Different places to travel » Pilgrimage

Chandanwadi – a rocky and verdant mountain valley near Pahalgam in Kashmir.

Traveller — Tue, 22 May 2012 09:39:48 +0000

Chandanwadi is a rocky and verdant mountain valley near Pahalgam in Kashmir. Chandanwadi is situated about 16 kilometres from Pahalgam. This place is at an altitude of 9500 feet above sea level.
Start out from Pahalgam in the Northeast direction. The stretch between Pahalgam and Chandanwadi is half the route to Amarnath Yatra. Pahalgam is the base camp for the Yatra.
River Lidder flows all along this trail between Pahalgam and Chandanwadi. This is actually a lovely trek or drive between the two places. While drive one is surrounded by lush green conifers and meadows and rock patches with a sparkling gushing river.
The Valley of Chandanwadi is very beautiful. Camping on raw and rugged terrain by the River Lidder is very popular in Chandanwadi. From Pahalgam to Chandanwadi, one may travel by Mini-bus, jeep, pony or on foot.
The entire trail follows the Lidder River up to the North. It is a very scenic trail with moderate grade trekking.
Camping gear must be hired at Pahalgam before starting the trek. Always camp at designated campsites only. One should not camp in seclusion.

Some Important Things to Remember when you Trek

- Ponies may be hired at Pahalgam. One can hire an extra pony to carry your camping gear.
- One can carry a back-pack it yourself if interested.
- Tried and tested walking shoes are a must and brand new shoes are not recommended as there is a lot of walking involved.
- Always start the trek early in the morning.
- Reach the target destination before evening. This area is known to become cloudy by 5 pm.
- Always carry some cash.
- Alcohol Consumption is not allowed.
- First-aid kit is a must-carry. Medicines to carry on this trek are:
a. Painkillers
b. Anti-inflammatory
c. Wide-spectrum antibiotic
d. Anti-diarrhea
e. Anti-constipation pills
f. Mild sleeping pills

During their visit to Bijbehara, tourists can also visit Pahalgam and Srinagar.

Attractions of Pahalgam

• Mamaleshwar Temple
• Sheshnag Lake
• Tulian Lake
• Baisaran Meadow
• Betaab Valley
• Kolahoi Glacier
• Lidder River Rafting
• Lidderwat Valley Trekking Trail
• Pahalgam Golf Course

Attractions in Srinagar

• Shalimar Bagh
• Nishat Bagh
• Dal Lake
• Shankaracharya Temple
• Mughal Gardens
• Shikara Ride
• Houseboats
• Chashme Shahi Garden
• Hazratbal Mosque popular
• Pari Mahal (Quntilon)
• Nagin Lake popular
• Dastgir Sahib Shrine
• Khanqah of Shah Hamdan popular
• Sri Pratap Singh Museum
• Jamia Masjid
• Wular Lake
• Sangin Darwaza
• Masjid of Akhund Mullah
• Hari Parbat Fort
• Pathar Masjid
• Rozabal Shrine
• Kathi Darwaza
• Tomb of Madin Sahib
• Rainawari
• Naseem Bagh
• Harwan Garden
• Burzahom
• Garden of Char Minar
• Chatti Padshahi Gurudwara
• Khanqah of Khwaja Moinuddin Naqsbandi
• Jyeshtheshvara Temple
• Imambara Hassanabad
• Makhdoom Sahib Shrine

Things to do in Srinagar

• Shikaras in Dal Lake
• Parihaspora, Dewar
• House boating
• Bird viewing

Best time to visit / climate

The best time to visit Chandanwadi is between April and September. Summer temperatures range from 2 degrees to 14 degrees and weather is predominantly pleasant during the day, the nights get chilly so pack clothing and medicines accordingly. Even during summers, light woolens, mufflers, gloves and socks are essential.

Location on Google Maps

View Larger Map

Or click and paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.co.in/maps?q=Kashmir+near+Chandanwadi&hl=en&sll=34.079429,75.416263&sspn=0.009313,0.021136&oq=chandanwadi,+kas&hnear=Chandanwadi&t=m&z=16

How to get to Chandanwadi?

The Pahalgam-Chandanwadi trail may be traversed by Mini-bus, jeep, pony or on foot.
1. Srinagar by Air
• Srinagar domestic airport is connected with many airports of the major cities in India.
• Regular flights are operated between Srinagar and Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Shimla.
• International travelers get the connecting flights from Delhi International airport.
• This is at a distance of 876 km from Srinagar.

2. Srinagar by Train
• Jammu is the nearest railway station to Srinagar.
• This is at a distance of 290 km.
• Jammu railway station is well connected to all major cities in India by rail.
• Direct train services are available from Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Trivandrum.
• Taxi services are available from Jammu to Srinagar.
• The fare is about Rs 6000.

3. Srinagar by Bus
• Many tourist bus service providers arrange deluxe luxurious bus package tours from many neighboring cities to Srinagar.
- Srinagar is well connected by tourist bus services to:
• Chandigarh (630 km)
• Jammu (290 km)
• Delhi (876 km)
• Leh (434 km)
• Phalgan (96 km)
- Packaged tours charge about Rs 4 – Rs 5 per km.

4. By plane
• Sheikh ul Alam Airport is commonly known as Srinagar Airport.
• It is an international airport.
• Flights are operated by Jet Airways, Air Deccan, Spice Jet, Kingfisher Airlines, Go Air, Jet Lite and Indian Airlines from Delhi and Mumbai to Srinagar.
• The frequency is once or twice a day by each airline.
• The cost is approximately Rs 2,500 from Jammu, Rs 2,500-5,000 from Delhi one way and higher from Mumbai.

5. By taxi from Jammu to Srinagar
• Hiring a TATA Sumo SUV from Jammu costs approximately Rs 1,900-2,700 depending on time of year or even time of day.
• The journey takes around 8 hrs.

6. By bus from Jammu to Srinagar
• J&K State Road Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) operates fairly comfortable buses from Jammu costing around Rs 350 and does the journey in around 12 hrs.
• 2 day buses run between Srinagar and Leh staying overnight in Kargil.
• There are also direct buses from Delhi taking almost 24 hrs to reach Srinagar.

Some travel books from Amazon about Sonamarg

The Vale of Kashmir	Travels in Kashmir: A Popular History of Its People, Places and Crafts	Agony Of Dal Lake

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers)

• Hotels at cleartrip.com
• Hotels at tripadvisor.in
• Hotels at go2kashmir.com

Blogs / Sites about Chandanwadi

• Blogs and reviews at hoparoundindia.com
• Blogs and reviews at travel.sulekha.com
• Blogs and reviews at travelblog.org

Images and photos of Chandanwadi

• Images at google.com
• Images at panoramio.com
• images at holidayiq.com

Videos of Chandanwadi

Mattan or Martand – Surya Temple and a major Hindu pilgrimage in Jammu & Kashmir.

Traveller — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:36:00 +0000

Mattan is a town and a notified area committee in Anantnag district which is in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Overview

• This pilgrim village is just off the road that leads to Pahalgam.
• The word ‘Mattan’ is an abbreviation of ‘Martand’.
• It has traditionally been a major Hindu pilgrimage.
• Lord Vishnu has been worshipped here in his Martand (Surya) manifestation.
• There are temples, and a gurudwara around this tank.
• Mattan has a Hindu majority and spiritual history.
• Mattan temple complex is located very near to the famous Pahalgam of Kashmir.
• It is a popular religious site of the Hindus.
• The Mattan temple of the Hindus is popular for the beautiful Shiva Lingam.
• The pious Lingam is preserved in this temple complex.
• The temple is a beautiful brick structure with surrounded crystal clear water on all sides.
• It is one of the religious places in India where the priests and pundits worship the Sun god.
• It was thus a popular place for Surya Tirth in the subcontinent.
• The Mattan temple complex is one of the much-guarded areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It is controlled by the para- military forces.

