Collect Kailash Mansarover Yatra 2014 detail when yatra start, control room, procedure, party details etc is here. Every Year the Kailash Mansarover Yatra is opened for a limited period.
A Eltimate Guide for India State Wise Tourism and Travel
Char Dham Yatra, Uttarakhand, Yatra Char Dham Ki, Badrinath, Kedarnath
India is the land of the gods and the many - many shrines dedicated to them. But there are four pilgrimages that are special in the land of a million shrines. All four are located near each other in a region that is traditionally considered the playground of the gods; Uttarakhand. The holiest of holy
Golden Temple Amritsar Sacred And Shrine of Sikhism
The Architecture of GOLDEN TEMPLE, Considered the Best Architectural Specimens of the World, Represents A Unique Harmony Between The Muslim and the Hindu way of Construction Work.
Kailash Mansrovar
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Air Ticket Booking
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Flights & Hotels in INDIA.
Abodes of Gods
India is the land of the gods and the many - many shrines dedicated to them. But there are four pilgrimages that are special in the land of a million shrines. All four are located near each other in a region that is traditionally considered the playground of the gods; Uttarakhand. The holiest of holy four pilgrimage sites are jointly called the CHAR DHAM. In an interesting balance while two - BADRINATH and KEDARNATH are abodes of male deities, the other two – GANGOTRI and YAMUNOTRI – are abodes of the sacred feminine. The ideal time or peak season to go for a Char Dham Yatra is from May to October, except monsoons. This is because all the four sacred sites are located rather high in the Garhwal Himalayas, Which experiences heavy snowfall. As a result, all the passage leading to the shrines are blocked during the winter months. During the monsoon season landslides frequently render the roads un-passable. Traditionally, the gates of all four of the temples are also closed for this period of time and the idols are shifted to their traditional winter homes to await the arrival of spring when the pata (gates) open and they return to their homes.
With the beginning of the Yatra season begin the plight of thousands of animals utilized to serve the lakhs of visiting pilgrims. These hapless horses and mules are employed to transport baggage and other requirements of the pilfrims, some of whom also use these animals to cover the Yatras. The treks in the direction of Kailash-Mansarovar, Hemkund, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Kedarnath are chiefly identified for using large number of animals (an estimate states more than 10,000) and completely neglecting their basic are, including food and shelter.
Kedarnath trek starts from Gaurikund and for Hemkund Saheb and Valley of Flowers from Gobindghat. Here a good number of horses and mules are pressed into service. Not only are these animals ill fed and exploited, they are not even given proper medical and other aid. Recurrent rains aggravate the plight of these exploited animals. They are subjected to harsh conditions and are exposed to continuous rain and bitter cold for weeks on end. During the Char Dham Yatra season, animals are also brought in from the neighbouring towns, including Bijnor, Najibabad, Dhampur and Nagina.
There are some Popular tourist places in Uttarakhand such as: Nainital, Dehradun , Mussoorie, Ranikhet, Pithoragarh, Tehri, Jageshwar, Bhimtal, Kausani, Chaukori , Bageshwar, Mukteshwar, Hemkund, Chakrata, Purola, Chamba, Gwaldam, Khirsu, Deoprayag, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kadernath, Badrinath, Haridwar, Pindari, Glacier, Corbet National Park , Rajaji National Park.
The Yatra season, which started with the opening of the portals of the four sacred shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri in May, is in full swing and Haridwar, Rishikesh and other towns on the Yatra route are reaping full benefits of the yatra. Thee hoteliers, the owners of the dharamshalas, the transport operators and other sectors of business community making hay while the sun is shining.
There are some Popular tourist places in Uttarakhand such as: Nainital, Dehradun , Mussoorie, Ranikhet, Pithoragarh, Tehri, Jageshwar, Bhimtal, Kausani, Chaukori , Bageshwar, Mukteshwar, Hemkund, Chakrata, Purola, Chamba, Gwaldam, Khirsu, Deoprayag, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kadernath, Badrinath, Haridwar, Pindari, Glacier, Corbet National Park , Rajaji National Park.
The Yatra season, which started with the opening of the portals of the four sacred shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri in May, is in full swing and Haridwar, Rishikesh and other towns on the Yatra route are reaping full benefits of the yatra. Thee hoteliers, the owners of the dharamshalas, the transport operators and other sectors of business community making hay while the sun is shining.
A Boost to Religious Uttarakhand Tourism
Uttarakhand is known as the abode of the gods. The state's greatest asset is that there is a temple dedicated to each of the 33 millions gods and goddesses. The Char Dhams- Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are also located here Ganga considered to be the holiest river, is in Uttarakhand and every Hindu's life has an association with river Ganga in one way or the other. The state also has the famous Hemkunt Sahib for the Sikhs and the religious place for the Muslims in Piran Kalier(Roorkee).
