Char Dham yatra
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Uttarakhand is famous for Char Dham Yatra, which literally meaning 'journey to four centres'. These four religious centres in Uttarakhand are represented by Badrinath (dedicated to Lord Vishnu), Kedarnath(dedicated to Lord Shiva), Gangotri (the holy origin of river Ganga)and Yamunotri (the holy origin of river Yamuna).
The Char Dham Yatra begins around the first to second week of May every year. These dates are announced in the national media. The base for the yatra is generally the Rishikesh town which has all the amenities available for pilgrims and tourists alike. Pilgrims and tourists generally book their journey through the local travel agents to all the four locations. 5 divine places to visit in Badrinath
Badrinath
Badrinath is the abode of Lord Vishnu, who is called 'Badri Vishal', Badri the Big One. Legend has it that Badrinath was the abode of Lord Shiva, who used to reside there with his consort Parvati. It is Located in Chamoli District of Uttarakhand. Lord Vishnu happened to like the place and wished to reside there permanently, so He took the form of an infant and started crying inconsolably. Mother Parvati's heart melted and she picked up the infant Vishnu and started cradling Him. The crying of the infant, however, disturbed the meditation of Lord Shiva and unable to bear the crying He left for higher reaches of the Himalayas and made Kedarnath His home. Once Lord Shiva left, Mother Parvati too followed, which gave an opportunity to Lord Vishnu to take His original form and remain at Badrinath forever. The priests of Badrinath are from the southernmost part of India, i.e. Kerala. This is according to the rules laid down by Adi Shankara. Badrinath remains out of bounds for pilgrims for 6 months a year, from October to May.
Kedarnath
Kedarnath is the abode of Lord Shiva. Kedarnath is one of the 12 Jyotirlingams of India and the only one in the Uttarakhand. While there is a motorable road to Badrinath, Kedarnath could only be reached by foot. The 18 km trek begins from Gaurikund. After the 2013 Himalayan floods, the trek currently is of more than 18 km due to washing away of trekking paths.
Gangotri
Gangotri is the origin of the holy Ganga. Ganga is revered as a mother throughout India. According to the Hindu philosophy, a place considered extremely holy if a river running through it flows in the northern direction. Gangotri is a place which is not only the origin of Ganga but also where Ganga flows in a northerly direction, hence the name Gangotri. The river Ganga flows out from the melting Gangotri glacier, which is at a distance of around 18 km from the Gangotri town. Close to the temple is Bhagirath Shila, which according to the Hindu philosophy is the place where Bhagirath did penance for 5500 years to seek the blessings of Mother Ganga and requested her to descend to the Earth from her heavenly abode to cleanse the sins of his ancestors.
Yamunotri
Yamunotri is the origin of the holy river Yamuna. A temple dedicated to the holy river Yamuna is situated at the place. The actual origin of the river is the Yamunotri glacier further up into the Himalayas where very few pilgrims go due to the difficulty it entails.
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Other attractions
Rishikesh
Rishikesh has been a magnet for spiritual seekers since the late 60's when The Beatles rocked up Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram. Known as the ‘Yoga Capital of the World’ because of the large number of ashrams teaching meditation and yoga. The northern part of the main town is the hotspot for all the action where the Ganges forested hills form a conducive environment for all the meditation. The evening aarti also draws a lot of crowd.[19][20]
Haridwar
Haridwar is an important city in the religious architecture of the country. The large number of people gathering on the bathing ghats on the holy Ganges river gives the place a chaotic feel. There are a number of Hindu temples, ashrams and dharamshalas (pilgrims’ rest houses) in the city. The city also serves as the entry point to the nearby Rajaji National Park.[21][22]
Fairs and festivals
Haridwar Kumbh Mela (fair) is a major tourist attraction to the state. Haridwar is one of the four places in India where this takes place. Haridwar also has its big annual fair in the form of Magh Mela in January–February which turns into a bigger event every 6 years in the form of Ardh Magh Mela. Nanda Devi Mela and Nanda Devi Raj Yatra are great festivals of Uttarakhand, famous in all northern India. Nanda Devi Mela and Raj Yatra are the festivals of the goddess Nanda Devi, the bless-giving goddess.[21] Kumaoni Holi a regional variant of the Hindu festival of Holi is also very well known.
Wildlife
Uttarakhand is home to the Jim Corbett National Park, the first national park in India.[23] There are 12 National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries covering 13.8 percent of the total area of the state.[24] Nanda Devi Biosphere reserve and Valley of Flowers National Park are UNESCO World Heritage sites.[25]
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Hill Station, Uttarakhand
Hill Stations in Uttarakhand
Dotted with long mountain ranges and glittering jewels in the world map, Uttarakhand is well-known for its glorious hill stations having all the ingredients for perfect love-making holidays. Majestic views of surrounding mountains, snow-capped Himalayas, unpolluted natural charm, meandering slopes, and up-down pathways sided by lush greenery.
Browse through the List of Hill Stations in Uttarakhand
Abbott Mount
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