Attractions in and around Mattan

• BUMZOO is a small sleepy village just two killometres from Mattan which is in Lidder valley.
• Two caves of Bumzoo are very popular and worth visiting.

1. First cave
• One cave is just 1.5 Kms from Mattan town.
• This cave is about 7 metres from road height.
• After about 15 metres it branches into two further caves.
• One straight and the other to the left are there.
• Some manmade stone structures are present in both these caves.
• The cave is pitch dark.
• The cave is visible on right side of the base of the hill from road at a point just 1.5 km from Mattan Bazar.

2. Second Cave
• The other cave is the Old shiva temple of Bumzoo kalhana.
• The temple is about 50 feet from road that overlooks river Lidder.
• The temple is inside a natural enlarged fissure of limestone cliff.
• The door of the temple has the usual Hindu Triad at the top flanked by two stone carved window type structures.
• The Verandah or the gallery is tiled with Devri stones.
• A flight of about 150 steps takes you up from the road to the Cave entrance.
• This cave temple is a protected monument looked after by archeological survey of India.
• This cave temple is older to 8th centuary Martand Sun temple which was built by king Lalitaditya.
• A smaller cave also exists at the bottom of this cave temple.
• This has been closed with wooden gate at present.

Attractions of Pahalgam

Attractions in Srinagar

Things to do in Srinagar

• Shikaras in Dal Lake
• Parihaspora, Dewar
• House boating
• Bird viewing

Best time to visit / climate

The best time to visit Mattan is from April to September.

Location on Google Maps

View Larger Map

Or click and paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.co.in/maps?q=Martand+Mattan,+Anantnag&hl=en&geocode=FSnWAgIdJRx7BA&hnear=Martand+Mattan,+Anantnag&t=m&z=15

How to get there?

1. Srinagar by Air
• Srinagar domestic airport is connected with many airports of the major cities in India.
• Regular flights are operated between Srinagar and Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Shimla.
• International travelers get the connecting flights from Delhi International airport
• This is at a distance of 876 km from Srinagar.

2. Srinagar by Train
• Jammu is the nearest railway station to Srinagar
• This is at a distance of 290 km
• Jammu railway station is well connected to all major cities in India by rail.
• Direct train services are available from Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Trivandrum.
• Taxi services are available from Jammu to Srinagar
• The fare is about Rs 6000.

3. Srinagar by Bus
• Many tourist bus service providers arrange deluxe luxurious bus package tours from many neighboring cities to Srinagar.
Srinagar is well connected by tourist bus services to
• Chandigarh (630 km)
• Jammu (290 km)
• Delhi (876 km)
• Leh (434 km)
• Phalgan (96 km)
Packaged tours charge about Rs 4 – Rs 5 per km.

5. By taxi
• Hiring a TATA Sumo SUV from Jammu costs approximately Rs 1,900-2,700 depending on time of year or even time of day.
• The journey takes around 8 hrs.

6. By bus
• J&K State Road Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) operates fairly comfortable buses from Jammu costing around Rs 350 and does the journey in around 12 hrs
• 2 day buses run between Srinagar and Leh staying overnight in Kargil.
• There are also direct buses from Delhi taking almost 24 hrs to reach Srinagar.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers)

• Hotels at alltravels.com
• Hotels at tripadvisor.in
• Hotels at mybookingcorner.com

Blogs/Sites about Mattan

• Blogs and reviews at mapsofindia.com
• Blogs and reviews at autarmota.blogspot.in
• Blogs and reviews at gaffarakashmir.com

Images and photos of Mattan

• Images at google.com
• Images at flickr.com
• Images at travel.sulekha.com

Videos

Pahalgam – a beautiful hill station in Kashmir.

Traveller — Sun, 06 May 2012 09:35:14 +0000

Pahalgam is a town and a notified area committee in Anantnag district which is situated in India’s northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir. This world famous hill station is 45 km from the District Head Quarter at Anantnag.
Pahalgam is situated on the banks of river Lidder. Pahalagam is at an altitude of 7200 ft. from sea level. Pahalgam is one among the five tehsils of Anantnag district. Tehsil headquarters are situated in the main town of Pahalgam.
It is a health resort. A number of treks in this region also begin from Pahalgam. The 35 km trail traverses through pinewoods to the spectacular Kolahoi Glacier.
Pahalgam is also associated with the Amarnath Yatra which takes place every year. Chandanwari (2,895 m), 16 km from Pahalgam, is the starting point of the yatra. This yatra takes place every year in the month of Sawan (July to August). The road from Pahalgam to Chandanwari is on fairly flat terrain. This path can be undertaken by car. From Chandanwari onwards the track is accessible on foot or by pony.
About 11 km from Chandanwari is the mountain lake of Sheshnag (3,574 m). About 13 km away is the last stop, Panchtarni. The Amarnath cave is 6 km away from Panchtarni. During the month of Sawan, an ice stalagmite forms a natural Shivling inside the Amarnath cave.

Flora and Fauna in Pahalgam

- Plant Species
• Cedrus deodara
• Pinus griffithii
• Abies pindrow
• Aesculus indica

- Major Shrubs
• Indigofera heterantha
• Viburnum spp
• Sorbaria tomentosa
• Rumex patientia
• Primula spp
• Anemone spp

- Animal Species
• Hangul
• Musk deer
• Serow
• Brown bear
• Leopard
• Rhesus macaque
• Grey langur
• Himalayan mouse hare
• Wild bears

- Common Birds
• Griffon vulture
• Monal
• Snow cock
• Koklas
• Blue rock pigeon
• Kashmir roller
• European hoopoe
• Jungle crow

Must go Places near and around Pahalgam

1. Kolohoi Glacier
• Kolohoi glacier is located up the Lidder Valley, just below Mount Kolohoi.
• This is currently a hanging glacier.
• It is accessible from Pahalgam via Aru.
• This was originally one of the longest glaciers of the Kashmir valley.
• This glacier extended for at least 35 km in the past.
• It is basically hollowed out from global warming.
• The Asian brown cloud and local environmental factors are associated with mountain hydrology.
• The glacier has receded by half since 1985.
• This glacier is not safe to study as it is hollow.
• In some places this glacier has 200-foot-deep (61 m) crevasses.

Activities
• Relax in nature’s lap
• Indulge in trekking/hiking
• Rafting
• Horse-riding
• Golfing
• Skiing
• Nature-photography
• Horseback riding for the kids
• Barefoot walks
• Green mountain meadows viewing
• Alpine streams perfect for swimming
• Water fights
• Golf
• Amusement Park
• River Rafting

2. Chandanwadi
• It is a rocky and verdant mountain valley near Pahalgam in Kashmir.
• Chandanwadi is situated about 16 kilometres from Pahalgam.
• This place is at an altitude of 9500 feet above sea level.
• Start out from Pahalgam in the Northeast direction.
• The stretch between Pahalgam and Chandanwadi is half the route to Amarnath Yatra.
• Pahalgam is the base camp for the Yatra.
• River Lidder flows all along this trail between Pahalgam and Chandanwadi.
• This is actually a lovely trek or drive between the two places.
• While drive one is surrounded by lush green conifers and meadows and rock patches with a sparkling gushing river
• The Valley of Chandanwadi is very beautiful.
• Camping on raw and rugged terrain by the River Lidder is very popular in Chandanwadi.
• From Pahalgam to Chandanwadi, one may travel by Mini-bus, jeep, pony or on foot.
• The entire trail follows the Lidder River up to the North.
• It is a very scenic trail with moderate grade trekking.
• Camping gear must be hired at Pahalgam before starting the trek.
• Always camp at designated campsites only.
• It is best to not camp in seclusion.
• Ponies may be hired at Pahalgam.

