HAIMANCHAL (HIMACHALA)

Haimanchal, Himachala (HIMALAYAS, HIVALAY) If the body is wasted away in Haimanchal (Himalayas), still the malady of the mind persists (Sri Raga M. l, p. 62) Though one may go to millions of pilgrim stations, one may waste away his body in Hivalay (Himalayas), he cannot equal the merk of the remembnince of the Name of the Lord. (Ramkali Namdev, p. 973) Haimanchal or Himachala, Hivalay (Himalayas) has remained the abode of many sages practising austerities.

Even Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru mentions the performance of his religious austerities at Hem Kunt mountain in his previous birth as \’Dusht Daman\’, as described in his poem Bacbittar Natak. The ancient Hindus connected the Himalayan mountain ranges with the history of some of their deities. The Pandava brothers at the end of their earthly life assumed the garb of dev^tees and passing through j several places, they reached the Himalaya mountains and there died one after the other and were transported to the heaven of Indra.

References :

1. Kohli, Surindar Singh (ed), Dictionary of Mythological References in Guru Granth Sahib, 1993