The state's other great assets are the Himalayan mountains. Visitors and pilgrims coming to Uttarakhand are bound to be fascinated by the sight of steep mountains just staring at them. The state has a large number of mountain peaks that can be climbed, apart from a wealth of lakes that are still inaccessible to tourists.
Sixty five percent of the state remains under forest cover. The variety of flora and fauna is also immense. We also have national parks of which the Corbett National Park is known all over the world. For adventure sports enthusiasts, there are facilities for aero sports, water sports, trekking, angling and rock climbing. Also, Uttarakhand is the revered land of the saints and sages. Rishikesh, for instance, is the centre for yoga and meditation. So this unique wealth makes Uttarakhand special. In the coming years, rural tourism, yoga and meditation, adventure toursim, etc., would attract more people to Uttarakhand.
A concerted effort has been made to project the tourism might of the state. In terms of re-positioning, a conscious effort is being made to attract tourists to Uttarakhand with money power. Already the state has a good reputation for being a leading destination for religious and adventure tourism. Now the thrust is on promoting the state as an ideal destination for eco-tourism, centre for yoga and meditation.
In the last couple of years, a good number of tourism circuits have been identified and development work on them has begun. The chief amongst them are: Pauri - Khirsu - Lansdowne; Joshimath - Auli - Badrinath; Pithoragarh - Munsyari; and Raithal - Barsu - Dayara Bugyal.
In the past few years various infrastructure related development initialtives have been put in place such as development of 44 Tourist Convenience Centres(TCC) and Tourist Information Centres(TIC); development of national level Institute of Hotel and Catering Management in Dehradun; development of ghats under Great Green Vista Project in Haridwar; Plastic Densifiction Plant for the disposal of garbage which is important in an ecologically sensitive state like ours. Mobile help vans on the CHAR DHAM route for tourists during yatra period have been pressed into service. Various feasibility studies have been conducted such as ropeway between Rishikesh - Neelkanth and Rambara - Kedarnath and setting up of Mountain Airlines. These would give further boost to the sector.
Training programme for the service providers such as - taxi/bus drivers, conductors, dhaba owners, porters, staff of various private sectors, small and medium size hotels and lodges, is being given due attention. Work for the upgradation of five air strips in the state is being given top priority. Dehradun airport has already been well-operational. It would be further upgraded to enable it to have bigger airplane landing facilities. Air strips in Pantnagar, Gaucher, Naini-Saini and Chinyalisaur too are being readied gradually. Feasibility study is underway for Mountain Airlines providing fixed wing aircraft services within various Indian Himalayan states.
The three Jewels of Europe- Hola Spain
Madrid and Barcelona offer a palette of experiences and stories to take back home. Let's set on expedition to experience both the quaint and the cosmopolitan side of this country.
MADRID
Simple but enigmatic, raw yet sophisticated, the Spanish capital is a city of paradoxes. It is the city for walkers. The beautiful pathways, sidewalks and well-guarded pedestrian lanes makes you walk rather than hoping in to a cab. The most splendid way to encounter Madrid is to stop at the 17the-century square where bullfights, trials and executions were once held. The neighbour hood has lot to offer-take a peek in to the Jardin del Principe de Anglona, whose brick-and-concrete walls hide the small garden with brick paths and pomegranate and almond trees within. Don't miss the two coloured ancient Roman mosaics at Museo de los Origenes, Casa de San Isidro.
Art aficionados should step into the magnificently tiled San Francisco el Grande Basilica. One Can't stop looking at the painting of San Bernardino de Siena, one of the earliest of Goya's Madrid paintings. Goya painted himself into its right side. Sol is the epicenter of Madrid , where you can find landmarks like the Puerta del Sol. Which is the main contemporary square in Madrid. The barrio of Malasana is where you can find the main bars district in Madrid. All the coolest parties are held here. In the barrio of Salamanca, you can find some of the most exclusive shops in designer fashion and labels.
BARCELONA
Barcelona boasts of art, architecture and style since the Middle Ages, and its center constitutes one of the greatest architecture in the world.
Alternative art galleries, urban sport, festivals, fairs, exhibitions and more fill the calendar. The people of Barcelona like to look after and promote their history; preserving buildings and streets while maintaining their traditions throughout the year. Celebrations like the Festa del la Merce, literally the "Festival of Our Lady of Mercy". the citys' patroness, are a good example of this. It is also important to mention the folk festivals in each of the city neighbourhoods notably those in Sants and Gracia. where every year they follow the same traditions, with giants, human towers and folk music.