3. Water Gateways in Pahalgam
• Sheshnag Lake
• Tulian Lake
• Baisaran Meadow
• Betaab Valley
• Kolahoi Glacier
• Lidder River Rafting
• Lidderwat Valley Trekking Trail
• Pahalgam Golf Course

Best time to visit / climate

- The best time to visit is between April and September.
- Pahalgam has a cool and pleasant climate in summers and very cold climate in winters.
- Summers are warm and pleasant.
- Winters are very chilly with heavy snow fall.

Location on Google Maps

View Larger Map

Or click and paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.co.in/maps?q=Pahalgam&hl=en&hnear=Pahalgam&t=m&z=13

How to get there?

• Pahalgam is accessible from road.
• There is no railraod either.
• If you are driving from Jammu, go to Pahalgam some 45 kms before Srinagar (at Khanabal).
• Fly into Srinagar.
• Drive first to Srinagar and then drive to Pahalgam – which is 96 kms away.
• This drive can take 2-3 hours.

1. Srinagar by Air
• Srinagar domestic airport is connected with many airports of the major cities in India.
• Regular flights are operated between Srinagar and Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh and Shimla.
• International travelers get the connecting flights from Delhi International airport.
• Srinagar is at a distance of 876 km from Delhi.

3. Srinagar by Bus
• Many tourist bus service providers arrange deluxe luxurious bus package tours from many neighboring cities to Srinagar.
Srinagar is well connected by tourist bus services to:
• Chandigarh (630 km)
• Jammu (290 km)
• Delhi (876 km)
• Leh (434 km)
• Phalgan (96 km)
- Packaged tours charge about Rs 4 – Rs 5 per km.

4. By Plane
• Sheikh ul Alam Airport is commonly known as Srinagar Airport.
• It is an international airport.
• Flights are operated by Jet Airways, Air Deccan, Spice Jet, Kingfisher Airlines, Go Air, Jet Lite and Indian Airlines from Delhi and Mumbai to Srinagar.
• The frequency is once or twice a day by each airline.
• The cost is approximately Rs 2,500 from Jammu, Rs 2,500-5,000 from Delhi one way and higher from Mumbai.

5. By Taxi
• Hiring a TATA Sumo SUV from Jammu costs approximately Rs 1,900-2,700 depending on time of year or even time of day.
• The journey takes around 8 hrs.

6. By Bus
• J&K State Road Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) operates fairly comfortable buses from Jammu costing around Rs 350 and does the journey in around 12 hrs.
• 2 day buses run between Srinagar and Leh staying overnight in Kargil.
• There are also direct buses from Delhi taking almost 24 hrs to reach Srinagar.

Some travel books from Amazon about Pahalgam

The Vale of Kashmir	Travels in Kashmir: A Popular History of Its People, Places and Crafts	Agony Of Dal Lake

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website/contact numbers)

• Hotels at cleartrip.com
• Hotels at tripadvisor.in

Blogs / Sites about Pahalgam

• Blogs and reviews at pahalgam.org
• Blogs and reviews at pahalgam.com
• Blogs and reviews at mustseeindia.com

Images and photos of Pahalgam

• Images at google.com
• Images at tripadvisor.com
• Images at pahalgam.com

Videos of Pahalgam

Rudraprayag – a religious town in North India, in the Himalayas

Traveller — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:05:05 +0000

Rudraprayag is a District in the State of Uttarakhand. It is a town and a nagar panchayat. It is one of the Panch prayagas (five confluences) of the point of confluence of rivers Alakanda and Mandakini. Around Rudraprayag, there are other divine rivers such as the Bhagirathi River, and the Ganga. Located some distance away is another holy town called Kedarnath which is 86 kms away from Rudraprayag.
Rudra means Lord Shiva and hence the name Rudraprayag. It has lakes and glaciers and immense enchanting natural beauty. It is a pilgrimage trip as well as getaway for many. It is 34kms away from Srinagar (Gharwal). There are more than 200 shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva in the district itself. The town is special with its scenic beauty and its location on the river banks of Alankanda and Mandakini. Devotees take dip in these rivers considering them very holy and sacred. The other two shrines that need to visit are Kedarnath and Badrinath that are around Rudraprayag.
On the holy confluence of river Alaknanda and Mandakini which is venerated as one of the five sacred confluences or the ‘Panch Prayag’ is this small pilgrim town. It is named after Rudra, an aspect of Lord Shiva. It is said that Lord Shiva appeared here as ‘Rudra’ to bless Narad Muni. Rudraprayag is of immense significance for the pilgrims of Char Dham Yatra, as it is the junction for visiting Badrinath and Kedarnath Dham.
Out of the five kedars, three of them lie in Rudraprayag district. Kedar means a natural rock formation or glacial moraine. This town is a District headquarters and its area is spread to about 1896 square kms.

Places to see in Rudrapayag

Koteshwar Temple: This is 3 kms from Rudraprayag. This is a cave temple of Lord Shiva located on the banks of river Alaknanda which comprises of idols which have been formed naturally. It is believed that Lord Shiva meditated here before going to Kedarnath. Many devotees visit the shrine during the months of August and September.

Places to see around Rudraprayag
Agatsyamuni (19 kms) As Agatsyamuni meditated here, so the name.
Guptkashi (39 kms) is a pilgrim place that has the ancient temples of Vishwanath and Ardhnareshwar. The Manikarnik Kund is the confluence of two streams of Ganga and Yamuna.
Okhimath (40 kms): It lies on the route to Kedarnath and is the winter residence of Lord Kedarnath, as well as the seat of the Rawal (head priest) of the Kedarnath temple.
Gaurikund (72 kms) is the trekking base for to Kedarnath and has a temple of Gauri (Parvati) and hot water springs.
SonPrayag is the confluence of river Basuki and Mandakani and lies on the main Kedarnath route, about 5 kms from Gaurikund. The devotees believe that by mere touch of the holy water of Son Prayag, one attains the “Baikunth Dham”.
Trijuginarayan is 12 kms from Son prayag and is believed to be the site of Lord Shiva and Parvati’s marriage. The eternal flame, around which the marriage was solemnized, still burns here.
Panch Kedar: In the valley between the rivers Bhagirathi and Alaknanda lay the 5 kedars. It is believed that after the battle of Mahabharta, the Pandavas came here seeking forgiveness from Lord Shiva as they were repenting for the killings. Shiva disguised himself as a bull and started to plunge underground when he was spotted by the Pandavas. No wonder, the natural rock formation that is worshipped here resembles the rump of bull. The five most sacred Shiva temples of Garhwal are called as Panch Kedar.
Kedarnath: It is situated at an altitude of 3584 metres amidst towering snowclad Himalayan peaks on the head of river Mandakini. It is 86 kms from Rudraprayag. It is an 8th centrury temple which has 12 Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva and was built by in the medieval ages by Adi Shankaracharya. The mandapa walls are adorned with idols of the five Pandavas and Draupdi.
Shankaracharya Samadhi: Behind the Kedarnath temple, Adi Shankaracharya is said to have gone into his samadhi here at an early age of 32 years after establishing four sacred Dhams.

