For an Indian, a venture into the Himalayas is more than a mere journey; it is a yatra. And a pilgrimage does not hold more importance than it does in Garhwal and Kumaon , once known as Uttarakhand , the 'northern territories' of the pre-Vedic era.

History & Mythology Dhams of Uttarakhand Tourist Attractions Adventure Sports Natural Habitat Best Time To Visit

This is the domain of the ascetic Lord Shiva, the destroyer and re-creator; it is a land charged with Shakti, the power and energy of the goddess Parvati, consort of Shiva and daughter of Himavat, Lord of the Mountains. Together Garhwal and Kumaon form a sizable wedge in the Central Himalayas, joining Himachal Pradesh in the west to Nepal in the east.

History & Mythology

Garhwal today remains a land of myth and legend, where every stone tells a story. Kumaon which lies almost south to the great Himalayan range, is moderate in it's constitution. The lie of its land is gentler in its undulations, its lore more lyrical. What permeates the open valleys is a simpler, singular faith in the presiding deity of Kumaon - Nanda Devi, the goddess of Bliss. The graceful peak of Nanda Devi , is visible from almost everywhere in Kumaon. Nanda Devi who is said to be the reincarnation of Parvati is said to represent the icy, unmoving form of Parvati in endless anticipation of her desired consort, Lord Shiva.

The earliest historical references to the region are found in the Vedas, paeans to the purity of the Himalayas. Specific mention of the mountains exists in the Mahabharata, dated to about 1000 BC, when the protagonists of the epic, the Pandavas, are said to have ended their life on earth by ascending the slopes of a peak in western Garhwal called Swargarohini - literally, the 'Ascent to Heaven'. The epic also mentions this region as the home of the Kirata, Pulinda and Tangara tribes.

Succeeding the Macedonian march across the Himalayan foothills, an imperialist tradition was instituted around 330 .AD, by the Gupta's. This was followed by the Vardhanas in the fifth century AD. The ultimate downfall of the Vardhana empire saw the emergence of a number of small principalities controlled by petty chiefs. Subsequently during the time of the Turkish onslaught on the plains. They were subject to change in size and power as additional waves of migration took place.

Whoever was in power added to the tradition of meditation and worship in these unspoiled mountain enclaves. Today, if a resident is asked about the history of the region, the answer is more likely to be shaped by myth than by chronicle. Even now, the local villages associate various towns and habitations with affairs of state of state and politics. This is largely due to the efforts of the saint, Adi Shankaracharya, a Namboodri Brahmin from Malabar in South India.

He was almost entirely responsible for the revival of Hinduism in the early ninth century. At the time that he set out on his reformist mission, Uttarakhand was a medley of mystic cults, naga worship, tantric rites and animistic faith. He established a series of dhams and maths - seats of Hindu religion - at elevated sites in the amidst of the Himalayas.

At Jyotirmath, now Joshimath, he set up an institution of Hindu learning and instruction, a tradition that remains till this day. At Badrinath, he installed the image of Lord Vishnu near the source of the Alaknanda River, and at Kedarnath he chose to enshrine Lord Shiva himself. He died in 820Ad at Kedarnath and his samadhi (memorial) lures thousands of pilgrims till today.

Dhams of Uttarakhand

The pilgrim's progress to the four most sacred Dhams of Uttarakhand is made along rivers that have shaped the lives of countless millions of North Indians over the centuries: the temple of Yamnotri lies at the head of the River Yamuna; the Ganga is worshipped at Gangotri, Lord Shiva's shrine at Kedarnath is near the source of the Mandakini River; Badrinath is situated below the massif where the Alaknanda gathers its headwaters.

According to tradition a pilgrim should visit these dhams from left to right - geographically, from west to east - beginning with Yamunotri, then Gangotri, Kedarnath and finally Badrinath. Each stage in the journey to these dhams has its own special history. Along the route , the five prayags, the confluence of the holy rivers are the most holy. At each juncture, the flowing forms of the godde
sses unite, eventually giving birth to an even greater energy- the River Ganga.

The highest of the confluence's is at Vishnuprayag, where the Vishnu Ganga meets the Dhauli Ganga below Joshimath. Further downstream, the Alaknanda is met by the Mandakini, which gathers its headwaters from the snows of the sentinel's peaks around Nanda Devi. Nandprayag is where the waters mingle, the Mandakini, flowing down from Kedarnath, is the first major river to meet the Alaknanda from the west. The confluence is named Rudraprayag. Deoprayag, the biggest of the five major confluences is also considered the holiest. Here the Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda, carrying the waters once dispersed by the locks of Shiva, reunite to form the Ganga.

