Enjoy Comfortable and Convenient Stay at Luxury Hotels in Corbett

Check out the best hotels in Corbett that best suit all your accommodation needs and offers you a memorable stay. If you are a nature lover or adventure fanatic then what is the best way of spending your next vacation, other than spending it exploring the vast Corbett National Park. It is The Perfect Spot for those who love watching the magnificent wild animals and rare birds in their natural habitat. Situated in the Nainital district in the state of Uttarakhand, the place is a nature park which is the oldest national park in India. It was established in 1936 with the aim to save the endangering Bengal Tigers.

Today, the park is a dense jungle flourishing in an area of 201.1 square miles. It mainly consists of trees like sal, peepal, rohini, mango, and haldu. It also consists of a large lake, marshy basin, hills, river belts, and grasslands. According to the statistics, the park is the home 110 species of trees, 488 species of plants, 50 mammal species, 580 bird species, and 25 reptile species.

The park is one of the most important elements in India tourism, and without it the tourism in India is simply incomplete. Enjoying the safari is the prime attraction in the region. In addition to that, there are several other things to do in the region. Dhikala, Jhirna, Bijrani, Durga Devi are the other popular places to visit in Corbett. If you are done sightseeing the park then heading to these tourists spots is the thing you should do next. The Corbett region is often crowded by visitors and nature lovers throughout the year. This in-turn gives the hotel and travel industry to establish their branches in the region.

Following are two most run-after hotels in Corbett offering the best value for price amenities and facilities.

Jims Jungle Retreat– The hotel is a 5 Star property and is spread in an area of 15 acres that consists lush landscapes. If you are in the region especially for tourism and adventure purposes, this is the hotel that you should consider. It offers a plethora of adventure activities, namely trekking, safari, bird-spotting, rappelling, river rafting, and rock climbing etc. In addition, for the laid-backs the hotel also offers personalized services like currency exchange, taxi services, guide, travel desk, laundry, airport transport, railway station transport, spa, library, Ayurveda and massage centre etc. The rooms consist of elegant decor and all modern conveniences. Finally, the hotel also boasts of in-house dining option serving aromatic-gourmet Indian and Continental cuisines.

Corbett River View Retreat– The hotel is among the best hotels in Corbett and popular among the guests. It is a 4 Star hotel and best accommodation option for tourists. It offers personalized services that will make your trip memorable. These include travel guide, arranging safari, airport/railway station transport facility, river rafting, rock climbing, bonfire etc. This hotel is ideal for travellers seeking break from the hustle-bustle of city life and want to relax on the lap of nature. The hotel is located in a scenic place and offers rooms well-appointed with modern in-room conveniences. In addition to that, it also houses a well-equipped conference hall, swimming pool, spa, fitness centre, entertainment centre, and a fantastic multi-cuisine restaurant.

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Badrinath Location – How to Reach Badrinath

Badrinath occupies a unique position in char Dham Yatras. It is part of the “Chota” char Dham yatra in Uttarakhand and the “major” char Dham Yatra comprising of Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameshwaram. Badrinath pilgrimage Tirthdham is located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. The temple is at a height of 3415 metres with the Nilkanth peak in the background and the Alaknanda River flows by its side. The temple is about 50 feet in height with a gold capped spire. There is a Darshan Mandap, a Sabha Mandap and a Garbha Griha that houses idols of Badri Narayan or Lord Vishnu, Kuber, Narad, Udhav and Nar-Narayan. The complex houses 15 idols but the most striking one is that of Badrinath in black stone.

Badrinath Ji Darshan

Opening

Rthe temple opens for general public around Akshay trij in April-May and Darshan timings are 4.30 AM to 1 PM and 4 PM to 9 PM. With the onset of winter around Diwali the temple closes and the idol is brought down to Joshimath, the winter residence of the Lord.

Getting There

Most pilgrims choose to travel by road because it is affordable and one gets to interact with people. Haridwar, the main railway junction is the starting point from where one travels onward to Rishikesh and then onwards to Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, Nandaprayag, Chamoli, Pipalkoti, Helang, Joshimath, Govindghat and then Hanuman Chatti. From here pilgrims walk upwards to the holy temple of Badrinath. The road travel involves a distance of 298 kilometres. One can just as well travel via Guptkashi to Gopeshwar to Chamoli and Badrinath by road. There is an easier and quicker way for pilgrims in a hurry or for those who cannot undertake the physical rigors of road travel and the trek. That way is to go in for helicopter services to Badrinath.

