Uttarakhand is the holiest of holy places for devout Hindus. It is also a land of enchanting beauty where the Heavens meet the Earth in a glorious fusion of shapes and colors. For the religious minded Uttarakhand abounds in pilgrimage spots such as Kartik swami, Gaurikund, Baijnath, Devprayag, Jageshwar, Jankichatti, Haridwar, Joshimath,Gangnani, Madmaheshwar, Rishikesh, Rudranath, Rudraprayag, Tungnath, Patal Bhuvaneshwar, Ukhimath, Kalpeshwar, Hanumanchatti, Agastamuni, Adi Kailash and of course the famous mini char dhams Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. These are also the most important. Let’s start with these.
Yamunotri
Yamunotri is about 236 Km from Rishikesh and 278 km from Dehradun, the starting point to Chardham yatras. The holy Yamuna River starts here and there is a temple to Goddess Yamunadevi on the banks of the river. Pilgrims start their tour from Rishikesh and arrive at Hanuman Chatti from where it is a 6 Km walk, taking you across forests and craggy, winding, rock-strewn path. The Temple here was built by Maharani Guleria in the 19th century and devotees attend the arati, a glorious, soul-fulfilling sight.
Gangotri
Gangotri is the next stop on the char dham tour, about 234 km from Rishikesh and 93 km from Uttarkashi. There is a temple dedicated to Ganga Mata. The Ganges starts as Bhagirathi River at the Gaumakh glacier and flows past the temple where devotees attend aarati and worship the Goddess before proceeding on the next leg to Kedarnath. You may also visit Barkot, Bhojbasa, Dodital, Govind Wildlife Sanctuary and Hanumanchatti in the vicinity.
Kedarnath
Kedarnath is the site of one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, located about 3584 meters above sea level with a temple to Lord Shiva being the pilgrimage spot. The temple built by Adi Shankaracharya, is close to the River Mandakini and devotees have to trek from Sonprayag or Sitapur to reach here and attend the arati after which they leave for Badrinath or visit Tungnath, Madmaheshwar, Chopta and Demoria Tal. Kedarnath is about 215 Km from Rishikesh and 241 Km from Haridwar with pilgrims either taking a helicopter or traveling on road to the nearest point from where they take ponies or cover the distance on foot.
Badrinath
Badrinath is home to the holy temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and it is of special significance because it is also part of the main char dhams of India. The temple sits at a height of about 3415 metres on the banks of the Alaknanda River. The original temple is said to have been built by Adi Shankaracharaya and later on expanded in the 16th century by the King of Garhwal. Badrinath is 320 km from Haridwar and 295 km from Rishikesh.
Tungnath
The significance of Tungnath is that it is one of the Panch Kedars with a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is said to be 1000 years old but has even more ancient roots going back to the time of the Pandavas who, it is said came here searching for Lord Shiva to seek his pardon for the sin of killing their brothers in war. He assumed the form of a bull and when the Pandavas caught up with him, he split into parts and Tungnath is where the hand parts were distributed. Pilgrims commence the 4 km trek to Tungnath from the scenic resort of Chopta.
Haridwar
Haridwar is the gateway to God and also the starting point to pilgrimages in uttarakhand. Haridwar has a special significance and is considered one of the holiest cities located as it is on the banks of the Ganges. Pilgrims visit Haridwar and bathe in the River to wash away their sins. Haridwar is also the place where a Maha Kumbh Mela is held once in 3 years. It is said that when Garuda was carrying a pot of nectar, a drop fell here on the spot known as Har Ki Pauri. The city also has several other temples such as the Chandi Devi Temple dedicated to Maya Devi and the legend behind it is that it is the spot where the heart and navel of Goddess Sati fell. You can also visit the Mansa Devi Temple, another pilgrimage spot. The city is well connected to the rest of India by road and rail networks with the nearest airport being Jolly Grant Airport.
Rishikesh
Rishikesh is another holy town that is the gateway to pilgrimage tours in Uttarakhand, located close to Haridwar and well connected by road and rail networks. It is said that even during ancient times the city was the sojourn of sages with the most famous one being Raibhya Rishi. It is said Lord Rama atoned for his sin of killing Lord Ravana, a Brahmin, here on the banks of the Ganges. Rishikesh is a quaintly charming town, full of ashrams and temples and is one of the centres of Yoga and Meditation.
Rudraprayag
The significance of Rudraprayag, one of the panch prayags, is that it sits at the confluence of two of the holiest rivers, the Alaknanda and Mandakini. Apart from its religious importance, the small town is picturesque with the Himalayas for a backdrop and green forests covering the slops of the hills in the foreground and the rivers forming the focal point. From here to Agastamuni it is a distance of only 18 km. Agastamuni is home to the temple dedicated to Sage Agastya and it also happens to be a helipad. Pilgrims undertaking Helicopter Tours of Char Dham land in Agastamuni and get a chance to visit Agastya Kund and the temple of Lord Shiva.
Rudranath
Rudranath happens to be part of the Panch Kedar circuit with the Rudranath Temple being the holy spot that pilgrims must reach after a very arduous trek. The compensation is that you get to admire one of the most glorious spread of natural scenery before your eyes in the form of gorges, meadows, forests and valleys as you walk along and even though it is difficult the trek goes off like a dream. It is usual to bathe in the Vaitarni River to cleanse yourself of sins.
Kalpeshwar
If Lord Shiva is your favorite deity and you cannot undertake Chardham yatra or a trip to any of the other Panch Kedars in summer, Kalpeshwar is where you must go since it is open in winter as well. Kalpeshwar is in the bucolic surroundings of Udgam valley in Chamoli, at a height of about 2134 metes where the cold is not so intensely biting and the scenery is absolutely charming. The trek starts at Heland and from here you can also go on to Chopta or Joshimath temple to worship Lord Vishnu. Chopta, the mini Switzerland of India is also only 23 km from Kalpeshwar.
Uttarakhand abounds in temples. Devotees of Lord Vishnu can visit the Panch Badris and devotees of Lord Shiva can have a pilgrimage of the Panch Kedars. If you want something different visit Patal Bhuvaneshwar where you will find a sacred cave said to date back to the beginning of time. You traverse a 160 metre long cave where, in addition to the presence of Lord Shiva, you wil also find the tongue of Kali Bhairav and the Airavat of Indra. It is said if you cannot undertake chardham tour, simply visit Paatal Bhuvaneshwar.