Trekking on the Bhrigutunga Mountain

The breathtaking view of the Himalayas, the sweet melodious song of the Blue Whistling Thrush and other birds, the fragrance of the rich vegetation, the beautiful landscapes with the lush green terraced fields and the twists and turns of the Ramganga river are the peculiar experiences of the Bhrigutungs trek. A place for meditation, spiritual awakening and adventure is what the definition of Bhrigutunga is.

As the road towards the cave of Patal Bhuvaneshwar takes a turn, one notices the Twin Mountains on the right hand side. Out of the two, the one which is higher is the Bhrigutunga Mountain. The mountain derives its name after the sage Bhrigu, one among the Sapta Rishis, who is said to have meditated in a cave here. A small cave still exists.

According to the local legends, the sage Bhrigu used to go to the cave of Patal Bhuvaneshwar, through the tunnel that connected His place of meditation with that of His revered God, Shiva. It is also said that the cave of Patal Bhuvaneshwar received its “pran vayu”, the “air of life” from Bhrigutunga because of its richness in vegetation. As one reaches the top, all the pains of the trek go away because of the panoramic view of the Himalayas. The major peaks that can be seen from here include the Nanda Devi, the Nanda Ghunti, the Panchachuli and Mektoli.   

The smaller mountain out of the twins was once occupied by the royal army. The army was stationed here for a very strategic reason which one realizes after reaching the top. The mountain allows the view all over the place for a perfect guard of the territories and defense against the enemies. A slightest movement around can be easily noticed. What an ideal location to protect the kingdom. The remains of the wall, the foundations of the houses can still be seen. What was the mountain also used is the “okhal”. A small bowl-like dig is what remains today of the “okhal”. The army dehusked the paddy that was collected from the villages down.

There used to be held a fair in the past. Though no fair is celebrated now but a “sadhu” resides. There are places where the “sadhus” from different places meditate.  

Interesting things are found all along the trek- the stool of the Panther, reminding the presence of the Big Cat, the village women going on their daily trek to fetch the fodder grass and fuel wood.

The mountain is also good for the rock climbers.   

                                                                         Landscape from Bhrigutung

The total trek time is two hours. There are local shared taxis available to take you to the foothill or if one prefers to walk from any place of stay in Patal Bhuvaneshwar, even that can be done. There is a People’s Organization that undertakes such activities and provides trained guides. There are Tents available to stay or to carry to the mountain if one wants to spend teh night. The best is teh full moon day.

Panchachuli at dusk