Splendid Uttarakhand - PathikWorld

WITH SCENIC LOCALES, DEVOTIONAL LANDMARKS, STUNNING ARCHITECTURE AND RICH BIODIVERSITY, UTTARAKHAND HAS EMERGED AS A TOURISM HUB WITH LAKHS OF TOURISTS VISITING THE HILL STATE EVERY YEAR. AND NOW AT THE GOVERNMENT LEVEL, SEVERAL DEVELOPMENT MEASURES ARE BEING TAKEN TO STRENGTHEN SPIRITUAL TOURISM IN THE STATE

After the Covid pandemic, the footfall has increased manifold to the char Dham yatra of Uttarakhand, pro-claimed as the biggest pilgrimage circuit in the world. Several arduous to moderate trekking trails, ganga river rafting, cable car riding to temple mountain tops, skiing in Auli and local legends around almost every corner have made Uttarakhand a tourist’s paradise . The state has something to offer to every visitor, irrespective of their travelling preferences be it spiritual, medical, or adventure tourism.
This year till October, 37 lakh pilgrims have visited the four major shrines Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri and by the end of this month, the footfall will cross 40 lakhs, say the officials.

MANASKHAND CIRCUIT IN KUMAON REGION

Amidst surreal beauty lies the Kumaon range of Himalayas in Uttarakhand which has major potential to draw the tourists. The state government is determined to improve road connectivity to 17 tourist destinations in Kumaon as part of phase 1 project which will be completed in five years.

VIVEKANAND CIRCUIT IN ALMORA

The state is imprinted with Swami Vivekananda’s teachings, which draws the seekers of truth from all over the world . Seeking wisdom, they take on the trail that inspired the Swami so much. Kathgodam, the last railway station of Uttarakhand, is the starting point of this almost long circuit developed by Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board and Ramakrishna mission. In the newly developed circuit, the first stopover is Kakrighat, where under a peepal tree, the seer had experience of oneness of the universe. About 20 kms away from Kakrighat lies Thompson House, where Vivekananda corner which was renamed from Bright end corner to the seer’s name by Municipal Corporation. In Champawat region is Advaita ashram of Mayavati,located amidst verdure greens and mounts. The erstwhile tea estate was developed into an ashram by Captain and Mrs Sevier, British disciples of Vivekananda. It houses a beautiful museum with the first printing press brought by the ashram for printing a monthly journal titled Awakened India. Set up in 1915 is another popular ashram with a hospital catering to 50 villages around in Shyamlatal, near to the lake.

ALL WEATHER ROADS TO CHAR DHAM

RISHIKESH-KARNAPRAG MONORAIL

A single mono rail project connecting Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Gauchar and Karnprayag is underway which will traverse through five districts of the state. It will also cut the travel time between Rishikesh and Karnaprayag from 7 hours to just over 2 hours. Land acquisition and forest clearances have been obtained for the entire project. Till date 70 km tunnel has already been excavated out of a total length of 125 km. Out of three main rail bridges, one across river chandrabagha at Rishikesh has been opened to the public.

RAJAJI NATIONAL PARK

Situated on the right bank of the Ganga at the foothills of the Shivalik ranges, Haridwar is regarded as a holy place for Hindus, hosting important raligious events and serving as a gateway to several prominent places of worship. Lush green forests and small ponds add to the scenic beauty of this holy land. The Rajaji National park, just 10 kms from Haridwar, is an ideal destination for wildlife and adventure lovers. In the evening, the ghats look breathtakingly beautiful as thousand of lamps and marigold flowers float and illuminate the holy waters.

–Contents Taken from Times Plus (Haridwar Edition), Date 16th October 2022