Helicopter to Badrinath

Helicopter to Badrinath

These days a Yatra to Badrinath is easy and can be completed in a day or so if one goes the aerial route. Just fly down to Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun and get into a helicopter. Sahastradhara is one helipad where charter services are available for Badrinath. Flights usually depart at around 6.30 AM and one must remain present at least half an hour before the take-off time. Weather plays an important role and if conditions do not permit then the flight may be cancelled. If all is well the helicopter with its 4 to 5 passengers lifts off and it is an hour’s flight. Passengers can enjoy a breathtaking view of the scenery and the Himalayas all around. After about 50 minutes one can see the town of Badrinath and the temple. The helicopter lands and passengers disembark and make their way to the waiting car that takes them close to the temple. They alight and walk about 100 metres to the shrine. It is as easy as that. Flying also gets you advantages such as VIP Darshan which means you do not line up with the rest of the pilgrims but are taken straight to the sanctum. Once the Darshan is over passengers return to the waiting helicopter and are whisked off to Dehradun. You are back by 10.30 AM. It takes just 4 hours to complete Badrinath Yatra by helicopter.  By night you could be back in Delhi.

Rishikesh: Abode of Yoga and Tapasya

The Gateway to the Himalayas, the Char Dham Yatra i.e. The Four Sacred Journey of Hindus ideally begins from Rishikesh. Rishikesh is a small pilgrimage town, 1745 ft above the sea level, in North India in state of Uttarakhand. Rishikesh has eternal beauty, imperial and divine and enhancing this place are temples, ashrams and saints where they do “Tapasya” and meditate which gives celestial aura to this small town. The place is mesmerized and blessed by the sacred river Ganges; it is where it comes down and then enters the northern plains. The place of natural splendor and spectacle of the River Ganges rushing through the Himalayan foothills is breathtaking and awesome sight.

The temples dotting the bank and sacred rituals are being carried out on banks, its divine site. The place is mentioned in Veda’s, the name Rishikesh is another name of Lord Vishnu, according to mythology of Hindus, Lord Vishnu vanquished demon Madhu here. The great saints and yogis are believed to practice penance and have done austerities here. There is a scared Lakshman Jhula which is a bridge built on River Ganges for crossing, but it has mythology story attached of Lakshmana crossing it with jute rope and has carried out penance here. Also Ram Jhula another bridge has been made for crossing purpose by Rishikesh people.

For you to visit Rishikesh there are number of bus and train services offered. And in Rishikesh you can take Auto-Rickshaws for traveling around. Rishikesh timeless enigma could be felt in number of places that you must visit in your journey of divine abode:

• Lakshmana Jhula
• Gita Bhavan
• Lakshman mandir and Bharata Mandir
• Neelkanth Mahadev Mandir
• Trimbakeshwar Temple
• Triveni Ghat (for ritual Bathing)
• Parmarth Niketan- Ashram where you can get knowledge or Gyaan of Vedas Education and see the spectacular Aarti/Pooja

Swargashram

The name means Heavenly Abode, and justifying the name, it is a beautiful place in the picturesque location at the foot of Himalayas with River Ganges in west bestowing it, “ground zero” or the Spiritual domicile of Rishikesh which is concentration of ashrams and temples. The life here is simple, healthy and divine, a satwik environment. Rishikesh is the holy city blessed by many holy sages. The place has reverberating with the chants of Hare Rama Hare Krishna.

The Ganga allures the people for its healing bath, and Rishikesh is said to be place where the austerities will get you closer to salvation than any other place. The river is abounds in fish because of offerings of puffed rice are made to these creatures by the people in going good deeds and also eating of other creature is banned and no where you will find non-vegetarian food. There is freshness in the air, and rhythm of flowing water, the charming beauty of the region and the distant sound of bell chimes create an extraordinary memorable experience for those visiting this ancient pilgrimage town.

