dinesh

http://100yp.in/tourism/Dehradun.htm

nainital picher

Nainital is a glittering jewel in the Himalyan necklace, blessed with scenic natural spledour and varied natural resources .It is set around Naini Lake, at an altitude of 1938 mt. In the central Himalayas of the Kumaon region. Nainital is a lovely hill station surrounded by mountains on three sides.

It was discov P.Barrow, a sugar merchant from Saharanpur in 1841. Dotted with lakes, Nainital has carved the epithet of ・Lake District ' of India . Once this area had many lakes and it was called the City of 60 lakes or 'Chakta'. Most of the lakes in the region have disappeared and whatever remains is just a glimpse of what they might have been in the past. Today the life of Nainital revolves around the lake of Naini . But there are few other lakes around Nainital which are equally beautiful and attractive as the Naini

haridwar

Haridwar has been a centre of religious and historic importance from the early ages. It is the gateway to the four pilgrimages of Uttaranchal.. A religious city that has been remembered by different names in our scriptures and ancient historic epics. Some times it was Mayapuri and at other times, Gangadwar. A paradise for nature-lovers, Haridwar presents kaleidoscope of Indian culture and civilization.

Situated in the foothills of Himalaya , on the right bank of the Ganga , this city is a beautiful place for the tourists and pilgrims. According to legendary the forefathers of king Bhagirath is said to have brought the river Ganga from heaven to earth in order to provide salvation to his ancestors. It is also said that Haridwar has been sanctified by the presence of three Gods; Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. Lord Vishnu is said to have his foot print on the stone that is set in the upper wall of Har-Ki-Pauri where the Holy Ganga touches it all the times . Devout believers feel that they can go to heaven by getting their salvation after a dip in the sacred Ganga at Haridwar.

chandi devi temple

Chandi Devi Temple
The Chandi Devi temple at the top of Neel Parvat on river Ganga 's banks was built in1929 A.D. by the King of Kashmir-Suchat Singh. It is situated on NH to Najibabad, it is believed that the main statue was established by the Adi Shankaracharya in 8th century AD. It is at a distance of six kilometers on Neel Parvat on the other bank of River Ganga.

har ki pari

This place is also known as Brahmakund. The King Vikramaditya constructed this sacred Ghat in memory of his brother Bhatrihari who it is believed had come to Haridwar to meditate on the banks of the Ganga . This ghat later came to be known as Har-Ki-Pauri (also called Brahamakund). At twilight, golden hues of floral diyas reflected in the river Ganga present the most enchanting sight. The imprint of Lord Hari's footprint hallows the riverbank temple here. The ghat is regarded the most sacred and auspicious point to bathe in the Ganga during the 12 year Kumbh and the 6 year Ardh Kumbh.

yamuntri

The first stopover for the Char Dham Yatra is the westernmost shrine of Yamunotri in the Garhwal Yamuna,it is perched atop a flank of the Bandar Poonchh peak(3,165mts.above sea level) & situated opposite to Gangotri, Yamunotri finds a special mention in the Hindu mythology .According to a legand,this secluded hilly spot was the home of an ancient sage,Asit Muni. Among the major attractions of Yamunotri are hot water springs nearby.Devotees prepare rice and potatoes to offer at the shrine, by dipping the in these hot water springs, tied in muslin cloth. The trek to Yamunotri is spectacular,dominated by a panorama of rugged peaks and dense forests.

ggontiri

This 18th century temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga is located near a sacred stone where King Bhagerath worshipped Lord Shiva .Ganga is believed to have touched earth at this spot.

According to another legend, Pandavas performed the great 'Deva Yanga' here to atone the deaths of their kinsmen in the epic battle of Mahabharata. The temple is an exquisite 20 ft. high structure made of white granite.It is situated at a height of 3,042 mts & constructed in early 18th century by a Gorkha Commander,Amar Singh Thapa.

badrinath

Situated in the lap of Nar-Narayan Pravat, with the towering Neelkanth peak (6,597mt) in the background,Badrinathis one of the most revered Hindu shrines of india.It is believed that to receive the lost prestige of Hinduism

and to unite the country in ` one bond , Adi Guru Sri Shankaracharaya built four pilgrimage centres in four corners of india. Among them were Badrikashram in the north, Rameshwaram in the south,Dwarkapuri in the west and Jagannath Puri in the east. Badrinath situated at an elevation of 3,133mt is considered to be amongst the most pious.

kedarnath

The Kedarnath shrine ,one of the 12 jyotirlingas Lord Shiva is a scenic spot situated , against the backdrop of the magestic Kedarnath range .At an altitute of 3,581 mt it is a 14 km treck from Gorikund . Kedar is another name of Lord Shiva, the protector & the distroyer .Shiva is consider the embodiment of all passions -love ,hatred,fear death & mysticism which are expressed through his various forms . there are more than 200 shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva in Chamoli district itself ,the most important one is Kedarnath .

According to legend, the Pandavas after having won over the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war, felt guilty of having killed their own brothers and sought the blessings of Lord Shiva for redemption. He eluded them repeatedly and while fleeing took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull. On being followed he dived into the ground, leaving his hump on the surface. The remaining portions of Lord Shiva appeared at four other places and are worshipped there as his manifestations. The arms appeared at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the belly at Madmaheshwar and his locks (hair) with head at Kalpeshwar. Kedarnath and the four above mentioned shrines are treated as Panch Kedar

kedarnath

champawt

champawt

Champawat
Location:76 kms. from Pithoragarh headquarters, Champawat is situated 1615 meters. above sea level. Champawat, once the capital of the rulers of the Chand dynasty, is famous for its natural beauty and well known temples. The ancient fort, now houses headquarters of the Tehsil office. A historical spot, Champawat has many well known temples of high artistic value. The Baleshwar temple is the noted attraction of Champawat. The Nagnath temple at Champawat is also an excellent example of ancient architecture of Kumaon. 4 - 5 kms. from Champawat is the 'Ek Hathiya Ka Naula', which is said to have been constructed in just one night by the one handed artisan. The story of Golla Devta is also associated with Gorilla Chaur of Champawat. It was in Champawat that Lord Vishnu is said to have appeared as 'Kurma avatar' (incarnation as tortoise). This hill is also known as Mt. Kandev. There is a small fort at Champawat. Jim Corbett had come to this region in the first decade of the twentieth century in order to hunt for man eating tigers.

Uttaranchal Map

Bageshwar

Bageshwar is a famous pilgrim town located amidst enchanting, mind blowing surroundings. This is the place where the rivers Saryu and Gomti converge into one.

According to ancient legends, Lord Shiva, Destroyer of the Hindu Trinity, had wandered about this place as a tiger. Hence, the place came to be known as 'Bageshwar' and became an important centre for Shiva worshippers. There is a famous ancient temple called Baghwath temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, which was built by Raja Laxmi Chand. It attracts thousands of devotees, especially during the popular Uttarayani Fair, every year in January.

Besides being a pilgrim's delight, Bageshwar is also an important destination for the trekking enthusiasts, since this is the only place through which one can reach the Pindari, Kafni and Sunderdhunga glaciers. Bageshwar is situated 90 kms from Almora via Kausani.