Valley of Flowers is one of those places which one has to visit atleast once in lifetime. Located at varied height of more than 3200 metres, this UNESCO world heritage site (for natural biosphere) is in Uttarakhand state of India. On way to Badrinath from Rishikesh is famous temple town of Joshimath. Another 12 kilometres from there is Govindghat. From here is a trek to Ghangharia along the Laxman Ganga river. From Ghangharia, there are two route- one takes uphill right to Hemkund and another one left to Valley of Flowers, one of the most beautiful places on this earth, known for high altitude valley carpeted by a rare mix of natural flowers, herbs and shrubs. This is actually the time of the year, August-September, when valley is at its full bloom. Cloudburst in June this year, made mo...
Read MoreTag: Uttarakhand
The Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra, which takes place in Uttarakhand state of Himalayan India, once in 12 years and was scheduled for August 29 this year, has been finally cancelled. Since roads and bridges along the yatra path were damaged in the floods in June, and were unsafe to use. It is considered to be one of the longest religious processions in the world. Strangely just twenty days back it was decided that Yatra won’t be postponed. On 26th July it was said that it would be a low-profile event but will happen on schedule. But it seems that after long deliberations with the government and within the community, it was decided that cancelling the Yatra is best possible option in the current scenario. In few days, a new schedule for the Yatra shall be announced. In the meantime, on 26t...
Read Moreएशिया की सबसे लंबी पैदल राजजात यात्रा को आखिरकार रद्द ही कर दिया गया। दैवीय आपदा के बाद उपजे हालात को देखते हुए 29 अगस्त से शुरू होने वाली राजजात यात्रा अंततः स्थगित कर दी गई। कुछ ही दिनों के अंतराल में राजजात यात्रा का नया कार्यक्रम घोषित कर दिया जाएगा। फिलहाल यह तय किया गया है कि 26 अगस्त को उन सभी स्थानों पर विशेष पूजा की जाएगी, जहां से राजजात में छंतोलियां यानि देवी के छत्र शामिल होने के लिए आते हैं। उत्तराखंड में आई विनाशकारी प्राकृतिक आपदा, सरकार के अनुरोध और अपने परंपरागत अधिकारों व उत्तरदायित्वों का प्रयोग करते हुए नंदा देवी राजजात समिति ने यात्रा स्थगित की है। 12 साल में एक बार होने वाली राजजात यात्रा 2013 इसी महीने की 29 तारीख को चमोली जिले के नौटी गांव से शुरू होनी थी, लेकिन आपदा के कारण यात्रा मार्ग बर्बाद होने तथा अन्य समस्याओं की वजह से यात्रा को लेकर संशय बना हुआ था।...
Read MoreThe famed Nanda Devi Jaat Yatra, held after every 12 years in Uttarakhand hill state of north India, will not be postponed in wake of the recent rain tragedy in Kedarnath, Chamoli, Rudraprayg areas, which left scores dead and entire hill state shaken. Although, district authorities have suggested keeping it at a local level this time saying they are not in a position to handle big crowds. The Nanda Raj Jaat, known as the Kumbh of Uttarakhand, is slated to be held from August 29 to September 16, 2013. The 280 km and 19-day trek starts from Nauti village and reaches Homkund through Bedini Bugyal, Roopkund and the very difficult Gali pass. The yatra will be organised as per schedule though there was a proposal to postpone it. We spoke to the local people who want it to go on. It is a rel...
Read MoreSeventeen days after the Uttarakhand disaster, the mammoth multi-agency rescue operations to evacuate all stranded pilgrims and tourists concluded on Tuesday, 2nd July 2013 with a group of 150 people being taken to safety from Badrinath. In all, around 1.1 lakh people stranded by flash floods and landslides after monsoon rains pounded the hill state on June 15 were evacuated by thousands of personnel of the Army, IAF, Indo-Tibetan Border Police(ITBP) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), who braved all odds. Now some locals and Nepali labourers remain there who will be evacuated gradually as the damaged roads are restored. The IAF, which concluded its air sorties, has however stationed 10 choppers in the state for about a week or so for use in any operations, an IAF offi...
Read MoreThe devastation caused by torrential rains that lashed Uttarakhand in Himalayan India earlier this month is expected to cause a loss of Rs 12,000 crore to the state's tourism industry in the current fiscal, says a PHDCCI survey. "Uttarakhand was expected to generate Rs 25,000 crore from tourism in 2013-14. Although Rs 5,000-6,000 crore have been generated from the first three months alone, the state is expected to realise only Rs 5,000-6,000 in the coming months as major tourism destinations have been washed away by recent floods," SP Sharma, Chief Economist at the PHD Chamber said quoting the survey. Tourism sector contributes 25 to 30 per cent of the state GDP, and therefore the state exchequer is likely to take a major hit, Sharma added. The survey conducted by PHD Chambe...
Read MoreTourism 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 MoreOne of India’s most known religious shrine has been facing nature’s fury like never before. Little township housing Kedarnath shrine at an altitude of 3593 metres above sea level in hill state of Uttarakhand has been ravaged by a sudden cloudburst on Sunday, 16th June 2013. Euphoria over early onset of yearly monsoon in the peninsular region has quickly turned into tragedy and despair of very large magnitude. Both the hill states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have suffered through a sudden downpour, nobody was ready for this early in the season. With casualty figures in hundreds and thousands other missing and loss of property worth millions, worst still seems to unfolding. More than 75 thousand pilgrims and tourists are still stranded at various places in both the states. Catast...
Read More