Saturday 17 March 2012

Famous Spots of Uttarakhand

Famous Spots & Hill Stations
The major tourist destinations at Uttarakhand are Badrinath, Kausani, Kumaon, Auli, Rishikesh, Kedarnath, Pantnagar and Chamba. Uttarakhand is a storehouse of a number of interesting tourist spots that include the sacred pilgrimage spots, wildlife sanctuary and bewitching hill stations. Tourist destinations abound in Uttarakhand, largely because of its scenic and religious significance. Almost every thing in this natural paradise has something unique in store for the tourists. Its mountainous landscape, lush green valleys, rivers, dense forests. Some of the famous tourist attractions in Uttarakhand are:






Almora
Almora is one of the most beautiful places in Kumaon region. The glamour and glitter which is seen in Ranikhet and Nainital is totally absent in Almora. In this point of view Almora is very virgin hill-station and is full of scenic beauty. It appears that mother nature has spread and blessed this place with her pure love. Nestled in the lap of nature this region has small houses built on the slopes and splendour of this place are added colourful attire of the natives. Major Tourist Attractions in Almora are Chitai Temple ,Katarmal ,Bright End Corner ,Nanda Devi Temple ,Kasar Devi.
Auli
Auli is a popular destination for adventurers is located towards the north of the state of Uttarakhand forming a part of the Garhwal mountain range. The steep slopes of Auli are as high as 9000 feet above sea level. The area is covered by the deep forests of Deodar and Oak offering a panoramic view of many a famous Himalayan peaks like Nanda Devi, Kamet, Mana Parvat and Dunagiri. Located in the cradle of snow-capped mountains, Auli is one of the very few places in India where skiing is a major pastime. The bitter cold winds, the vast snow-covered landscape, the sylvan mountains, all add up to make Auli a skier's paradise.
Bageshwar
Lying at the confluence of rivers Saryu, Gomti and latent Bhagirathi, Bageshwar is a small township with a prominent shrine of Lord Shiva. It is also revered as the pious land associated with Lord Sadashiva, the redeemer of all sins. According to Hindu epic, this undoubtedly is a place capable of liberating one from the eternal bondage of births & deaths. The worth visiting places to see near Bageshwar are Baijnath temple dedicated Lord Shiva and Chandika temple dedicated to Goddess Chandika. Suraj Kund in the north and Agni Kund in the south, this land of Lord Shankar is of great religious and historic significance.
Binsar
The summer capital of the erstwhile Chand Raja, Bimsar is a picturesque hamlet located in the Kumaon Himalayas at a height of 2,420 mtrs. It is a fascinating spot that offers majestic view of the snow capped Himalayan peaks and mesmerizing ranges – Chaukambha, Nanda Devi and Panchchuli. From this place only you can have a clear view of the holy shrines of Kedarnath, Badrinath and Gangotri. The visiting places in Binsar are Khali Estate, Shiva temple, Gananath temple. Binsar is also a trekking paradise.
Corbett National Park
Situated along the Valley of Ramganga River and fringed by the Himalayan foothills, Jim Corbett is considered one of India’s finest wild life sanctuaries. The 1318 sq. kms reserve was originally a haunter’s paradise during the British Raj but transformed to a reserve by the great effort made by the British haunter-turned-conservationist Jim Corbett, from whom the park got its name. The park encompasses varied terrains from Savannah grassland to hilly ridges of deciduous forests with chi pine and sal. Corbett is famous for its remarkable variety of wild life species notably tigers, elephants, Leopards, chausingha.
Chamba
Chamba, a small emerging tourist spot lies at the heart of Garhwal, at a height of 1,676 mtrs. A wide expanse between the Himalayas in the north and Shivalik range in the south, it offers the most breathtaking views of the mighty peaks and green valleys. Located at the crossroads of major Himalayan towns, almost equidistant from Mussoorie and Rishikesh adjacent to Tehri, Chamba is the gateway to upper Himalayas.
Chamoli
Chamoli is a district of Uttarakhand state of India. It is bounded by the Tibet region to the north, and by the Uttarakhand districts of Pithoragarh and Bageshwar to the east, Almora to the south, Garhwal to the southwest, Rudraprayag to the west, and Uttarkashi to the northwest. The administrative headquarters of the district is Gopeshwar.Chamoli hosts a variety of destinations of pilgrim and tourists' interest. Badrinath, Hemkund Sahib, Valley of Flowers and Auli to name a few.Chamoli also happened to be a birthplace of "Chipko movement". Chamoli proved itself " the most spectacular in its natural assets ; be it maintain scenery, valley aspects, water-edges, floristic varieties, dramatic landform or the climatic cardinalities "
Chaukori
Chaukori, a dreamland for nature lovers is surrounded by sky facing Himalayan peaks, dense forests, fruit orchards, and the dense forests of Oaks, Pines,Tea Gardens and Rhododendrons.Situated at a height of 2,010 metres above the sea level, this is not just a hill station but a vantage point of the majestic view of the Nanda Devi and Pachchuli peaks.