Barcelona faces the sea and, as a result, became a gateway through which, during the course of its history, knowledge, traditions, customs, new consumer products have passed. Although culturally Barcelonians have fed themselves through this always open window, we can assert that their cultural growth has always rested on a formula that is very much their own and difficult to copy; an interesting mix of local traditions and foreign ideas.
CHAR DHAM YATRA-2012
The most challenging & revered circuit
Char Dham Literally means "The four abodes and the purpose of the Char Dham Yatra of the Himalayas is pilgrimages to the heavenly abode." Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, all in the beautiful mountain state of Uttarakhand, are the pilgrim's focus. Not to be mistaken with the longer Char Dham Yatra to the prilgrimage of Jagannath Puri, Rameshwaram, Dwarka and Badrinath shrines that are located at four different comers of India. Badrinath is the only site which features in both Yatras.
The Char Dham Yatra generally starts at Haridwar as the 'gateway to Himalayan pilgrimage' and moves from west to east. The pilgrim's first halt is Yamunotri and then they proceed to Gangotri, onto Kedarnath, and then the yatra finally ends at the holy site of Badrinath.
Yamunotri is the place of origin of the sacred river Yamuna. The temple of the goddess is situated here.
Gangotri is believed to be the origin of the river Ganga, the holiest of all rivers, through the glacier from which the river originally gets its water lies a little north at Gaumukh. At Gangotri, which is accessible by vehicles, temples are sprinkled across the landscape and the aarti performed at the banks of the river is mesmerising.
Kenarnath, the third venue in the Char Dham Yatra, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Kedarnath is one of only twelve jyotirlingas (Where Lord Shiva is supposed to be permanently residing) and is of one the holiest sites for Hindus. The temple, it is believed was built in 8th century AD by Adi Shankaracharya himself.
Badrinath: The last destination of the Yatra is Badrinath, the shrine dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The small town and temple lie at a height of approximately 3,750m from sea level. The legend goes that when Lord Vishnu was residing in this place, goddess Lakshmi, his wife, took the form of Badri, a local berry tree, to protect Vishnu from the direct heat of the sun. Pleased, Vishnu pronounced that his temple would be named after the goddess; hence the name Badrinath for the temple.
While the longer Char Dham is dedicated only to Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu, the Himalayan Char Dham also includes the third important section of Hindu spirituality i.e. Shakti(goddess) in the form of Yamunotri and Gangotri.
Apart from the main four attractions of the Yatra, there are other picturesque villages and tourist spots nearby.
Barkot, adjacent to Yamunotri, is fast gaining its place as a natural tourist and adventure spot. Sprinkled with apple orchards, it sits at 1,200m, offering awesome views of snowcapped Himalayan peaks, the most prominent of which is Bandarpoonch.
Guptkashi, another abode of Lord Shiva, lies en route to Kedarnath and is known for its ancient Vishwanath temple, which shares its name with the one in Varanasi. Another temple, the Ardhanarishwar, also dedicated to Lord Shiva, houses the delty in the form of half man and half woman, resonating the Hindu concept of the co-existence of Shiva (Universe) and Shakti(Energy).
GauriKund, on the way to Kedarnath, is one of the most important pilgrimage, for Hindus, Legend has it that Parvati, also kn own as Gauri, did penance here to win over Lord Shiva, Shiva finally accepted her love and married her Lord Ganesha is believed to have got his elephant countenance in this place, which makes the site extremely important for Hindus. Pilgrims throng to the hot springs here too.
The entire Yatra takes ten to eleven days to complete. For mystics and pilgrims who prefer to travel on foot, it may take longer.
The ideal time for the Yatra is from May to July and from September to October.
Good to Know: The Char Dham Yatra usually starts at Haridwar, which connected by Air/Flight (Jolly Grant, Near Dehradun) and Rail/Train to the rest of India.
Kedarnath, Badrinath- Shrines Reopen- 2012
The portals of famous Himalayan shrine of Badrinath were reopened on April 29 amid snowfall a day after Kedarnath was thrown open for pilgrims. Amid blowing of conches and chanting of vedic hymns and shlokas, the chief priest of Badrinath shrine opened the door of the shrine at 04:00 am on Sunday morning.
During the opening ceremony of the shrine, situated at a height of 3,133 meter in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, hundreds of devotees, including industrialist Anil Ambani and corporate lobbyist Nira Radia, were present outside the sanctum sanctorum braving snowfall and chilly winds.