The place is known as World Capital of Yoga, with such serene, tranquil, calm and peaceful environment and all satwik food, it is an idyllic place to practice the Yoga a key to good health and long life and also the best stress buster. India has got tremendous amount of traditional Knowledge of Yoga and Pranayam and Ayurvedic along with its Vedic knowledge. All this clubbed together with give you a wholesome spiritual, mental and physical growth. Though the stress is unavoidable in this materialistic life that we humans lead, it has caused damaged to out wellbeing in physical and mental health. We sustain chronic and incurable disease, stressful life, restlessness, anxiety, fatigue, fast ageing and frustrations in our day to day life. We experience burnout and thus we have an extreme need to practice these yoga and meditation which will add discipline and balance to our chaotic lives. Yoga gives us the power to heal, and live life in optimism and dynamism. Rishikesh is best place in world for it has the perfect setting to do yoga and the experts of this practice are found here in numbers which teach you the skills, practice and art of yoga. Doing yoga in fresh air of mountains will detoxify you and set your nerves calm and meditating on the bank of Ganges will give your mind, body and spirit the peace and tranquility. There are numerous practices of yoga and all forms and styles are represented here. Major yoga centers are:

• Braham Yoga centre
• Yoga Iyengar Courses
• Yogi Prakash Dabhekar
• Tattvaa Yogashala
• The Yoga Study Centre
• Yoga Niketan Ashram

Rishikesh hosts an International Yoga Festival, which is held every year in the first week of February. All the Beatles fans must know about the eternal beauty of Rishikesh. In February 1968, The Beatles had come to India to visit the now-closed Maharishi Mahesh Yogis ashram which is now over taken by weeds and forest. The place inspired the Beatles to compose nearly 48 songs during their time of stay at the Maharishis ashram, amongst those composed songs many of them appear on their White Album. John Lennon has also recorded a song here, titled, The Happy Rishikesh Song. Many other artists, including Mike Love of The Beach Boys, Gyp Mills and Donovan have visited the Rishikesh to contemplate and meditate.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ayurvedic Centre in the Niketan Ashram sells Ayurvedic health products. Here they also organise classes in learning of basic Ayurveda medicine, herbs, potions and practises if there are number of students.

Rishikesh valley is an eco health resort, with a service of naturopath and Ayurveda health consultant with rejuvenating therapies which is blend of Ayurveda and natural care with healthy Food. Also calming and relaxing therapies of yoga and passive meditation.

In Rishikesh you can also buy an overabundance of religious paraphernalia, bronze Shiva statues and of other deities.

Rishikesh is the holy land and with the grandeur of scenic beauties of mountains and river Ganges. The place is ideal for getting yourself to learn yoga and medicinal practice of Ayurveda. The blessings of the sages and vibes of saints practicing austerities penance and tapasya the place will leave the visitors heart with calm and fulfilling experience of peace.

Trekking Destinations in Garhwal Himalaya

Over 20 Of The Most Scenic And Awe-Inspiring Trekking Trails In The World

Himalayas of Uttarakhand are on the Nature’s utmost arresting and awesome gifts to the mankind which is covered with beautiful and ravishing white blankets of snow. It is a land sanctified with glistening glaciers, snowy peaks, rolling-meadows, jagged rock faces, gushing cascades, thick woods, and hospitable people with sumptuous cultural values. The most frequently visited region of Himalayas is Garhwal which is situated between the Punjab to the West and the Nepal Himalayas to the East and it is the best place to enjoy the pleasure of mountaineering, trekking, and rock climbing. You can also visit the holy temples of Gangotri, Kedarnath, Badrinath, and Yamunotri. There is a strong belief that on bathing in front of these temples and viewing the holy shrines can wash off all your sins of life. Therefore, you can add spiritual values to your trekking tour to this area.

Some Popular Treks:

1- Gaumukh Trek: The Source of the Holy Ganges
Places Covered: Gangotri – Bhojvasa – Gaumukh – Tapovan
Duration: 6 Days

The holy Ganges originates from the huge glaciers, Kedarnath and Badrinath, of the gargantuan peaks of Shivling which is the Matterhorn of India and it starts her voyage to the sea. You will often encounter with the Hindu pilgrims and holy men like Sadhus in their saffron grab and matted hair. Most of the people all around the India visit to this sacred place one in their life.