Best time to visit / climate:
The best time to visit is the summer months from March to June. The months of September and October are also pleasant to be visited. The months from June to August should be avoided due to the monsoon season.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Directions from Rishikesh to Rudraprayag:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
By Air: The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun situated at a distance of 159kms. There are daily flights from Delhi to Jolly Grant Airport. Taxis are available from Jolly Grant Airport to Rishikesh, Devprayag and Rudraprayag.
By Rail: The nearest railway station to Rudraprayag is Rishikesh railway station which is situated 140kms before Rudraprayag on NH58. Rishikesh is well connected by railway networks with major destinations of India. Trains to Rishikesh are frequent. Taxis and buses are available from Rishikesh to Rudraprayag.
By Road: Rudraprayag is well connected by motorable roads with major destinations of Uttarakhand and northern states of India. Buses to Rudraprayag and Rishikesh are available from ISBT Kashmiri Gate. Buses and Taxis to Rudraprayag are easily available from major destinations of Uttarakhand like Dehradun, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Pauri, Tehri, Uttarkashi, Srinagar etc. Rudraprayag lies on National Highway 58 from where road diverts to two major destinations Kedarnath and Badrinath.

The distance chart from major cities to Rudraprayag is as below
Delhi to Rudraprayag – 380kms
Meerut to Rudraprayag – 306kms
Rishikesh to Rudraprayag – 139kms
Haridwar to Rudraprayag – 165kms
Pauri to Rudraprayag – 64kms
Dehradun to Rudraprayag – 190kms
Mussoorie to Rudraprayag – 163kms
Devprayag to Rudraprayag – 68kms
Tehri Garhwal to Rudraprayag – 91kms
Barkot to Rudraprayag – 180kms
Uttarkashi to Rudraprayag – 165kms
Lansdowne to Rudraprayag – 142kms
Kotdwar to Rudraprayag – 166kms
Joshimath to Rudraprayag – 106kms
Chamoli to Rudraprayag – 70kms
Srinagar to Rudraprayag – 35kms
Okhimath to Rudraprayag – 37kms
Gaurikund to Rudraprayag – 66kms

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

1. http://www.euttaranchal.com/hotels/hotels-in-rudraprayag.php (gives names of the hotels, fares of the hotel, price and directions to the hotel)
2. http://www.holidayiq.com/Popular-Rudraprayag-Hotels-Resorts-Reviews-Ratings-Tariff-Rates-621-7-yes-destination.html
3. http://www.holidayiq.com/destinations/Rudraprayag-Know.html (gives tourist info addresses and phone numbers to contact)

Blogs / Sites about Rudraprayag

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudraprayag
• http://rudraprayag.nic.in/
History: Rudraprayag District was established on 16th September1997. The district was carved out from three adjoining districts.
Firstly, whole of Augustmuni & Ukhimath block and part of Pokhri & Karnprayag block from Chamoli District and Secondly part of Jakholi and Kirtinagar block from Tehri District and thirdly part of Khirsu block from Pauri District. It is widely known as Kedarnath Temple in the North, Madmaheshwar at east, Nagrasu at southern east and Shrinagar at extreme south. The holy Mandakini originated from Kedarnath and is the main river of the district.
• http://www.holidayiq.com/destinations/Rudraprayag-Overview.html
• http://www.indiaholidaypackages.com/hill-stations-packages/rudraprayag.html
• http://www.tourisminrudraprayag.org/

Images and photos of Rudraprayag:

• http://www.google.co.in/images?q=Rudraprayag&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7GPCK_enIN389&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=u11ITOORPISdcaec_c4M&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=5&ved=0CDwQsAQwBA
• http://www.holidayiq.com/destinations/photos/Rudraprayag-Photos.html
• http://www.tourisminrudraprayag.org/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudraprayag#Photo_gallery

Videos related to Rudraprayag:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYTU8h1Zk9s
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig9NvT1HT04

A trip to Agra (home of the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort) in India (starting from New Delhi) – Part 3 – Fatehpur Sikri

Traveller — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:37:12 +0000

In the previous post (Taj Mahal in Agra), I had covered the magnificent structure of India’s most attractive tourist destination, the Taj Mahal in Agra. And this was the last tourist destination that we were covering inside Agra, since the 3rd one is actually located outside the township of Agra.
This post covers the 3rd major tourist destination in Agra, another UNESCO Heritage Site. This site is called Fatehpur Sikri, and is located around 40 KM from Agra, in the direction of Bharatpur (and a lot of people actually combine going to Agra and Bharatpur in the same trip, driving to these different destinations). In our case, we had already decided not to continue the stay in Hotel Atithi for the second day since our work in Agra was done. We would be going to Fatehpur Sikri and headed towards Delhi from there.

Location of Fatehpur Sikri on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Fatehpur Sikri was Akbar’s act of faith, and also his folly, since it showed that even an emperor could not use all his might to fight against nature. Fatehpur Sikri was a city build by Akbar as his royal city, in homage to the saint Salim Chishti who lived in Sikri, and who ordained that a son would be born to Akbar (after Akbar had lost his earlier children). Duly after this, Salim (later to be known as Jehangir) was born to Akbar and Jodha Bai in 1569. In 1570, Akbar decided to start building his city, and this was born the complex of Fatehpur Sikri. However, water is essential to sustain any population, especially for a royal city.

The vast center courtyard of the Fatehpur Sikri compound

The architecture of the city was incredible, since there was a confluence of different building influences including Islamic, Hindu, and Jain building concepts. It was supposedly in this city that Akbar started evolving the concept of a religion that encompasses beliefs from different religions – this was known as Din-i-Ilahi (but which died out after the reign of Akbar).
Fatehpur Sikri is very impressive, including the Buland Darwaza, one of the largest gateways in the world, and which leads to a steep flight of steps on one side. There is the grand Jama Masjid to one side of the white tomb, there is the Panchratna Mahal, and there is the grand and yet simple tomb of Salim Chisti, to which religious pilgrims from multiple religions still come to seek favors and tie knots on the wall.

The marble tomb of the saint Salim Chisti at Fatehpur Sikri

Close up of the wooden gate of Fatehpur Sikri

Beehives on the huge arch of Buland Darwaza at the main entrance to Fatehpur Sikri

Parts of the building get illuminated by light bursting through windows in Fatehpur Sikri

The structure is built of red sandstone, with even the tomb being built of the same material, it was later that it was converted to being white marble. It is supposed that the saint helps childless couples, and hence families without children pay a visit to the shrine and pray their for their wish for a child to be granted.

A shaft of light through a window in a dome in Fatehpur Sikri

A long beautiful corridor inside Fatehpur Sikri

People walking in the corridor around the central tomb in Fatepur Sikri

Devouts laying a sheet on top of the shrine in Fatehpur Sikri

After we spent some time admiring the place, paying our respects at the tomb, we set off back to Delhi (there is a side road that connects back to the main Delhi-Agra highway) and reached there around dark, well satisfied that we had a good trip and enjoyed 3 UNESCO World Heritage monuments.

Many more photos of the Agra trip at this location.

Kanyakumari – Southern tip of India

Traveller — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:29:54 +0000

- Total area of Kanyakumari: 1,685 square kilometers.
- Annual rainfall: 1,188.6 meters of rainfall.
- Maximum temperature goes to 35ºC and falls to a minimum of 21ºC.
- The nearest airport is about 87 kilometers away from Kanyakumari, located in Trivandrum (Kerala State).
- There are two railway junctions, Kanyakumari Junction and; Nagarcoil Junction.
- Bus terminus – 3; (i) Central and Express Bus Stand (ii) Anna Bus Stand and (iii) Christopher Bus Stand.

India, the sub-continental country is known for its richness in culture and tradition. For visualizing the geographic neighbors of India, the Northern side is bordered by the wide range of the huge snow clad Himalayas, the west by the Arabian Sea, and the East is covered by the Bay of Bengal. It is the southern side that is very unique as both these seas mingle with the Indian Ocean. The Land that is located in the tip of the country, where the three seas get united is none other than Cape Comerin or Kanyakumari.

