Uttrakhand: According to Hindu History, during the Mahabharat...

Uttrakhand:
According to Hindu History, during the Mahabharat...: According to Hindu History, during the Mahabharatha war, the Pandavas killed their relatives; to absolve themselves of this sin, the Pand...

According to Hindu History, during the Mahabharatha war, the Pandavas killed their relatives; to absolve themselves of this sin, the Pandavas undertook a pilgrimage. But Lord Vishweshwara was away in Kailasa in the Himalayas. On learning this, the Pandavas left Kashi. They reached the Himalayas via Haridwar. They saw Lord Shankara from a distance. But Lord Shankara hid from them. Then Dharmaraj said: "Oh, Lord, You have hidden yourself from our sight because we have sinned. But, we will seek You out somehow. Only after we take your Darshan would our sins be washed away. This place, where You have hidden Yourself will be known as Guptakashi and become a famous shrine."
From Guptakashi (Rudraprayag), the Pandavas went ahead till they reached Gaurikund in the Himalayas valleys. They wandered there in search of Lord Shankara. While doing so Nakul and Sahadev found a buffalo which was unique to look at.
Then Bheema went after the buffalo with his mace. The buffalo was clever and Bheema could not catch him. But Bheema managed to hit the buffalo with his mace. The buffalo had its face hidden in a crevice-in the earth. Bheema started to pull it by its tail. In this tug-of war, the face of the buffalo went straight to Nepal, leaving its hind part in Kedar.
The devotees can experience a great peace of mind and undertaking a spiritual trip here always rekindles human beings faith in the almighty. Devotees flock to this holy pilgrimage site every year. Kedarnath in Uttarakhand is one of the most prominent sacred pilgrimages, particularly for the Hindus. The temple opens its gates for the visitors in the first week of May on the eve of Akshaya Tritiya and shuts down in the month of October-November. Gandhi Sarovar, Vasuki Tal, Gaurikund, Sonprayag, Triyuginarayan, Agastyamuni Temple and Deoria Tal are some of the memorable sites around Kedarnath.
The mesmerizing vistas and splendid sceneries in the form of the snow-fed mountains, rhododendron forests, and salubrious environment make the place truly enchanting.

Uttrakhand: Uttarakhand, the 27th state of India, is often r...

Uttrakhand:

Uttarakhand, the 27th state of India, is often r...: Uttarakhand, the 27th state of India, is often referred as the Land of Gods. It is a place blessed with the beauty ...

Badrinath and Kedarnath

Pilgrimage and Tourist place in Chamoli district:

Badrinath, a Hindu holy town is situated in the Chamoli district in Uttarakhand. In 2006, around 6,00,000 pilgrims visited this place compared to only 90,676 pilgrims in 1961. This place has found its mention in the scriptures and legends for many years now. Its importance as a holy place has been imbibed in us since childhood. The name Badrinath was derived from Badri meaning 'berries' and Nath meaning 'Lord'.

Badrinath Temple 

The Badrinath Temple also known as the Badrinarayan Temple, located in Uttarakhand's Badrinath town, is considered as the most holy among the char dhams. It is among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Lord Vishnu, who is worshipped in this temple as Shri Badrinath.The temple stands tall at a height of 50 ft, has a colorful main entrance also known as the Singhdwar. It is known to have three sections; the Garbhagriha, the Darshan Mandap, and the Sabha Mandap. The idols of Lord Badri Narayan, along with other God's statues are situated in the Garbhagriha or the Sanctum. The Sabha Mandap is the spot where all the pilgrims gather to offer their prayers.

The statue of Lord Vishnu or Badrinarayan is around 3.3 ft tall and is made of black stone (Saligram stone), which is worshipped by pilgrims as one of the eight forms of Lord Vishnu. The image is believed to have Vishnu in a dual form of Nara and Narayana.

Badrinath Yatra

Badrinath is the only sacred place which is a part of the chota char dham as well as the char dham yatra. The char dham yatra holds an important significance in the Hindu religion. Pilgrims visiting only the Badrinath Temple go on the Ek Dham yatra. This holy trip or the dham yatra is considered as the most auspicious religious activity. There is a common belief that those who go on the char dham yatra would have the gates of heaven opened for them. The same can be achieved by ek dham yatra or the Badrinath Yatra.

Uttarakhand, the 27th state of India, is often referred as the Land of Gods. It is a place blessed with the beauty of heaven and the grace of Gods. This is the place where the rivers passing through the huge rocks and wind passing through large pine trees produces a natural melody by itself. It was carved out of the state of Uttar Pradesh on November 9, 2000. It is one of the most beautiful state in the Indian union. Apart from the beautiful views of Himalayas, it is also home of the point of origin of Ganga and Yamuna. Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath are some of the places regarded sacred by Hindus.

Uttarakhand borders China in the north and Nepal to the east, while its neighbour states are Himachal Pradesh to the west and Uttar in the south. The region is traditionally referred to as Uttarakhand in old literature and scriptures which derives from the Sanskrit for North Country. The provisional capital of Uttarakhand is Dehra Dun which is also a rail-head and the largest city in the region. The small hamlet of Gairsen has been mooted as the future capital owing to its geographic centrality but controversies and lack of resources have led Dehra Dun to be the provisional capital. The High Court of Uttarakhand is situated in Nainital though most of the litigation is in Dehra Dun or Haridwar. 

 The native people call themselves Garhwali/Kumaoni and more than 90% of them are Hindus. Many also colloquially call themselves Pahari meaning "hill person" to distinguish themselves from Desis of the rest of India. Most of them identify themselves in the upper castes. Other ethnic communities in the region include Nepali who have arrived over the past century from the neighbouring country of Nepal, and the Tibatan migrants settled called as the Jadh, Marcha and Shauka on the Indo-Tibetan frontier, collectively known as the Bhotiya, and nomadic cattle herders known as Gujjar in the southern Terai region. Many Punjabis after the partition of India, Bengalis, and Tibetans of Eastern Tibet region (KHAMPA) have also settled in the southern plains part of the state. The Tharu and Buksha can also be found in the hilly Terai region, although these areas are now heavily populated by a mixed population from Punjab and the adjoining plains.

Kumaoni and Garhwali dialects are spoken is Kumaon and Garhwal region respectively. Jaunsari and Bhotia is also spoken in the region by some Tribal Communities. In various regions a mixture of both Kumaoni and Garhwali is also spoken. The city population however converse mostly in Hindi.

Literacy (2011)	79.63% 88.33% ♂ 70.70% ♀
Sex ratio (2011)	963 /1000 ♂
Languages spoken	Hindi Garhwali Kumaoni
Official languages	Hindi Sanskrit