Credit: A Explorer
About Harsil
Harsil, a solitude gem, is located in the Western Garhwal Himalayas and shares a border with Tibet and Himachal Pradesh. It falls enroute while going on pilgrimage to Gangotri Dham.
Mythology Connections
How Harshil got the name has an interesting story about Lord Vishnu. Once, an argument happened between the two mighty rivers of Harsil, named Jalandhari and Bhagirathi, about who had more influence and power. It has created a lot of problems for the locals. To sort out the difference, Lord Vishnu arrived at the confluence and turned himself into a mountain (Shila) to calm both rivers. This is how “Harishila” is transformed into Harshil. Today, at the same place, a black stone lies at the junction.
Harsil has great religious importance in the Char Dham pilgrimage. Falling enroute to Gangotri Dham has a village named Mukhbah where idol of Gangori is kept after diwali due to heavy snowfall in Gangotri.
Important people associated with Harsil
Pahadi Wilson, also known as Frederick Wilson, was a mysterious personality who lived in the region around the 19th century. He is credited with introducing cash crops like Rajma and apples in Harsil. It is said he deserted the British military at the young age of 25 and escaped toward the Himalayas. He has entrepreneurial skills and has made a career from his business ideas. He saw an opportunity in the timber trade that was found in abundance. He started transporting big wood logs by throwing them into the river Bhagirathi. It was in great demand by the British to lay out railway tracks. It’s also said he was a spy for the British and made great expeditions into Tibet during the Great Game. However, Sundar Lal Bahuguna, who was the founder of the Chipko movement, criticized Wilson for creating ecological disturbance.
However, due to such practices, Wilson accumulated a lot of wealth and started minting his own coins. He was nicknamed “Raja of Harshil” by locals.
The Brad Pitt starrer “Seven Years in Tibet”—the famous movie that narrates the travel experiences of the famous Austrian mountaineer ‘Heinrich Harrier’ (played by Brad Pitt)—has a connection with this town. Heinrich, captured by the British during WWII, escaped to Tibet through this route. He eventually met the 14th Dalai Lama and became friends with him. Perhaps one of the few foreigners to have had access to Tibet at that time.
Austrian mountaineer “Heinrich Harrier,” whose role is played by Brad Pitt in “Seven Years in Tibet,” has a connection with Harsil Town. During World War II, when he was captured by the British, he used this route to escape to Tibet. Later, he became a friend of the 14th Dalai lama.
People of Harsil
There are two major groups, the Bhotiyas and indigenous Jadh, from the neighboring valley. Before the 1962 India-China war, these people lived in these valleys and had good trading relations with Tibet. But the situation after the war and government have relocated people to the new villages of Bagaori (which lies ahead of Harsil) and Dunda (which lies ahead of Uttarkashi)
Recently, to promote tourism activities in Nelong valley, a trade route called Gartang gali was opened to visitors.