Abi Gamin

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Abi Gamin
Elevation	7,355 m (24,131 ft)[1]
Location	Chamoli, Uttarakhand, India
Range	Garhwal Himalaya
Prominence	217 m (712 ft)[1]
Coordinates	30°55′48″N, 79°36′00″E
First ascent	22 August 1950 by R. Dittert, A. Tissieres and G. Chevalley (Anglo-Swiss)
Easiest route	Southwest ridge via Meade's Col (glacier/snow climb)

Abi Gamin (also known as Ibi Gamin) is a Himalayan mountain peak situated in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand state in India, 2 km (1.2 mi) northeast of Kamet. It lies on the northern border of Chamoli district, where India meets Tibet.

Abi Gamin is located in the central Himalayas and at the culminating point of the Zaskar Range. It is situated on the watershed of the upper Alaknanda and Dhauli rivers between the famous Manna and Niti passes on the Indo-Tibetan border.

Abi Gamin is the second highest peak in the immediate region, after Kamet. It is also one of the fifteen seven thousand metre peaks of Uttarakhand, and as such it is a significant peak. However it is not particularly independent, lying as it does close to the higher peak of Kamet, and separated from it by the high saddle known as Meade's Col, 7,138 m (23,419 ft).

Abi Gamin was surveyed (along with the rest of the group) by Richard Strachey in 1848; this was the first time that the great heights of these peaks was recognized.^[1] In 1855, the Schlagintweit brothers named this range as Western, Central and Eastern Abi Gamin. These correspond to Mukut Parbat, Kamet and Abi Gamin.

The first attempt to climb the peak was launched by the Schlagintweits from the Tibetan side up the NE ridge : they estimated that they reached an altitude of 22000'.^[2][3]

During the 1874-77 survey by the Survey of India under E. C. Ryall, I. S. Pocock set up a plane table at c.22050' on the West flank of Abi Gamin.^[4]

Between 1907 and 1913 a number of expeditions attempting Kamet reached high altitudes on the flanks of this mountain. Thomas George Longstaff in 1907 recced the Purbi(East) Kamet approaches, and C.F.Meade's team followed the same route in 1913 to reach Meade's Col up the East flank of the massif. The attempts by A.M.Slingsby in 1911 and 1913 and C.F.Meade in 1912 were up the West flank from the Pachhmi(West) Kamet glacier. These reached Slingsby's Col(c.21000') between Mukut Parbat and Abi Gamin, but failed to go beyond c.23000'. ^[3]

Abi Gamin was climbed for the first time in 1950 by a small Anglo-Swiss Expedition comprising Alfred Tissierès, R. Dittert, and G. Chevalley (all Swiss), and Englishman Ken Berrill. They approached from the north side through Tibet, reached over the Mana Pass. Their NE ridge route was the same route the Schlagintweit's had tried nearly a century earlier! The summit was reached by the three Swiss members: they may have been accompanied by Sherpa Dawa Thondup.^{[5] [3][6]}

Indian expeditions under Nandu Jayal climbed the peak in 1953 and 1955 by the SW ridge from Meade's Col, reached up the East flank of the massif from the Purbi Kamet glacier. ^[3] Later ascents have been up this route.

?Badrinath Uttarakhand • India
Badrinath
Coordinates: 30°44′20″N 79°29′44″E / 30.73891, 79.49562
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	3 km² (1 sq mi) • 3,133 m (10,279 ft)
District(s)	Chamoli
Population • Density	841 (2001) • 280/km² (725/sq mi)

Coordinates: 30°44′20″N 79°29′44″E / 30.73891, 79.49562 Badrinath is a Hindu holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the most important of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage. Badrinath is in the Garhwal hills, on the banks of the Alaknanda River, at an elevation of 3133 m. The town lies between the Nar and Narayana mountain ranges and in the shadow of Nilkantha peak (6,560m). Badrinath is located 301km north of Rishikesh. From Gaurikund (near Kedarnath) to Badrinath by road is 233km.

[edit] Significance

Badrinath was established as a major pilgrimage site by Adi Shankara in the ninth century. In recent years its popularity has increased significantly, with an estimated 600,000 pilgrims visiting during the 2006 season,^[1] compared to 90,676 in 1961.^[2] The temple in Badrinath is also a sacred pilgrimage site for Vaishnavites.

