Religious Places in Uttarakhand - Pilgrimage Tourism Uttarakhand 2017

Uttarakhand, a revered pilgrimage destination consists in the four holy dhams of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath. These four holy pilgrimage destinations are collectively referred to as the Chardhams and every devout Hindu craves to visit the Chardhams at least once in his or her life time.

The land of Uttarakhand is believed to be the abode of Gods and Goddesses and thus the term ‘Dev bhoomi’ has been coined to describe the state. Pilgrims have been making their way to the various holy destinations of Uttarakhand for nearly thousands of years in search of salvation as well as for soul purification.

The Chardhams, the key religious as well as tourist attraction of Uttarakhand remains snow wrapped for a huge part of the year and the route is thrown open for pilgrims only during the peak season months; i.e. between May and October. Dhams such as Yamunotri and Gangotri mark the source of two very mighty and holy rivers of the country; namely Yamuna and Ganga.

Some of the other well known Uttarakhand pilgrimage spots include Haridwar, Rishikesh. At an interval of every 12 years, Haridwar witnesses a huge conglomeration of people on the occasion of Maha Kumbh Mela. Millions of pilgrims from all over India and the world gather at the Maha Kumbh Mela for unique religious experiences. Many popular shrines such as Mansa devi temple, Chandi devi temple etc are located in the holy city of Haridwar whereas Rishikesh is known for the famed shrine of Neelkanth Mahadev. Apart from the above, Binsar Mahadev temple at Ranikhet and Vishwanath temple at Almora too pull pilgrims from far and wide and are among the major pilgrimage destinations of Uttarakhand.

Apart from Hindus, other religious communities too visit Uttarakhand. Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district is a Gurudwara high up in the Himalayas and is considered a highly revered destination by the Sikhs. Ritha Sahib of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand is another well known Sikh pilgrimage destination in Uttarakhand. Also, the state is home to several small and big shrines belonging to the various local deities.

The Kumaon region of Uttarakhand holds special significance in the country’s religious circuit for the temple of Bajinath. At the place, several temples dating back to 12^th-13^th centuries lie along the Gomati River. The other well known pilgrimage spots of the region include Purnagiri near Pitthoragarh, Jageshwar around Almora, Bageshwar around Kausani plus the destination of Joshimath.

Uttarakhand is also flocked heavily by the Tibetan Buddhists who come to visit the Mindrolling monastery, its stupa. This famed monastery falls within the Dehradun region of Uttarakhand. The stupa here is well known for being the highest of all Buddhist stupas in the world.

Char Dham Yatra

The chardhams are the four revered Hindu destinations holding immense supremacy as major pilgrimage centers of the country. The four dhams, namely Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath fall within the mountainous state of Uttarakhand and are considered as the most auspicious among all pilgrimage destinations of the country.

Chardham Yatra is a soul uplifting spiritual expedition for all the pious souls and since many centuries pilgrims and ascetics have been flocking at the Chardhams in large numbers in quest of spiritual solace. Ancient Vedic Scriptures described these holy destinations as ‘Kedarkhand’.

According to popular religious beliefs a holy pilgrimage to the Chardhams can rid one of the mortal sins. The Uttarakhand Chardham Parikrama starts from the left and proceeds towards right. So, you start by visiting Yamunotri followed by Gangotri, then Kedarnath and finally Badrinath. During the summers at Uttarakhand Chardham yatra peak season starts and scores of pilgrims set out for this Yatra.

The 4 chardham shrines belong to four different Hindu deities. Yamunotri belongs to Goddess Yamuna; Gangotri belongs to Goddess Ganga; Kedarnath belongs to Lord Shiva and Badrinath belongs to Lord Vishnu.

Besides gathering lofty spiritual experience, the Chardham Yatra also rejuvenates your mind and body through the beautiful Himalayan scenic background. Those who visit Chardhams make sure to visit Hemkund Sahib too; another high altitude revered spiritual destination.

It is not much of a hassle to reach chardhams. Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport lies closest to Chardhams and taxis/cabs are easily available to convey you from the airport to the four dhams. Delhi airport is the International airport closest to Chardhams. Dehradun rail station falls nearest to Yamunotri while Rishikesh rail station falls nearest to the other three dhams.