During the opening ceremony of the shrine, situated at a height of 3,133 meter in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, hundreds of devotees, including industrialist Anil Ambani and corporate lobbyist Nira Radia, were present outside the sanctum sanctorum braving snowfall and chilly winds.Badrinath and Kedarnath are among the four holy places visited by pilgrims during the “Char dham yatra” in Uttarakhand. The two other places are Gangotri and Yamunotri.
The Char Dhams nestling in dizzying heights of Garhwal Himalayas reopen for pilgrims in April-May every year after remaining closed for nearly six months during winters as the area remain snow-bound during the period.
After a gap of six months portals of famous Kedarnath shrine were opened on Saturday for pilgrims. The Temple, situated in Rudraprayag district at a height of 3,584 meter, was reopenedat 0715 am, according to ‘mahurat’, sources said. The ‘mahurat’ was decided on Mahashivrati at Ukhimath area on February 20.
The head priest of the temple, Rawal, performed the ‘Abhishek’ after opening of the doors, sources said. Thousnads of pilgrims flocked the temple after opening of the doors.
The Chardhams, comprising the shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri in Garhwal Himalayas reopen for pilgrims in April-May every year after remaining closed for nearly six months during winters as the area remain snow-bound during the period. The annual Chardham yatra is considered as a backbone of the thriving religious tourism in the state that attracts nearly 15-16 lakh pilgrims every year from home and abroad.
Efforts in this regard have started gaining momentum with MP Tarun Vijay recently kicking off a preparatory march to take a stock of things, apart from various regional organizing committees which have already joined in to finalise various modalities.
The festival involves a journey of around 280 kilometres, totally on foot due to the very difficult terrain that disallows reliance on any vehicular traffic.
Organisers, however, are faced with the Herculean task of infrastructure development and maintenance, especially of those narrow link routes to be taken by the devotees during their journey.
Further more, the fact that number of devotees may multiply various times compared to the previous figure of around 20,000 is also giving jitters to them.
“There is no arrangement to withhold even a population of 5,000 people. The journey is tough and devotees have to pass through a difficult terrain to reach to the culmination point of Bedini Bugyal. Authorities need to start work on war footing level,” says Vijay.
As mythology has it, the route taken by the devotees is believed to be the one taken by Lord Shiva while he was on his way to Kailash Parvat after marrying Goddess Parvati.
A religious extravaganza organized once in every 12 year, ‘Nanda Rajajat’ is also called the ‘Mahakumbh’ of the hills and is often comapared with the likes of other such religious events organized in holy Hindu cities of Allahabad, Haridwar and Ujjain.
Hotel Stay in Vegas Cheaper than in Delhi
Frequent travellers will attest to the painful fact that the rupee does not go far outside India. This rule, however, does not hold true when it comes to booking a hotel room.
For Rs6,000 a night, you can enjoy the comforts of a four-star hotel room at popular tourist destinations like Las Vegas, Guangzhou and Bangkok, but in Mumbai and Delhi it will get you nothing more than three-star accommodation. While Hotel ratings are not standardized, there is a marked difference in a four star accommodation at say on the Vegas strip and a three star one in Mumabi.
Street-smart travelers, for instance, can check themselves into a Vegas four-star complete with celebrity chef restaurants, pools spas and the best of entertainment options for less than Rs 5,000 a night. Most tourists will have to break the bank to enjoy a similar experience in Mumbai.
A recent survey of 1.42 lakh properties in more than 19,800 global locations tracking room rates paid by customers of a portal, which deals with hotel bookings, shed light on one of the key expenses in tourism.
The survey compared hotel prices in major destinations in the second half of 2011 and the corresponding period the previous year. “Among the major cities, room rates in Delhi rose by 9% to Rs5,914. Prices in Mumbai went up by 3% to Rs6,539,” said the survey released by Hotels.com.
The most expensive hotel rooms were in Kerala even though accommodation rated dropped by 9%. Tourists in god’s own country shell out an average of Rs7,381 per night for a room. Kolkata, which was the second-most expensive destination in 2010, slipped to fourth place after registering the biggest fall in room rates, down 20% to Rs5,136.
Room rates in Goa, the world,s favourite tourist destination, increased by 12%, but with an average price of 4,224, it,s still a less expensive option when comared to Kerala, Mumbai or Delhi.
The survey concluded that hotels in India enjoyed a modest average rise of 2% in room rates in the second half of 2011 as compared to the corresponding period in 2010.
Most desi tourists traveling within India spend around 4,226 per night on a room, around 2,500 less than what we spend when traveling abroad. According to the survey, Indians parted with an average of 6,789 per night on hotel accommodation abroad. But room rates fell in some foreign countries.
