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Dehradun
Nestled in the Himalayan foothills, Dehradun, the
state capital, is one of the most beautiful hill stations in
India. The town lies in the fertile Doon Valley, with the
river Ganga in the east and river Yamuna in the west. It is
home to some of the country's best public schools, including
Doon School and Welhams. The Indian Military Academy, The
Forest Research Institute, ONGC and many more offices of the
Central and State Governments are also situated here. Close
to Dehradun is the hill resort of Mussoorie. Visit:
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Tapkeshwar temple dedicated
to Lord Shiva
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Sahastra Dhara, the sulphur
springs
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Robbers Cave, a picnic spot
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Dakpathar Barrage
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Tapovan, a place where Guru
Drona did penance
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Kalanga Monument for Gorkha
Gen Balbhadra Thapa
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Ashoka Edict at Kalsi
Char Dhams
Char Dham is a term
coined for the four most sacred and revered Hindu temples:
Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. According to
the Puranas and various Hindu scriptures, the Char Dham
Yatra is of very high religious significance. Pilgrims brave
severe weather conditions to visit these shrines.
Badrinath
Badrinath Temple is the abode of Lord Vishnu. The idol is
made of black granite. The temple is situated at an altitude
of 3130 metres on the banks of the Alaknanda. Behind is the
Neelkanth mountain peak situated between the twin peaks of
Nar and Narayan. Near the temple is a hot water sulphur
spring known as Tapt Kund.
Kedarnath
The temple of Kedarnath is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Situated
at an altitude of 3580 metres, the temple is built of large,
heavy and evenly cut grey stone slabs, and is considered to
be more than 1000 years old. It has a garbha griha where the
conical rock formation is situated, and a mandapam for
seating visitors. A large statue of the Nandi Bull is
situated outside the temple door.
Gangotri
The shrine is situated at an elevation of 3200 metres,
amidst deodar and pine forests. It is believed that Raja
Bhagirath used to worship Lord Shiva on a slab of rock "Bhagirath
Shila" situated near the temple. Submerged in the river is a
natural rock shivling, where, according to mythology, Lord
Shiva sat when he received the Goddess Ganga in his matted
locks.
Yamunotri
Yamuna, the river goddess, is worshipped at the Yamunotri
Temple, situated at a height of 3235 metres. The idol is
made of black marble. A hot sulphur spring is situated close
to the temple.
Haridwar
The name Haridwar means
"gateway to God", and it is from here that the pilgrimage to
two famous temples, Kedarnath (Lord Shiva) and Badrinath
(Lord Vishnu) starts. It is situated on the banks of river
Ganga, at the foothills of the Shivalik mountains. It is one
of the four places where the Kumbh mela is held every 12
years. During this fair, millions of devotees take a holy
dip in the river Ganges to wash away their sins. It is said
that the pitcher of Amrit was kept in hiding here by Devtas
when it was unearthed from Sagar Manthan. The same pitcher
was taken to the other places, i.e. Allahabad, Ujjain and
Nasik. In the struggle with Asuras the pitcher broke
spilling some sacred water (amrit), since then these places
became very holy and the Kumbh mela is held every 3 years in
these cities in succession. Every evening, after sunset,
aarti of the Ganga is performed in Har-ki-Pauri. Visit:
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Har-ki-Pauri
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Ram Krishna Mission Seva
Ashram
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Gurukul Kangri Universitys
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Sapta Rishi Ashram
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Bharat Heavy Electricals
Factory
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Mansa Devi Temple
Nainital
This lake town,
situated in the hilly region of Kumaon, is built around the
lake Naini. The city is surrounded by seven mountains, Sapta
Shring. Nainital was the summer capital of Uttar Pradesh for
many years during British rule and also after independence.
According to mythology, when Lord Shiva was carrying the
body of Sati, her eyes fell at this place and it came to be
known as Naini Tal. Nearby places of interests are BhimTal
and SatTal.
