In Pictures: Indian Army Soldiers Brave Harsh Weather Clearing Snow For Gurdwara Hemkund Sahib In Chamoli Uttarakhand

Gurudwara Shri Hemkund Sahib in Chamoli, Uttarakhand is set to open on 1 June for Sangat Darshanm and Indian Army soldiers are braving harsh weather, clearing the snow since the beginning of May.

The Gurudwara dediated to Guru Gobind Singh finds mention in Dasam Granth. With its setting of a glacial lake surrounded by seven mountain peaks, each adorned by a Nishan Sahib on its cliff is located in the Himalayas at an elevation of 4,632 meters. It is approached from Gobindghat on the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway. The main town near Gobindghat is Joshimath.

Dasam Granth says this is the place where Raja Pandu, forefather of Pandavas, practiced Yoga. In addition, the it says that God ordered Sikh Guru Gobind Singh to take bath while he was in deep meditation at the mount of Hemkund. The place is also associated with Lord Ram and Lord Shiva, and has been a pilgrimage site for a long time local residents.