Date: 15-04-2022
Facts About Why Uttarakhand is called Devbhoomi
> There are two khands in Uttarakhand, Kedar Khand, and Kurma(Manas) Khand
There are two khands in Uttarakhand, Kedar Khand, and Kurma(Manas) Khand. The first one being Kedar Khand (Garhwal region). The second one is known as Manas Khand(Kumaon region).
Uttarakhand is more famous as Devbhoomi Uttarakhand because there are 2 Khands (parts) in Uttarakhand. The two khands are Kedar Khand and Kurma khand. Kurma Khand is also known as Manas Khand.
People across the globe visit the Dev bhoomi for Spiritual Practice and Rituals.
> Two Holy rivers Ganga and Yamuna originate from Uttarakhand
The longest river of India Ganga river is originated from Gangotri Glacier which is in Uttarkashi District of Uttarakhand and the Yamuna river is originated from Yamnotri Glacier and the longest tributary in India.
> There are a large number of Hindu Temples in Uttarakhand
No doubt that there is a beautiful and large number of Hindu Temples in Uttarakhand state. The temples in Uttarakhand are located at beautiful locations therefore Uttarakhand is also regarded as heaven on earth.
> Adi Shankracharya Math - Out of four Math in India one math named Jyotir Matha is in Uttarakhand
Adi Shankara set up four monasteries known as Mathas in north, south, east, and west location. Govardhana Matha is located in the coastal city of Puri which is in Odisha State. Sharada Peetha is situated on the bank of the Tunga River which comes under the Chikkamagalur district of Karnataka state. Dwaraka Matha is also known as Saradha Matha and it is located in the ancient coastal city of Dwaraka in Gujarat state. Jyotir Math or Jyotir Pitha is located in Joshimath city in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand Devbhoomi. The matha tradition of Hinduism involved the place where many new texts were composed and also the support of education and culture.
> The Spiritual shrines of Char Dham is located in Uttarakhand
Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath, are four dhams which are located in Devbhoomi Uttarkhand.
Kedarnath temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva which is located on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand.
Badrinath temple is devoted to Vishnu and it is situated in Badrinath town which comes under the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
Yamunotri temple is devoted to Goddess Yamuna located in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.
Gangotri temple is dedicated to Goddess Ganga which is located in Gangotri town of Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.
> Panch Badri is situated in Uttarakhand state
Panch Badri consists of the five temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu. These five temples are Badrinath, Adi Badri, Vridha Badri, Bhavishya Badri, and Yogadhyan Badri. Apart from these five temples, there are two more Vishnu shrines namely, Ardha Badri and Narsingh Badri.
> Panch Kedar is situated in Uttarakhand state
Panch Kedar consists of five Hindu temples that are dedicated to Lord Shiva. Panch Kedar temples are situated in the Garhwal Himalayan region of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand which are Kedarnath, Rudranath, Tungnath, Madmaheshwar, and Kalpeshwar.
> Panch prayag is located in Uttarakhand
Prayag or confluence means in Hindu culture is a confluence of two or more rivers where ablutions before worship take place. The Panch Prayag of Uttarakhand devbhoomi are the following:
Alaknanda river joins Dhauliganga river in Vishnuprayag, near Joshimath.
Alaknanda river joins Nandakini river in Nandaprayag.
Pindar river joins Alaknanda river in Karnaprayag.
Alaknanda river joins Mandakini river in Rudraprayag.
Alaknanda river joins Bhagirathi river forming river Ganga in Devprayag.
> Out of 12 Jyotirlinga in India one is located in Uttarakhand named Kedarnath
Jyotirlinga or Jyotirlingam is a devotional representation of the Hindu god Lord Shiva. The word Jyotish which means radiance and linga are Sanskrit words. There are 12 Jyotirlinga in India and Kedarnath is also regarded as the 5th Jyotirlinga out of 12 Jyotirlinga in India. Kedarnath temple is located on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini river in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand.
