Himanshi Khurana's Kinnaur Kailash Trek Became A Turning Point In Her Life

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Somewhere on the steep, boulder-strewn trail to Kinnaur Kailash, Himanshi Khurana broke down. She hadn't planned for it. But by the time she reached the sacred Shivling, something in her had settled.

Photo Credit: Instagram: @iamhimanshikhurana

The Punjabi actress and singer, known for her stint on Bigg Boss 13 and her four-year relationship with Asim Riaz, has now spoken about how that trek in Himachal Pradesh became the moment she stopped wrestling with a decision that had quietly consumed her for years. Speaking on Paras Chhabra's podcast, Himanshi revealed that she had once reached a point where she was mentally preparing to change her faith for her relationship, and that the Kinnaur Kailash trek was where that changed.

The Quiet Conflict Before The Climb

Himanshi didn't name her former partner directly, but her remarks are widely linked to Asim Riaz, whom she dated for nearly four years after they met inside the Bigg Boss 13 house. She said he would tell her about the positive aspects of his religion and hoped she would understand and accept it, though she was clear that he never misbehaved with her, and that the decision was entirely her own to make.

"I felt like I was betraying my God," she said, describing the inner conflict of that period. She recalled planning visits to Char Dham and other religious sites, believing she might not be able to follow her own faith afterwards. Even questions of identity followed her. "Will I be cremated or buried?" she remembered wondering.

Where The Trek Broke Something Open

Kinnaur Kailash is not an easy trek to undertake mid-crisis. The 6,050-metre peak in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district is revered by both Hindus and Buddhists as one of the five sacred Panch Kailash sites, home to a 79-foot rock formation worshipped as a Shivling. The climb from Tangling village involves steep, high-altitude terrain, and is considered one of the more demanding pilgrimage treks in the region, the kind that tests the body as much as it does the mind.

It was here, Himanshi said, that the turning point arrived. She broke down and realised she could not leave behind the faith she had grown up with.

"If I bow my head before your God, 'Waheguru' will automatically come out of my mouth. How can I remove what is already inside me?" she said.

A Decision That Played Out In Public

In December 2023, Himanshi and Asim announced their separation, saying in a joint note that they were "sacrificing our love for our different religious beliefs." At the time, neither elaborated much further. This latest disclosure fills in the piece that had stayed private for nearly two years, the mountain that gave Himanshi her answer.

[Disclaimer: This article discusses personal religious beliefs and choices shared by the subject in public interviews. It does not endorse, promote, or pass judgement on any faith, and is intended purely as a report of statements already made in the public domain.]