of  these are:

The Brahma Kamal (Saussurea obvallata (Brahma Jamal is the most revered flower of the Himalayas. It is an excellent example of plant life in high mountains).

Jiwa Nal Valley (4,000 m).

Meconopsis aculeata (Himalayan Blue Poppy), Parvati Valley (3900m)

Aconitum Ferox

Aconitum ferox is known as blue aconite in India and is usually found in Nepal, Kashmir (northern India), Garhwal, Sikkim, and Bhutan 

native of the Himalayas, 

Aconite is one of the most dangerous of all poisonous plants but it is also valuable due to its  medicinal benefits.

Treating Ulcers, Diabetes and even as an antidote for poison Aconitum Ferox is  also used for relieving body pain, anxiety and breathing problems and can be said to be effective in curing ailments like gout, asthma and diabetes.

Some of the herbs that are lesser known and are used commonly in Ayurveda are Yarrow, Ativisha, Brahmi and the green chiretta.

The remaining plants consist of ferns, angiosperms and other species like Himalayan Balsam, Pinus Wallichiana,Himalayan birch, Spikenard. The Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara) is another common evergreen conifer tree that is favored for its weeping habit (gracefully drooping branches).

It is said that 116 aromatic plant species are distributed over 26 families.

MYTHS OR FACTS ABOUT YOGIS

Considered abode to Gods, the Himalayas also have bizarre myths and beliefs such as the existence of Yetis, the giant half-human monstrous creature. It was 

later come to be referred to as the Abominable Snowman in western popular culture. The names Yeti and Meh-Teh are commonly used by the people indigenous to the region, and are part of their folk beliefs 

Gangkhar Puensum , located in Bhutan is famous as the highest, unclimbed mountain in the world. 

The Bhutanese believe it to be home to mythical creatures, including Yetis, and Gods 

It is said that there are cases and have experienced  some strange happenings, including unexplained noises, mysterious lights, and apparitions have been reported from those living closest to the mountain.

Also known as the City of Immortal Beings, Gyanganj is believed to be located in a remote, inaccessible valley of the Himalayas. Several attempts by mountaineers and trekkers have been made to find its exact location, but failed to do so. It is believed that even.the new-age satellites and other mapping technologies have failed to map it. Buddhists, especially from Tibet and India, claim that Gyanganj is not just a place but is a higher dimension and can only be spotted and reached by sages, yogis and other pure worthy souls and to those who wish to stay here forever gain immortality! Some renowned spiritual leaders have claimed to visit this place.

The other very common believe is the presence of Yogis who are into 

deep meditation and spiritual practices reasoned for self-discipline and an effort to achieve self-realization, often involving solitude, hermetism or asceticism. Also called immortal beings for many reasons who are said to be living in the Himalayas for hundreds of years, involved in continuous meditation.

WHEN TO TRAVEL 

The Himalayas cover a vast area but in general the best months to visit are late October until early May, depending on the exact location and altitude of the trek. An exception is Ladakh, where tourist facilities are only open between May and September

DIFFICULTIES WHILE TRAVEL 

Beautiful Himalayas look good in pictures but this beauty comes with major risks for some people who wish to visit.

Altitude sickness is a major risk in the Himalayas, particularly above 10,000 feet. Most people will feel short of breath as they go higher with health problems including  difficulty in breathing, Nosebleeds can be caused by being up in a very high altitude as the amount of oxygen in the air decreases. This makes the air thinner and dryer, which can in turn cause the inside of your nose to crack and bleed

High-altitude pulmonary edema. (HAPE )By far, the most important respiratory disorder associated with acute (hours to days) high-altitude exposure is high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). HAPE may occur in unacclimatized persons within 2-4 days of ascent to altitudes above 2500 m

Other altitude sickness includes headaches, vomiting, and difficulty sleeping.

So prepare yourself to be Physically strong if you are planning travel or trekking Himalayas.

I am still waiting for the day when I can see the Himalayas closely in front of my own eyes but this needs a lot of planning and packaging. Well one day looking forward to this beautiful mesmerizing moment. 

Wish to see and capture the colorful beauty during sunset and Sunrise.