Peaks visible from Kedarkantha Trek

In the past and even today, when we look at mountains, their sheer size and magnificence make us feel that we are standing in the presence of something …Godlike. They are still believed to be the homes of Gods. Some cultures still believe that meditating in these places is a way of getting closer to God and acquire moksha or nirvana.

Why am I talking about peaks and their connection to myths and beliefs? Because the Garhwal Himalayas are full of such stories. Majority of the peaks are even named after Gods.

Before showing you the peaks visible from Kedarkantha top, let me tell you about the myth about Kedarkantha itself.

The story of Lord Shiva on Kedarkantha:

The locals tell various tales about Lord Shiva’s attachment to Kedarkantha. Legend has it that Lord Shiva sat on the top of Kedarkantha for meditation but due to disturbances from the local villages in the vicinity, ended up evading it and moved to Kedarnath instead. There is a small shrine at the top of Kedarkantha dedicated to Lord Shiva to add life to this tale.

Here are three most prominent peaks you see and clearly recognize from the top:

Swargarohini Peaks I-IV (6252m):

Swargarohini is the crown of the Garhwal Himalayas. You will see this magnificent peak throughout the Kedarkantha trek, and even from Sankri. It consists of four peaks Swargarohini I, II, III and IV and given its unique shape, it is one of the most attention-grabbing peak in Uttrakhand.

The legend behind Swargarohini:

Swagarohini derives its name from the legends that states that its peaks lead the way to heaven, which was followed by the Pandavas. Swarg means heaven and rohini means a way/path and therefore Swargarohini means a direct way to heaven. During the final abode to the top of Swargarohini, none of the 5 Pandavas made it to the top except Yudhishthira, who is believed to have reached heaven in human form.

Kalanag and Bandarpoonch (6387m and 6316m):

Kalanag is another peak with a very unique shape. It gets its name because the top part resembles the hood of a black cobra or the serpent God. It lies within the Bandarpoonch mountain range and is also called ‘The Black Peak’.

On the other hand, Bandarpoonch gets its name from Hanuman, the monkey God and a mighty warrior in Hindu mythology. Bandarpoonch literally means the ‘Tail of a monkey’. What's fascinating about Bandarpoonch is it's climbing history.

Did you know Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa who was part of the first ever team to climb Mt. Everest in 1953, had summited Bandarpoonch first? The legendary mountaineer was also part of the first team to ever summit Bandarpoonch back in 1950.