The bus station that falls nearest to Yamunotri is Hanuman Chatti. It is nearly 14kms away from Yamunotri and buses from Rishikesh and Dehradun connect Hanuman chatty to those two cities. Gangotri is well connected via road transport to Rishikesh, Tehri Garhwal, and Uttarkashi. Badrinath too is connected via road transport to Rishikesh. Kedarnath dham also has good road connectivity with Haridwar, Dehradun, Rishikesh, Kotdwar and many other cities of Garhwal Uttarakhand and Kumaon Uttarakhand.

Hemkund Sahib

Hemkund Sahib is a sacred Sikh Gurudwara or shrine, situated on the foot of the Hemkund Lake, in the Himalayas at an elevation of over 15,200 ft (4,600 meters). According to prevailing folklore, the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Govind Singh had spent many years meditating by the lake side of Hemkund Lake which is situated in Uttarakhand’s most picturesque Chamoli district.

This place rediscovered by two devout Sikhs, Sant Sohan Singh and Havaldar Mohan Singh in 1930. Hemkund Sahib Tours is a popular religious tour for Sikhs and Hindus all over the world. Hemkund can be reached via a beautiful 15 km trek from Govindghat through pine forests with lovely flowers.

The best season to visit Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand is between July and October.

How to Reach:

The nearest airport to Hemkund Sahib is the Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun and Haridwar and Rishikesh is the nearest railhead to this place. Hemkund is 523 km drive away from New Delhi and the last 15 km of the journey is a trekking route.

For Hemkund Sahib Tours by road, you can board a bus or hire a taxi to Joshimath, which is about 40 km from Hemkund Sahib. From Joshimath one can take another bus or hire a taxi to reach Gobindghat. Moreover, Govindghat is well connected by road with other cities like Rishikesh, Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, Ranikhet etc.

What to See:

There are many beautiful and scenic spots to see near Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand. The Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib is the most important and frequently visited site.

There is also a small temple dedicated to Lord Lakshman, which is also worth a visit. Besides, there is the Hemkund Lake, a beautiful lake set amidst picturesque surroundings.

Where to Stay:

The Govindghat Gurudwara at Ghangaria provides the best accommodation facility. There are some State Government Tourism Accommodations also available nearby. You can also stay at the tourist rest houses in Joshimath and in Ghangaria.

Amongst the various attractions located close to Hemkund Sahib in Uttarakhand are Ghangaria, which also serve as a base for visiting Hemkund Sahib.

Govindghat at a distance of 15 km is another attraction. You can also visit Badrinath, which is about 22 km from Govindghat. Joshimath and Valley of Flowers are other important attractions near Hemkund Sahib.

Haridwar Tour

Har ki Pauri Considered to be the gateway to the abode of Lord Vishnu, also known as Hari, Haridwar is in Uttarakhand. The religious city is famous for the Kumbh Mela and the visits of Kanwarias during the monsoon season. Among one of the most sacred areas in India, here one can see the crystal clear nectar like water of Ganga River which wards off the evils of men. You can find many devotees taking bath at the famous Har ki Pauri. The Brahma Kund lies here and it is believed that nectar was carried by Garuda after Samudra manthan and a bit of it fell here. This is the reason why Hinduism considers a bath at Brahma Kund to be important.

Actually Haridwar city is taken to be the entrance point to many religious areas at this side. The city echoes with the Aarti to Ganga ji at both the river front as well as the various music shops located near the Har ki Pauri. The Aarti of Ganga ji in the morning and evening hours is the most important thing to see here. The silver statue of Goddess Ganga is brought out to the banks of the river at this time for performing the Puja. The idol is taken back once the Puja is completed. After that the Aarti is given to every person present there by the Pundits.

The shops located in the market near Har ki Pauri are filled with all things. These shops have everything you may need from music cd, decorative pieces, material for Puja, accessories, purse, bangles and clothes etc. Besides this the journey on the ropeway trolley to the temple of Mansa Devi can also be taken from this market. One more important attraction of this area is the temple of Chandi Devi besides numerous other temples situated in a line at Har ki Pauri. The autowallas take many people in a single auto to a tour of all these temples so that you can see them all.

