मणिमहेश कैलाश पर चढ़ने के ख्याल से ही लोग कांप उठते हैं क्योंकि यह एक रहस्यमयी पर्वत है। शिखर पर सूर्य की रोशनी मणि को आकार देती है। देशभर में भगवान शिव से जुड़े अनेक स्थानों पर भोलेनाथ के चमत्कार प्रत्यक्ष रूप से देखे गए हैं। जबकि देश की अधिकांश पहाड़ियों में शिव स्थान हैं, कैलाश पर्वत सबसे व्यापक रूप से स्वीकृत शिव मंदिर है। इसके कई प्रतिनिधित्व हैं और यह पौराणिक काल से ही धर्म से जुड़ा हुआ है। कैलाश-मानसरोवर के तिब्बती स्थान को सृष्टि का केंद्र कहा जाता है। यह प्राकृतिक, आर्थिक और भौतिक हर तरह से एक चुनौतीपूर्ण यात्रा है।आदि-कैलाश, जिसे छोटा कैलाश भी कहा जाता है, भारतीय सीमा के पास कुछ पहले पिथौरागढ जिले में स्थित है। इसी तरह, हिमाचल प्रदेश का चंबा जिला एक और कैलाश का घर है। बड़े कैलाश के समान, इन दोनों कैलाशों को शिव का निवास माना जाता है और समान पौराणिक महत्व है।
Manimahesh Yatra Guide
How to start Manimahesh Yatra?
Chamba->Bharmaur->Hadsar->Trek(14 km)->Manimahesh Lake The simplest route starts from Chamba and passes through Bharmaur.Bharmour is the last town. The base town from which the walk to Manimahesh Lake starts is Hadsar, 13 km from Bharmour. Local taxis can transport you from Bharmour to Hadsar for 30/40 rupees per person, or 350/400 rupees if you reserve a taxi for yourself. It is recommended to travel on foot from Hadsar to Manimahesh. The journey takes about 13 km and follows the Manimahesh Ganga’s bank, starting at the Manimahesh Kailash Peak.
How far is the walk to Manimahesh?
Trek starts from Hadsar.Manimahesh Trek around 14Kms.
Complete guide to Manimahesh Yatra
Once you reach Bharmour, it’s a good idea to start your journey early the next morning. It’ll take around 30 to 40 minutes to reach Hadsar from there. From Hadsar, you’ll head towards Dhancho, which is about 6 kilometers away and takes roughly 5 to 7 hours to reach. You can either go to Manimahesh on the same day or stay in Dhancho.
Gauri Kund is located just one kilometer before Manimahesh Lake. According to the belief, Goddess Gauri bathed in Gauri Kund, while Lord Shiva bathed in Manimahesh Lake. People believe that anyone can take a dip in Manimahesh Lake, but only women are allowed to take a dip in Gauri Kund.
During the annual journey in August-September, you’ll find many shelters and places to eat (like Langar or Food stalls) along the trekking route. There are also shelters available for the night in the village of Dhanchoo, which is about 6 kilometers from Hadsar on the way to Manimahesh.
Since the Manimahesh Yatra is a state celebration, accommodations are readily available. There are several Sewa Camps organized by volunteers from Himachal Pradesh, Punjab (especially from Pathankot, Patiala, Amritsar, Muktsar), and from all over India. These volunteers provide you with simple lodging and free food (Langar). These accommodations are available both at Gauri Kund and Manimahesh Lake.
They offer sleeping bags, tents, and mats at a very low cost. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that everything is provided for free by these volunteers who are doing this service in the name of Lord Shiva, seeking the blessings of the Almighty.
Opening and Closing time of Manimahesh Lake
The Manimahesh Yatra is scheduled from August 28th to September 13th, 2024. It starts on Janmashtami and ends on Radhaashtami. Thousands of pilgrims from all over India, and some from abroad, participate in this journey. The Yatra begins from the base camp at Bharmour, which is 65 km from the district headquarters of Chamba, and starts with a visit to Chaurasi Temple and Bharmani Mata Temple. The most challenging part of the trek is the 14 km journey from Harsar to the sacred Dal Lake, which involves a steep climb.
To assist pilgrims during the Yatra, the district administration appoints officers, police personnel, and medical teams along the route. Control rooms are set up at various points, and efforts are made to provide sanitation facilities. Pilgrims usually complete the journey in 2-3 days, and accommodation arrangements are made at Dhanchho, Gauri Kund, and Dal Lake.
To ensure the safety and well-being of pilgrims, the district administration proposes to register them offline this year. This initiative is inspired by recent court orders regarding pilgrimage registration in other regions. The registration will help in disaster management and law enforcement.
Manimahesh Kailash Route Guide
| Day | Activities | Distance/Duration | Accommodation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrival in Pathankot | – | Hotel in Pathankot |
| Transfer to hotel in Pathankot | – | Overnight in Pathankot | |
| Day 2 | Pathankot to Bharmour | Approx. 180 km, 7-8 hours | Bharmour |
| En-route sightseeing in Chamba | – | Overnight in Bharmour | |
| Day 3 | Bharmour to Hadsar to Dhancho | Drive: Approx. 14 km, 45 mins | Dhancho |
| Trek: Approx. 6 km, 3-4 hours | Overnight in Dhancho | ||
| Day 4 | Dhancho to Manimahesh Lake | Trek: Approx. 14 km, 6-7 hours | Manimahesh Lake |
| Stop at Gauri Kund for sightseeing | – | Overnight at Lake | |
| Day 5 | Manimahesh Lake to Dhancho | Trek: Approx. 14 km, 6-7 hours | Dhancho |
| Day 6 | Dhancho to Hadsar to Bharmour | Trek: Approx. 6 km, 3-4 hours | Bharmour |
| Drive to Bharmour | – | Overnight in Bharmour | |
| Day 7 | Bharmour to Pathankot | Approx. 180 km, 7-8 hours | Pathankot |
| Arrive in Pathankot | – | Overnight in Pathankot | |
| Day 8 | Departure from Pathankot | – | – |