Shivling (Garhwal Himalaya)
Encyclopedia
Shivling is a mountain in the Gangotri Group
of peaks in the western Garhwal
Himalaya, near the snout of the Gangotri Glacier
. It lies in the northern India
n state of Uttarakhand
, 6 kilometres (4 mi) south of the Hindu
holy site of Gaumukh (the source of the Bhagirathi River
). Its name refers to its status as a sacred symbol of the God - Lord Shiva
's Shiva Linga. It was called "Matterhorn
Peak" by early European visitors because of its similarity in appearance to that Alpine
peak. While not of locally great elevation, it is a dramatic rock peak, and most visually striking peak seen from Gaumukh; that and the difficulty of the climb make it a famed prize for mountaineers
.
and Meru
.
It was also called Mahadeo Ka Linga or (Mahadev Ka Linga)
Appearing as a single pyramid when seen from Gaumukh, Shivling is actually a twin-summitted mountain, with the northeast summit being slightly higher than the southwest summit, 6501 m (21,329 ft). Between Gaumukh and Shivling lies the Tapovan
meadow, a popular pilgrimage
site due to its inspiring view of the mountain.
Shivling is well-defended on all sides by steep rock faces; only the west flank has a moderate enough slope for snow accumulation.
exploration of the Gangotri Glacier in 1933, a German
expedition led by R. Schwarzgruber climbed nearby peaks and did a reconnaissance of Shivling in 1938. They reported "no feasible route" on the mountain due to its steepness and the threat of falling sérac
s.
Shivling was first climbed on June 3, 1974 via the west ridge, by a team from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police
, led by Hukam Singh. The ridge is the lowest-angle feature on the mountain, but still involves serious mixed climbing
, and is threatened by the sérac
barrier noted by the Germans. The ridge leads to the col
between the two summits; a steep snow/ice ridge then leads to the main summit.
Since the first ascent, at least ten other routes have been climbed on the peak, ascending all major ridges and most major faces of the mountain. All routes are extremely serious undertakings.
In 2004 Shirshendu Mukherjee became the youngest person in the world to have climbed the mountain at the age of 19 as a part of an Indian expedition.
In 2005,Basanta Singha Roy,Debashis Biswas both climbers from Mountaineers Association Of Krishnanagar (MAK),West Bengal,India, were the first successful summiters of India, as a part of a total civilian effort i.e without any army support.
Gangotri Group
The Gangotri Group of mountains is a subdivision of the Garhwal Himalaya in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. It rings the Gangotri Glacier, and contains peaks that are notable either for their religious significance to Hindus, for their difficult climbing routes, or both...
of peaks in the western Garhwal
Garhwal Division
Garhwal is the north-western region and administrative division of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand which is home to the Garhwali people. Lying in the Himalayas, It is bounded on the north by Tibet, on the east by Kumaon region, on the south by Uttar Pradesh state, and on the north-west by...
Himalaya, near the snout of the Gangotri Glacier
Gangotri Glacier
Gangotri Glacier is located in Uttarkashi District, Uttarakhand, India in a region bordering China. This glacier, source of the Ganges, is one of the largest in the Himalayas with an estimated volume of over 27 cubic kilometers. The glacier is about 30 kilometres long and 2 to 4 km wide...
. It lies in the northern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
, 6 kilometres (4 mi) south of the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
holy site of Gaumukh (the source of the Bhagirathi River
Bhagirathi River
The Bhāgīrathī is a turbulent Himalayan river in the state of Uttarakhand, India, that is the source stream of the Ganges—the major river of the Gangetic plain of Northern India and the holy river of Hinduism.-Etymology:...
). Its name refers to its status as a sacred symbol of the God - Lord Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
's Shiva Linga. It was called "Matterhorn
Matterhorn
The Matterhorn , Monte Cervino or Mont Cervin , is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Its summit is 4,478 metres high, making it one of the highest peaks in the Alps. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points...
Peak" by early European visitors because of its similarity in appearance to that Alpine
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
peak. While not of locally great elevation, it is a dramatic rock peak, and most visually striking peak seen from Gaumukh; that and the difficulty of the climb make it a famed prize for mountaineers
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
.
The mountain and its setting
Shivling forms the western gateway for the lower Gangotri Glacier, opposite the triple-peaked Bhagirathi massif. It lies on a spur projecting out from the main ridge that forms the southwest side of the Gangotri Glacier basin; this ridge contains other well-known peaks such as Bhrigupanth, Thalay SagarThalay Sagar
Thalay Sagar is a mountain in the Gangotri Group of peaks in the western Garhwal Himalaya, on the main ridge that lies south of the Gangotri Glacier. It lies in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, southwest of the Hindu holy site of Gaumukh...
and Meru
Meru Peak
Meru Peak is a mountain which lies in the Himalayas, in the Uttarakhand region of India. It is within the Nanda Devi National Park, and is high. It is the site of the world's highest BASE Jump from 'Earth', by Glenn Singleman and Heather Swan from a height of in June 2006.The mountain has three...
.
It was also called Mahadeo Ka Linga or (Mahadev Ka Linga)
Appearing as a single pyramid when seen from Gaumukh, Shivling is actually a twin-summitted mountain, with the northeast summit being slightly higher than the southwest summit, 6501 m (21,329 ft). Between Gaumukh and Shivling lies the Tapovan
Tapovan
Tapovan comes from the two root words Tapasya - meaning specifically austerity, and more generally spiritual practice, and Vana, meaning forest, or wilderness...
meadow, a popular pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
site due to its inspiring view of the mountain.
Shivling is well-defended on all sides by steep rock faces; only the west flank has a moderate enough slope for snow accumulation.
Climbing history
After BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
exploration of the Gangotri Glacier in 1933, a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
expedition led by R. Schwarzgruber climbed nearby peaks and did a reconnaissance of Shivling in 1938. They reported "no feasible route" on the mountain due to its steepness and the threat of falling sérac
Serac
A serac is a block or column of ice formed by intersecting crevasses on a glacier. Often house-sized or larger, they are dangerous to mountaineers since they may topple with little warning...
s.
Shivling was first climbed on June 3, 1974 via the west ridge, by a team from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police
Indo-Tibetan Border Police
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police is an Indian force conceived on October 24, 1962 for security along the India's border with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, border covering 2115 kilometres...
, led by Hukam Singh. The ridge is the lowest-angle feature on the mountain, but still involves serious mixed climbing
Mixed climbing
Mixed climbing is a combination of ice climbing and rock climbing generally using ice climbing equipment such as crampons and ice tools. Mixed climbing has inspired its own specialized gear such as boots which are similar to climbing shoes but feature built in crampons...
, and is threatened by the sérac
Serac
A serac is a block or column of ice formed by intersecting crevasses on a glacier. Often house-sized or larger, they are dangerous to mountaineers since they may topple with little warning...
barrier noted by the Germans. The ridge leads to the col
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
between the two summits; a steep snow/ice ridge then leads to the main summit.
Since the first ascent, at least ten other routes have been climbed on the peak, ascending all major ridges and most major faces of the mountain. All routes are extremely serious undertakings.
In 2004 Shirshendu Mukherjee became the youngest person in the world to have climbed the mountain at the age of 19 as a part of an Indian expedition.
In 2005,Basanta Singha Roy,Debashis Biswas both climbers from Mountaineers Association Of Krishnanagar (MAK),West Bengal,India, were the first successful summiters of India, as a part of a total civilian effort i.e without any army support.