Harmukh

Harmukh derives from Haramukuta, meaning "the diadem of Hara (Shiva)".

The entire region of Harmukh is also known as Ramaradhan, as it is believed that Parashurama had meditated near lakes on this mountain range.{{Cite news |last=Excelsior |first=Daily |date=2012-08-17 |title=Sacred Shrines of Haramukh |language=en-US |url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/sacred-shrines-of-haramukh/ |access-date=2021-05-15}}

File:Harmukh Peak, Kashmir.jpg

Harmukh, with Gangbal Lake at its foot, is considered a sacred mountain by Hindus. It is also known as 'Kailash of Kashmir'.{{Cite web |url=http://vedabase.net/sb/5/25/1/en |title=Bhag-P 5.25.1 |access-date=24 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320094105/http://vedabase.net/sb/5/25/1/en |archive-date=20 March 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} According to the legend of "Hurmukhuk Gosoni",[http://www.koausa.org/Crown/marvels.html Some Marvels of Kashmir] once a hermit tried to reach the summit of Harmukh to see Shiva face to face. For twelve long years, he tried to scale the summit but failed until one day he saw a Gujar descending the summit. When the Gujar approached him, the hermit enquired as to what he had seen there. The Gujar said he had been searching for a stray goat, and that while searching he saw a couple milking a cow and drinking the milk from a human skull. The couple had offered him some milk, which he refused to drink; when they departed they rubbed a little of the milk on his forehead. When the Gujar indicated the spot where the milk was rubbed, the hermit was extremely joyful and rushed to lick his forehead.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

File:Shiva shrine, Gangabal Lake.jpg, where the Harmukh Gangabal Yatra culminates]]

This pilgrimage takes place every year on the eve of Ganga Ashtami. The yatris begin their yatra from Naranag.{{Cite news|title=Gangabal yatra|work=Daily Excelsior|url=https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/gangabal-yatra/|access-date=October 1, 2020}}

File:Gulmarg Gondola, Cable Car.JPG showing Haramukh towering above the Great Himalayan range in the distance]]

Harmukh lies in the northwestern Himalayan Range. The Kashmir Valley lies to its south. Water from melting glaciers form Gangabal Lake which lies at its foot to the north east side and contribute significantly to the regional fresh-water supply, supporting irrigation through Sind River. It is notable for its local relief as it is a consistently steep pyramid, dropping sharply to the east and south, with the eastern slope the steepest.

The Harmukh mountain massif has several summits, the Station Peak being the lowest with a peak elevation of {{Convert|4698|m|ft}} was first climbed by members of the Great Trigonometric Survey of British India led by Thomas Montgomerie in 1856. Montgomerie made the first survey of the Karakoram range which lies some {{convert|130|mi|km|disp=flip|abbr=in}} to the north from here and sketched the two most prominent peaks, labeling them K1 (also called Masherbrum) and K2, which is the world's second-highest mountain.{{cite book |title=K2: The Story of the Savage Mountain|last=Curran|first=Jim|year=1995 |publisher=Hodder & Stoughton|isbn=978-0340660072|page=25}}{{cite book | author=Robert Hicks Bates | title=Five miles high: the story of an attack on second highest mountain in the world | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=biobAAAAIAAJ&q=mount+haramukh | access-date=2 July 2012 |year=1939 | publisher=Dodd, Mead & company, 1939 | page=25–}} The highest eastern peak {{Convert|5142|m|ft}} was summited by Dr Ernest Neve and Geoffrey Millais in 1899. The mountain has since become popular among climbers and mountaineers.

The easiest route among the different routes of Harmukh is via Erin, Bandipore,{{cite book | author=M.S. Kohli | title=The Himalayas: Play Ground of the Gods Trekking, Climbing, Adventure | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L4knycWWbqgC&q=arin+harmukh+mountain&pg=PA40 | access-date=2 July 2012 |year=1983 | publisher=Indus Publishing, 1983 | isbn= 9788173871078 | page=40–}} {{cvt|47|km}} motorable road from Srinagar to Erin and {{cvt|18|km}} of high altitude alpine trek leads to the base of Harmukh. Another trek leads from Naranag{{cite book | author=Parvez Dewan | title=Parvéz Dewân's Jammû, Kashmîr, and Ladâkh: Kashmîr | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fF0wAQAAIAAJ&q=naranag+harmukh | access-date=2 July 2012 |year=2004 | publisher=Manas Publications, 2004 | isbn= 9788170491798 | page=260–}} to the base of Harmukh at Gangabal Lake, but it is a steep climb at some places.{{cite web|url=https://www.kashmirtreks.com/naranag-gangabal-trek/|title=Gangbal Lake Trek|publisher=KashmirTreks.com|access-date=24 October 2013}}

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Category:Mountains of Jammu and Kashmir

Category:Geography of Ganderbal district

Category:Five-thousanders of the Himalayas

Category:Tourist attractions in Ganderbal district