2- Kuari Pass
Places Covered: Auli – Gorson – Tapovan – Kuari Pass – Ghat
Duration: 5 Days

The trek over the Kuari Pass is located on the outer edge of Nanda Devi Sanctuary which is described beautifully by Eric Shipton in his book “A Vision of Such Beauty Is worth a World of Striving”. It was popularized by Lord Curzon when he was the British Viceroy of India. It acts as a substitute of the legendary trek that passes through the Rishi Gorge to the Inner Sanctuary as it is closed to all the trekkers and climbers due to the ecological reasons. Along with the fun of trekking and rock climbing, you can feel the closeness of nature by viewing the beautifulness of the peaks in and around Nanda Devi Sanctuary.

3- Valley of Flowers & Hemkund Sahib
Places Covered: Joshimath – Govind Ghat – Ghangria – Valley Of Flowers – Hemkund -Joshimath
Duration: 10 Days

The Valley of Flowers was discovered by a British mountaineer and botanist in 1931, when he lost his way and found this luxuriant valley of wildflowers. Therefore, he named it as the Valley Of Flowers. On your visit at efflorescent time that is between July to September, you can enjoy the pleasure of viewing more than thousands varieties of ferns, herbs, and the appealing flowers blooming in this thriving Valley of Flowers.

4- Roopkund – (The Mystery Lake)

Places Covered: Gwaldam – Deval – Wan – Bedni – Baguabasa – Rupkund
Duration: 9 Days

Adventurous people are always on the lookout for some exciting route to trek upon. Those who wish to trek to the skeleton lake make their first move towards Lohajung. The destination is accessible by road. Next step is to climb over the hillock of Wan. At Ran Ki Dhar one can camp during night. Bedni Bugyal is the next stop. This place is like a pasture land. One can visit the two temples which are in the vicinity. A small lake can also be seen here. From here one goes uphill to Bhaguwabasa. Last stop is Roopkund.

5- Khatling Glacier

Places Covered: Ghuttu – Gangi – Reeh – Bhelbagi – Khatling Glacier
Duration: 9 Days

6- Kedartal Trek

Places Covered: Gangotri – Seema Kharakh – Kedartal
Duration: 6 Days

Chamoli Garhwal District – Chamoli Travel Guide

The Chamoli district is well known for its beauty in all over the India and world as well. Chamoli district is one of the 13 districts of Uttarakhand and has its district headquarter in Gopeshwar. IT is surrounded by beautiful hills as Tibet in north, Almora in south, Rudraprayag in west, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar in east.

Chamoli Garhwal

Chamoli is also known for various pilgrimages of Uttarakhand as Badrinath and Henkund Sahib many other holiest places are here. Not only pilgrimages but Chamoli have full of tourist places like Auli and Velly of flowers.

History of Chamoli District

The history of Chamoli district is very old and cam in existence from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. In the past the region is called as Kedar Khanda. This is also believed that the Vyasa Gufa where Lord Ganesha has scripted Vedas is here in Mana.

Among all 52 Garhas this was the strongest Garh. In the 8th Sept 1803 there was an earthquake that weakened the economic and administrative strength of Garhwal. Gorkha taken advantage of this situation and attacked to the Garhwal, under the command of Amar Singh Thapa and Hasti Dal Chanturia. From 1804 to 1815 the region was remain under Gorkhas.

With the help of British military the king Sudarshan Shah defected Gorkhas. He merged the eastern part of Mandakini and Alaknanda along with the Srinagar which was capital that time in British Garhwal. The capital was set up to Tehri instead of Srinagar then. Earlier, British ruler kept this area under Saharanpur and Dehradun but later there was a new district established named as Pauri and Chamoli became a tehsil of this district. This tehsil was upgraded to a district in 24th Feb 1960. In Oct 1997 the Rudraprayag has been separated from Chamoli district with two complete tehsil and two other blocks. Now the chamoli district has its district headquarter in Gopeshwar.

