PTC Web Desk: A team from Punjab has completed a challenging sewa at one of the highest Sikh pilgrimage sites in the country by changing the chola sahibs of the Nishan Sahibs installed on seven peaks surrounding Gurdwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib in Uttarakhand.

The peaks, known as Sapt Sring, are located around Gurdwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib, which stands at an altitude of more than 15,000 feet. The highest of the seven peaks rises to over 18,000 feet.

The team has been carrying out this sewa for nearly four decades. After completing the task, its members were honoured by the Gurdwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib Management Trust at Gurdwara Gobind Ghat.

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The sewa of changing the chola sahibs on the seven peaks was started around 40 years ago by Baba Sher Singh of Mehraj village. Baba Sher Singh passed away two years ago. Since then, members of his team have continued the sewa and kept the long-standing tradition alive.

The current team has around 30 to 40 members, all associated with Mehraj village. Most of them come from farming and ordinary family backgrounds and do not have formal training in climbing high mountains.

Despite this, the team completes the difficult task within a few days every year.

According to Bhai Sewa Singh, CEO of the Gurdwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib Management Trust, changing the Nishan Sahib cholas on the seven peaks is among the most difficult tasks carried out during the annual pilgrimage preparations.

Another major challenge is preparing the route from Gurdwara Gobind Dham to Gurdwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib. The distance is around six km  and the route remains covered with snow.

Indian Army personnel and sewadars associated with the gurdwara management work together to clear the snow and make the route accessible for pilgrims.

However, the sewa on the seven peaks is carried out only by the Mehraj team.

There are no established routes leading to these peaks, making the climb particularly difficult. The team has to negotiate steep and challenging terrain to reach the Nishan Sahibs.

One peak involves particularly high risk

Bhai Sewa Singh said reaching the fourth peak involves considerable risk. Despite the difficult conditions and extreme altitude, the team completes the sewa in a short period.

He said the members are able to carry out the task with Guru Sahib's blessings despite not undergoing special mountain-climbing training or spending a long period acclimatising to the high-altitude environment.

The team was welcomed at Gurdwara Gobind Ghat after completing the sewa and was presented with siropas by the management trust.

An ardas was also offered for the team members and for their continued ability to perform the sewa in the years ahead.

The annual pilgrimage to Gurdwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib began on May 20. According to the management trust, around 2.62 lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance at the gurdwara by August 19.

The trust said the figure is the highest recorded in the past decade. It has also expressed hope that the number of pilgrims visiting Hemkunt Sahib during the current pilgrimage season will cross three lakh.

The annual pilgrimage is scheduled to conclude on October 10.