“It is a good time for Indian travellers to venture out to countries such as Germany, South Africa, Canada and Japan given the significant fall in hotel room rates in these markets.”
Ur Comfortable Luxery Hotels in India- BOOK Now
Ur Comfortable Luxery Hotels in India- BOOK Now
Divine destinations- CHAR DHAM YATRA-2012
With the char Dham Yatra scheduled to begin on 24 April 2012, Uttarakhand is abuzz with activities. The yatra, which is one of the biggest yatra circuits in the world, state. Registration for the Yatra has already started at Haridwar and Rishikesh. The legend has it that a visit to the char dhams, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri grants salvation and liberates a person form the vicious cycle of life and death. Hence it is the heart felt wish of every devout Hindu to visit these dhams at least once in his or her life.
The portals of Gangotri ( the origin of the Ganga, which symbolize purity) and those of Yamunotri ( the origin of Yamuna, which stands for devotion) will open on the auspicious day of Akshya Tritiya, on April 24, with the performance of the full Vedic rites, including rendition of the Vedic mantras, beating of drums and blowing of conches. The Shrine of Kedarnath ( one of the twelve Jyotirlingas on the earth, which being the abode of Lord Shiva, symbolises welfare), will open for the devotees on April 28, while the shrine of Badrinath (the seat of Lord Vishnu, which symbolises compassion) will open on April 29. It is after three years that the yatra is starting in April. Last year, inspite of the late start of the yatra as per record 24,95,365 devotees, both from the country and abroad, paid their obeisance at the four divine destinations. This year the number is likely to go up due to longer duration of the yatra.
Traditionally, the yatra starts from Rishikesh, though there has been a long standing demand to begin the yatra from Haridwar, the gateway to the Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. The legend has it that Aadi Guru Shankaracharya installed the statue of Lord Vishnu(Bharat) at Bharat Mandir in Rishikesh. Hence the pilgrims embark on the yatra, after taking a holy dip in the Ganga at Triveni Ghat in Rishikesh.
The administration has made elaborate security arrangements for the pilgrims coming on the yatra. The D.I.G. (Garhwal range), said that full proof security arrangements, including heavy deployment of the P.A.C., the civil police, the homeguards, the fire safety measures and the units of divers, have been put in place. The CCTV cameras have also been installed at sensitive points. The police has also identified 200 accident prone places in the hills through which the yatra route passes. All the four dhams will be under the scanner of the Special Operation Police(SOP). “31 disaster management teams have been set up for rescue operations in cases of accidents and natural calamities”, said the D.I.G. To assist the pilgrims 125 tourist police centres and 58 temporary police outposts have been set up at the identified points.
EMRI 108 emergency services have been instructed to focus on Char Dham Yatra route. A part from this, ambulances, fully equipped with several medical facilities, have been deployed on the listed sensitive points. “ For the conditional medical support will be provided at 8 identified places along the yatra route”.
Transport department has also geared up to minimize the number of accidents which has been a common feature during last years. Green cards are being issued to the drivers, after checking the fitness of vehicles, driving licenses and insurance certificates. “ Since the yatra route passes through hilly terrain and is highly accident prone, the transport department and the police administration have been instructed to ensure that there is no overloading of pilgrims, the drivers do not exceed the prescribed limit and do not drive in drunken state”. Time limit for the visit to the shrines has also been fixed, so that there is no undue haste on the part of the drivers to complete the yatra. The time limit of six days has been prescribed for the yatra of the four or three shrines, while the time for the yatra of the two shrines will be four days and for one shrine it will be two days.
The administration has also initiated steps to check food adulteration and prices of eatables. The shop keepers have been asked to display price list of all the eatables and essential items, so that they do not charge exorbitant prices from the pilgrims. The Char Dham Vikas Parishad has also banned the use of polythene and plastic items in the four shrines. The devotees will be given locally made “Prasad” in the paper and clothe envelope and baskets made of twigs and leaves. This eco friendly step has been taken to generate employment for the locals. Another eco friendly step which has been taken is that devotees will be given saplings, free of cost, which they will plant in the memory of their fore fathers in the “Smriti Van” in the vicinity of the shrines.
“Atithi Devo Bhav (our guests are our gods) has been our age old tradition. Therefore, it will be our best endeavour to provide warm hospitality & all comforts to the pilgrims and make their yatra hassle free, so that these pilgrims, who come as our guests, go back as our friends”-CM
Flights & Hotels in Uttarakhand.
