UTTARAKHAND DEVBHOOMI - KEDARNATH TEMPLE OPENS ON MAY FOUR

गोपेश्वर: शीतकाल में छह महीने बंद रहने के बाद गढ़वाल हिमालय की उंची पहाड़ियों पर स्थित भगवान शिव के धाम केदारनाथ मंदिर के कपाट श्रद्धालुओं के लिये इस वर्ष चार मई को खोल दिये जायेंगे ।

इसी के साथ उत्तराखंड के चार धाम के नाम से प्रसिद्व चारों मंदिरों के द्वार खुलने की तारीखें घोषित हो गयी हैं । इस वर्ष चारधाम यात्रा मई के प्रथम सप्ताह से शुरू हो जायेगी । बदरीनाथ केदारनाथ मंदिर समिति के सूत्रों ने यहां बताया कि मंदिर खोले जाने का मुहूर्त आज महाशिवरात्रि के पावन पर्व पर भगवान शिव के शीतकालीन प्रवास स्थल रूद्रप्रयाग जिले के उखीमठ में मंदिर समिति के पदाधिकारियों तथा धर्माधिकारियों की मौजूदगी में निकाला गया ।

सूत्रों के अनुसार, केदारनाथ मंदिर के कपाट चार मई को सुबह छह बजे श्रद्धालुओं के लिये खोले जायेंगे । इससे पहले, भगवान शिव की उत्सवयात्रा उखीमठ से 30 अप्रैल को रवाना होगी जो तीन मई की शाम केदारनाथ पहुंचेगी ।

चमोली जिले में स्थित बदरीनाथ मंदिर के कपाट पांच मई को खोले जायेंगे जबकि गंगोत्री और यमुनोत्री मंदिर के कपाट दो मई को अक्षय तृतीया के दिन खुलेंगे । गढ़वाल पहाड़ियों पर 10,000 फुट की उंचाई पर स्थित चारों धामों के कपाट हर साल अक्तूबर-नवंबर में शीतकाल के दौरान श्रद्धालुओं के लिये बंद कर दिये जाते हैं जो अगले साल अप्रैल-मई में दोबारा खोल दिये जाते हैं ।

गढ़वाल की आर्थिकी की रीढ़ मानी जाने वाली चारधाम यात्रा में छह माह के सीजन के दौरान देश विदेश से लाखों श्रद्घालु आते हैं । हालांकि गत वर्ष आयी भीषण प्राकृतिक आपदा में जनहानि होने के साथ ही बड़े स्तर पर चारधाम जाने वाले रास्ते भी प्रभावित हुए थे । इस बारे में हालांकि राज्य सरकार ने दावा किया है कि यात्रा शुरू होने से पहले ही सभी तरह की व्यवस्था कर दी जायेगी जिससे आने वाले श्रद्धालुओं को कोई परेशानी नहीं होगी

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Uttarakhand Devbhoomi- Uttarakhand CM launches develop schemes in minority community areas

Uttarakhand Chief Mnister Harish Rawat today launched 52 schemes of Rs 463.16 Lakh under the minority development fund in minority concentration areas in the state.

According to an official statement, the schemes being generated in the minority concentration areas under Vikaskhand, Vikasnagar and Sahaspur, includes development schemes for Waqf properties, graveyards, hand-pumps, Idgah, solar and street lights and anaganwadi centres.

Speaking on the occassion, Rawat said his government is working toward integrated development of all areas. He also directed concerned authorities to ensure timely implementation of these policies so that people can benefit from it.

The Chief Minister said, developmental schemes should be created timely, only then people are able to derive benefit from it. He also directed officials for quick disposal of problematic issues faced by people.