Rishikesh
Surrounded by hills,
bisected by the wide and sluggish Ganga, Rishikesh, the land
of yogis and ashrams, nestled in the foothills of the
Garhwal region, is the getaway to the upper Garhwal region
and the starting point for pilgrim routes to the four dhams
of Uttarakhand - Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and
Yamunotri. Situated 24 km upstream from Haridwar, at the
confluence of the Chandrabhaga and Ganga rivers, Rishikesh
has long been a spiritual centre. In the 1960's, Rishikesh
gained instant fame as the site where The Beatles came to
stay with their guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Today it is
known for white water rafting or the spa at Ananda in the
Himalayas.
Auli
Reaching this ski
resort (run by Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam) is itself quite
an adventure. From Joshimath, the base town, you have to
take the cable car, since the roads are buried under snow
during the winter. The crisp, cold air, the pine trees
covered with snow, and the towering peaks create a memorable
experience.
Pauri
This small town,
situated at a height of 1814 metres, on the northern slopes
of the Kandolia hills, provides a delightful view of the
snow clad Himalayan peaks of Bandar-Punch. The misty deodhar
forests and peaceful surroundings makes it an ideal place
for a holiday. There are many picnic spots, including
Kandolia Gap and Nag tibba.
Tehri
Tehri, situated at an
altitude of 770 metres, at the confluence of the Bhagirathi
and Bhilangana rivers, is located in a wide open valley
which is quite warm in the summer. The town is at the
junction of five important roads which branch off to
Rishikesh, Deoprayag, Uttarkashi, Srinagar and Tilwara.
Prior to independence, Tehri was the capital of the princely
state of Tehri-Garhwal. The palaces and temples built by the
old rulers can still be seen at Tehri and the adjoining
places. The Tehri Hydel Development Corporation has
undertaken the construction of Tehri Dam on the river
Bhagirathi and it is estimated that the project will
generate 2400 MW of electricity and irrigate vast areas in
the region.
Uttarkashi
This historic town,
situated near the river Bhagirathi, has plenty of ancient
monuments and temples, the most famous of which is the Lord
Viswanath temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Nearby there is
Shakti temple, which has an old brass trident which is 26
feet high and has a base circumference of 9 feet. There is
also a temple of Parshuram. In many ways, Uttarkashi is
similar to Kashi, hence the name. The Nehru Institute of
Mountaineering is located here. Uttarkashi is a tourist halt
place.
Rudraprayag
This town is situated
near the confluence of rivers Alaknanda and Mandakini. From
here there are two roads, one going to Kedarnath and the
other to Badrinath. It is a night halt place for pilgrims.
There is a small Jagdamba Devi temple dedicated to the
Goddess Durga. There is also an old temple dedicated to Lord
Shiva, called Rudranath temple. Narad Muni medidated here
for several years, Lord Shiva blessed him with perfection in
music.
Almora
This hill district is
in the central Kumaon region of Uttaranchal. It is a
beautiful scenic place situated at an altitude of 5900 ft.
There is a cave where Swami Vivekananda meditated and was
enlightened. Almora was captured by British from Gorkhas,
who have left their mark on this town. Nanda Devi festival
is celebrated here, during which devotees from all over
India visit this place.
The Flora and
Fauna
Corbett National Park
Along river Ram Ganga, in the foothills of the Himalayas is
situated the country's oldest national park. Constituted in
1935 as Ram Ganga National Park, it was later named after
Jim Corbett, one of the greatest hunters of the last
century, who later became a leading voice for the
conservation and protection of wildlife. The park is home to
elephant, tiger, leopard, panther, bear, sambhar, cheetal,
crocodile, and many other smaller animals. It is a paradise
for birdwatchers - more than 150 different varieties of
birds have been sighted here.