Bhekal Taal

Chamoli Tourism

The pilgrimages, hill stations, advantageous sports spots, beautiful river banks and amazing climatic conditions makes the Chamoli as world famous and a favorite tourist destination for travelers throughout the year. The pilgrimages are full of spirituality and keep values for the different religions. The hill destinations make Chamoli tourism as perfect for the tourist not only these things but the fabulous climatic conditions make Chamoli tourism as Haven for those who likes the weather of hills.

Narsing Temple Joshimath

Temples in Chamoli

• Badrinath
• Narasingha Temple
• Hemkund Sahib
• Uma Devi Temple
• Bhavishya Badri
• Adi Badri
• Gopinath Temple
• Rudranath Temple
• Yogdhyan Badri Temple

Bedni Bugyal

Places to visit in Chamoli District

• Auli
• Gopeshwar
• Vasudhara
• Valley of Flowers
• Satopanth Lake
• Bedni Bugyal
• Roop Kund
• Badrinath
• Tapovan
• Gwaldam
• Joshimath
• Mana Village
• Kagbhusandi Tal
• Nanda devi Sanctuary
• Hemkund Sahib
• Kuari Pass
• Rudranath

Fairs and Festivals

The Chamoli district is fills of with the Hindu population mostly so the fairs and festivals of Chamoli district are as per the Hindus. All festivals are played here with the full of joy and these been a part of people of Chamoli. Ram Navami, Naag Panchmi, Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami, Dussehra, Diwali, Makar Sankranti, Shivaratri and Holi are some famous festivals of Chamoli.

Nanda Devi Raj Jat is the most famous and spiritual fair of Chamoli and every year lots of followers join this event and the Nanda Devi Raj Jat yatra which is originated from Nanda Devi Raj Jat.

How to Reach

By Air
The nearest domestic airport from Chamoli is Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun. The Airport is about 227 KMs from the district. Nearest International airport is Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi.

By Train
Rishikesh (about 207 Kms), Kotdwar (about 237 Kms) and Haridwar (242 Kms) are some nearest railway stations from Chamoli district. One can easily pick taxies or buses from these railway station to the Chamoli.

By Road
Chamoli is well connected with all districts and cities of Uttarakhand and other places of India. State transportation’s and local transportation’s are easily available and can be availed to visit Chamoli.

Other Information about Chamoli

• Area : 8030 Sq KM
• Altitude : 3133 m
• Population : 391,114 (2011)
• Literacy : 83.84% (2011)
• Headquarters : Gopeshwar
• Temperature in Summer : 30°C(max); 15°C(min)
• Temperature in Winter : 24°C(max); 0°C(min)
• Languages : Hindi and English
• Dialects: Garhwali, Kumauni, Pahadi, Bhotia
• STD Code: 01372
• Pin code: 246401

Famous Hindu Temples in Haridwar

Haridwar is a very sacred place in India. The meaning of Haridwar is ‘Harika Dwaar’ or we can say ‘The doorway of God’. It is the place with lots of big and small temples of goddess and god, According to folklore the Lord Brahma made their prayer in Haridwar, Vishnu and Shiva have also came in this place, a number of times. Some of the famous temples are given below:

Chandi Devi Temple

Chandi Devi Temple: – Chandi Devi temple which is to be found on the peak of Neel Parvat. In 1929 AD the emperor of Kashmir Suchat Singh constructs this temple. It is believed that in 8th century Ad the main inscribe was recognized by the Adi Shankaracharya. The Chandi Devi Temple is now easy to get to by a tramway which begins next to the Gauri Shankar Temple.

Mansa Devi Temple

Mansa Devi Temple: – On the top of Bilwa Parvat the temple is placed is known by Mansa Devi Temple. To reach there you can take the ropeway. To have a marvelous vision of Haridwar the crown of the hill is the peaceful place to be into. This is the temple which is devoted to Mansa Devi, the Avatar of Goddess Durga.

Vaishno Devi Temple

Vaishno Devi Temple: – The Vaishno Devi temple is saucily built and an accurately placed imitation of the real Vaishno Devi temple which is located in Jammu & Kashmir. The number of followers always visits there. Alike to the temple in Jammu, the way most important to adoration Goddess Vaishno Devi is total of burrows and spelunk. It is believed that the Goddess sanctify only those who really propose to look for her blessings from the bottom of their hearts.

