Spiritual trek to Gosainkunda

• Supriya Gurung

People believe that those who wish to cleanse themselves of their sins should go to Gosainkunda and plunge into this lake water. They will feel a kind of relief.

This mountain lake was created by divine power of God Shiva by throwing his trishul (trident) into the mountains, when he wanted to drink fresh water to gain relief from the corrosive effect of the poison that he had drunk to save the entire world of humans, animals, and nature from the lethal effect of poison that oozed out during the churning of the water (samudra mathan).

Gosainkunda which is methodologically believed to be the main abode of Lord Shiva and Parvati gets crowded with a large number of Hindu devotees and Buddhist or Shamans, on the full moon or Janaipurnima in the month of August (Bhadra) to worship Lord Shiva.

Both Buddhist shamans and Hindus come here to worship Lord Shiva because Shiva is the main source of inspiration and deity for both of them.

Hindus take Shiva as the deity of creation and extermination while Shamans take him as their master for the origin of the tantric words and systems in the world.

The holy site of Gosainkunda around 50 km from Kathmandu has become a confluence of Hindus and Buddhists on this occasion. Gosainkunda located at a height of 4,380 m in Langtang National Park in Rasuwa district is surrounded by pleasing sights of mountain peaks.

Spiritual trekking is usually famous for Gaisankunda where hundreds of international tourists visit every year.

Gosainkunda is not only a religious site but also a site that allows visibility of various ranges of Himalayan peaks, 108 glacier lakes, the pleasing sight of green forest, wild nature.

The spiritual trekking to this site gets heightened by the rich ancient cultural values of the Tamang community.

Little steep and rocky roads lead you to the top of the Gosainkunda. But be careful about being infected by worms while walking along the trail.

The trekking becomes more romantic and aromatic with the presence of green pines, bamboos, rhododendrons, and vibrant flora and fauna.

The shamans usually perform various ritual dances in spiritual songs and keep walking while dancing along the trail until they reach the Gosainkunda Lake.

Pilgrims love to watch this dance. The junior shamans take this time as the opportunity to seek the graduation degrees from their senior shamans.

You can also enjoy spectacular views of peaks such as Ganesh Himal and Langtang from Chisapani, one of the most famous hill stations that fall on the way to Gosainkunda. You can also walk through Helambu village.

How to get there?

There are many ways to reach Gosainkunda. One way from Rasuwa takes three days. From Kathmandu to Dhunche, it takes 6-7 hours by bus, then in two days of hiking, you will be at Gosainkunda.

Another trip from Kathmandu to Gosainkunda usually takes at least 6-7 days. Drive to Sundarijal from Kathmandu for an hour. Then trekking starts from Sundarijal.

Best time for a trek

March to May and September to the end of December is the best time for treks in this region.