Gomukh : A trek of Connection and Faith

 

Gomukh Trek Experience

It was on my first visit to Rishikesh that  I fell in love with the Ganga. As everyone knows the Ganga is revered and loved across the subcontinent, occupying a significant position in the cultural narrative of India. The idea of India can never be fully expressed without her.

Her multiple avatars, from Gangotri to Ganga Sagar, are awe inspiring at times, like at Rudra Prayag, and inviting at others, like in Varanasi. She is meditative where she meets the Bay of Bengal in Ganga Sagar.

She has nurtured the land, people, and entire civilization throughout her existence. It is no coincidence that one of the most revered and loved gods of the continent, Shiva, is so closely associated with the river. 

Years after visiting Rishikesh and Ganga Sagar, when I went to Gangotri, a strong urge arose in me to visit the source of this mighty, ferocious, life-giving river. The Ganga, as Bhagirathi, originates in the Himalayas at the base of the Gangotri Glacier. The cave-like structure from where the river gushes out, known as Gomukh, is much sought after by the faithful, the seekers, and the adventurers alike. It became my desire to witness the birth and experience the calm that the place is said to impart on visitors.

 

The place can be reached through a moderately difficult Gomukh trek of 19 kilometers from Gangotri, through the mountains of the Gangotri Valley.

 Being a non-trekker, I understood the challenge that my urge presented and sought to overcome it with preparation and treks in and around my city. In fact, I went on a Himalayan trek to Har ki Dun to test my ability before embarking on this more difficult terrain.

Preparation and Challenges for the Gomukh Trek

The long wait was rewarded when I finally planned the trek for May 24. I started preparing very sincerely, ensuring that I began the trek with the requisite physical fitness to reach the destination. There was apprehension and excitement in equal measure, considering my inadequate experience and the altitude difficulty, as well as the freezing temperatures of the stretch. The excitement stemmed from the prospect of finally being where I had longed to be for so long.

A Gokumh trek experience in the Himalayas can be many things, but primarily it is a connection—a connection in many ways and aspects. This particular trek became one about connections and, in some instances, disconnections.

Himalayan Trek Spiritual Journey – Connect with the People

We had booked our Gomukh trek with Trek the Himalayas and the trek leaders along with guides and trekkers themselves made the entire team. As I met my new team members, introduced to me for the first time, I never imagined the bond would be so real for the entire duration of the trek. It helped that the leaders were expert  mountaineers and took a good care guiding us and making us bond together.In no other journeys the connection is so genuine. The co-dependence here is complete and actual. Disconnect from the outside world is total, and so is the connection with the people you are moving with. It was delightful to meet ordinary and extraordinary, young and old, quiet and chirpy people from all walks of life and corners of the country ,united in their goal to reach the summit.  We shared stories, laughed together, supported, and cared for each other, ultimately becoming a unit for that span of the trek.

Connect with the Surroundings

It’s no secret that when away from urban life, humankind connects with the surroundings much more easily. This is even more pronounced when you visit the mountains. In the lap of the Himalayas, the connection is instant as you trek the Gangotri Valley in the daytime and relax in the camps during the nights. With the sun, the wind, the rushing waters, the dipping temperatures, the moon in the clear sky, the meadows at the top, and rocks that fall with the movement of both air and animals, I could not have been more aware of my surroundings. The connection I felt was deep and will remain with me for a long time.

Connect with the Mind

Our mind works in brilliant ways. I realized this as I came across some more difficult bits of the Gomukh trek. While crossing a gushing waterfall on a sloping side of the mountain with not-so-friendly rocks in between, the mind was not scared. It was simply focused on completing the given task, leaving no space for fear of falling or failing. Only after crossing such bits did I realize how fearless I was, much to my own surprise. This gave me insight into how the survival instinct connects with the mind to work wonders during tough tasks. Of course, our mind works similarly during tough tests and exams, never fearing the results. But this trek gave me a new perspective to reflect on.

 

Connect with Faith

 

Any journey along the Ganga has the power to awaken faith in the seeker. That we were on a route to Gomukh and Tapovan, where seekers have done penance and where the base of Mount Shivling lies, was enough to convince me of our spiritual leanings. Most of our teammates were there because of Shivling and the Ganga, making the journey not only one of adventure but also of faith.

It was at Bhojbasa, 14 kilometers from Gangotri, that we met a lady who was a manifestation of what faith can achieve. The 65-year-old woman from Sangli, Maharashtra, along with her companions, was traveling on foot to visit all Char Dhams—Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath—from Haridwar, all barefoot. They had started their journey from Haridwar, covering the entire stretch of around 1300 kilometers in the rough and mighty Himalayas on foot.

The lady, with her family of kids and grandkids in the village, began her expeditions to the revered mountains and rivers when she was 50 years old; breaking the shackles of ordinary household life to embrace her life of wanderings. It amazed us to know she had climbed Adi Kailasa, Kinnar Kailasa, and Mani Mahesh,all very difficult treks, had completed Narmada Parikrama of 3000kms on foot thrice and all this barefooted. Despite coming from limited means, her faith and resolve knew no bounds. We had heard that faith can move mountains, and here we were witnessing what faith can make people achieve. That the lady had the energy to perform a devotional act with vigor after the arduous journey from Gangotri to our camp spoke volumes about how her belief drove her and those around her.

This was an out of ordinary encounter, but I have seen enough people with very low means trekking and climbing the Himalayas driven solely by faith, undeterred by the lack of gadgets that help us privileged, reach the summits. It is humbling when one encounters the faithful and witnesses what faith can inspire people to do.

Connect of the Body and the Self

As we started trekking on the path alongside the Ganga, accompanied by its roar most of the time, the valley with bare mountains abutting the river, and famous snow peaks like Bhagirath, Manda , Shivling and others visible on the horizon, it became clear that the trek was linear with very few distractions. As we climbed rocks, navigated treacherous terrain and crossed wooden bridges on bubbling streams rushing to meet the Bhagirathi river, this trek became a tool to connect with the self. With teammates finding their own pace and comfort, one was left to oneself, focused on each step, looking at the way ahead. No thought could take precedence over this. Nothing else registered other than what the path demanded. One existed truly in the moment, in harmony with what one was doing. Physically, I had never cut myself off so much from the life I led, from the days I spent, from the pain I endured, from the stress I bore, and from the pleasures I derived in life. There was no thought of the past, no worry for the future. That was the Gomukh Trek Experience. I lived in the moment and understood what that truly meant.

 

As we reached Tapovan after one of the most difficult climbs I have encountered, the feeling was both exhilarating and humbling. Exhilaration from reaching the summit and humbleness from being surrounded by majestic peaks which looked so scalable now. I believe even a non-believer would turn into a believer by witnessing the majesty of the peaks and the calmness of Akash Ganga, which flows at such a high altitude with serenity, only to rush down slopes to meet the Ganga near Gomukh.

 

When we reached Gomukh after an equally difficult descent, the feelings were serene. Every member of the team was quiet and engrossed in their own thoughts, sitting in front of the mighty source, gathering what they had learned and gained from this trek.

In the end, this trek to the source of the Ganga was not just a physical journey but a profound experience of connection—with nature, with fellow travelers, with my own mind and body, and ultimately, with the boundless faith that drives us all.