Accommodation is not a problem in Chardham tours - Haridwar Tours Packages. That is so because visitors can easily get several hotels and guest houses which are luxurious, according to their budget in the area of Har ki Pauri. People who are travelling on a tight budget can find accommodation that is comfortable in the innumerable Dharamshala in this area.

Basic Information

Area: 12,302 sq km

Population: 1927029 (2011)

Languages Spoken: Hindi and English

How to Reach Haridwar

By Air: The nearest airport is Jolly Grant in Dehradun

By Rail: Haridwar junction railway station

By Road: National Highway 58, between Delhi and Mana pass that connects Ghaziabad, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Roorkee, along with National Highway 74 that connects Haridwar with Kashipur, Kichha, Nagina, Pilibhit and Bareilly.

Rishikesh Tours

Rishikesh is an extremely small town situated in Uttarakhand state, India. The town is located at the spot from where the river Ganges moves towards the plains from the Himalayas. It is world famous for being the Yoga capital of the world. This town is also the entry point to Himalayas. The sacred journey of the four sacred shrines, popularly called the Char Dham Yatra is started from this town.

Rishikesh Tour or Hrishikesh has received this owing to Lord Vishnu. He is said to have been seen as Lord Rishikesh by Rabhya Rishi after his strictness. The sacred town of Rishikesh is 24 km upstream on the Ganga rivers banks in the region where it meets the Chandrabhaga River. In reality Rishi's or holy man's locks, is the area where the great holy Ganga river roars down in all its might at the massive boulders which results in its making long stretches of white sandy beaches in that region. Cutting its passage through the final foothills of the grand Himalayan Mountains, the Ganga River comes to three combined areas.

This area is also the entrance point to the visits to sacred Hindu sites of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri which is called Char Dham Yatra. The town is also becoming famous for white water rafting resulting in greater tourist inflow. The town is a base area for hikes and treks in the wonderful Garhwal Himalayas. Besides this the world famous holy Sikh Gurudwara at the Hemkund Sahib along with the visits to the valley of flowers are also ideally approached from here. Expeditions to the Nanda Devi massif and the skiing area at Auli are also undertaken from Rishikesh town. The enticing beauty of Rishikesh attracts the large number of tourists from across the globe throughout the year. Rishikesh Tour Packages avails the trip of various savoring destinations perch in the Shivalik range of Himalayas.

Geographical Information

Area: 11.20 sq. km (City area)

Altitude: 356 Meter (1190 ft)

Population: 82,000

How to Reach:

By Plane/Air: Nearest airport is Dehradun Jolly Airport, which is about 15 kms away. It is connected with flights from Delhi.

By Train: There are a few slow trains connecting to Rishikesh though a quiet branch lines connect Rishikesh to Haridwar. From Delhi there a many trains to Haridwar, some of the best are Shatabdi, Jan Shatabdi Express, AC Special express and Mussoorie Express. So it is best to train to Haridwar and then continue by bus (45 minutes), taxi (30 minutes) or shared auto-rickshaws (40 minutes).

By Bus: From Delhi the city is about 230 kms away and is well connected with buses. Bus journey may take 5-7hrs and cost between Rs 130-500 including AC buses.

What to See:

On Rishikesh tours, you could find many scenic places to see in Rishikesh. Magnificent temples and ashrams are the prominent places. Rishikesh tours are ideal for pilgrimage and adventure tourism. Some of the places you should add in your itinerary for Rishikesh tours are the Bharat Mandir, Rishikund, Triveni Ghat, Geeta Bhawan, Lakshman Jhula, skiing and river rafting and the ashrams across the town, which impart spiritual lessons on meditation and well being of the mind.

Where to Stay:

Every year as thousand of tourist visits this holy scenic place, there are many good hotels to stay in Rishikesh. The hotels in Rishikesh provide excellent rooms from budget to the cozy luxurious rooms. They provide excellent Indian and continental cuisines. There are also resorts and spas, which provides option for rejuvenating your body and soul. On Rishikesh tours, you have multiple options for a comfortable and relaxing stay.

Nearby Tourist Places/Attractions:

With your Rishikesh tours, you can also visit the places like Narendra Nagar, a hill station of Uttarakhand.

