My Uttarakhand Diaries

One of the main religious places among the four Char Dham pilgrimage areas, Gangotri, situated in Uttarkashi, is closely related to Goddess Ganga, the river that we know as Ganges. The history of Gangotri dates back to centuries when Goddess Ganga transformed herself into a river to dissolve the sins of King Bhagirath’s forefathers, following his penance. In order to reduce the impact of her fall, Lord Shiva gathered Ganga into his matted locks and has ever since been associated with Goddess Ganga. The river is called Bhagirathi at the source and acquires the name Ganga (the Ganges) from Devprayag onwards where it meets the Alaknanda. The origin of the holy river is at Gaumukh, set in the Gangotri Glacier, and is a 19 km trek from Gangotri. There are different places to visit near the Gangotri Temple like: • Bhagirath Shila is believed to be the holy rock where King Bhagirath prayed to Lord Shiva. • Pandava Gufa , located 1.5 km from Gangotri, is the place where the Pan

Kedarnath Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is situated on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river in Kedarnath, Uttarakhand in India. Due to extreme weather conditions, the temple is open only between the end of April to November. Lord Shiva is worshipped as Kedarnath, the 'Lord of Kedar Khand', the historical name of the region. This scenic locale in the Gharwal region proffers an unruffled ambiance with its snowy peaks, alpine forests and colorful rhododendrons. The temple is not directly accessible by road and has to be reached by an 18 kilometers uphill trek from Gaurikund. Pony and manchan service are available to reach the place. The temple was built by Pandavas and revived by Adi Sankaracharya and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas, the holiest Hindu shrines of Shiva. The temple is one of the four major sites in India's Chota Char Dham pilgrimage of Northern Himalayas. This temple is the highest among the 12 Jyotirlingas. Renowne

Badrinath also was known as Badrinarayan Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is situated in the district of Chamoli in Uttarakhand, India. The temple and town form one of the four Char Dham and Chota Char Dham pilgrimage sites. Guarded on either side by the two mountains Nar and Narayan, the Neelkanth Peak provides a splendid backdrop to Badrinath, one of the ‘Four Dhams’. It is open for six months every year (between the end of April and the beginning of November), because of extreme weather conditions in the Himalayan region. The temple is located in Garhwal hill tracks along the banks of Alaknanda River at an elevation of 3,133 m  above the mean sea level. Legend has it that Lord Vishnu came to the area, called ‘Badri Van’, to meditate after Narad rebuked the Lord for being immersed in worldly pleasures. The main deity is a meditating Lord Vishnu. Facing the temple at the bank of Alaknanda River is a hot water spring known as "Tapt Kund", a bath in which

On the western side of Garhwal Himalayas, in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, lies the holy place of Yamunotri. About 3,293 meters above the sea level, Yamunotri stands proudly with its enormous mountain peaks, glaciers and gushing waters of Yamuna. River Yamuna, the second most sacred river of India, originates in Yamunotri, making it one of the pilgrimage sites in the Chota Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand. The venerated goddess Yamuna is said to be the daughter of Sun and twin sister of Yama (the god of death); in Vedas, Yamuna is called Yami (lady of life). A bath in the sanctified waters of Yamuna is said to cleanse all sins and protect from untimely or painful death. Such strong associations in Hindu mythology place Yamuna Devi (goddess) in high ranks of divinity. On the western side of Garhwal Himalayas, in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, lies the holy place of Yamunotri. About 3,293 meters above the sea level, Yamunotri stands proudly with its enormous mounta

Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest Indian national park established in 1936 as Hailey National Park. It is located in the Nainital District of Uttarakhand near the Ramnagar city. It was established to protect the endangered species of Bengal Tiger. It was further named after Jim Corbett was played the key role in the establishment of the park. The park was the first to come under the Project Tiger initiative. It is also being honored as the place where Project Tiger was first launched in 1973. This unique tiger territory is best known as the father who gave birth to the Project Tiger in India to protect the most endangered species and the Royal of India called Tigers. The park is situated in the ecological belt of Himalayan Range and is a place for different Flaura & Fauna species. , it contains 488 different species of plants and a diverse variety of fauna. Spans over an extent of 520 square kilometers, its whole area comprises of hills, marshy depressions, riverine b

The four pilgrim-destinations namely Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, known collectively as Char Dham nested in the lap of Himalayas, are the epicenter of the Hindu Religion in Northern India. Traditionally, the Chardham yatra is undertaken from the west to the east. Thus, the yatra starts from Yamunotri, then proceeding to Gangotri and finally to Kedarnath and Badrinath. Owing to the significance of this religious circuit, devotees from all over the world, come here to experience the holy nature. The picturesque surroundings of the mountainous region are simply nature inhaling, giving the visitors a perfect opportunity to unwind themselves by filling their lungs with fresh air. These pilgrimage centers draw the maximum numbers of pilgrims each year, thus becoming the most important hubs of religious travel in the whole of Northern India. Traditionally, In accordance with the Hindu conventions, thousands of devotees take up this pious pilgrimage in the hope to e