Abodes of Gods
India is the land of the gods and the many - many shrines dedicated to them. But there are four pilgrimages that are special in the land of a million shrines. All four are located near each other in a region that is traditionally considered the playground of the gods; Uttarakhand. The holiest of holy four pilgrimage sites are jointly called the CHAR DHAM. In an interesting balance while two - BARINATH and KEDARNATH are abodes of male deities, the other two – GANGOTRI and YAMNOTRI – are abodes of the sacred feminine. The ideal time or peak season to go for a Char Dham Yatra is from May to October, except monsoons. This is because all the four sacred sites are located rather high in the Garhwal Himalayas, Which experiences heavy snowfall. As a result, all the passage leading to the shrines are blocked during the winter months. During the monsoon season landslides frequently render the roads un-passable. Traditionally, the gates of all four of the temples are also closed for this period of time and the idols are shifted to their traditional winter homes to await the arrival of spring when the pata (gates) open and they return to their homes.
With the beginning of the Yatra season begin the plight of thousands of animals utilized to serve the lakhs of visiting pilgrims. These hapless horses and mules are employed to transport baggage and other requirements of the pilfrims, some of whom also use these animals to cover the Yatras. The treks in the direction of Kailash-Mansarovar, Hemkund, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Kedarnath are chiefly identified for using large number of animals (an estimate states more than 10,000) and completely neglecting their basic are, including food and shelter.
Kedarnath trek starts from Gaurikund and for Hemkund Saheb and Valley of Flowers from Gobindghat. Here a good number of horses and mules are pressed into service. Not only are these animals ill fed and exploited, they are not even given proper medical and other aid. Recurrent rains aggravate the plight of these exploited animals. They are subjected to harsh conditions and are exposed to continuous rain and bitter cold for weeks on end. During the Char Dham Yatra season, animals are also brought in from the neighbouring towns, including Bijnor, Najibabad, Dhampur and Nagina.
There are some Popular tourist places in Uttarakhand such as: Nainital, Dehradun , Mussoorie, Ranikhet, Pithoragarh, Tehri, Jageshwar, Bhimtal, Kausani, Chaukori , Bageshwar, Mukteshwar, Hemkund, Chakrata, Purola, Chamba, Gwaldam, Khirsu, Deoprayag, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kadernath, Badrinath, Haridwar, Pindari, Glacier, Corbet National Park , Rajaji National Park.
The Yatra season, which started with the opening of the portals of the four sacred shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri in May, is in full swing and Haridwar, Rishikesh and other towns on the Yatra route are reaping full benefits of the yatra. Thee hoteliers, the owners of the dharamshalas, the transport operators and other sectors of business community making hay while the sun is shining.
There are some Popular tourist places in Uttarakhand such as: Nainital, Dehradun , Mussoorie, Ranikhet, Pithoragarh, Tehri, Jageshwar, Bhimtal, Kausani, Chaukori , Bageshwar, Mukteshwar, Hemkund, Chakrata, Purola, Chamba, Gwaldam, Khirsu, Deoprayag, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kadernath, Badrinath, Haridwar, Pindari, Glacier, Corbet National Park , Rajaji National Park.
The Yatra season, which started with the opening of the portals of the four sacred shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri in May, is in full swing and Haridwar, Rishikesh and other towns on the Yatra route are reaping full benefits of the yatra. Thee hoteliers, the owners of the dharamshalas, the transport operators and other sectors of business community making hay while the sun is shining.
KAILAS PARVAT- YOG RAHASYA
Nestling in the faraway corner of West Tibet is Mount Kailas, the scred mountain. Revered as the Dev Parvat or the Summit of God, this 22028 feet pyrmid-like structure is renowned for its spiritual magnetism, apart from its exceptional natural beauty. It is also deemed as the navel of the earth and central to the cosmography of Asian religions.
Lakhs have journeyed to this divine mountain revered differently by the different religions. Hindus regard it as the abode of Lord Shiva. There is a whole lot of belief that considers Lord Shiv a as the supreme yogi. He is regarded as the founder and master of tantra and esoteric science
Mount Kailas is renowned for its spiritual magnetism, awesome beauty and height. Mostly it is approached not with logic but with devotion . It is this logical and yogic. Wadhwa maintains that the authenticity of yogic secrets of Mount Kailas was known to ancient sages, who meditaed cross-legged for thousand of years at this remotest, highest and most desolate place on Mother Earth. Kailas is the place where in tangible divine takes physical form. Sages confidently knew this philosophy of Pursha and Prakiti or Shiva and Shakti
“Kailas is an inner image of divine or the innermost invisible, eternal, transcendental truth,”Wadhwa states as he adds, “Even the great scientist Einstein supports the existence of cosmic religious feeling in man.”
