Uttarakhand Tourism - Best Tourist Places in Devbhoomi

About Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand's name is derived from the Sanskrit words uttara  meaning 'north', and khanda  meaning 'land', altogether simply meaning 'Northern Land'.

The name finds mention in early Hindu scriptures as the combined region of "Kedarkhand" (present day Garhwal) and "Manaskhand" (present day Kumaon).

Uttarakhand was also the ancient Puranic ( term for the central stretch of the Indian Himalayas

However, the region was given the name Uttaranchal by the Bharatiya Janata Party led central government and Uttar Pradesh state government when they started a new round of state reorganisation in 1998.

Chosen for its allegedly less separatist connotations, the name change generated enormous controversy among many activists for a separate state who saw it as a political act.

The name Uttarakhand remained popular in the region, even while Uttaranchal was promulgated through official usage.In August 2006, Union Cabinet of India assented to the demands of the Uttaranchal Legislative Assembly and leading members of the Uttarakhand statehood movement to rename Uttaranchal state as Uttarakhand.Legislation to that effect was passed by the Uttaranchal Legislative Assembly in October 2006,[11] and the Union Cabinet brought in the bill in the winter session of Parliament.The bill was passed by Parliament and signed into law by then President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam in December 2006, and since January 1, 2007 the state has been known as Uttarakhand.

Best Places to Visit in Uttarakhand

 

Haridwar:

Haridwar is an ancient city and important Hindu pilgrimage site in North India's Uttarakhand state, where the River Ganges exits the Himalayan foothills. The largest of several sacred ghats (bathing steps), Har Ki Pauri hosts a nightly Ganga Aarti (river-worshipping ceremony) in which tiny flickering lamps are floated off the steps. Worshipers fill the city during major festivals including the annual Kanwar Mela.

 

Dehradun:

The capital of Uttarakhand, Dehradun is known as one of the “Counter Magnets” of the National Capital Region (NCR) of India. Dehradun has two most sacred rivers of India flowing through it; Ganga in the east and Yamuna on the west.  It is located in Doon Valley, on the foothills of Himalyas. The city is calm and relaxed, and is still appreciably pacing up with the modern standards. With the most eminent educational institutes of the country, Dehradun has become a host to a huge number of students as well. Other than its beauty, Dehradun’s proximity with major tourist destinations (Haridwar, Mussoorie, Nainital, Auli and Rishikesh) has made its tourism activities stronger. 

 

Rishikesh:

Rishikesh is located at a distance of 25 km from Haridwar. However, the divinity of Haridwar is living here equally, as Rishikesh too has sacred Ganga River flowing through it. The spiritual importance of Rishikesh is that people believed Lord Rama underwent penance and practiced for killing the demon Ravana. Famous bridges Lakshman Jhula and Ram Jhula are the highlights of the city. These bridges offer a magnificent view of the hillocks and the river. Over the years, Rishikesh came more into the limelight because of its river rafting activities; so today not just pilgrims but groups of adventurers too seek a visit to Rishikesh.

 

Mussoorie:

This is a popular vacation destination of India. Mussoorie is located in the foothills of the Garhwal Himalyan Ranges. Apart from being a major tourist spot, this hill-station has some of the most important educational institutes of the country.  Camel’s Back Road has come out to be a superstar for the tourism industry, travelers spend plenty of time walking around and getting closer to nature. The cable car rides up to the Gun Hill is yet another reason to fall in love with this beauty. People get into the cable car from Mall Road. The oldest church of Himalyas stand in the Mall Road and the oldest Tibetan Temple of India is situated in the Happy Valley.

Char Dham:

It is the most important Hindu religious path in the Himalayas, which is found in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand state, in the past which was a part of Uttar Pradesh.The path passes through four Hindu pilgrimage destination - Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Badrinath is also one of the four seats of a larger Vaishnava pilgrimage route Char Dham. Char dham was originally called the popular pilgrimage path in the four holy places of Hinduism, positioned at opposite ends of the Indian subcontinent Puri, Rameshvaram, Dwarka, and Badrinath. It is believed that the custom of pilgrimage to Char dham, a Hindu truth-seeker and started the VIII century reformer Shankara. Only later, the last of the four sites Char dham, Badrinath, a holy place has become a main Himalayan pilgrimage path that became known as Char Dham.

Badrinath:

Badrinath is a holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the most important of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage and gets its name from the temple of Badrinath.

Kedarnath:

Kedarnath is a town located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and has gained importance because of Kedarnath Temple. It is a nagar panchayat in Rudraprayag district. The most remote of the four Char Dham sites, Kedarnath is located in the Himalayas, about 3,583 m (11,755 ft) above sea level near Chorabari Glacier, the head of river Mandakini, and is flanked by snow-capped peaks. The nearest road head is at Gaurikund.Kedarnath is visited by pilgrims and tourists only during Chardham Yatra time i.e between April-May to Oct-Nov.

Gangotri:

Gangotri is a town and a Nagar Panchayat in Uttarkashi district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is a Hindu pilgrim town on the banks of the river Bhagirathi and origin of River Ganges. It is on the Greater Himalayan Range, at a height of 3,100 metres (10,200 ft). According to popular Hindu legend, it was here that Goddess Ganga descended when Lord Shiva released the mighty river from the locks of his hair.

Yamunotri:

Yamunotri is the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the Goddess Yamuna in Hinduism. It is situated at an altitude of 3,293 metres (10,804 ft) in the Garhwal Himalayas and located approximately 30 kilometers North of Uttarkashi, the headquarters of the Uttarkashi district in the Garhwal Division of Uttarakhand, India. It is one of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage.