After two years of postponement the eagerly awaited Nanda Devi Rajjat Yatra will finally take place from 18th August to 6th September this year. The Nanda Raj Jat takes place once every twelve years - the journey starts from Nauti village (Karnaprayag district of Uttarakhand state in India) accompanying a mythical four-horned sheep and Doli and all sorts of gifts for Nanda Devi, who is treated as a daughter revisiting her mother. Last Yatra happened in 2000. Hence it was originally scheduled in 2012 but was postponed due to Malmaas (one inauspicious month) in that year. Hence rescheduled to happen in 2013, again last year it was postponed due to natural catastrophe (flash floods) in Kedarnath area, which created widespread destruction and huge loss of life and property across Himalayan...
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Tourism has been worst hit in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand in northern India, with pilgrims fleeing the disaster-struck state and tourists cancelling their bookings. May and June are considered peak season for tourism in the state with hotels registering 100 per cent occupancy, but now, most wear a deserted look and several have also been washed away in the floods. "Every year, 23 to 24 lakh pilgrims arrive in the state for the Char Dham Yatra -- Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. The disaster has hit tourism badly. "If we consider government figures, thousands of hotels, inns and residential houses have been severely affected by the flood and hundreds among them have been obliterated," Joint Director, state Tourism Department, A K Dwiwedi said. State Tourism Minister Amrita...
Read MoreAfter deluge of last week, agencies are facing a herculean task of saving as many lives as possible before weather strikes again in Uttarakhand state of Indian Himalayas. Still few thousands are stranded waiting to be either airlifted or trekking down the hills to safety. Deads are still countless. Calculating casualty figures is still a distant possibility. With rain catching up again in coming days, its a race against time to save the remaining ones. ...
Read MoreWhat is now a huge reservoir for Tehri Dam in Uttarakhand In India, there not so long ago used to be Tehri town at the confluence of Bhagirathi and Bhilangana rivers. A town with hundreds of years of living history was given a watery grave for a mega hydro-electric project despite all hue and cry by activists & environmentalists. This himalayan belt is already a high-seismic activity area. A strong local movement notwithstanding against brute state power driven by strong urge to have development at any cost, Tehri town alongwith more than hundred odd villages was finally submerged in 2005. Today only history remains... Overlooking Submerged History... An account from Sursingh Dhar http://vagabondimages.in/2013/06/14/overlooking-submerged-history/
Read MoreIf you don’t like to be alone and secluded in hills, still would like to have some great views than Sursingdhar (close to Chamba in Garhwal region of Uttarakhand in India) is the right place to be. Dense pine forests around will still keep you away from the hustle and bustle of city life. It is a delight for your eyes. Sprawling on the hill towards the left is New Tehri town. After dusk the lights of this young town along with Bhagirathipuram (‘B Puram’ as locals call it) will give you a perfect feel of star gazing. Down further, you can see the Bhagirathi River, more as a mammoth reservoir for the Tehri Dam. Up north-east, you can have splendid view of Chaukhamba and Nanda Devi peaks. Down south you can see hills hiding Devprayag and holy shrine of Chandrabadani. And this all can be e...
Read MoreNot like few other hotspots of the area, but a cool place to spend some quite days. Badshah Thaul has a slice of history and an eye on future. It is actually a educational hub with main campus of Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University located right at Badshah Thaul. Just three km ahead at Ranichauri is research centre campus of Pantnagar Agriculture University. Badshah Thaul was historically one of the places, where the (Tehri) king used to have his court (Durbar) whenever he was on move in the area. Hence was derived the name. Now regular local fairs are being held at this place. From Badshah Thaul one can see the hills of Dhanaulti and also the hill where one of the most revered goddess of the region Surkanda Devi is seated. Things to see and do Badshah Thaul is facing ...
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As the name suggests, there has to be a Viraat and also a khai. We have both here. In Hindi, khai is a gorge and that is quite deep here. But word ‘Viraat’ has two meanings. One is big or huge and the gorge here is really worth calling viraat. In that sense, name Viraatkhai seems quite logical. But actually the place Viraatkhai associates itself with king Viraat of Mahabharata, where Pandavas spent last year of their thirteen year exile anonymously. Either ways, located in Jaunsar-Bawar region of Garhwal, Viraatkhai is beautiful to the core and thoroughly adventurous place to be. Located on a pass at an altitude of 1950 mts overlooking Dehradun-Mussorie on one side and Himalayan peaks on other, Viraatkhai is so quiet that you can even hear yourself breathing until a strong wind blows p...
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