Uttarakhand: Devbhoomi, the “land of the Gods”
The 27th state of India, also called Devbhoomi, is Uttarakhand. After being divided from northern Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand became the 27th State of India on November 9, 2000. Mostly a hilly State, it shares international borders with China to the north and Nepal to the east. It is situated at the base of the Himalayan mountain ranges. It has been known that Uttarakhand is the home of several Hindu holy places with 166 temples, so it was named Devbhoomi, which was called in ancient times. This place consists of “Char Dham”, the four religious places for Hindus that are said to be one of the most holy places to worship.
The “Char Dham” of Uttarakhand
The four most religious places in Uttarakhand for which millions of devotees come every year to worship are Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.
Kedarnath
One of the most revered pilgrimage sites in Northern India is the Kedarnath Temple, which is situated 3584 meters above sea level on the Mandakini River’s bank in Uttarakhand. “Kedar Khand” is the ancient name of this area, and from all the 12 “Jyotirlingas” of Shiva, one is in Kedarnath.
The door closes in the week of Kartik precisely on the day of Bhaidooj in November and the door opens on the day of Akshay Tritya in the month of April the following year. It has been calculated that every year, almost 1.5 million to 2 million devotees visit Kedarnath to witness the beauty and the power this place holds, which in itself is a gigantic and mesmerising place to visit, opting for a 16.5 km long trek.
Badrinath
One of the most significant pilgrimage sites in India is the Badrinath Temple, which is devoted to Lord Vishnu. It is one of the four sacred sites, or Chardham, that Hindus hold in high regard. To get to this sacred site, devotees travel over the formidable Himalayas in an exhausting trek that starts from Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand and via Joshimath towards Badrinath, and the trek usually begins after reaching the village.
Around 3,100 meters is the elevation at which Badrinath is situated, and this holy town is located in the Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarakhand, between the Nar and Narayana mountain ranges, on the eastern shore of the Alaknanda River. The philosopher Adi Shankaracharya is credited with founding the temple in the eighth century.
Gangotri
This particular space is said to be the origin of the holiest river in India, which is the Ganga, which starts from the Gangotri Glacier and feeds the Bhagirathi River. Further, this is situated just 99km from Uttarkashi, and it is a Hindu pilgrim place located on the bank of the river Baghirtahi. The main attraction in Gangotri is the Gangotri temple; it is the highest temple situated and is dedicated to Goddess Ganga.
Surrounded by utter scenic beauty, this place looks like a paradise for all the visitors and also to complete their Chardham journey. The temple was constructed by Amar Singh Thapa, a commander in Nepal, the original Gangotri Temple, which was later renovated in the 1800s. Every year on Diwali, the temple closes, only to reopen on Akshaya Tritiya. Furthermore, the goddess’ idol is stored during this time in Mukhba village, which is close to Harsil.
Yamunotri
The Hindu goddess Yamuna has her abode in Yamunotri, the source of the Yamuna River. It is located in District Uttarkashi in the Garhwal Himalayas at a height of 3,293 meters, and it is one of the four locations of Uttarakhand’s Char Dham pilgrimage. Further, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna and a black marble idol of the Goddess is situated inside the temple. Located over the Bandarpunch mountain, the holy shrine of Yamunotri, the origin of the Yamuna River, is the westernmost temple in the Garhwal Himalayas. The main draws of Yamunotri are the sacred hot springs at Janki Chatti, which are located 7 km distant.
Tungnath Temple Uttarakhand: The Highest Shiva Temple in the World
The tallest of the five Panch Kedar temples in the Rudraprayag area of Uttarakhand, India, is Tungnath, one of the highest Shiva temples in the world. Situated at a height of 3680 meters above sea level, Tungnath Temple is the highest Shiva Temple in the world. Further set around the magnificent mountain range of Rudraprayag District, the Temple is said to be almost 1000 years old. According to legends, it has also been told that the temple was created by Pandavas, and the Tungnath mountains form one of the most beautiful and historical mountain ranges of the Mandakini and Alaknanda river valleys.