“The imprint of Mount Kailas exists in the human body, It is either brain or the heart. The seat of Kailas as inner image of divine or eternal truth or cosmic religious feeling can be in brain which connects to the whole body and brain functions like a control room. All our emotions, feelings also originate from mind itself. Heat is a physical organ which regulates blood circulation in the body.”
“The existence of Kailas in human brain makes you believe that image of divine exists in every human being irrespective of any religion, caste and creed,. Yet in this human body there is another transcend dental enjoyer, which is the lord known as Super Soul. We are eternal fragment parts of Super Soul. In that sense we are all related in this universe of human race. If every human understands this, then all will have a feeling of humanity with his fellow-being Shiva also embedded in the human psyche that controls thought and feelings. It has capacity to guide man’s actions. It is a symbol of love and compassion.”
‘DUMP’ FARES BY FOREIGN AIRLINES
The Indian middle-class seems to have been come the latest favorites of regions, looking to fill up their wide body planes that link their respective hubs to rest of the world. The CAG has questioned UPA’s generosity to those airlines at the cost of Indian carriers in the performance audit report of the aviation ministry tabled in Parliament on Thursday.
For instance, the CAG report says an average 74% of people carried to and from India by European carriers in 2009-10 like Lufthansa, Air France and Austrian just transited through their hubs in Frankfurt/Munich, Parts and Vienna. Lufthansa – which could not get AI into Star Alliance – tops this list with a whopping 87%.
Called sixth freedom in airline parlance, an average of 68% people flying Gulf airlines to and from India similarly transited from their hubs to Europe. Australia, Africa and the Americas “The massive expansion of bilateral entitlements in respect of several countries (notably in the Gulf, south-east Asia and Europe) has facilitated several foreign airlines (predominantly Emirates) in tapping the vast Indian market and funneling such traffic over their hubs (e.g. Dubai) to various destinations, the entitlements exchanged are vastly in excess of genuine flying requirements between the two countries,” the report says.
Importantly it adds that Indian carriers, including AI, look up this issue with the aviation ministry several times but nothing happened. A senior Indian airline official said that foreign airlines “dump’ fares on India routes to get as many passengers as possible from India. “Foreign airlines like Emirates will have single aisle planes taking off from India around the same time to reach their hubs in places like Dubai in time for those passengers to then fill sunup the wide bodies like Airbus A-330/340/380s or Boeing 777s to rest of the world and ditto for return. The don’t have enough local traffic so they can throw dirt cheap fares to get flyers from India. We have to offer competitive fare but they is not economical and we are suffering from government generosity to foreign players,” the official said.
While Indian travelers benefit from choice and low fares, acknowledged by the CAG, the practice can reach ridiculously high amounts at times. Giving the example of Emirates, the auditor says that from May 2007 to March 2010, the airline saw its weekly seat capacity going up from 18,400 to 54,200 . The number of cities they connect in India also rose from 10 to 14 in that period.
A BIT OF SWITZERLAND (Ukhimath to Chopta)
Taking the picturesque routs from Ukhimath to Chopta is a good as navigating some European countryside with at least five different shades of trees dotting the drive. So, April Spring season Makes for a great time to visit Chopta. Other than that, October onwards is also a good time to plan a trip here. Even at an altitude of over 3,000 metres, it is not easy to see a panorama of the imposing Chaukhamba and the Kedarnath range as the leafy forest hides sweeping vistas like a closely-guarded secret. The rhododendron trees seem to conspire like giant talking Ents from Lord of The Rings and take fascinating shapes as you wind up higher towards Chopta. Just as you start imagining leopard spots in the nearest bush , the forest is interrupted by a blanket of open meadows (bugyal in local parlance) . The sub-species of rhododendrons changes colour from red to light pink as the altitude increases to roughly 3,500 metres. And it’s here that you can feel the contrast of the chill – with clouds playing hide and seek – and the warmth of the harsh sun. We arrive at a few dhabas wedged between a bugyal and a thickly forested entrance leading to the Tungnath shrine. A few thatched hutments belonging to the gaddi shepherds dot the landscape. Though the Mayadeep Guest House is the most frequented place to stay at Chopta, you’d rather drive further up to the Chauhan Guest House for clean accommodation, great grub and yes, the espresso coffee!
