Pilgrimage
Places In Uttaranchal & U.P.
bvncnb
Introduction
The holy river Ganges and her tributaries flow past the Four Dams that are
located in the state of Uttaranchal in North India. It is believed that
Goddess Ganga descended upon the Earth in the form of a River to help the
suffering humanity. It was split into four channels that include Alaknanda
(in Badrinath), Mandakini (in Kedarnath), Bhagirathi (in Gangotri) and
Yamuna (in Yamunotri).
Each of the Four Dhams is blessed with spellbinding scenic beauty and
countless ancient temples. Every year, countless tourists from across the
world, visit here in search of peace and tranquility.
Haridwar
Haridwar means the gateway to the abode to Gods. In the Hindu mythology
Haridwar is known as �Kapilsthan� , according to the legend Prince
Bhagirath of Suryavanshi, performed a penance here to salvage the souls of
his ancestors, who had perished, due to the curse of the Sage Kapila. The
penance was answered and the River Ganga trickled forth from Lord Shiva�s
locks and its bountiful waters revived the sixty thousand sons of King
Sagara. Haridwar is amongst the sacred spots situated at the banks of the
Holy Ganga.
Places to visit in Haridwar: Har-Ki-Pauri,
Bhimganga Tank, Canal Centenary Bridge, Parmarth Ashram, Manasa Devi Temple,
Chandi Devi, Daksha Mahadev Temple , Sati Kund and Pawan Dham.
When to visit: Round
the year.
Rishikesh
It is situated at the confluence of Ganga and the Chandrabhaga Stream,
Rishikesh is where Raibhya Rishi did penance to please God, who appeared as
Hrishikesh, hence the name Rishikesh. Rishikesh has become famous as one of
the main centres for learning yoga and meditation.
Rishikesh is also significant as the trekking base to the Himalayan shrines
of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.
Places to visit in Rishikesh : Ram
Jhoola, Laxman Jhoola, Neel Kanth Mahadev, Bharat Mandir.
When to visit: Round
the year.
Badrinath
Located amidst the mountain ranges of the Nar Narayan Parvat, Badrinath is
one of the most revered Hindu shrines of India. Badrinath is also known as
�Tapobhumi� the land of meditation and penance and �Bhubalkunth�,
which means heaven on earth.
The place is called Badrinath as it was once carpeted with the �Badris�
or wild berries.
Badrinath Temple: Built by Adi Guru Shankaracharya, the temple was
renovated several times due to damage by avalanches. This 15 metre high
temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu . The 1 metre high image of Badrinath,
finely sculpted in black stone, is a must see. The image depicts Lord Vishnu
seated in a meditative pose.�Tapt Kund� the hot water spring faces the
shrine. Narad Kund and Surya Kund are other well known springs in its
vicinity.
Places to visit in Badrinath: Joshimath,
Valley of Flowers, Gobindghat, Chamoli and Panch.
Best Season: May
to October.
Kedarnath
Reputed as one of the 12 Jyotirlings of Lord Shiva, Kedarnath is the most
sacrosanct pilgrim spot located in the Uttaranchal Region. According to
mythology the deity of Kedarnath Temple is identified with the hump of a
bull, a form assumed by Lord Shiva, when eluding the Pandavas, who had come
for repentance for killing their kith & kin, in the Kurushetra battle
when the Pandavas followed him to the site. He dived into the ground leaving
behind him a hump on the surface. This conical projection is worshipped as
the idol in the temple. The remaining parts of the body are worshipped at
four other sites - the arms (Bahu) at Tungnath, mouth (Much) at Rudranath,
navel (Nabhi) at Madmaheshwar and hair (Jata) at Kalpeshwar. These five
shrines collectively are known as the Panch Kedar.
Kedarnath Temple: Built in the 8th century by Adi Guru Shankaracharya
- the walls of the temple depict scenes from the mythology. The Temple,
believed to be 1,000 years old, plays abode to the samadhi of Guru
Shankaracharya.
Places to visit: Vasuki
Tal, Son Prayag, Gaurikund, Triyunginarayan, Ukhnimath, Deoria Tal and Panch
Kedar.
When to visit in Kedarnath : May
to October except during monsoon.
Gangotri
Gangotri is the origin of the sacred River Ganges. The place where it
actually originates is called the Gaumukh. An ancient temple here dedicated
to Goddess Ganga, situated at a height of 3,200 metre above sea level. It is
believed to have been built by Gurkha Commander Amar Singh Thapa in the 18th
Century . The temple gates are open for tourist and devotees only on certain
days in May. The gates are closed during winter and the statue of the deity
is taken to a nearby village called Mukhwa (Mukhimath) for six months, where
it is worshipped.
Places to visit: Jalmagna
Shivling, Bhairon Valley, Gaumukh Glacier, Patangana, Sat Tal.
Yamunotri
It is one of the four most significant pilgrimage places collectively called
�Char Dham� in the Garhwal Himalayas. It is the source of the river
Yamuna in Bandarpunch mountain, which is 6,315 m above the sea level. A
temple here is dedicated to Goddess Yamuna and the holy thermal springs.
Before one enters the Yamunotri Temple there is the �Divya Shila� a rock
pillar, it has to be worshipped first.
The best time to visit is from May to November.
Yamuna Devi Temple: Built by Maharani Gularia of Jaipur in 19th
Century attracts large crowds who come to get blessings of the Goddess.
Heavy snowfall compels the locals to close the temple during the months from
November to May. �Suraj Kund� has many attractive thermal springs.
Places to visit: Janaki
Chatli, Saptarishi Kund Lake, Kharsali, Badkot.
Allahabad
Blessed with the great three rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, Allahabad
has played an important role in history, culture and religion. The city,
because of confluence of the great three rivers is known as Sangam. Peoples
come here to take a holy dip which is said to cleanse the soul. This Holy
Sangam is the most sacred pilgrimage centres of India.
The chief attraction of this place are Kumbh Mela and the Ardh Kumbh.
Places to visit: Sangam,
Allahabad Fort, Patalpuri Temple, Ashoka Pillar, Hanuman Temple and
Mankameshwar Temple.
Varanasi
This enchanting city is said to have been founded by Lord Shiva. This
ancient city set on the banks of the River Ganga, formerly known as Kashi or
Benares. It is called the City of Light since one of the twelve
Jyortinglings�s is installed here. The ultimate pilgrimage for Hindus, who
believe that to die in the city is to attain instant �Moksha� or
salvation.
Places to visit in Varanasi: Ghats,
Temples, The Golden Temple, Durga Temple, Bharat Mata Temple.
Visa
Information 
Golden
Triangle