Exploring the unexplored Uttarakhand-India

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So..I had been planning this trip for a while. I explored some of the least visited areas of Uttarakhand in a unique way. Daily adventurous road trips, homestays with the locals and many more offbeat experiences- this was my idea of a holiday!

I started with an overnight bus journey from Delhi to Rishikesh. Reaching Rishikesh early morning at 4am I spent my time at the Triveni ghaat. The ghaat as the name suggests marks the confluence of India's three most holy rivers: the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati. Triveni ghaat gave me a cool and peaceful environment to sit and enjoy. I filled my lungs full with the early morning fresh air as much as I can. With sunrise, I could see several people coming up for their first holy dips and prayers.

Next, I took a bus from Rishikesh to Karnprayag. The journey gave an exquisite view of the mountain ranges and the river flowing through. Devprayag, the first spot; is the sacred merging of the rivers Alaknanda and Bhagirathi, to form the holy Ganga. I was amazed to see the beautiful color contrast of the two rivers at their merging point. Srinagar came next, followed by Rudraprayag and finally reached Karnprayag. These sites are known for many temples and other religious places. I went ahead and spent my evening with the locals at Kulsari, Chamoli.

I was welcomed warmly by the locals. My day ended with eating with them and listening to their stories. I woke up to an amazing rainy morning the next day. It was continuously raining the whole night. From the window, I could see how nature was flourishing on its own, small frogs jumping here and there on the fresh green grass. The rains made the place so heavenly and washed off all my previous day's travel exhaustion.

After a heavy breakfast, I left for my next stop- Gwaldam. Now Gwaldam is a place famous for its picturesque scenic beauty, like a painter has painted the place using his most rich vibrant colors-apple plantations, tea enclosures and rich greenery. The deodar cover of the landscape, with the Pindar river winding calmly, makes it a beautiful holiday spot. I first visited the Machchi taal, the fish lake on the road to Debal. Initially, this place was setup in the times of British to breed fish for personal consumption. But presently it is run as a fish production farm by the state government of Uttarakhand. I was taken a back with the lush green environment this place provides. Gwaldam offers the fascinating view of the Himalayan peaks Nanda devi, Trishul and Nanda Ghuti. It is also famous for its ancient Daak-khana; the post office and Chaay-khana; the tea gardens which provide a breathtaking view of the snow-capped mountains. Angora farms, yet another beautiful spot is home to Angora rabbits and sheep used for wool cultivation. The Buddhist Khamba temple provides a peaceful aura to sit and meditate. It is adorned with statues of Gautam Buddha out of stones. After so much of sight-seeing, I enjoyed Maagi noodles at a road-side café facing the mountains. I spent the night at a local’s house.



Next morning, after another heavy breakfast, I left for Bageshwar, the holy city of the god- Shiva. Bageshwar is a small city of temples standing at an elevation of 1004 m, at the confluence of Gomti and Saryu river.Garur, the first spot situated on the Bageshwar road is about 32Kms away from Gwaldam. The famous ancient Baijnath temple is situated at this place located at an altitude of 1126 mts. The temple complex consists of around 10-15 temples with the main temple located in the centre. I was awestruck to see the temple’s beautiful stone architecture. Just outside the complex lies a beautiful lake full of fishes. I spent hours sitting on the stones, mesmerized by the peaceful environment. Next day I entered the main Bageshwar city and visited the Bagnath temple; the temple of the tiger lord, giving city its name. This temple is again dedicated to lord Shiva, exhibiting a marvelous architecture with brass bells of different shapes and sizes. According to the Hindu scriptures, it is the place where Sage Markandeya worshipped Lord Shiva, and pleased with the sage’s prayers Shiva manifested in the form of a tiger. Chandika temple is a sacred shrine dedicated to the Hindu Godess Chandika; Kali. The temple apart from its religious significance provides a perfect view of the Bageshwar’s scenic beauty. The Gauri Udiyaar cave is a small rock cave situated in the wild, not known to many. It houses various naturally formed idols of Shiva. The temple is dedicated to Shiva’s wife Gauri (Paravati). This cave is a hidden gem. The locals suggest that the idol formations in the cave has fresh cold water coming out in summers and hot waters in winters, a story was also told about milk coming out of these idol formations in the initial times. Baali ghaat, a very deep stream of Saryu river provides a peaceful environment to sit and relax by the river. Locals suggest that the water at this particular point is so deep, that the depth of the stream has not been measured till now. The Nileshwar temple, yet another Shiva temple is situated at great height among the Nileshwar mountains, providing a great view of the entire city.

My trip ended here. This was my idea of a perfect adventrous hoilday. Stay tuned for more!

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Comments

[Sunila]

Good photography,nice discription of places