Nanda Devi In Ranikhet
Accredited as the second highest mountain in India, Nanda Devi is a part of Garhwal Himalayas and is situated in the state of Uttarakhand, India. The eastern summit of Nanda Devi known as Nanda Devi East lies at the border of the Chamoli, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts of Garhwal. Bordered by the Rishiganga valley in the west and the Goriganga valley in the east, Nanda Devi is considered as the patron-goddess of the Himalayas by the local inhabitants. The word 'Nanda Devi' literally means Bliss-giving Goddess and is revered as an abode of the Gods.
History of Nanda Devi
According to the folklore, Nanda Devi was the daughter of a local ruler and was stunningly beautiful. A pillaging king saw her and was smitten by her beauty. He wished to marry her but Nanda Devi's father declined and a war ensued between the two of them. Nanda Devi's father was killed but she managed to escape somehow from the clutches of the king and found refuge on a mountain in the Himalayas that was encircled by 12 towering peaks. Henceforth, the mountain was named Nanda Devi and since then, it is said, she is being safeguarded by the circle of mountains.
Description of the Nanda Devi peak
With a soaring altitude of 7817 mts, Nanda Devi is an unusual instance of dual peaks & the elegant evenness of its twofold peaks is a visual delight. The two summits of Nanda Devi are categorized as the main summit and Nanda Devi East. The former is at an elevation of 7816 mts while the latter's altitude is 7434 mts. The two-peaked massif together forms a 2 km long high ridge with the western summit being higher than the eastern summit. The main summit of the Nanda Devi peak is enclosed by some of the highest peaks and several of these peaks have an elevation of more than 6,400 mts. The interior of this almost intractable circle is known as the Nanda Devi sanctuary and is confined as the Nanda Devi national park.
Perched at a higher elevation, the Nanda Devi peak remains covered in a blanket of snow for a major part of the year. There are several glaciers located within the sanctuary namely Uttari Nanda Devi glacier in the northern side, Dakkhni Nanda Devi glacier in the southwest, Pachu glacier in the east, Nandaghunti and Lawan glaciers in the southeast and Pindari glacier in the south.
Due to its strategic location in the centre of towering peaks and its steep slopes, the gorge of the Rishiganga River and the area around Nanda Devi peak was an unknown region until 1934. It was rather one of the inaccessible parts of the Himalayas and all the initial attempts to reach and scale Nanda Devi peak had failed. The first successful ascent of the main summit was by Tillman and Odell in 1936. Time and again several adventure groups have organized expeditions to climb up Nanda Devi. Only few were able to succeed while other's failed facing tragedies. But now this beautiful peak and the sanctuary have been closed due to security reasons. But the option of trekking, hiking and camping for thrill seekers is still available in the Nanda Devi Valley.
Encompassing the Nanda Devi Sanctuary is located a national park known as Nanda Devi national park. Established in 1982, the park is situated around the Nanda Devi peak. Very close to the park is situated the famous 'Valley of flowers National Park' and both of them together form the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. The entire region has been declared 'World Heritage site' by UNESCO. The park is an abode to some of the most distinctive high altitude plant and animal life. Due to low temperatures, the vegetation is really scarce in the region. There are about 312 floral species and about 14 species of mammals found in the region.