GARHWAL: Land of the Ganges

Previously published at MoneyLife.

Garhwal: Land of the Ganges
September 08, 2011 09:00 PM | 
Jaideep Mukerji with Veeresh Malik

Spend a fortnight enjoying some grand mountain scenery along the curves of a river that defines India. You’ll capture the very soul of our country,

The Garhwal region of the north Indian state of Uttarakhand has mythological and spiritual connections with Indian civilisation dating back to ancient times. Home to Nanda Devi, the highest mountain peak at 25,643ft entirely within India (Kanchenjunga is on the border of India and Nepal) and the birthplace of the River Ganges, Garhwal hosts the four temples of the ‘Char Dham’ at Gangotri, Jamnotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. The rugged and spectacularly beautiful countryside consists almost entirely of rocky mountain ranges running in all directions separated by narrow valleys which, in some cases, become deep gorges and ravines. Tiny villages and terraced fields dot the lower- and mid-altitude hillsides while snow-capped peaks and glaciers crown the high summits.

On a journey through this land, perhaps it is best to let the photographs speak. This is a land that you can best experience over a two-week journey, ideally taken during spring, when throngs of pilgrims are yet to arrive, or in autumn, when the crowds have left and the hills have returned to their quiet, peaceful beauty. Driving up from the temple towns of Hardwar and Rishikesh, the road follows the graceful curves of the Ganges as it snakes its way through the lower Himalayas before emerging with a flourish onto the vast north Indian plains at Rishikesh. This part of the river is known for its white water rafting and seasonal rafting camps; groups of rafters are easily seen out on the river. Even if you have not made previous arrangements, stop at one of these camps, listen to the safety briefing, don your lifejackets and experience the Ganges first-hand; you will not regret the experience.

A short drive further brings you to Devprayag, one of the five sacred river confluences in Garhwal and an important place of pilgrimage for devout Hindus. Devprayag is the place where two heavenly rivers, the Alaknanda (coming from the mountains in the Nanda Devi area) and the Bhagirathi (coming from the Gangotri region) join to form the Ganges. On a terrace in the upper part of Devprayag is the temple of Raghunath built of huge stones, pyramidal in form and capped by a white cupola.

On this journey, take the left fork in the road and follow the Bhagirathi to its source. Driving past the towns of Tehri and Uttarakhand, you arrive in scenic Harsil—a tiny Himalayan village with a colourful history. Situated at a height of 7,860ft (2,620m) above sea level, Harsil is located 73km from Uttarkashi and is popular for the legend of ‘Pahari’ Wilson or Raja Wilson. Frederick Wilson, an adventurer, deserted the British Army just after the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. He escaped to Garhwal and met the raja of Tehri-Garhwal, seeking refuge. But, being faithful to the British, the raja of Tehri-Garhwal refused safe passage to Wilson who slipped away deeper into the mountains to escape detection. Fate landed him in Harsil, a beautiful village on the banks of the Bhagirathi River, with dense deodar-forested slopes on either side. Wilson married a beautiful hill girl called Gulabi. Soon after, he entered into a contract with a London-based company and built a fortune with the export of skins, fur and musk. This was the time the British were building the railways in India and there was huge demand for quality wooden sleepers. Wilson cashed in on this opportunity and sent huge deodar logs floating down the river to the plains, making a fortune for himself.



Since Wilson had not taken permission from the raja of Tehri-Garhwal, his logging business soon ran into trouble until he made peace with the raja by offering him a share of the profits. It is said that the revenue of the raja went up tenfold over a short span of time. Little wonder that Wilson soon became a welcome guest and, in course of time, came to be called Raja Wilson—who minted his own currency. As late as the 1930s, these coins were found with the local people. According to some historians, the timber trade made Wilson so wealthy and powerful that the local raja of Tehri-Garhwal was unable to protect the village timber workers whom Wilson often exploited.

Raja Wilson built, what is known today as the Wilson’s Cottage, a huge wooden mansion now in disrepair. He also built the Charleville Hotel in Mussoorie which now houses the government of India training institute for the Indian Administrative Service recruits (called the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration). According to the locals, on moonlit nights, one can still see the ghost of Raja Wilson galloping down the hills to a long-vanished wooden bridge.



The next stop on our journey is the temple town of Gangotri at a height of about 10,200ft. The temple of the goddess Ganga, built by a Nepalese General, Amar Singh Thapa in the early 18th century, is the axis of this small town. The temple is closed for winter on Diwali day every year; it reopens in May. During this time, the idol of the goddess is kept at Mukhba village near Harsil. The aarti ceremony at the Gangotri is especially impressive, as is the temple, a stately building that sits on the banks of the rushing Bhagirathi whose spray forms wonderful rainbows. To experience the birthplace of the Ganges, follow the well-trodden trail deeper into the mountains on the 18-km trek to Gaumukh where you will see the river emerging from the terminal snout of the Gangotri glacier.

The Gangotri glacier, the source of the Ganges, is one of the largest in the Himalayas with an estimated volume of over 27 cubic kilometres. The glacier is about 30km long and 2km-4km wide. Around the glacier are the peaks of the Gangotri group; several of them, such as Shivling, Thalay Sagar, Meru and the Bhagirathi, are notable for their extremely challenging climbing routes. At 21,467ft, Shivling was called ‘Matterhorn Peak’ by early European visitors because it is similar in appearance to that Alpine peak. While it is not very high by Himalayan standards, it is a dramatic rock-peak and the most visually striking one seen from Gaumukh. Because of the beauty and the difficulty of the climb, it has become a prized challenge for mountaineers.

Walk back to the Gangotri village and drive back to Devprayag for the next part of the journey following the other branch of the Ganges, the Alaknanda, to its scenic home. Driving past the towns of Srinagar, Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Karnaprayag, one finally arrives in Joshimath, the base for trips to the famed Valley of Flowers and to the temple town of Badrinath. Take one of the highest cable cars in the world up to the ski resort of Auli that has ski slopes comparable with the best in the world. Outside of the January-March ski season, Auli provides a breathtaking 180-degree view of Himalayan peaks which include Nanda Devi, Kamet, Mana Parvat and Dunagiri.

Walk along the gentle trails that start from Auli and meander through the high alpine meadows (bugyals) and through forests of Himalayan silver oak and you will witness perhaps some of the grandest mountain scenery found anywhere in the world. The majestic beauty of the Garhwal Himalayas can be seen in the snow-capped peaks in every direction, the deep river gorges spanned by scenic suspension bridges and terraced hillsides. Give Garhwal a fortnight of your time and discover a part of India that not only has the highest mountain peaks in the country but also gives rise to the river that defines India’s culture and identity.

Why Go There: Garhwal, the birthplace of the Ganges River, has something to offer throughout the year. From summer hiking in the Valley of Flowers to winter skiing on the Auli slopes, from springtime drives through scenic freshly planted terraced hillsides to autumn visits to the temple towns of Gangotri and Badrinath, Garhwal is a land for all seasons. Whatever the season, magnificent scenery will greet you at every turn.

Getting There: There are several trains to Hardwar, from where you can arrange to hire a car with a driver. The alternative is to drive from Delhi along the busy, and yet to be improved, main road to Hardwar; the drive can take almost six hours. Maps are available at Uttarakhand government tourist offices in Rishikesh or from the official website: http://www.gmvnl.com/.

Where To Stay: Hotel accommodation and local travel arrangements are best arranged through the Uttarakhand government’s official tourist website (cited above) that allows booking of the government-run tourist lodges.