Map of Kanyakumari on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

The name of this place has been christened after the virgin goddess – Kanyakumari Amman. As per mythology, Goddess Parvati under the disguise of Devi Kanniya did a penance in one of the rocks in this area to get the hand of Lord Shiva. Hence this place is also a popular pilgrimage. Kanyakumari and its surroundings are believed to be part of the land which was created by Parasurama, incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Folktales and mythological stories speak volumes about Kanyamymari.
In historical times, Kanyakumari was once referred to as the “ALEXANDRIA OF THE EAST”. This place was a great centre for art, culture, civilization and pilgrimage for many years, in addition, it was also a famous centre for commerce and trade.
If you talk about modern Kanyakumari, some of the distinctive monuments are located on the sea; there are two rocks known as ‘twin rocks’. Each of them are distinctive and landmarks, both symbolizing the rich past of Indian heritage, having the monuments of swamy Vivekananda and Saint Thiruvalluvar.

Major tourist attractions:

Kumari Amman – The temple is located on the shore and is devoted to a manifestation of Parvati. The temple is located at a picturesque point, and commands a breathtaking views of the surrounding natural beauty. The diamond nose ring of the deity can even be witnessed from the sea. The timings of visits to the temple are from 4.30 AM to 12.15 PM & 4.PM to 8.15 PM. Annual Festivals are the Car festival (May / June) and Navaratri (Nine Days) Festival (September / October). The temple can be very crowded at certain points.

Mahatma Gandhi Memorial – The monument was built on the spot where there is an urn that contained the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi before they were immersed into the river. The architecture of the temple is designed in a way so that the first rays of the sun fall exactly on the place where the ashes of this great personality were kept. Visting Hours are from 7 AM To 7 PM. Entrance is free for tourists.

Udaigiri Fort – The fort was built by King Marthanda Verma and has a factory where guns are manufactured. The splendid Padmanabhapuram Palace is a huge mansion of the Travancore Kings, recognized for its captivating artistic appeal.

Thiruvalluvar Statue – The pedestal of the statue is of 38 feet height and the statue located on the pedestal is 95 feet tall with a grand total height of 133 feet for the entire sculpture. The 3 tier pedestal known as Atharapeedam is surrounded by an artistic Mandapa known as Alankara Mandapam with 38 feet height. Surrounding the Alankara Mandapa stand 10 elephant statues, signifying 8 directions; the remaining 2 directions are with earth and space down. Visting Hours – 8 AM To 4 PM.

Vivekananda Rock Memorial – Essentially a sacred monument, built by the Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee to commemorate the visit of Swamy Vivekananda to “Shripada Parai” during 24th, 25th and 26th December 1892 for deep meditation and enlightenment. Visting Hours – 7 AM To 4 PM.

Suchindrum – Suchindrum is a small village about 12 km. from Kanyakumari and about seven kilometres from Nagercoil. This holy place is located on the bank of the river Pazhayar, adjoining to fertile fields and coconut groves; the temple is dedicated to Sri Sthanumalayan. This word denotes Siva, Vishnu and Brahmma – Sthanu represents Siva, Mal represents Vishnu while Ayan represents Brhamma i.e. Siva, Vishnu and Brhamma in “One Form”.

Mathur Hanging Bridge – This bridge constructed in 1966, is the tallest as well as the longest trough bridge in Asia, having a height of 115 feet and a length of one kilometre.

St. Xavier Church – The church records show that the church was built in the year 1600 A.D. In the year 1865, the Church was enlarged and the shrine of our lady was also renovated and vaulted over. In 1930, the church was raised to the status of a Cathedral.

Padmanabhapuram Palace – It is one of the four municipalities in the district; 55 Km. south of Trivandrum, about two km. east of Thuckalay and 35 km. from Kanyakumari on the Trivandrum-Cape Comerin road. This town is surrounded by a fort with an area of 187 acres. The ancient capital of Travancore might be constructed before AD 1601. The palace with an area of seven acres, is situated in the very centre on the Padmanabhapuram Fort, amidst hills, dales and rivers. The palace which is situated in Kanyakumari District is under the control of a Curator of the Archaeological Department of Kerala Government.

Tirparappu Water Falls – The Kodayar makes its descend at Tirparappu and the water fall at this place, about 13km. from Pechiparai dam. The river bed is rocky and about 300 feet in length. The water falls from a height of nearly 50 feet and the water flows for about seven months in a year.

Muttom Beach – The famous beach at Muttom is located about 16 kms from Nagercoil and 32 kms from Kanyakumari. Muttom is famous for its beautiful landscaping and high rocks dipping into the sea at the beach-side. The sun set view point at Muttom is one of the most Panoramic view points in the district. Another attraction of Muttom is the century old light-house built by the British.

Vattakottai (Circular Fort) – A granite fort six kilometres north-east of Kanyakumari cape, forms the terminal of a line of ramparts known as the South Tranvancore lines built by Marthanda Varma to serve as defence for Nanjil Nadu. It is rectangular in shape and covers an area of about three and a half acres.

Peer Mohamed Dargah, Thuckalay (35 kms) – This dargah is named after Peer Mohamed Oliyullah, the great philosopher Mohamed Appa, who wrote many books on philosophy.

Sunrise and Sunset – Sunrise can be seen in Kanniyakumari through out the year at Bay of Bengal. Sunset can be seen from View Tower through out the year except the months of June, July and August.

Places to stay:
Hotel Parvathi Residency, Kanyakumari (link)
Hotel Singaar International (link)
Indienhermitage (link)
Hotel SeaView (link)
Hotel Cape Residency
Saagar Hotel
Melody Park Hotel.
Ashok Hotel

Reaching there

By Air: The nearest airport from Kanyakumari is situated at Trivandrum about 80 kms away.

By Rail: Kanyakumari is well connected by rail to major parts of the country.

By Road: Extensive road network connects Kanyakumari to other parts of the country.

External articles / blogs:

1. travelonthedollar.com (link): Has a few photos also

The oldest and the most ancient landmark in this town is the temple of Goddess Kumari who prayed to Lord Shiva to be accepted as wife by him. The name of this place has taken after the name of the Goddess. During the British Raj, it was also known as ‘Cape Comorin’, is probably a British spoilt version of ‘Kumari’, which mean virgin. The town is so small that an enthusiastic tourist may actually walk the entire length and breadth of the town and not shed a drop of sweat. Anyway, buses are available and the fares are rock bottom. The auto rickshaws fares are also very reasonable. In short, travelling in and around Kanyakumari is not expensive.

2. Indian Weatherman (link): Lots of photos

In 1609 AD Viswanatha Nayak of Madurai captured Kanyakumari. Afterwards there was no real threat to Venad Kings. Kanyakumari thus became an integral part of the Venad Empire with the capital at Padmanabhapuram. King Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma(1729-1758) of Venad dynasty formed Travancore ( Modern Kerala) by extending his domain further north up to Aluva. Kanyakumari thus came to be known as Southern Travancore. In 1741, King Marthanda Varma another great king from the same dynasty overcame the Dutch East India Company forces at the fiercely fought “Battle of Colachel.”

3. Video of Kanyakumari (link)
4. Post on triter.com (link)

Nearest airport from Kanyakumari is Trivandrum in the neighbouring state of Kerala. It takes about two hours by train or bus to go Kanyakumari from Trivandrum. Kanyakumari is well connected by rail to all major cities in India like Chennai, Trivandrum, Bombay, New Delhi, Kolkata, and Bangalore. Buses are frequently available from Thiruvananthapuram, the closest major transport hub. Long distance buses are available from Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai etc.