Chamba a cool place and a much needed respite from the heat of the plains,

Garur Chatti a renowned temple, Bhootnath Cave - an attractive place for pilgrims, tourists as well as the adventures seekers and Neel Kanth Mahadev Temple.

Jageshwar Tours

In your Almora Jageshwar tour you can see some welll known temples in Jageshwar which are dedicated to Lord Shiva. Jageshwar, an ancient, quaint hamlet set amid the dense thickets of Deodar is dotted with nearly 125 temples, most of which belong to the era between the 7th and 11th centuries AD. The town of Jageshwar is located at a distance of 34kms from Almora. Most of the temples in Jageshwar have lord Shiva as their presiding deity while a few more of the temples belong some of the various goddesses of the Hindu pantheon. The sacredness of Jageshwar is literally unparalleled.

Jageshwar Dham Temple

You can also make a trip to the Goludevta Temple, Which is situated at Chitai. It is believed to be a unique seat of justice for the locals. People file their complaints at a selected spot by putting together photocopies of their legal documents and solicit for divine involvement and kindness.

How to Reach:

Jageshwar is around 425 kms from Delhi, the capital city of India. You can reach Jageshwar by rail and also by road.

By Rail: the nearest railway station is Kathgodam, which is 125 kms from Jageshwar.

By Road: Jageshwar is directly linked with Almora, which is 35 kms, Haldwani which is 131 Kms and Pithoragarh which is 88 Kms from Jageshwar.

You can also hire private jeeps, taxis or cars from Kathgodam.

What to See:

Vridh Jageshwar: From here you can also see splendid views of the Himalayas. There is also an old temple which is main attraction of the tourist.

Mritola Ashram: Mritola Ashram is a center of spiritual and natural beauty. It is around 10 kms from Jageshwar. It is only 2 kms from Vridh Jageshwar.

Where to Stay:

• You can find some best option to stay during your visit to Jageshwar tour.
• Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) Tourist Rest House
• Paying Guest House
• Forest Rest House
• You can also find some Dharamshalas which is also a best option to stay in Jageshwar.

Nearby Tourist Attractions:

Jalna: Jalna is around 65 kms. from Jageshwar. It is a venue where you can find different species of fruits like Apple, Plum, Apricot etc. Banadi devi Temple is only 3 kms far from Jalna. This temple is surrounded by trees from all sides.

Bageshwar Tours

Bageshwar Tours provides you incredible places to see in and around Bageshwar. Bageshwar temples tour offers so many temples to see which are situated in and around Bageshwar. Some of them are Chandika temple, Bagnath temple, Shitala Devi temple, Agnikund temple.

Bageshwar is unrivaled both in its spiritual glory plus adventure potential. The trails followed by Adi Guru Shankaracharya during his trek to the Himalayas around the 8th century have paved the way for the Bageshwar trekking routes. The trekking adventure that was restricted only to the summer months even half a decade back, now continues all year round. Even the fierce winters in the Himalayas cannot deter the passionate trekkers. Bageshwar marks the major doorway to other thrilling trekking routes such as Pindari glacier trek, Kafni Glacier trek, Sunderdhunga Glacier trek.

How to Reach:

You can reach Bageshwar by Air, Rail or Road.

Air: The nearest airport is Pant Nagar at a distance of 207kms.

Rail: The nearest railway station is Kathgodam, which is 190 kms.

Road: Bageshwar is well connected by roads with all the major towns of the area. Taxis are available from Almora (90 kms), Nainital (137 kms), Kathgodam (180 km) and Pant Nagar (206km).

Private Taxis ands jeeps are also available for Bageshwar local trip.

Where to Stay:

There are so many resorts, hotels and Dharamshala available in Bageshwar, Uttarakhand. Some of them are:

• Hotel Rajdoot
• Hotel Annapurna
• Siddharth Hotel
• KMVN Tourist Rest House
• PWD Inspection Bungalow
• District Board Dak Bungalow

What to See:

There are so many tourist attractions in Bageshwar. Some places to see in Bageshwar is given below:

1. Gauri Udiyar
2. Chandika Temple
3. Bagnath Temple
4. Agnikund Temple
5. Gopeshwar Temple
6. Shitala Devi Temple
7. Bhadrakali Temple
8. Trijugi Narayan Temple
9. Nileshwar Mahadev Temple