Chopta
Chopa is indisputably one of the most pictorial spots in the entire Garhwal region, and commands some of the most awe-inspiring views of the Himalayan ranges and its neighboring area.
Dehradun
Dehradun is the capital city of Uttarakhand (or Uttarakhand) and also one of the oldest cities of the nation. It is situated at an altitude of 2200 feet above sea level. The valley of Dehradun situated in the Himalayan ranges, is bounded by Himalayan foot hills to the north-east; the Shivalik Hills to the south west; river Yamuna to the north-west and the Ganges to the south-east. Many places of religious importance in or around Dehradun city are: Kedarnath, Badrinath, Lokpal, Hemkund Sahib, Narsingh Mandir, Triyugi Narain etc. Dehradun houses some of the country’s elite educational institutions and research centres. The major centres include Forest Research Institute, Rashtriya Indian Military College, Indian Military Academy and a host of renowned public schools and colleges. Dehradun fascinates with its lush environs including rice fields, leechi and tea gardens and the eternal beauty of the valley.
Haridwar
Haridwar has been a great centre of pilgrimage blessed by the trinity of Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. It is a religious city that has been remembered by different names in our scriptures and ancient historic epics. Some times it was referred as Mayapuri and at other times Gangadwar. The city is located on the banks of river Ganga that gives the town a unique status and religious importance. Haridwar is one of the four such places where the famous Kumbh Mela takes place in every twelve or six years. It is a popular belief that if one takes bath in its sacred water then he gets supreme salvation from all sins. Haridwar is also considered as one of the seven salvation-giving centres of Hindus. Haridwar has numerous bathing ghats, tanks and temples. These bustling sites of ritual Hindu practices are performed by pilgrims for the salvation of their ancestors and demonstrate their deep faith in the water of the river.
Kausani
Kausani, popularly known as the “Switzerland of India” is a dream land for countless visitors. It is the vantage point for breathtaking views of the Nanda Devi in the sky facing Himalayans. The site also offers excellent view of the peaks – Trishul, Panchchuli, Nanda Ghunti and Chaukhambha which appear as if these are very close to Kasauni. Kasauni is also the birth place of the famous Hindi Poet Sumitra Nandan Pant.
Kedarnath
Kedarnath is one of the most sacrosanct pilgrim spots of north India, flocked by people from all corners of the world. Besides its religious significance, it is also visited by those who love to conquer the rough terrain of Garhwal. Lapped in the green hills of the Himalayas, the serene atmosphere here, with its cool and gentle breeze, offers an ideal tourist retreat. Kedarnath is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of India. The temple located here is built in a magnificent style and architecture.
Mukteshwar
Mukteshwar is a town and tourist destination in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand, India. It sits high in the Kumaon Hills at an altitude of 2286 meters (7500 feet).Mukteshwar gets its name from an 350-year-old temple to Shiva, known as Mukteshwar Dham, situated atop the highest point in the town, within the IVRI campus, and close to which lie the overhanging cliffs, locally known as Chauli-ki-Jali, used for rock climbing and rappelling, with an excellent view of the valleys below.
