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Bhyundar Valley or the Valley of Flowers is situated in the Garhwal Himalayas in the newly formed state of Uttaranchal. It is near Joshimath, which, from time immemorial, has been a revered place of pilgrimage for the Hindus. It is an area with flowers of every imaginable colour and hue; the air saturated with their fragrance and a gust of Himalayan breeze that can storm one's senses.
According to legends, this region was known as Nandan Kanan or the Garden of Indra (King of Paradise) in the paradise. This is also the place where Lord Hanuman found Sanjeevani Booti (the lifesaving herb) to cure Lakshmana. The latter is also said to have performed meditation on the banks of the Hemkund Lake here. The temple of Lokpal is devoted to him.
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Hemkund is also one of the major pilgrimage sites of the Sikhs because Guru Gobind Singh, their last Guru, is said to have united with the almighty after prolonged meditation here. The place receives a large number of Sikh pilgrims during the months of July/August. HISTORY The Valley of Flowers National Park was established in 1982 to save the ecological diversity that this place had on offer. The present name of the park was given by a British mountaineer named Frank Smith who lost his way while returning from his successful expedition to Mt. Kammet in 1931. When he reached this valley and saw the flowers all around, he gave the name Valley of Flowers to the place. Initially, only pilgrims, biologists, and trekkers were the ones to visit the region. However, with the passage of time, common tourists also started taking interest and the number of visitors has been always on the rise. |
Valley of Flowers National Park is situated above Ghangaria in the upper reaches of the Bhyundar Ganga in the Zanskar Range of Garhwal Himalayas. The park is a part of Chamoli district in the Indian state of Uttaranchal. It extends from the latitude 33°44' in the North to the longitude 79°36' in the East on the map.
CLIMATE
The Valley of Flowers has a microclimate of its own primarily due to its protection from the dry, cold winter monsoon. The park remains snowbound during the months of December to April. The best time to visit the park is before the beginning of the monsoon season, i.e., in July and August.
FLORA AND FAUNA
Flora: The park has a rich alpine flora and fauna species, including a variety of wildflowers. The northern slopes up to 3,800 m are thickly covered forests with birch variety of lichens while the southern slopes are carpeted with verdant meadows at their base with variety of alpine flowers and medicinal herbs.
As per botanical estimates, more than 3,000 varieties of wildflowers are found here. Some of the species are like anemones (windflowers), fritillaries, gentians, geraniums, larkspurs, lilies, orchids, poppies, primulas, marsh marigold, potentilla, geum, asters, lilium, ranunculus, corydalis, inula, braham kamal, campanula, pedicularis, arisaema, morina, impatiens, bistorta, ligularia, anaphalis, saxifrages, sibbaldia, thermopsis, trollius, codonopsis, dactylorhiza, cypripedium, strawberry, epilobium, rhododendrons and numerous others. Most of the flowers have medicinal values too. The abundance of asmanda fern in this valley is a rare sight than in other Himalayan valleys. The valley remains is bloom for three months while the floral composition keeps on changing every few days. By September, the hue starts changing and autumn bids farewell to flowers and the entire vegetation remains dormant for about next five months when the valley is snowbound.
Fauna: The main wildlife species in the park are Himalayan musk deer, yellow-throated marten, Himalayan black bear, brown beer, Himalayan tahr, bharal (Pseudois nayaur), snow leopard, common langur, Himalayan monal pheasant, and Koklass pheasants.
PLACES NEARBY
Hemkund Sahib: Hemkund, as the name suggests, is a lake in the Himalayas. It is at this very place where Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last Guru of the Sikhs, unified with God after prolonged meditation in his previous birth. The place is now regarded as an important pilgrim place of the Sikhs. Hemkund is also a holy place for the Hindus. According to Hindu mythology, Hemkund (or Lokpal as it is also known) is where Lakshmana had done his penance.
REACHING THERE
The nearest airport is at Jolly Grant near Rishikesh at a distance of around 315 km. The nearest railway station is Rishikesh at a distance of around 270 km from Govindghat. Buses are available from Rishikesh-Badrinath road to Govindghat, from where one has to trek to the park.
STAYING THERE
Accommodation is available at Ghangaria in the Forest Rest House run by the park authorities. Although there are two suites, the cooking arrangements have to be made by the visitors. In addition, GMVN Tourist Rest House and some other accommodation options are also available at Ghangaria and Govindghat.
LINKS TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD
The nearest post and telegraph office is located at Govindghat. Internet facilities can be accessed in either Dehradun or Haridwar.
TRAVEL TIPS
For more information about the park, one can contact the following addresses:
Deputy Conservator of Forests
Nandadevi National Park, Joshimath
Dist. Chamoli (UP)
Phone: 00 91 1389 22179
Conservator of Forests,
Nandadevi Biosphere Reserve
Gopeshwar (Chamoli) UP
Phone: 00 91 1372 52497