5. Nice Events on Blogspot.com (link)

Kanyakumari (also spelt as Kanniyakumari) order is contoured by Tirunelveli district in the northwestern and point, by Kerala denote in the northwest and confluence of Mount Sea and Soldier Ocean in the west and south. The coastline is nigh uniform eliminate for few points of come projects into the sea at Cape Comorin.

6. Post with great photos on indiaouting.com (link)

The temple of Goddess Kumari is rather small by South Indian standards, but comes with the usual ingredients of Pujaris (Hindu Priests), Poojas, Kumkums, and Prasads (sweet offerings made to Gods). All men are supposed to enter the temple with bare torsos as it deemed to be a mark of respect to the Devi. You should be careful about the touts in the temple.

7. miyzone on blogspot with some photos (link)
8. Photo of waves striking the rocks at Kanyakumari (link)
9. Post with great photos at oktatabyebye.com (link)

After lunch, we set out to see the Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial, by boat. There are regular ferry services from the jetty which is very close to the TTDC resort. We were lucky to get the last ferry, at 4.30 p.m. and were taken first to the Thrivallavur Statue, a famous Tamil poet of yester years. The statue is magnificent and stands tall on a rock near the Swami Vivekananda Rock Memorial – the author of the philosophical work Tirukkural – a treatise on the Indian way of life.

10. Description of the Kanyakumari Temple (link)

he main entrance to the temple is through the northern gate though the deity is facing east. The eastern entrance is kept closed except on special occasions when the deity is taken out for ceremonial bath. Three corridors surround the sanctum. The outer corridor has no special shrines, but after a walk round it the devotees cross the ‘Navarathiri mandapam’ and a pathway leads to the second corridor encircling the shrine. There stands the flag mast or ‘Kodisthambam’. From here you can have a clear view of the Goddess. A move further forward will take you in front of the sanctum.

11. Story on travelpod.com (link)

Swami Vivkeananda, also known as the wandering monk, travelled all over India. When he visited Kanyakumari in December 1892, he was drawn to the two rock islets which are the southernmost tip of India. He did not have money to hire a boat so he swam to the rocks. He meditated on the rock for three days and had a vision of one India. The main hall has a tall statue of Swami Vivekananda. The other hall is built around a foot shaped carving on the rock. According to folklore this is the foot print of goddess Kumari who stood on this rock on one foot in penance. There is also a meditation hall called Dhyana Mandapam.

12. Photos of sunrise at Kanyakumari (link)
13. Post on worldoftimepass.com (link)

Though there are several places of tourist-interest in the town and district, Kanyakumari is especially popular in India for its spectacular and unique sunrise and sunset. The confluence of three ocean bodies – the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea – makes the sunrise and sunset even more special. On balmy, full-moon evenings, (locally called Chitra Pournami) one can also see the moon-rise and sunset at the same time – on either side of the horizon.

14. Photos of the rocks at Kanyakumari (link)

How to plan ? Max time required for seeing whole Kanyakumari is 1 full day . Reach Kanyakumari by morning 5am and then complete sunrise (mostly at 6am; depends on seasons) and then get into prebooked hotel and complete breakfast and then visit Kanyakumari Temple , just beside the sunrise view point ; and then go for a trip to vivekananda memorial hall ( trip will be close to 2-3hrs) ;complete lunch and then you have option either to visit Padhmanabhapuram palace or go to some beaches near kanyakumari, watch sunset

15. Photos of Udaygiri Fort (link)

Photo Galleries:

1. Shunya.net Photos (link)
2. Kanyakumari Photos (link)
3. Photos of Kanyakumari at holidayiq.com (link)
4. MichaelJM’s Kanyakumari Photos (link)
5. Great photos of Kanyakumari on Sulekha.com (link)
6. Photos of Kanyakumari on oktatabyebye.com (link)

Rishikesh- Tapo Bhumi or place of Meditation!

Traveller — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:56:14 +0000

Rishikesh is situated in the northern part of Uttarakhand in the laps of lower Himalayas, and is just 24 kms from Haridwar.

It is surrounded by scenic beauty of the hills and what makes this place so divine is that Holy Ganga River is flowing through it. Rishikesh is a believed to be a place for meditation which leads to salvation. There are many temples many of them are ancient along the sides of river Ganga.

Ashrams of Sadhus add up to the environment and feel of divinity and purity here.

Rishikesh is very famous for Yoga, and this is very much followed by foreigners, at Rishikesh people from different countries come to learn Yoga, meditation.

Big Celebrities come here to experience the divine life here. The famous Beatles visited this place in 60’s.

People from different countries come here to learn Hinduism, to spend more time with Lord. People who love rafting should come here and experience the adventure in the waters of Ganga.

Climate here is pleasant throughout the year as it is located in the foothills.

Highlights of Rishikesh –

Lakshman Jhula & Ram Jhula – These two are suspended iron bridge, which are a major attraction among the tourists.

Swarga Ashram – Here one can find numerous temples, it’s a place to shop and eat, Gita Bhawan is situated just across the Laksman Jhula and is famous for its paintings and statues from Hindu Mythology.

Neelkanth – According to Hindu Mythology Lord Shiva drank the venom at this place and henceforth this place is known as Neelkanth Mahadeo (Mahadev is the other name of Lord Shiva). It is situated 12 kms from Rishikesh and is one of the most revered temple.

Triveni Ghat – Daily in the morning and evening Maha Aarti is performed at this Ghat, people also take a dip here.

Other Activities –

River Rafting – People enjoy the adventure of rafting along the Ganga.

Rock-Climbing - Rishikesh is also one of the ideal base camps for rock-climbing.

How to get there?

Rishikesh is well connected with all major cities through trains and buses, it does not have an airstrip of its own but one can reach by air till Jollygrant near Dehradun and then take a bus or private cab to this place.

Where to stay?

Rishikesh does not have big five star hotels, but has Dharamshalas and guest houses which provide a good and inexpensive accommodation. GMVN i.e. Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam provides the facility of dormitory, single and double rooms for tourists.

Haridwar – gateway to the four pilgrimages in the Uttarakhand

Traveller — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:49:01 +0000

Haridwar - Religiously believed that Hari-dwar means Door leading to God as Hari means God and Dwar means Gateway or entrance according to Hindi language.

Haridwar is believed to be the gateway to the four pilgrimages in the Uttarakhand region (Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath)

Haridwar is located on the foothills of Shivaliks. It is on the banks of Holy river Ganga.

Millions of Hindus travel here to pray to Ganga Mai and take a dip in the river to wash away their sins and attain ultimate freedom, Nirvana

Haridwar has earned fame as being the place, which has been blessed by the trinity of Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. It is also one of the major Shaktipeeths. Down the ages, Haridwar has purified the mind, the body and the soul.

Not only in spiritual or religious terms Haridwar has come up as a major learning center for arts, science and culture.

This place has maintained the Gurukul tradition of teaching. This ancient tradition of teaching has maintained its fervour in Haridwar. Haridwar has since ages been a source of Ayurvedic medicines and has been providing herbal remedies

Highlights of Haridwar:

Har-ki-Pauri – This ghat is one of the most sacred ghats in India.Its believed that Vikramaditya in memory of his brother Bhartrihari built this ghat. This ghat is also known as Brahmakund. In the evening a Maha Aarti is performed on this ghat which is a treat to watch and leaves everyone with a divine feeling .This is the central ghat in Haridwar where the waters of the Upper Ganga Canal are diverted from the main river.The ghat is also the venue for the famous Kumbha Mela.

Evening Aarti – the evening prayers at Har-ki-pauri to the chants of drums and cymbals, is a sight worth experiencing.

Chandi Devi Temple - This temple is on the top of a hill called the Neel Parvat, which is the other side of the river Ganga. The King of Kashmir, Suchat Singh, constructed the temple in 1929 AD. Chandi Devi is a three-km trek from the Chandi Ghat.