Mussoorie
The marvelous hill resort – Mussoorie is located in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is some time termed as the Queen of Hills. The worth visiting sites in Mussoorie include Kulri Bazar, Library chowk and Gun hills. The spectacular sunset in Mussoorie is so dazzling that one can not express in words. The Mall, the main thoroughfare of the hill-town offers various items like Tibetan metal ware, antiques, hand carved walking sticks, cane baskets, embroidered wall hangings, garments, hill jewelry and other imported goods. The hill resort is always famous for its academic institutes. The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration and the Defense institute of Work Studies are located here.The most exciting event in Mussoorie is the High Ride. The bird’s eye view of the city of Mussoorie is a rare experience. Major Tourist Attractions in Mussoorie are Gun Hill ,Kempty Fall ,Camel's Back Road ,Nag Devta Temple ,Mussoorie Lake, Van Chetna Kendra ,Jwalaji Temple (Benog Hill)
Nainital
Nainital is a place of hidden surprise. It is one of the best resorts of the world. The legendary Naini Lake of the town offers an enjoyable booting experience to thousands of visitors who come from all over the world. This pretty hill station nestled in the Kumaon region is named after the green eyes (naina) of Parvati, Lord Shiva’s consort. The hill city is set around Naina Lake, at an altitude of 1938 m from sea level.Dotted with snow capped peaks, verdant valleys, rolling meadows and crystal clear lakes, Nainital has carved the epithet of “Lake district” of India. The lake is surrounded by seven hills called Sapta-Shring. The place is popularly known as “Crystal City” owing to its watch factory on the outskirts of the city. In the foothills is the world’s famous Corbett National Park, a home to many wild life species. The Mall lies between the lake’s tail Tallital at its south and lakes’ head Mallital to the northwest. There is a bridge popularly known as Danth on which a statue of Gandhiji . Major Tourist Attractions in Nainital are Snow View,Naini Peak ,Dorothy's Seat ,Land's End ,Hanuman Garhi
Patal Bhuvaneshwar
Patal Bhuvaneshwar is one of the important pilgrimages in Uttarakhand, famous for its cave temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The way to this cave temple is through a narrow tunnel. Inside the cave the limestone formations have taken the shape of many Gods and Goddesses of Hindu pantheon. You can distinctly see the forms of Ganesha, Sheesh Nag, Garur, Shivling etc.The motorable road just ends half a kilometer away from the cave. While entering into this narrow cave one can feel as if he is entering to the centre of the earth. It is not just a single cave but a group of caves. .
Pauri
Pauri is a land blessed with splendid view of snow-bound peaks of Himalayas, scenic valleys & surroundings, meandering rivers, dense forests and the hospitable people. This sleepy town is surrounded by the Himalayan peaks Swargarohini, Nandadevi, Trishul, Sumeru, Jogin and Chaukhamba offering breathtaking views of their snow-laden peaks.
Pithoragarh
Pithoragarh is a small town, which gives its name to the district. It lies in the centre of the western half of the Soar Valley which resembles the Kashmir valley on a miniature scale. It is prettily dotted with villages, generally placed on eminences. The view from some of the higher altitudes in Pithoragarh captures the snow-capped peaks of Panch Chulhi, Nanda Devi and Nanda Kot The town is set in a valley popularly known as "Soar"(root meaning is Cool) and lies in the centre of four hills Chandak, Dhwaj, Kumdar and Thal Kedar, and stretches in the southern flank to Jhulaghat demarcated by the Kali river adjoining the barren peaks of Nepal Hills. It is snuggled in the folds of four kots Bhatkot, Dungerkot, Udaikot and Unchakot. Pithoragarh, is known as the gateway to the Himalaya's from the north, as pilgrims trek through this town to the Kailash Lake Manasarovar and Om Parvat.
Ranikhet
Ranikhet is situated in the northern part of the state of Uttarakhand, located at a height of 1824 metres from sea level. The environment of this small hill station is attractive as well as peaceful. The place is full of ancient temples which attract devotees from all over the nation to do silent meditation. The place got its name by Rani Padmabati, the queen of King Sukherdev. She discovered this exotic land and decided to stay here.Ranikhet offers an excellent view of the Himalayan peak of Nandadevi. The Jhuladevi Temple is close to this town. Ranikhet can be visited through out the year but the winter is more recommended due to its snowfall. Ranikhet is situated in the northern part of the state of Uttarakhand, in the northern region of India. It is situated in the Kumaon hills and is located on an altitude of 1829 m above sea level. Tourist Attractions in Ranikhet are Chaubatia,Jhoola Devi Ram Mandir ,Mankameshwar ,Bhaludam ,Tarikhet ,Kalika . It has been endowed with ample natural beauty in the form of green meadows, undulating hills, snow-capped mountains, serpentine rivers and crystal clear rivulets.
Rishikesh
Rishikesh has been a great centre of pilgrimage since ancient times. The holy town, situated on the right banks of river Ganga, is surrounded on all sides by beautiful hills. During early times Rishikesh was an appropriate place for meditation used by saints and ascetics. Being linked with the sacred Ganga River, the place on the one hand, became famous centre of meditation for Hindu believers and, on the other hand, in recent times, it is developing as a favourite place for adventure tourism/ white-water rafting.
Rudraprayag
The site named after Lord Shiva, is at the confluence of the holy rivers Alaknanda and Mandakini. It is the same site where the divine messenger Narada meditated to appreciate Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva appeared in his Rudra (violent) incarnation to bless him. In the heart of the town lies the old temple of Rudranath (Shiva). The site is abundant with natural beauty, surrounded by peaks, lakes and glaciers. Some worth visiting sites in Rudraprayag include Guptakashi, Sonprayag, Agastyamuni, Tungnath, Madamaheswar and Syalsaur.

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