.> Tungnath is the highest elevation Shiva temple in the world is located in Uttarakhand
Tungnath temple a Shiva Temple is located at high altitude of 3680m or 12070 ft. and it comes under the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. The Tungnath temple is built by the Pandavas of Mahabharat and dedicated to Lord Shiva. The name of the temple is derived from Tung which means arms and Nath which symbolizes Lord Shiva.
11.Maha Kumbh Mela held in Haridwar district of Uttarakhand in a cycle of every 12 years
Kumbh Mela is a pilgrimage and festival of Hinduism in India. This auspicious festival is celebrated in a cycle of 12 years at four river bank pilgrimage sites which are in the Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain. Kumbh Mela 2033 will take place in Haridwar district of Uttarakhand.
Kumbh Mela Celebrations At Haridwar
Though all the Kumbh Melas enjoy almost similar quantity of devotees but the name of Haridwar comes at the top of all Indian pilgrimages. Hence the Kumbh Mela of Haridwar enjoys exceptional media coverage and Tourist traffic. The place is termed as the gateway to heaven in Hindu mythological scriptures. The Myth behind the celebration of Kumbh Mela goes like this, after the Deva-Asura war, which went on for quite some time, both the involved parties came to a conclusion that they instead of fighting should come together and churn the milky ocean to obtain the Elixir. The sea was churned and elixir was obtained but it was not meant for the Asura or the demons hence the god who appeared from the sea with the Kumbh or the pitcher of elixir ran from the chasing Asuras. In this chase a few drops fell on earth and now at these four places the Kumbh Mela is conducted.
Kumbh mela 2025 tour planner - will take you to Allahabad where Ardh Kumbh Mela is being celebrated with great fervor and faith.
> Rishikesh which is known as the “Yoga capital of the world†is located in Uttarakhand
Rishikesh is known as the “Yoga capital of the world†and India's holiest and spiritual place for the past thousands of years. Rishikesh is located on the bank of the river Ganga, many people across the world come to Rishikesh to learn Yoga techniques and spiritual practices. There are many temples in Rishikesh and also Rishikesh is one of the tourist spots in Uttarakhand.
> The town of Rishikesh plays an important role in the epic Ramayana, because it is in this sacred town that Ram along with his brothers came to offer penance after killing Ravan.
The town of Rishikesh also plays an important role in the epic Ramayana, because it is in this sacred town that Ram along with his brothers came to offer penance after killing Ravan. While Ram performed his penance a little ahead of Rishikesh in Devaprayag, his two younger brothers Lakshman and Shatrughna performed it on the side of the river Ganga in Rishikesh. The point where the two brothers had meditated have two temples to mark the sacredness of the spaces. The point where Lakshman had crossed the Ganga had a jute-rope bridge for many centuries, which remained as such until 1889, after which an iron-rope suspension bridge name Lakshman Jhula was built to facilitate the pilgrims.
> The three-week-long Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra is held in Uttarakhand
This festival is held for whole three weeks and is organized once in every twelve years in the Chamoli District of Garhwal Region. Nanda Devi Raj Jaat Yatra is performed on a long route that takes almost twenty-two days to complete. Nanda Devi Raj Jat is a pilgrimage and festival of Uttarakhand where people from Garhwal and Kumaon division as well as people across India and other countries participate The goddess Nanda Devi is worshipped in many places of Garhwal and Kumaon region.
Jatra refers to Dev Yatra that describes the tales of the bonding of deities and devotees. The distance of this whole journey (yatra) is around 290 km. The sacred yatra begins from Nauti Village in Karanprayag of Chamoli district and ends in Roopkund, where hundreds of skeletons can be seen. The yatra starts once the 'Kunwar' of the village Kansua inaugurates it with the rituals. The three weeks of the journey is fully packed with exposure to Uttarakhand's culture, lifestyle, flora & fauna.