Mansa Devi Temple – This temple is located on top of a hill called the Bilwa Parvat. The ropeway can reach the temple or one can take the normal trekking route to the top. The top of the hill gives you an excellent view of Haridwar.

Kavand Mela -

The fair is held ten days before Shivteras, during the Hindu months of Shravan & Phalgun.

Daksha Mahadevo Temple-

4 kms from Haridwar is a town called Kankhal.According to Mythology the king of this place King Daksha Prajapati performed a yagya. His daughter, Sati was married to Lord Shiva. But Daksha was not happy with this marriage and did not invite Shiva-Sati in the Yagya. But Sati came and was insulted by her father. She could not take the insult and burnt herself in the yagya kund. On hearing this followers of Shiva killed Daksha. But later Mahadeo (Shiva) brought Daksha to life. The Daksha temple is an attribute to this legend. This place is one of the five sacred places in Haridwar.

Sapt Rishi:

This is the place where Ganga divides itself into seven small streams and provides a very pleasing sight.

Maya Devi:

It is one of the Shaktipeeths in India. This ancient temple of Maya Devi is also the Adhisthatri deity of Haridwar. It is said that when Lord Shiva was carrying his wife Sati, who had burnt her self to keep the honour of her husband, then the heart and navel of Sati had fallen at this place.

Gurukul Kangri University – :

This University is known for its unique system of education. It is located on the Haridwar-Jwalapur bypass road. This university follows the ancient tradition of Guru-Sishya pattern of education. The University also has the Ved Mandir Museum which has a very good collection of archaeological exhibits and displays artifacts which are of historical value.

Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar:

This is a must watch place as various species of birds can be spotted here particularly during the winters. Around Laljiwala on the banks of river Ganges one can expect the Siberian Cranes, which are one of the valued possession at the Pakshi-Vihar.

· Nearby cities-

Rishikesh – 24 kms.
Mussoorie – 90 kms.
Badrinath – 290 kms.
Yamunotri – 240 kms.
Dehradun – 52 kms.
Kedarnath – 250 kms.

· FAIRS & FESTIVALS

Ardh Kumbh:

The Ardh Kumbh is held every six years and the last Ardh Kumbha of this century ended this year. It is said that a holy dip in the river Ganges during the Kumbh gives you Moksha or Nirvana, Ardh Kumbh is celebrated with a lot of religious sentiments and this is one festival which attracts the mind of any tourist to this place.
People gather in huge number to take the holy dip during these holy days. There are Saints, Naga Sadhus, Politicians almost every one is here. The city gets overcrowded with people during this festive season and its better to avoid over crowded ghats during this time as there are reports of stampedes. The accommodation should be ensured well in advance if one is going to Haridwar during the Kumbh.

· SHOPPING – Haridwar offers some good handicraft items, which can be kept as decorative pieces or can be used as gift items. In the markets surrounding the temples, one can find jewellery imitations, which are very popular among the devotees. The bangles, chains, ear and nose rings are some items, which can be bough there. Then the shops also have items made of stone. The main shopping centers are Moti Bazaar, Upper Road, Jwalapur, and Kankhal. The UP handloom Emporium is near the Bharat Mata temple and the government Emporium, Gandhi Ashram is near the Haridwar post office.

· CLIMATE - Haridwar is located at a height of almost 300 meters. This place does not have a pleasant climate here. During the summers the temperature usually shoots upto 40 degrees but winters sees the mercury dipping as low as six degrees. The best seasons to visit Haridwar are some where between September and June though Pilgrims visit this place all the year round.

HOW TO GET THERE ?

Air Services are available only upto Jollygrant airport in Dehradun, but the Railways have a station at Haridwar. This major pilgrimage center has been well connected by trains to all the major towns of India. In fact trains are the main source of getting pilgrims and tourist to Haridwar. The national high way no.45 crosses through the city so it is connected to other cities of the State as well as other towns in India in an efficient manner. There are buses available from Delhi to this place. The state transport has ordinary as well as deluxe and semi-deluxe buses on this route for long distance travel.
There are private buses, which take you to nearby places, and also some of these private deluxe buses run on the long distance routes.

TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES

Regional Tourist Office – Haridwar, Uttaranchal, India.
Tourist Bureau – Laltarao Bridge, Haridwar, Uttaranchal, India
Tourist Information Center – Railway Station, Haridwar, Uttaranchal, India
Tourist Reception Center – 36, Chandralok Building, Janpath, New Delhi – 110 001

Uttarakhand – “The Land of the Gods” (Dev Bhoomi)

Traveller — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:45:06 +0000

UTTARAKHAND – Land of Gods and Goddesses

On the 8th of November 2000, Uttarakhand became a full-fledged state of India with the formal induction of a separate State Government. The State is carved out of the Uttar Pradesh, which has the largest population in India.
And with this, the people of Uttarakhand have finally achieved their dream of running their own affairs for which they have been fighting for some decades now.

State Info-
Situated in northern part of India, Uttaranchal is surrounded by Tibet & Nepal in the North, Madhya Pradesh in the South, Haryana, Delhi & Rajasthan in the West and Bihar in the East. Dehradun, Mussoorie, Nainital and Ranikhet are the valleys with immense natural beauty.

Uttarakhand was also the ancient puranic term for the central stretch of the Indian Himalayas. Its peaks and valleys were well known in ancient times as the abode of Gods and Goddesses and source of the Ganga River.Today, it is often called “the Land of the Gods” (Dev Bhoomi) because of the presence of a multitude of Hindu pilgrimage spots.

In January 2007, the name of the state was officially changed from Uttaranchal, its interim name, to Uttarakhand, according to the wishes of a large section of its people.
The High Court of the state is in Nanital.
Recent developments in the region include initiatives by the state government to capitalise on Handloom and Handicrafts, the burgeoning tourist trade as well as tax incentives to lure high-tech industry to the state.
The state also has big-dam projects, controversial and often criticised in India, such as the very large Tehri Dam on the Bhagirathi-Bhilangana rivers, conceived in 1953 and about to reach completion.

Land Area- Uttaranchal occupies 1.73% of India’s total land area with 51,125 sq. km.
Population- It has a population of about 6.0 million at 94.4 per sq. km.
Borders- It borders Tibet, Nepal, Himachal Pradesh, and the UP plains districts.
Capital- Dehradun was chosen as the state capital which is about 255 km away from India’s capital, New Delhi

Districts: Uttaranchal comprises of 13 districts:-

1. Pithoragarh
2. Almora
3. Nainital
4. Bageshwar
5. Champawat
6. Uttar Kashi
7. Udham Singh Nagar
8. Chamoli
9. Dehra Dun
10. Pauri Garhwal
11. Tehri Garhwal
12. Rudraprayag
13. Haridwar

India celebrates “Unity in Diversity” in all aspects of life, be it religion, society, culture, education, economy and so on. Its awesome air of spirituality is marked by the multiplicity of gods and diverse religious beliefs, generating numerous strands, all wrought together into a knot of sameness in fundamental concepts.
In the same way uttarakhand is also the melting pot of many ethnic groups and castes.

Tourism-
The opportunities for tourism are immense in this state, be it-

1. Pilgrimage Tourism
2. Nature Tourism
3. Wildlife Tourism
4. Adventure Tourism

The major destinations for these are:-

Haridwar
Rishikesh
Gangotri
Yamunotri
Kedarnath
Badrinath

Dehradun
Mussoorie
Almora
Nainital
Ranikhet
Pithoragarh
Jim Corbett National Park

If you are adventurous and like tough challenges, you can go for high- and low-altitude trekking, river rafting, para gliding, hang-gliding, mountaineering, skiing, and many others.

