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First Light hits the Ganesh Face of Shivling as viewed from the meadows of Tapovan.

Elevation 6,543 m (21,467 ft)
Location Uttarakhand, India
Range Gangotri Group, Garhwal Himalaya
Prominence 850 m (2,790 ft)
Location 30.876944°, 79.065556°

Shivling (6,543m)is a two summit mountain which rises not far from the snout of the Gangotri Glacier

Due to its unusual shape [which earned it its nickname 'Indian Matterhorn'among climbers.

Regarding its name, When the first British surveyors John Hogdson and his assistant James Herbert reached Kedarnath in June 1817 they renamed the mountain Mount Moria (in honor of the new Governor General of the East India Company at that time :Lord Moria) and looking at the 4 peaks which surround Shivling in a fit religious zeal they renamed the mountains St. George, St Andrew, St. Patrick & St. David.

Thankfully this was not allowed to stand and today it is known as Shivling the lesser of Shiva's Abode in the Great Himalayas and for centuries to the millions of Indian Pilgrims who ventured anywhere near it it was known as Mahadev Ka Ling. or Mahdeo Ka Linga (The Phallus of Shiva)

It is relatively easy peak to access, and thus it is very popular among climbers.

CLIMBING History: After British exploration of the Gangotri Glacier in 1933, a German expedition led by R. Schwarzengruber climbed nearby peaks and did a reconnaissance of Shivling in 1938. They reported "no feasible route" on the mountain due to its steepness and the threat of falling séracs.

Shivling was first climbed on June 3, 1974 via the west ridge, by a team from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, led by Hukam Singh.

About ten routes have been put up on both of its summits, and it remains an ever popular mountain with upto 3 teams attempting it every year.