Uttarakhand: Scaling Peaks of Nature Tourism

DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS BOOST UTTARAKHAND

The Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand was recently in news when development projects worth INR 4200 crore were inaugurated and their foundation stone laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing the public gathering on the occasion,he emphasised that the Central Government is continuously working towards bring development in the border villages under the Vibrant Village Scheme. The projects, numbering 23 in total, is envisaged to strengthen infrastructure, education, health, electricity, drinking water, sports, tourism, disaster mitigation and horticulture sectors in the state, which is already in the limelight for its Char Dham project covering the pilgrimage centres of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamnotri. It is among the favourite projects of the Prime Minister. The initiatives bodes well for tourism in the state.

PIOUS GLORY OF OM PARVAT

Uttarakhand is known for its innumerable pilgrimage sites, but the breathtaking and revered mountains of OM Parvat and Adi Kailash hold great religious significance for devotees of Lord Shiva. According to legends, there are only eight mountains in India, which has an impression of OM symbol. Only one has been discovered, which is known as Om Parvat or Adi Kailash. The peaks are located in the Vyas Valley, where the awesome Om Parvat lies in the Dharchula district of western Nepal and in Pithoragarh District, Uttarakhand, India, and is close to Adinath peak as well. Om Parvat rises to a towering height of 6191 metres from the depth of the surrounding mountains making this destination an important landmark enroute Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, passing through verdant and scenic villages such as Gunji, Kutti, Nabhi.The bewitching Om Parvat gets its name from the natural phenomenon of snow deposition that takes the shape of the sacred syllable Om, on its south, facing India. Revered by the Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. The added advantage of trekking to Om Parvat is getting a fascinating view and experience of other important destinations such as Parvati Lake, Jonglingkong Lake and the peak of Parwati Muhar overlooking Om Parvat. The villages, enroute to the holy mountain have comfortable homestays where the locals pamper visitors with their warmth and hospitality. The pious peak is at an elevation of 2200 m to 4729 m and the trekking distance is about 86 km both ways.

CONNECTIVITY TO KATHGODAM

Kathgodam is well connected by rail and many overnight trains are available from important destination such as Delhi, Lucknow, Howrah etc. Tata Sumo or similar vehicles will pick you from Kathgodham Railway Station. There are several buses that go to Nainital that stops at Haldwani which is a twin town of Kathgodham where the station is just 4km away. Flights are also available to Kathgodam from the Pantnagar Airport, which is the nearest, at a distance of 32kms. Taxis are easily available from the Airport to Kathgodam. The journey from Kathgodam or Pantnagar Airport passes through Almora, Pithoragarh, Dharchula to reach Gunji from where the road takes a fork shape, one leading to AdiKailash and the other to Om Parvat.

TREK TO OM PARVAT

Choose a good private tour and trek operator to avoid any hassle. Some offer the choicest AdiKailash and Om Parvat adventure package which comes with all the services that includes guided trekking tours and porter, besides the itineraries are also curated with utmost care consisting of finest accommodation and nutritious meals, to make a vacation in spiritual Uttarakhand, an experience of a lifetime.

The trek to the pristine Om Parvat standing tall against an azure sky takes approximately 13 days -12 nights to complete and costs around INR 30,000 per person. The trek is of moderate difficulty,maximum altitude is 18,270 ft and the day temperature is 12°C to 15°C and at night -2°C to 5°C. So carry your warmers, extra pair of shoes, trekking gear and equipment, medications, torch and batteries for charging as there will be no electricity available at higher altitude. The most favourable season to undertake the trek is during the monsoon season, April to June and September to October, from the picturesque Dharchula, which is the base camp. Carry some cash for exigency expenditure, because the nearest ATM is at Kathgodam.

The trekking route to Om Parvat starts from Dharchula and passes through Mangati – Gala – Budhi- Gunji – Kutti – Jolingkong to Adi Kailash/Parvati Sarovar- back to Jolingkong- Kutti -Nabhidang via Kalapani from where one gets the first ‘Darshan’ or view of the mighty Om Parvat –Gunji-Budhi – Mangati – Dharchula – Kathgodam from where one can be homeward bound.

LEGENDS ABOUT ADIKAILASH

Adi Kailash is also called the ‘ChottaKailash’ or ‘Little Kailash’ because of close resemblance with Mount Kailash. The mountain is an essential part of the Kailash trilogy nestled in the Himalayas which are Kailash Mansarovar, Adi Kailash and Kinnaur Kailash, considered as abodes of Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganapati and Kartik Swami, respectively, in Hindu religion. It is said that Ravana, the king of Lanka, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva had visited AdiKailash. The imposing mountain is close to Brahma Parvat and Sin La.

WAY TO THE MIGHTY ADIKAILASH

During the trek to AdiKailash and Om Parvat Yatra, you can experience the scenic beauty of Bhimtal when visiting Pithoragarh and you may come across the Kumaon hamlets like Lakhanpur, Lamari, which will introduce you to the quaint culture and traditions preserved for centuries in the once inaccessible region. The main expedition to the idyllic environ will take you to Nabidang from where the heart-warming mountain range of Om Parvat is visible.

The best time to trek to Adikailash is during the summer and autumn which entails covering a distance of approx 240 kilometers (Both sides). The trekking expedition that takes a minimum of 11 Day and 12 Night starts from the base camp at Dharchula and the highest point of trek is 15,515 ft. The route passes thorough Sirkha-Gala- Buddhi- Gunji-Kutti- Jolingkong to finally reach the magnificent AdiKailash standing tall against the blue sky. There is a temple and Parvati Sarovar nearby visited by migratory and swan like birds.

During the trek one comes across scenic sights and temples such as Shiva temple, Gaurikund, Pandava fort, Pandava Parvat, Parvati Mukut, Kali Mata Temple, Kala Pani, Vyas Gufa, Shesh Nag Parvat, Ganesh Parvat along with the picturesque remote villages like Nabidang, Daniya, rare glimpses of Darma Valley, cross gorges, alpine meadows and ridge. The amazing snow-clad peaks of Annapurna, dense forest, several waterfalls, surging Kali River, lovely diversity of wild flowers and fruits at Narayan Ashram, and much more will leave any visitor enthralled and thrilled.

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