Next Date of Nanda Devi Yatra : Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra can be held between August to September in the year 2026. *Yatra of year may vary.
> Ganga Dussehra Festival Uttarakhand
Commemorating the descent of River Ganga on Earth, this religious festival is when the devotees have an opportunity to take a dip in the water of this holy river in Haridwar and Rishikesh.
Celebrated in the state of Uttarakhand, Ganga Dusshera or Dasar Festival is organized in the month of May-June. The festival is held for ten days where Ganga River is worshipped. As per Hindu mythology, on this day, the holy River Ganga descended from heaven to earth. This festival in Uttarakhand starts on the Amavasya night (waxing moon) of Hindu calendar and ends on Dashami tithi (10th Day).
An Aarti takes place on Ganga Dusshera which is held on the bank of the river in the popular pilgrimage destinations of Haridwar and Rishikesh. Ganga Dussehra is all about cleansing the soul by taking bath in the sacred River of Ganga. After taking bath people also meditate on the banks of River Ganges. In the evening earthen lamps are floated in the river along with the singing of devotional songs by the devotees.
> The Rich and diverse area Valley of Flowers is located in Uttarakhand
Valley of flowers is situation in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand. People and tourists from all over the world come to see its exotic creation of flora and fauna. With the most relaxing and peaceful environment, you are sure to enjoy the space to the fullest! Famous for the charming meadows and alpine flowers, the Valley of Flowers places itself near Badrinath in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. Being a famous National park since 1982 and achieving a title of UNESCO World Heritage site since July 14, 2005, it is one of the most welcoming space for not just the residents but also the tourists. It is a space that blossoms up with a wide range of flowers and a room for several rare and exotic birds. Very commonly known amongst trekkers around the world, it is a common attraction for an adventure.
Valley of Flowers from Dehradun opens up in June for everyone till the first week of October.
> Uttarakhand is also known as the abode of Pandavas
It is believed that Pandavas used to visit in some parts of Uttarakhand. Pandavas build many temples in Uttarakhand and stay in Uttarakhand during the Mahabharat period. It is believed that during the Mahabharat period the Pandavas crossed the Mana village which is located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand during their final journey to heaven.
The Mahabharata Circuit covers all the places associated with the epic in the state of Uttarakhand. Around 250-300 km long, this circuit spans from Mana, the last village of India towards the international border, all the way to scenic Dodital.
> Auli Bugyal is the largest and highest altitude meadow in India is located in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand is not only known for being one of the holiest destinations in the world for having a spiritual awakening but it is also one of the most scenic and awe-inspiring destinations in the entire Indian subcontinent. The landscape of Uttarakhand offers some of the most impeccable variations of like the lush green undulating rolling meadows and the snow-capped frigid mountain tops which offers this state a charm and personality of its own. As the name suggests a 'Bugyal' can be literally translated into a 'green meadow', which are primarily located in the high altitude regions of Uttarakhand. These Bugyals or alpine meadows offer tranquil and serene moments of peace that has made its place in the hearts of everyone visiting this place. The Bugyals are also lovingly named as ‘nature’s own gardens’ and the said meadows can be either flat or with light undulations while at the same time being dotted with various colorful blooming plants, bushes, flowers and medicinal herbs.
Situated in the district of Chamoli this lush green meadow sits in a picturesque location amongst the grand and majestic region of Garhwal Himalayas. Also known popularly as the ‘heaven terrac this meadow sits at an elevation of 10,010 feet above sea level and is home to some of the most thick and long lasting forests of oak and deodar. Setting the backdrop of this magnificent Bugyal is the grand Nanda Devi Parbat, Kamet peak and mana peak among others. The trekking journey to Auli will take you across some of the most thriving and lush vegetations including glistening apple orchards and oak forests. When the winter months commences and the entire regions is laden with a thick covering of snow these Bugyals are converted into skiing sites where people visit to have a fun filled time with their family and loved ones.
Best Time to Visit - November to March / May to October / December to February