Is It Necessary To Go To The Himalayas To Achieve Inner Peace?
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Is it necessary to go to the Himalayas to achieve inner peace?
The Himalayas are a large range of mountains in Asia, stretching from Pakistan and through Nepal and Bhutan ending in India. Many people travel to the Himalayas for it’s world renowned beauty and tranquility. Whether they choose to spend their time relaxing or trekking over this famous mountain range one thing everyone can agree on is the feeling of peacefulness which resounds throughout this rocky landscape.
More than just being peaceful, the Himalayas are an important source of human life on earth. Some of the Earths major river systems begin in these mountains. Stretching into 18 countries, the combined population of these rivers’ drainage basins is 3 billion. The rivers which begin in the Himalayas feed life for half the people on Earth!
Religion is also an important part of this mountain ranges story, and also an important part of inner peace for many people. The Hindus refer to the Himalayas as devatma, which means ‘God-souled’. In the Hindu religion the Himalayas is a deity itself.
Buddhism has it’s own form known as Himalayan Buddhism which collectively refers to all the Buddhist schools in Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan. Whilst for Sikhs a city in Punjab, in the lower courses of the Himalayas, named Andapur Sahib is important. For the Sikhs it is a holy city and one of their most important sacred places.
It has been said that: “To see the Himalayan mounts is to wash the soul of all the sin accumulated in a lifetime” and it is true, the Himalayas bring life back to its basic essentials. Time spent here is essentially pastoral and idyllic in small villages nestled on slopes with houses made from clay and wood.
There are many travel options available for people to travel to the Himalayas and the countries they inhabit. They are easily accessible from the southern plains via both bus and airplane.
Pakistan
Pakistan is home to some of the most beautiful areas in the Himalayas. Especially popular amongst experienced travellers and trekkers, local law allows tourists to travel with a local guide along many routes. However, due to the need for a guide this is one of the more expensive parts of the Himalayas to trek in.
India
Popular amongst tourists, India offers beautiful forested mountains. Areas of note are Ladakh, which includes many important sites and fantastic trekking. Himachal Pradesh is also a tourist hotspot, known for it’s sights such as the Kullu Valley also known as ‘Valley of the Gods’.
Nepal
Perhaps the most famous country for Himalayan holidays, there is much to do here. Whether it is seeing sights, more trekking or taking part in the many adventure sports opportunities. It is possible to trek in Nepal for up to a month staying somewhere near every night, and bring only a couple of changes of clothes and a sleeping bag.
Though travelling to the Himalayas may not be essential to achieving inner peace, it is safe to conclude that with its idyllic lifestyle, wide open spaces and unparalleled beauty it is a noteworthy stop on the road to it.
This post was contributed by shaktihimalaya.com