Tungnath’s building, with its straightforward yet exquisite structure, is a reflection of the traditional North Indian style. The temple is constructed of stone and has beautiful carvings all around and it has been said by various mythologists that the arms of Lord Shiva are in Tungnath. Due to the heavy snowfall that the area experiences, the Temple is said to be closed during winter from November to May every year and to reach the temple, it is a 4km long trek starting from the village of Chopta.
Dehradun: The Capital of Uttarakhand and other sightseeing/religious places in the state
Rather than all the above places there are niche and offbeat places to visit in Uttarakhand and are also famous for its culture and scenic beauty, also serves as a great weekend getaway for the travelers with some religious places that provide calmness and some sightseeing places with natural wonders.
Dehradun
The capital of Uttarakhand and being the most popular city in the state, this holds various beautiful locations and business centers. The core place of this city is the Clock Tower or Ghanta Ghar, and on the southwestern side, it has the Paltan Bazaar, which is the largest market in the state and is famous for various fashion items.
Rather, the city has excellent places to visit, such as the Forest Research Institute (FRI), which was established in the year 1906 and is an example of the colonial fashion of architecture. This city has a beautiful Tibetan Buddhist Monastery, and places like Robert’s Cave are a great weekend getaway. Also, this state holds a centre for DRDO and ISRO, and it has the most significant military training academy in Asia, which is the NDA.
Mussoorie
One of the nation’s most well-liked hill stations is Mussoorie, sometimes referred to as Queen of the Hills. When Captain Frederick Young, a British official, ascended the hill above the Doon Valley in 1827, they discovered that this ridge provided excellent vistas and a healthy environment. On today’s date this place holds various viewpoints from which the city of Dehradun and The Himalayas can be seen, while it also has multiple aesthetic cafes for tourists to visit. This place looks stunning during the winter and when the snowfall starts in the months of December and January.
Haridwar
Haridwar, a city filled with temples and ashrams that provide peaceful space for all the devotees and situated at the base of the Himalayas, generates a devout aura that permeates the entire area. Every twelve years, millions of Hindu pilgrims congregate in the sacred Indian city of Haridwar for the Kumbh Mela, one of the four holiest sites in the country and one of the largest festivals to be celebrated in the Northern part of the Indian Subcontinent. This is where the Ardh Kumbh is held every six years.
Rishikesh
At the meeting point of the Chandrabhaga and Ganga rivers, 24 km upstream from Haridwar, lies the spiritual town of Rishikesh, also referred to as the “Place of Sagas.” The location got its name from the belief that God, also known as “Hrishikesh,” arrived in response to Rabhiya Rishi’s difficult penances. This place holds various ashrams that provide meditation programmes to the devotees and has two architectural wonders, the Ram Jhula and the Laxman Jhula, which connect both sides of this city. In this modern age the town now holds various adventure sports which are loved by many backpackers.
Jim Corbett National Park
This mesmerising and huge National Park is Located in Uttarakhand State in Northern India; Jim Corbett National Park is a wildlife sanctuary surrounded by forests. It is well-known for its Bengal tigers has a diverse range of flora and fauna, and is also famous for their Black Panthers. The Dhikala zone is home to a variety of animals, including tigers, leopards, and wild elephants, while The Sonanadi zone, on the banks of the Ramganga Reservoir, is home to hundreds of different species of birds as well as elephants and leopards. This place has various camping sites and tree houses that provide tourists with ultimate forest adventures.
Nainital
Nainital, a prominent hill station in Northern India, is a picture-perfect Himalayan Lake-town that looks like a postcard and holds immense scenic beauty and places to relax for visits while enjoying the mighty Himalayas. Nainital also referred to as the “Lake District,” is a town that lies 2,000 meters above sea level and tucked away in the Kumaon Himalayas. So, as the name suggests, the city holds seven wonderful different lakes that provide various dimensions of scenic beauty.