Daksh Mahadev Temple

Daksh Mahadev Temple: – In the south Kankhal town the earliest Daksha Mahadev temple is to be found. According to mythical the father of sati conducts a yagya in which Lord Shiva was not invited so sati felt insulted of her husband and she burned herself in the yagya kund by this Lord Shiva got angered and he killed king daksha but later Lord Shiva gave him life back and thus Daksha Mahadev temple is thus a tribute to this legend. This temple was constructed by Queen Dankaur in AD 1810.

Maya Devi temple

Maya Devi temple: – Maya Devi temple is an earliest temple of the Adhisthatri god of Haridwar, which is also famous as one of the Siddhartha. This temple is devoted to the power of goddess. It is assumed that in this place the heart and belly button of Goddess Sati had fallen.

Bharat Mata Mandir

Bharat Mata Mandir: – This temple is devoted to Bharat Mata which is a multi-storey temple; with each story portray an age in the Indian History, from the age of Ramayana till India’s self-rule.

Doodhadhari Barfani Temple

Doodhadhari Barfani Temple:-This temple multifaceted in white sandstone is one of most stunning in Haridwar, more than ever the temples of Ram-Sita and Hanuman.

Sureshwari Devi Temple

Sureshwari Devi Temple: – This Temple is to be found on the lap of Shivalik range. Haridwar is gateway to four famous pilgrimages of Uttarakhand Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath & Kedarnath.  Experience this holy place & cleanse your body, mind and the spirit, also experience Ganga Aarti and Hark ki Pauri floating diyas in the waters of Ganges. Behind the ages Haridwar has also become a main education center for science, arts and civilization.

Is Ganga Dussehra Promoting Sins or the Ultimate way to Eradicate Sins?

Spiritual India is the beam of religious integrity, utmost devotion, and the silent exhibitionist of the time-honored traditions. The geography is diverse enough to earn an identity of a sub-continent that accommodates people from all faiths and believes. This makes India a terrain of myriad festivals, colorful fairs, and ultimately a grand carnival that has no end.

Every month is celebrated for assorted reasons and it just seems like Indians need a spiritual motivation to celebrate with great pomp. The month of June gets a colorful touch every year after the first drops of monsoon to celebrate the much anticipated festival of Ganga Dussehra.

Ganga Dussehra 2017

The ten-day festival is a fascinating celebration of beliefs, devotions, and is dedicated to the Goddess Ganga of Gangotri Dham.

This year the sacred festival will commence from the 3rd of June and will come to an end on the 12th of June. However the main festival will be celebrated on the 12th of June to eradicate the sins of lifetime.

Ganga Dussehra Importance

The festival has high importance according to the Hindu scriptures and Mythology.

The sacred texts says that it’s essential to perform a dip in the river Ganga, and do donations to eliminate all the sins committed over several lifetimes. The major attractions of Ganga Dussehra are the fairs of Chardham and the Patang Utsav of Mathura.

Rationalists versus Spiritualists

Rationalists say is it possible that a bath in water can wash our sins though it can wash the germs of our body but not sins. Sins are bad karma and we have to face our fate for the bad karmas performed.

Spiritualists say that the Vedic Science that is the base of all modern science states the importance of holy river Ganga. The ancient scriptures have declared that Goddess Ganga started her journey on earth to eradicate the sins of every mortal.

Rationalist’s points out that it means that Ganga Dussehra or Chardham yatra is a license to humans to commit sins and wash way by taking bath in the river Ganga. In simple the festival is a promoter of sins like let us commit bad karma we can wash it way next year.

Spiritualists say this gives a new birth to all souls makes it pure and gives it the direction of bliss to attain salvation.

I on a neutral ground would say both are right on their grounds so let the world run the way it is running.

How to Reach Chardham, Haridwar

Contact any travel operator to make your itinerary for the spiritual sojourn

People can hire private vehicle, bus services or railway services to reach the abode of Gods

Religious enthusiasts who cannot walk but has a desire to embark on the journey to the gateway of heaven must opt for Chardham Yatra by helicopter.

Ganga Dussehra a religious proceeding to wash way sins or a license to commit free sins?