The name of this sacred city means the 'Gates of Heaven', for it is here that all pilgrimages to the mountains shrine traditionally begin. Each day, thousands of devotees pass through it stopping to bathe at Har-ki-pauri, the holy Ghats that bear the footprint of Shiva. And having washed, they find a quiet spot on the steps to wait for the evening, when they will float flowers and lighted earthen lamps down the water. This is the hour of the aarti, the fire worship of the Ganga, for which Har-ki-pauri is prominent. Every 12 years, Hardwar hosts the Kumbh mela or fair, when millions of Indians gather on these banks for a dip.

Tourist attractions

For the contemporary tourist, distanced from the religious circuit, a holiday in these northern territories is a far cry from the sea of sufferings that they represented the original pilgrim. Today with roads leading to most destinations, the 'soft opinion' is available,. Kumaon, in fact has an advantage over Garhwal in this respect, with its lower, more stable hillsides offering better traveling facilities and some superbly sited towns that are popular for their vistas of the Garhwal Himalayas.

The pride of place is Binsar (2,412 meters, or 7,887 feet), the hilltop perch with the most remarkable view of the great Himalayan range: from here, the sun can be seen rising over the peaks in Nepal and setting over the far end of an uncluttered panorama.

Some places of course, draw visitors entirely by virtue of their climatic charms and ambiance. Referred to simply as 'hill stations', Mussoorie and Nainital are two such cities, in prime time catering to a floating population that outstrips the residents, but sustain a certain popularity throughout the year. Alpine cottages, shopping promenades, recreational centers, restaurants and hotels cling to the Himalayan spurs, surrounded by dense woods of oak, pine, fir and rhododendron.

The lake, the main attraction of Nainital gives the town its name and character, surrounded by graceful weeping willows, the emerald waters have quiet walks along their four-kilometer circumference, while a boat club adds to the natural pleasures of the lake. The lake is named after the eyes (nain) of Parvati.

Nainital is the essence of what is known as the 'Lake District of Kumaon'. Others in the region are the larger Bhimtal, the complex of Sat-tal (the Seven Lakes) and the nine-cornered Naukuchiya Tal. These lakes of Kumaon are easy to access, but a visitor has to labor before he can reach the bank of Garhwal's high-altitude pools.

Dodital (3,024 metres or 9,888 feet), two days' walk away from the road is an angler's paradise. This lake, one of the highest places in the world where trout can be found, is surrounded by dense woods and a profusion of flowers in summer. Hemkund (4,150 metres, or 13,570 feet), the 'Lake of Ice', is sacred to the Sikhs; it is believed to be where Guru Gobind Singh (the Tenth Guru) meditated before he raised an army to fight the Mughals on the plains, but the beautiful surroundings themselves are incentive enough to make the pilgrimage. Just off the trek to the famed valley of flowers, Hemkund receives a steady stream of visitors, both pilgrims and naturalists.

Less visited is the cluster of seven lakes known as Sahastratal, near the Khatling glacier. As high as 4,572 metres (14,950 feet), these secluded water bodies are the center of an annual pilgrimage for nearby villagers, who take their ritual dip in the freezing waters. The fortunate are rewarded by the sighting of the Brahmakamal - the exotic Himalayan Lotus - by the water's brink. Perhaps the most mysterious, and the least accessible, is Roopkund (4,778 metres, or 15,624 feet). Only about 150 metres in circumference and quite shallow, this glacial pool thaws during the summer for few weeks. What draws most people to the high-altitude location is not just the trek through the picturesque meadows but it's grisly past.

Adventure Sports

Mountaineering as a sport began in the Himalayas in the 19th century - as a quest to reach the feet of the goddess. Today, Garhwal and Kumaon are visited by scores of expeditions from all over the world.

This complex knot of the Great Himalayan range is studded with summits whose names ring with reverence: Nanda Devi, the Goddess of Bliss (7,817 metres, or 25,562 feet); Trishul, the Trident of Shiva (7,120 metres, or 23,282 feet); Nanda Ghunti, the Veil of the Goddess (6,309 metres, or 20,630 feet; Swargarohini, the Ascent of Heaven (6,252 metres, or 20,444 feet); Neelkantha, the Blue throated Shiva (6,596 metres, or21,569 feet). There are hundreds of peaks above 6,000 metres, many unnamed and unclimbed, to challenge the more adventurous.

Recently, a new method of adventure travel has developed in these valleys. River runners raft down the various arms of the Ganga, using nature's own thoroughfare to gain a unique perspective of the land. With the rapids now well read and graded, this guided sport is fast gaining popularity.

Natural Habitat

Lower Garhwal and Kumaon are richly endowed with wildlife. The southernmost fold of the hills - the Shivaliks - rises only about 1,000 metres (3,270 feet) from the Gangetic flats, and often has another broad plain beyond it, as at Dehradun.

Best Time To Visit

Garhwal is best between September and April or even all year round. The monsoons cast a misty spell on the town, a sight worth seeing. If you want to see snow, then plan your trip around January, but keep in mind that the roads can be dangerous at this time.

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