TRAILING RHODODENDRONS
Although Tungnath is the highest of the Panch Kedar Srines dedicated to Lord Shiva and the highest temple in the world, it is relatively easy to trek up the stone-paved, four-kilometre stretch via the rhododendronladen Raga forest. We visited during off season and were, thus saved from unruly crowds enroute. The trek can be completed in three to four hours depending on one’s level of physical fitness. Your constant companion upwards are the rhododendrons, found in five a to six sub-species in the region. While the red ones grow at a lowere altitude, at Chopta you see light pink ones,and on the way to Tungnath, the pink is transformed to magenta. Growing on these slopes for generations, they are now fighting for survival in a fragile ecosystem, amidst habitat destruction, overgrazing and an influx of reckless tourism . Crisscrossing the route are also beautiful Monal pheasants. If one makes the effort to start at 4 am from Chopta before the onset of the Chardham yatra crowd (the shrines open May onwards), it is not uncommon to seet the solitary wil Himalayan Thar (an endangered goat) in the drifting volume of fog that takes the shape of the steep and jagged-rock mountain surface. Travellers can halt at dhabas at Tungnath, snack on some Maggi and even take shelter for night. The other option is to camp there, provided the chill doesn’t get the better of you. PS: Sleeping bags, fleece jackets and caps are ideal for such a trek.
SUMMIT FEVER
The sheer magnificence and scale of the ‘Six-thous;anders’ (the cluster of peaks that are 6,000 ft and above) in Garhwal come into view with full force and the conclusion is inescapable. The windswept summit of chandrashila is a steep one kilometer ascent from here. Snow bound till late April, 360 degrees cannot have a better meaning than this. It takes a full hour or so to do the journey. For te best views at sunrise, it becomes necessary to do this early morning from Tungnath itself. The views are endless on a clear day, stretching right up till the Nanda Devi massif and even a little beyond Kumaon. A small temple and stone cairns mark the summit with a ridgeline running all the way to the higher peaks in the Kedarnath sanctuary ranges. What a view! Pictures don’t do justice to this thrilling experience. If not properly acclimatized, it is advisable not to spend too much time here.
Valley of Flowers- A Beautiful Place.
Valley of Flower
The opening of the portals of Hemkund Sahib coincided with the opening of the Valley of Flowers, a virtual paradise of flowers for the tourists and nature enthusiasts. From Ghangaria one trek goes to Hemkund Sahib and the other in the opposite direction leads to the valley of Flowers.
The Valley of Flowers, which spreads over 87.50 sq. Kms. On the left side of the Laxman Ganga river, presents an enchanting view of more than 300 species of flowers of various hues and fragrance. On account of its mystic fascination the valley is also known as 'the land of the fairies'. The valley was declared a national park in 1992 and later on it was accorded the status of 'world heritage' in 2005. The beauty of the valley reaches its culmination in July and August. Besides rare and breath taking flowers, the valley is home to rare species of wildlife such as musk deer, Himalayan black bear and snow leopard.
If you want to rejuvenate your mind, body and soul by visiting the holy places with their unique spiritual ambience and also enjoy the enthralling beauty of nature, with her majestic mountains, serpentine rivers, luxuriant forests inhabited by rare species of wildlife and valleys bursting with aromatic and multi-hued flowers, the Devbhoomi, ( the land of the gods themselves), Uttarakhand is the best destination for you at this time of the year.
Tour at HemKund Sahib
Hemkund Sahib
The Yatra season has got a further boost with the opening of the portals of Hemkund Sahib, which is considered as the fifth Dham. The shrine of Hemkund Sahib is highly revered by the Sikhs and Lakhs of Sikhs, from across the country and abroad, visit the sacred place every year. Hemkund Sahib situated at an altitude of 4150 meters in Chamoli district, the place is the most holy for the Sikhs. It is believed that in his past life, Guru Gobind Singh had meditated at this place, as a result of which he was born in his next life as Dust Daman ( the suppressor of the wicked). The spot was discovered by two Sikh sants. To reach the sacred place, which is surrounded by 7 mountain ranges, at the confluence of Alaknanda & Pushpavati rivers, 302 kilometer road journey starts from Haridwar upto Govind Ghat on the Haridwar - Badrinath National Highway. From Govind Ghat the pilgrims have to undertake an arduous journey on foot for 14 kilometers to Ghangaria and from there 5 kilometers to Hemkund Sahib.
Sardar Darshan Singh, manager of the Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib Trust told the process of pening the portals was performed by the Granthi Jassi Singh and Akhand Paath was performed afterwards, with about 20,000 devotees, mostly from uttarakhand, U.P., Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, present on the occasion. The scheduled period of the pilgrimage is of 16 weeks, from June to October 5. Extension of the duration of pilgrimage depends on weather. The Trust of the Gurudwara has made arrangements of the direct telecast of the rituals. Free boarding and lodging of the pilgrims have been made at Rishikesh, Joshimath, Govind Ghat, Ghangaria etc., by the management of the Gurudwara.