Valley of Flowers
The world famous Valley of Flowers is situated in the upper
expansions of Bhyundar Ganga in the far interiors of the
Garhwal Himalayas. Almost 300 species of wild flowers bloom
here. Some of the species are: Anemone, Geranium, Marsh
Marigold, Prinula, Potentilla, Geum, Asters, Lilium,
Ranunculus, Corydalis, Inula, Braham Kamal, Campanula,
Pedicularis, Arisaema, Morina, Impatiens, Bistorta,
Ligularia, Anaphalis, Saxifragus, Sibbaldia, Thermopsis,
Trollius, Codonopsis, Dactylorhiza, Cypripedium, Strawberry,
Epilobium, Rhododendron. Most of the flowers have medicinal
value too. The valley remains in bloom for three months
while its' floral composition keeps changing every few days.
By September, the hue starts changing and the entire
vegetation remains dormant for the next five months when the
valley is snow bound. Apart from the flowers, some species
of butterfly, musk deer, blue sheep (bharal), himalayan
bear, himalayan mouse hare and snow leopards are also found
in this area. It was declared a National Park in 1982.
Rajaji National Park
Rajaji National Park, spread in an area of about 820 sq. kms.,
is one of the latest additions to the list of national parks
in the country. The park was constituted by combining three
existing wildlife sanctuaries: Rajaji, Motichur, and Chilla.
Nestled in the Shiwalik Hills, and lying between the Lower
Himalayas and the Upper Gangetic Plains, it is the
northwestern-most habitat of the Asian Elephant. The park is
also home to the tiger, leopard, porcupine, barking deer,
and sambhar. The largest variety of Indian python is also
found in Rajaji.
Govind Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park
The Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, situated in the Uttarkashi
district of Uttar Pradesh, was established in 1955. Spread
over an area of 957,969 sq. kms., the altitude varies from
1300 mts. to 6323 mts. The entire area of the sanctuary is
subjected to light-heavy snowfall. The snow leopard inhabits
the inner Himalayas above the altitude of 3500 mts. To
improve the protection of this rare animal, the upper
reaches of the sanctuary were notified as a National Park
which covers an area of 472.08 sq. kms.
Kedarnath Sanctuary
Kedarnath sanctuary is situated in Chamoli district. The
approach road starts from Haridwar-Rudraprayag and then
leads to Sonprayag and Ukhimath which is 226 km. away. The
fauna includes panther, musk deer, black and brown Himalayan
bear, sambhar, scrow, thar, ghoral and monal pheasant. The
best time to visit is during April to June and again from
September to November.
Nanda Devi National Park
Nanda Devi Sanctuary is situated in Chamoli district. The
present sanctuary came into existence in 1939. There are no
roads available and the area is inaccessible. No regular
path exists. You can trek from Joshimath i.e. 15 km. by road
upto Lata and then 51 km. trek upto the sanctuary. The fauna
includes snow leopards, Himalayan bear, musk deer, bharal,
him, thar and many species of pheasant. The park is a World
Heritage site.
Mussoorie Wild Life Sanctuary
Mussoorie or Binog Mountain Quail Wild Life Sanctuary is
accessible from two directions, northwest and south by road
from Mussoorie. Bus services and overnight trains are
available from Dehradun. It is well connected by road from
Dehradun to Mussoorie. The entry point in Binog Block is
from Dhobi Ghat, which is on the Mussoorie Kempty road.
There is also a motorable kuchha road from Hathipaon up to
Clouds End Estate, which is about 6 Km from Gandhi Dwar,
Library, Mussoorie. From Clouds End Estate to Binog Top is
about 2 Km, along a bridle path. The Himalayan Quail last
sighted in 1876 and believed to be extinct now, might be
spotted again in the picturesque Mussoorie hills. Primates,
reptiles and avifauna are commonly found here. The sanctuary
is unique in having plant communities in various forms.
Apart from this the area is rich in medicinal plants. It
forms the catchment area of the Aglar river which is a
tributary of the Yamuna.
The Assan Barrage Wetland
Situated near the confluence of Yamuna Canal and the Assan,
in Dehradun district, the lake attracts a large number of
water-fowl, both waders and divers. Apart from these there
are a large number of woodland and scrubland bird species in
the adjoining Sal forest. Many birds listed as globally
threatened species in the IUCN Red Data Book have been
observed at Assan. The services of an experienced
bird-watching guide can also be arranged on request. |