For an Indian, a venture into the Himalayas is more than a mere journey; it is a yatra. And a pilgrimage does not hold more importance than it does in Garhwal and Kumaon, once known as Uttarakhand, the 'northern territories' of the pre-Vedic era. This is the domain of the ascetic Lord Shiva, the destroyer and re-creator; it is a land charged with Shakti, the power and energy of the goddess Parvati, consort of Shiva and daughter of Himavat, Lord of the Mountains. More...