An off shoot of Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal is easily recognizable to any traveler as it is home to several pilgrimage sites in North India. Namely, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Uttaranchal shares borders with Tibet and Nepal and with the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It has 13 Districts that are split administratively into Garhwal and Kumaon divisions.
In the holy city of Haridwar Har-Ki-Pauri, King Vikramaditya constructed the sacred ghat. The golden reflection of floral diyas in the river Ganges is the most enchanting sight during the Ganga aarti ceremony at the ghat. The temple of Chandi Devi atop the Neel Parvat on the other bank of river Ganges was constructed in AD 1929 by Suchat Singh, the then King of Kashmir. The temple is a 3-km trek from Chandi Ghat and it is believed that the Adi Shankaracharya established the main statue in eighth century AD.
Rishikesh abounds in temples. Most of the pilgrims who pass through Rishikesh on their way to the Himalayan shrines of the Char Dham pause for a holy dip and puja at Triveni Ghat, in the central part of the town. The river here looks especially spectacular during aarti (evening worship) when diyas or oil lamps float on the water. Nearby is the Bharat Mandir, Rishikesh's oldest temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The Chandreshwar temple stands at the confluence of the Chandrabhaga and the Ganges. Kedarnath is one of the most sacrosanct pilgrim spots of North India and is flocked by people from all corners of the globe.
On one hand where Uttaranchal is home to the devout, it is also a paradise to the adventure freaks. Uttaranchal has several destinations to offer you that would make your vacation in Uttaranchal out of this world. Apart from trekking and mountaineering, Uttaranchal offers skiing and white water rafting. There are excellent ski slopes at Auli, Dayara Bugyal, Mundali and Munsiari. Auli, 16 kms from Joshimath has a winter resort run by the State government. The ski slope here is the most popular in the state and one of the few with ski lifts. If skiing is not your flavor, then you could also try some water sports. You can go rafting out on the Yamuna, Alaknanda, Bhagirathi, Bhilangana, Mandakini and the Mahakali. There is a sailing club at Nainital. The state offers excellent trekking terrain and some of the famous treks take you to the Valley of Flowers and Pindari, Sunderdhunga and Kafni glaciers. Uttaranchal is a traveler's delight and all you need is a ruck sack, some strong boots, and loads of energy. Uttaranchal is all set to enthrall you and freshen your spirits and give you a vacation that you would remember for a long time.
Eindian Vacations offers tour bookings, and vacation packages for Uttaranchal, India. To book your tour, or for more information, please fill up the form below.
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