On this journey, many have walked with me. I would like to express my thanks ...

... to the members of the Sikh communities in Punjab and North America who have been the mainspring of this project. It is they who are, in a sense, its true authors. I hope they will forgive me if, at times, my portrayal of their pilgrimage is insensitive or inaccurate. Thanks to my e-mail correspondents who took me along with them on virtual pilgrimages. Before I set foot at the sacred place, their vivid descriptions of the route to Hemkunt Sahib brought the sacred journey to life for me. I am grateful for their encouragement and for their attention to my Sikh education. Thanks also to my field interviewees: the pilgrims who shared their pilgrimage with me, along with many cups of tea and many tales. Their openness and support of my work was touching and unforgettable, as was that of the villagers, workers, and sevadars along the pilgrimage route who welcomed me into their midst and cared for me as their daughter and sister. The members of the Gurdwara Sri Hem Kunt Sahib Management Trust, too, have put their faith in me and opened many doors. Thanks to them, and thanks to the members of the Calgary sangat for their patient instruction in the Punjabi language. Their contributions to a scholarship fund allowed me to return to Punjab and my fieldsite for further studies.

... to the scholars in whose work I have found guidance and inspiration. Many thanks to my graduate program supervisor and the members of my thesis defense committee. They have patiently guided me through the final (and most formidable) stages of my masters research project. The generous scholarships, assistanceships, and fellowships provided by the Department of Anthropology, the University of Calgary, and the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute have made this journey possible.

... to my family, in gratitude. They have inspired in me the confidence to walk mountain paths far from home. Wherever I have gone, they have always walked beside me in spirit. A special note of thanks to my little brother. His creative efforts to put images of Hemkunt Sahib up on the web are nothing short of enchanting.

Thank you, all, for sharing the journey with me.

The research on which this web site is based was funded by the Government of India (GOI)

through the India Studies Programme of the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (SICI).

Neither the GOI nor SICI necessarily endorses the views herein expressed.