Location:
North Western Himalayan Region.
Capital:
Dehradun
Languages
Spoken: Garhwali, Kumaoni
Best Time
To Visit: October To June |
Tourism in
Uttarakhand
A Paradise For
Tourists
Lying in the north of the vast and bountiful
expanse of India and cradled in the awesome
beauty and calm serenity of the stately
Himalayas , Uttaranchal - the "Devbhumi"
that has attracted tourists and pilgrims
from world over since time immemorial.
Sacred pilgrimages of different religions
including the world famous "Char Dham " or
the four Hindu pilgrimage destinations of
Shri Badrinath - Kedarnath - Gangotri -
Yamunotri; the sacred Sikh pilgrimage of
Hemkund - Lokpal, Nanakmatta and Meetha -
Reetha Sahib and Piran Kaliyar have drawn
pilgrims and seekers for spiritual
fulfillment to Uttaranchal. Kailsah
Mansarovar, Tholingmath are all in the
Chinese occupied Tibet, but for the people
of yesteryears, these were some of the most
important landmarks in Uttaranchal.
Comprising of eight hill districts and an
area and population that equals the state of
Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal is an
expression of divinity, austerity,
meditation, penance and attainment.
Historically
Speaking
Uttaranchal has been described in the
ancient texts as Kedarkhand and Kurmanchal.
The history of the region is older than that
of the Ramayan and Mahabharata. It is a land
of popular myths, like that of Lord Shiva
appearing as Kirat, of Urvashi, Shakuntala,
as well as the Kauravas and Pandavas.
Of the two component cultural units, Garhwal
was known as "Kedarkhand", or the region of
Kedarnath, and Kumaon as "Kurmanchal", the
land of the "Kurmavatar" (Lord Vishnu in his
incarnation as the Tortoise).
Geographically, Uttarakhand is a
conglomeration of mountains and peaks,
"Among mountains I am the Himalaya", said
Lord Krishna in the famous Hindu holy book
Bhagwat Gita. The Himalayas have been
equated with God or in other words,
everything in Himalayas is godly divine.
It is also said that the Pandavas went to
heaven through "Swargarohan" - a heavenly
spot, about 35-km north of Sri Badrinath.
Did the Pandavas actually ascend from here
to that heaven which is said to be beyond
this world? This is a difficult question to
answer. But a possible answer can be that
the Pandavas shed off their mortal bodies at
Swargarohan and this Swargarohan alone was
the heaven, referred to in the Mahabharata.
In fact heaven and otherwise everything
exists in this mortal world only. Heaven is
a multifaceted concept of everything good
and beautiful and Uttaranchal is one of it.
The Cultural &
Natural Heritage
Culturally, Uttaranchal has a rich and
vibrant heritage. There are several local
fairs and festivals like Jhanda Mela,
Surkanda Devi Mela, Magh Mela, Nanda Devi
Mela, Chaiti Mela, Purnagiri Mela, Piran
Kaliyar Mela, Joljivi Mela and Uttarayani
Mela, incicative of the immense
possibilities for cultural tourism in
Uttaranchal.
The holy river Ganga and Yamuna have their
sources in the hills within this state. The
rich cultural traditions, the rare natural
beauty and the cool and invigorating climate
of this land of origin of the holy Ganga and
Yamuna Rivers have been its main
attractions.
Uttaranchal still remains the source of
spiritual attainments where the urge of
self-realization and 'Moksha' becomes an
inherent virtue dawn upon the pilgrims.
Uttaranchal has that galaxy of peaks and
glaciers, that vastness of meadows and
jungles and that wealth of colourful jungles
and valleys and dales, which have no
parallel on earth.
Adventure Among The
Hills!
The queen of hills, Mussoorie , the lake
district of India - Nainital , Kausani,
Pauri, Landsdowne, Ranikhet, Almora ,
Pithoragarh, Munsyari and many more
attractive tourist destinations are part of
Uttaranchal.
Uttaranchal is a paradise for adventure
sports. The sheer variety ranging from
Mountaineering, Trekking, Skiing , Skating,
Water Sports to Aero Sports like Hang
Gliding, Paragliding make Uttaranchal one of
the most attractive destinations for
adventure sports not only in India but the
world over.
Wildlife
Along with the world-famous Corbett National
Park , Uttaranchal has several breath taking
destinations for wildlife tourism. These are
the Rajaji National Park , Govind Pashu
Vihar, Asan Barrage, Chilla and Saptarishi
Ashram, the last four being a delight for
bird watchers.
Uttraranchal has a flora and fauna, which is
diverse as well as rare. Making this state
an ideal location for Eco-Tourism. Eco
tourism includes Jungle Safaris, Trekking on
forest trails, Nature Walks, catch and
release of Mahaseer and other fish species.
However, the outmost priority in all these
activities is given to retaining the
ecological fragility of the region.
A clean, fresh and invigorating environment
makes Uttaranchal a preferred destination to
relax and unwind. From the most modern
facilities at Mussorie and Nainital to the
untouched, pristine beauty of its snow-clad
peaks, rivers and mountains, Uttaranchal
provides all that a tourist could possibly
seek for amusement and leisure.
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India
Travel Guide / States / Uttarakhand Travel Guide