Paonta Sahib in Himachal Pradesh, India

Traveller — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:43:18 +0000

State: Himachal Pradesh
Distance by road: It is around 305kms away from Delhi.
Nearest Railway Station: It is at Dehra Dun, at a distance of around 49kms.
Nearest Airport: Jolly Grant at Dehra Dun
Best Season: September-April
Elevation: 389 meters

Paonta Sahib is a place sacred to the Sikh community, and is also making its name as a growing industrial region. The religious background as to why Paonta Sahib is a significant place is: In the year 1685, Guru Govind Singh (the 10th and last human guru for Sikhism), son of Guru Tegh Bahadur (9th guru), was on the way to Anandpur Sahib for setting up the Khalsa. He took a halt at Paonta Sahib, lived there for four years and wrote Dasam Granth there.
The original name of the city was paontika – In Hindi ‘paon’ means feet and ‘tika’ means stable. So the genesis of the name of Paonta Sahin is that the horse of Guru Ji stopped there on the way to Anandpur so he decided to rest at Paonta Sahib. Guru Govind Singh set his foot at this place that is why this place was named as Paonta Sahib. It is here, where he penned the `Dasam Granth’.

Location of Paonta Sahib on Mapmyindia.com

Just a short distance away from the gurudwara, there is the beautiful sight of the river Yamuna flowing, with all the sounds that a gurgling river makes. But just short of its walls the water suddenly falls silent, not making any more sound. The story goes that it happened only at the Guru’s behest, with the Guru requesting the river to flow silently since the noise was distrubing the Guru’s meditations, and another says that the Guru found it hampered his communication with the sufi saint Bhure Shah who lived high above the opposite bank.
Climate during the summers is pleasant while winters are bit colder than plains. This religious cum tourist destination is favorable among tourists round the year because of its moderate climate.
The Gurudwara houses some interesting spots that traces the events in the life of Guru Gobind Singh. There is Shri Talab Asthan where he disbursed salaries, and the Shri Dastar Asthan where he judged the turban – tying competitions. The Kavi Durbar was the venue of the poetic symposia. A memorial dedicated to Kalpi Rishi, and a museum showcasing the pens of the Guru and the weapons of those times, are also located within the precincts of the Gurudwara

Attractions:

Sri Talab Asthan: Sri Talab Asthan located inside Paonta Sahib is the place where the Guru distributed salaries to his followers for their hard work.

Sri Dastar Asthan: There is another place of interest inside Paonta Sahib known as Sri Dastar Asthan, where the Sikh Guru used to witness the turban tying competition by his followers.

Kalpi Rishi: Kalpi Rishi is another significant locale; this is a museum that displays various weapons used by the Sikh Guru and his followers.

Sirmour: Here are the remains of the old capital of the princely state of Sirmour. The town is said to have been destroyed by flood in the 11th century, when it was cursed by a dancing girl, who was promised the kindgom by the king if she completed a hard task, and who the king killed while she was doing the task.

Bhangani is fourteen kilometers out of Paonta Sahib. Settling on high ground, the Guru fought his first battle at Bhangani. Guru Gobind Singh defeated a phalanx of twenty thousand professional soldiers that had expected scant opposition from the Guru’s rag-tag force of five hundred men. The Guru’s eldest son was also born during the twelve-day period of the battle.

Simbalwara Wildlife Sanctuary: 12 km off the main Paonta Sahib – Nahan road, this is known for a variety of bird life.

Fossil Park, Saketi: This was the site of the largest fossil find in the Siwalik hills. The park has a museum and life-size models of the animals that once roamed these tracts.

Katasan Devi Temple: Also known as Uttam Wala Bara Ban, this is on the Paonta Sahib – Nahan road. The shrine is revered by local people. At this spot, the forces of Sirmour defeated the marauding armies of Ghulam Qadir Khan Rohiolla.

Ram Temple: Within Paonta Sahib and also known as the ‘Mandir Shri Dei Ji Sahiba’, this is located near the Yamuna bridge. With exquisite marble work, this was built in 1889 in memory of Raja Pratap Chand of Kangra by his wife who originally belonged to Sirmour. The Kirpal Dass Gurudwara is just past the temple

Shiva Temple, Patlian: Surrounded by fields and sal trees, the linga in this temple is supposed to be steadily increasing in size.

Shrine of Baba Garib Nath: Located in a sal forest and with an excellent view of the area, the shrine is revered by childless women.

Khodri Dak Pathar : It is a beautiful picnic spot just 25 km. from Paonta. There is a beautiful park, a swimming pool and a tourist Bungalow. At this place the torrential river Yamuna has been tamed into an artificial lake by constructing a barrage. From here one can get a fantastic view of the lake and the park nearby.

Assan Lake : 4 km. from Paonta Sahib. This beautiful lake has all facilities like speed boats, rowing, paddle and sailing boats. In addition, one can enjoy water skiing and hovercraft rides. A fast food restaurant is also available.

Places to stay:

HPTDC: Hotel Yamuna, Paonta Sahib (HP) 173025. Tel: 01704-222341, 224161. (check availability)
Hotel Citizen
Hotel City View
Hotel Clock Tower
Ganga Lodge

How to reach

By Air: The nearest airport is Jubbarhatti in Himachal Pradesh about 145km from Paonta Sahib.

By Rail: The nearest rail head is Yamunanagar about 56kms from Paonta Sahib.

By Road: The Himachal Road Transport Corporation runs bus connecting Paonta Sahib to almost all places in Himachal Pradesh.

External articles:

1. Brief history (link to article):

In October 1686 the hill chieftains collected a force of 30,000 men and under the leadership of Raja Bhim Chand and Fateh Shah they rode towards Paonta Sahib. Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s army consisted of around 4,000 Sikhs only besides a number of Udasis and Pathans.

2. Explore Himalayas (link to article):

That night we left Delhi and after 8 hours of journey we reached Paonta Sahib a small town, which was founded by the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. This town was situated on the banks of Yamuna River in Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh. The adventure and trekking organization ‘Explore Himalayas’ is situated here.

3. History of Guru Gobind Singh (link to article):

At the request of Medani Prakash, Guru Gobind Singh laid the foundation of Paonta Sahib in Nahan and built a beautiful city and a castle there. In Paonta Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh compiled the Jap Sahib, Savaiye and Vanis of Akal Ustat.

4. Photo of Guru Gobind Singh’s weapons at Paonta Sahib (link to photo)
5. Tour to Delhi – Hemkund – Paonta Sahib (link to article)

Surrounded by the Sal forest and on the bank of river Yamuna the historic town of Paonta Sahib was founded by the tenth Sikh Guru Govind Singh Ji. When only sixteen years old, the guru left Anandpur Sahib and on the invitation of Raja Maidini Prakash of Sirmour, lived at this beautiful place for over four years. The historic gurudwara commemorates his stay and interestingly the waters of the Yamuna fall silently below this -which happened at the Guru’s behest. The word ‘Paonta’ means ‘Space for a foot hold’.

6. Legacy of a warrior (link to article)

Today Paonta Sahib’s large gurudwara gleams like an edifice carved out of snow and as the sun sets the white marble is offset by touches of pink and gold. Here the Guru wrote the Dasam Granth and with in the precincts are a number of significant spots associated with his sojourn.

7. Sikh pilgrimage tour covering Delhi- Hemkund Sahib – Paonta Sahib – Anantpur Sahib – Amritsar (link here)
8. Photos of Paonta Sahib (click here)
9. Photo of entrance to Paonta Sahib gurdwara (click here)
10. Road directions to Paonta Sahib from Delhi on oktatabyebye.com (click here)
11. Beautiful photos of Gurudwara at Paonta Sahib (click here)