Badrinath has been mentioned as a holy place in scriptures and legends for thousands of years. According to the Srimad Bhagavatam, "There in Badrikashram the Personality of Godhead (Vishnu), in his incarnation as the sages Nara and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities." (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.4.22)

Badri refers to a berry that was said to grow abundantly in the area, and nath refers to Vishnu. Badri is the Sanskrit name for the Indian Jujube tree^[3], which has an edible berry. Some scriptural references refer to Jujube trees being abundant in Badrinath. Legend has it that the Goddess Lakshmi took the form of the berries to provide sustenance to Lord Vishnu during his long penance in the harsh Himalayan climate.

[edit] Badrinath temple

Badrinath temple

Main article: Badrinath temple

The Badrinath temple is the main attraction in the town. According to legend Shankara discovered a black stone image of Lord Badrinarayan made of Saligram stone in the Alaknanda River. He originally enshrined it in a cave near the Tapt Kund hot springs.^[2][4] In the sixteenth century, the King of Garhwal moved the murti to the present temple.^[2]

The temple has undergone several major renovations because of age and damage by avalanche.^[4] In the 17th century, the temple was expanded by the kings of Garhwal. After significant damage in the great 1803 Himalayan earthquake, it was rebuilt by the King of Jaipur.^[5][6]

The temple is approximately 50 ft (15 metres) tall with a small cupola on top, covered with a gold gilt roof.^[2] The facade is built of stone, with arched windows. A broad stairway leads up to a tall arched gateway, which is the main entrance. The architecture resembles a Buddhist vihara (temple), with the brightly painted facade also more typical of Buddhist temples.^[6] Just inside is the mandapa, a large pillared hall that leads to the garbha grha, or main shrine area. The walls and pillars of the mandapa are covered with intricate carvings.^[6]

[edit] History and legend

The Badrinath area is referred to as Badari or Badarikasram (बद्रीकाश्रम) in Hindu scriptures. It is a place sacred to Vishnu, particularly in Vishnu's dual form of Nara-Narayana. Thus, in the Mahabharata, Siva, addressing Arjuna, says, "Thou wast Nara in a former body, and, with Narayana for thy companion, didst perform dreadful austerity at Badari for many myriads of years. "^[7]

One legend has it that when the goddess Ganga was requested to descend to earth to help suffering humanity, the earth was unable to withstand the force of her descent. Therefore the mighty Ganga was split into twelve holy channels, with Alaknanda one of them. It later became the abode of Lord Vishnu or Badrinath.

The mountains around Badrinath are mentioned in the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas are said to have ended their life by ascending the slopes of a peak in western Garhwal called Swargarohini - literally, the 'Ascent to Heaven'. Local legend has it that the Pandavas passed through Badrinath and the town of Mana, 4 km north of Badrinath, on their way to Swargarohini. There is also a cave in Mana where Vyas, according to legend, wrote the Mahabharata.^[2]

According to the Skanda Purana: "There are several sacred shrines in heaven, on earth, and in hell; but there is no shrine like Badrinath."

The area around Badrinath was celebrated in Padma Purana as abounding in spiritual treasures.^[2]

Badrinath has also been eulogised as Bhu Vaikunta or earthly abode of Lord Vishnu. Many religious scholars such as Ramanujacharya, Madhawacharya and Vedanta Desika visited Badrinath and wrote sacred texts, such as commentaries on Brahmasutras and other Upanishads.

[edit] Pilgrimage

The sacred mountains of Badrinath

Located only a few kilometers from the Indo-China (Tibet) border, Badrinath is generally a two-day-long journey from either Kedarnath, the site that precedes it in the Char Dham circuit, or one of the main disembarkation points on the plains. Hemkund Sahib, an important Sikh pilgrimage site, is on the way to Badrinath, so the road is especially crowded during the summer pilgrimage season. The temple and its substantial surrounding village are accessible by road.

The northern math established by Adi Sankara is nearby at Jyotirmath.

In the area around the Badri-Narayana temple, there is Trikut Parvata mountain and Triveni Sangam, which is the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati.

Other places in the area are Haridwar, Har Ki Pauri, Rishikesh, Laksman Jhula, and Nara Narayan Parvata. These are all places that are found in the Himalayas between Haridwar and Badrinath.

The best time to visit Badrinath is between June and September. Warm clothes are recommended all year.

[edit] Transport

The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun, (317 km). The nearest railway stations are at Haridwar (310 km) and Rishikesh(297 km) and Kotdwar, (327 km) respectively. There are regular buses operating to Badrinath, from New Delhi, Haridwar and Rishikesh. As the roads are very narrow, for your safety it is recommeded to travel by all terrain vehicles. Until recently you could not drive here, but now you can drive right up next to the temple.