Situated at a height of over 15,000 feet above the sea level in the Himalayan ranges of northern India, Sri Hemkunt Sahib has emerged as a popular centre of Sikh pilgrimage which is visited by thousands of devotees from all over the world every summer. According to Bachitra Natak, the autobiographical account of the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, it was at Hemkunt 'adorned with seven snow-clad peaks' that he meditated in his previous birth.
It was during the thirties of the twentieth century that the place was discovered by Sant Sohan Singh and Bhai Modan Singh. Bhai Vir Singh, Sikh savant and a leading figure of the Singh Sabha movement, played an important role first in helping these two gentlemen by verifying for them the location of the place and later by providing financial support for building a gurdwara at Hemkunt. Collective efforts of Sikh pioneers backed by the community support led to the construction of gurdwaras en route including Gobind Ghat (6,000 feet) and Gobind Dham (10,500 feet).
In spite of difficult terrain where Hemkunt is situated, devotees from all over the world make it to this unique Sikh shrine every summer. On the way they also visit other important gurdwaras in Rishikesh, Srinagar and Joshimath. On their way back they pay homage at Paonta Sahib, Bhangani Sahib, Tirgarhi Sahib and Shergah Sahib Gurdwaras. Apart from enjoying scenic beauty of the snow-clad peaks and taking a dip into the icy cold water of the lake, the devotees can see rare brahm kamal flowers. Some of them also visit the world famous Valley of Flowers not far from Sri Hemkunt Sahib.
Dr. Jaswant Singh Neki, a leading Sikh scholar, poet and former Director of PGI, Chandigarh, has contributed the text while Sondeep Shankar, India's leading photographer, has provided pictures covering the pilgrimage to Sri Hemkunt Sahib.
The National Institute of Panjab Studies was established in 1990 to promote research on different aspects of Panjabi life and letters. It was subsequently recognised by the Panjab University, Chandigarh, as an advanced centre of learning. Apart from promoting research, the Institute has also been organising lectures, seminars and conferences. Some conferences were also organised in collaboration with other institutions such as the Department of Multicultural Education, University of London, Department of South Asian Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and the Centre for Global Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara. To mark fifty years of India's independence, the Institute organised an international seminar on Partition in Retrospect in collaboration with the India International Centre, New Delhi.
In connection with the tercentenary of the Khalsa in 1999, the Institute took up a major research project of locating and cataloguing relics which are popularly associated with the Sikh gurus and other historical personalities. Our research team led by the Director of the Institute, visited various parts of India and Pakistan, and located and listed a number of valuable relics. During their field work our team located some very precious relics such as the chola of Guru Nanak, the chola of Guru Hargobind, chola, dastar and other relics of Guru Gobind Singh and Mata Sahib Kaur, sword-belt, godri and flag of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Our team was able to take pictures of these and other precious relics and record popular evidence connected with these objects. The team also discovered some rare Guru Granth Birs, hukamnamas and other historical documents and coins issued by Banda Singh Bahadur, Sikh chiefs, Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his generals.
With a view to sharing the results of our research with the larger audience and creating awareness for proper preservation of the endangered heritage of Panjab and conservation of the valuable relics, the Institute has decided to bring out a series of pictorial books under the 'Panjab Heritage Series'
The Institute would like to record its gratitude to the Department of Culture, Government of India, for its initial grant for preparing a 'Catalogue of the Sikh Relics', to the Government of the National Capital of Delhi and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee for their financial support for publication of these books and to various institutions and individuals for allowing the Institute's team access to their rich collections. I would also like to thank my colleagues on the Governing Council and staff of the Institute without whose active cooperation it would not have been possible to bring out these volumes.
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