Religion and spirituality go hand-in-hand in India. The vast Hindu population drives a major part of the religious sentiment in India. The many sacred temples, water bodies, caves and mountain ranges are hallowed sanctities in the Indian sub-continent. Amongst these, the Himalayas and the river Ganges are the most revered symbols of spirituality associated with religious sentiments.

1. Spiritual Symbolism of the Himalayas and
Ganga
Religion and spirituality go hand-in-hand in India. The vast Hindu population drives a major part of
the religious sentiment in India. The many sacred temples, water bodies, caves and mountain ranges
are hallowed sanctities in the Indian sub-continent. Amongst these, the Himalayas and the river
Ganges are the most revered symbols of spirituality associated with religious sentiments.
For instance, the mighty Himalayas are considered the epitome of pristine beauty where one can
achieve ineffable peace. This peace then flows through your day-to-day life just like the river Ganga
flowing from the higher regions to reach the plains and be available to the population at large. These
natural entities have achieved a high religious value amongst the atheists in India and have given rise
to varied connotations delving into spiritual and religious symbolism.
Exploring spiritualism at Dev-Bhoomi
As most of us know that the Himalayas is a mountain range comprising of humongous peaks, most
of which comprise the planet’s highest peaks like Mount Everest which lies at an elevation of 8849 m.
The Himalayas comprise many regions that are now regarded as sacred and spiritual owing to their
natural beauty and even mythological significance. One such region is the Dev Bhoomi aka the land

2. of Gods and Goddesses. Geographically, this area is the region of the Garhwal Himalayas in the
Indian state of Uttarakhand.
It is a belief that this Dev Bhoomi blesses its visitors who throng the hallowed abode, especially
during the summer months. Furthermore, it is believed that practicing spirituality at this place is
quite fruitful as one gains manifold outcomes for spiritual leanings. Even for naysayers who do not
believe in such claims, the pristine and spellbinding beauty of the region in itself is conducive to all
kinds of spiritual activities.
Furthermore, many pilgrimage sites are inter-spread across the Himachal and Uttarakhand regions
with the mighty Himalayas serving as a majestic backdrop. Additionally, there are few others who feel
that this area is rightfully called Dev-Bhoomi as the region also is the origin of various river bodies
including the holy rivers, Ganga and Yamuna that start from here and flow through the length and
breadth of this vast nation.
Besides, amongst the Northern Char-Dhams or holy pilgrimage sites for Hindus, taking a dip at
Gangotri is considered most auspicious and purifies bathers of all their past negative karmas.
Hence, this connection between nature’s mighty manifestations, the majestic Himalayas and the holy
Ganges that flows from Gangotri is opined by many as the reason for the sanctity of Dev-Bhoomi.
Mythologically speaking, Ganga is considered the daughter of the Himalayas and she was ordered to
descend onto the earth by King Bhagirath. Hence, this metaphysical rendezvous between father and
offspring draws hordes of spiritual seekers who travel long distances to pay homage to the site.
Deciphering the Guru-principle
Every spiritual seeker looks out for a mentor or Guru who can show the way towards enlightenment.
However, the Guru can take any form such as one’s life experiences and even physical forms such as
deities carved in stone and natural entities like the mighty Himalayas and the river Ganges. Gaining
the innate ability to construe this Guru principle within oneself where enlightenment flows
seamlessly without any kind of resistance requires the cultivation of feelings and thoughts. In this
regard, the Himalayas and the river Ganga represent the Guru principle as nature’s sublime
manifestations. These natural entities are regarded as potent tools capable of offering profound
guidance and divine blessings on one’s road towards awakening.
Many revered Indian saints have wandered and lived in the mountainous regions of the Garhwal
Uttarakhand. The lives of saints like Swami Rama Tirtha and Tapovan Maharaj serve as an example
that nature often is the catalyzing actor to achieve inner peace and stability of mind in order to
achieve divine realisations. The Himalayan ranges have also served as an abode to the proliferation
of Tibetan Buddhism and offered a safe haven to the current Dalai Lama who now resides in
Mcleodganj in the Indian hilly state of Himachal Pradesh. The Tibetan sect continues to seek hidden
teachings from enlightened and revered teachers of the past who resided in these mountains.
Key takeaways for spiritual seekers

3. This hallowed sanctity of Dev-Bhoomi where the Ganga flows with the mighty Himalayas serving as a
pristine backdrop offers an amiable environment for spiritual activities like meditation and
introspection. Symbolically speaking, the spiritual seeker initially seeks the solitude that comes from
the quietness of the mountains and then by renouncing worldly engagements, seeks a divine abode
and eventually spiritual awakening by residing in the mountains.
Below we have enlisted certain attributes that help bring about peace and inner harmony that the
stillness of the Himalayas and the buzzing activity of the Ganges bring about in the spiritual seekers.
Stillness- the quiet, underlying layer of life
The Himalayan ranges offer a sense of inner stillness and solitude to the mind. In fact, simply the
majestic presence of these mighty mountains acts as an anchor despite any inner changes and
transitions in our inner and outer surroundings.
Spiritual seekers often go into frequent long or short periods of complete silence or maunam.
Conventionally speaking, most of us find it tempting to interact and talk at any given opportunity.
However, spirituality teaches as well as trains our minds to dwell in the stillness of the body, mind
and speech. The Himalayan backdrop in itself embodies solitude and stillness that serves as a
catalyzing factor to turn inwards. This further helps one to effortlessly slip into states of quietness
and solitude where one’s state of consciousness is reflected in part by the unflinching Himalayas.
Activity - the expression and energy of life
The Ganges is much revered by the Indians. Since times immemorial, the Ganges has been part of
India’s rich history, mythology and legends. The Ganga-Ma’s turbulent flow is in contrast with the
stoic yet majestic stillness of the Himalayas.
Life is all about movement and activity and the Ganges symbolizes this buzzing, activity of life. The
Ganges waters which emerge from the Gangotri, flow uninterrupted through rocks, and mountain
valleys to reach the plains where it nurtures life. This quality of the Ganges which never ceases to
flow can be imbibed as a divine power by every spiritual seeker to keep on treading the life path
despite the challenges.
Closing Thoughts
The wisdom of spirituality can be gauged metamorphically in nature like the Himalayas that stand
their ground with elan or the river Ganga that meanders effortlessly. The Dev-Bhoomi which sees the
confluence of both the Himalayas and the Ganges symbolizes the underlying substratum of life’s
stillness and activity. For those who view this phenomenon from the perspective of spirituality, this
mystic land attracts them to make it their abode. This experiential understanding helps such souls
discover the true symbolism of the Himalayas and the Ganges.