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UTTARAKHAND DEVBHOOMI TOURIST PLACES: COME TO EXPLORE ITS NATURAL BEAUTY

Uttarakhand is one of the most beautiful states of India, and also it’s very famous for its richness of tourist destination. People who have visited with attractive state of India will have their own description about its magnetizing natural attractiveness. The state of Uttarakhand is gifted with superb natural beauty, rich flowers and fauna, holy shrines, natural world sanctuaries, hill stations and it is also considered as a good tourist places for adventure tour. Tourists from across the world come quite in a huge number to travel around the without comparison beauty that is off bang than other tourist destination of India. Visit once to Uttarakhand and it is sure you will fall in love with its charismatic natural beauty.

Uttarakhand has numerous tourist attractions among which most them are photograph perfect hill stations. ,Dehradun , Nainital, Ranikhet, Mussoorie and Auli are the main hill stations of the state. These hill stations are gifted with delightful natural charisma and various beguiling places of tourist interest. The best among these hill stations are Nainital and Mussoorie which are visited by tourists all the year round quite in a good number. On the Mussoorie and Nainital tour tourists will have the golden chance to travel around the compelling natural beauty of the hill stations that are so soothing and its beauty is feast to the tourist’s eyes. Visit these hill stations and it is sure you will love share with you family, loved ones and with your neighbors.

Come to Uttarakhand and discover its natural attractiveness, wildlife sanctuaries, adventure spots and holy pilgrimage sites. You will definitely get tempts with its offbeat natural beauty and the serenity of the temples that are now the famous landmark of Uttarakhand.
Tourist Places in Uttarakhand



Deoria Tal



Gandhi Sarovar



Corbett National Park

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Uttarakhand-Panch Prayag in Uttarakhand

Devprayag

Deoprayag is regarded as the most complete showcase of legends, heritage & traditions. 70 km from Rishikesh , here the Bhagirathi from Gaumukh & the Alaknanda from Satopanth unite and for most Indians, this confluence is no less holy than the Sangam at Allahabad. These three rivers flowing majestically through sculptured channels carved through the rocks have carved angular blocks of land around the confluence & the town is set into these three angles. Located at a height of only 618 m, Deoprayag is an invocation to the gods who have gfenerously endowed this spot with tremendous natural beauty. It is believed that Lord Rama and his father King Dashratha did penance here. The temple of Raghunathji houses a tall image of Lord Rama made of black granite. The most celebrated event at Deoprayag is the congregation of devotees, who come here to worship at Raghunath temple. There is also a small temple popular as Bharat Mandir of Rishikesh in recluse. It is said that on fearing attack by Aurangzeb the pujaris from Rishikesh installed the same idol at Deoprayag as makeshift arrangement & later took it back to Rishikesh.
Srinagar the ancient capital of Tehri Garhwal is at a distance of 35 km from here.

Rudraprayag

Named after Lord Shiva (Rudra), Rudraprayag is situated at the holy confluence of Alaknanda & Mandakini rivers, at a distance of 34 km from Srinagar. It is believed that to master the mysteries of music, the sage Narad worshipped Lord Shiva, who appeared in his Rudra incarnation to bless the sage. It was here, also, that Shivas wife, Sati, was reborn after her self immolation because her father humiliated her husband. In her new life, as the daughter of Himalaya, she did penance here to ask the boon of Shiva as a husband once again. The ancient temple of Rudranathji is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Rudraprayag is the point where the two roads branch off to the holy Shrines of Kedarnath (84 km) & Badrinath (159 km).
The entire region is blessed with immense natural beauty, places of religions importance, lakes 8c glaciers.

Karna Prayag

Situated 11 km from Gauchar, the icy flow from the Pindari Glacier becomes the Pindari river, and when it meets the Alaknanda at 788 m, the confluence is known as Karnaprayag. The wooded thickets of the hills surrounding Karnaprayag were the meeting ground for Shakuntala C Raja Dushyanta, immortalised in Kalidasa’s immortal classic and a favourite ballad ever since. The place derives its name from Kama, the son of the Queen Kunti and her fiery lover, Lord Surya (sun), Kama’s lineage was kept a secret, but he propitiated the Sun God here, and acquired a pair of earrings & armour that made him invincible. Ultimately, he fell in the battle between the Pandavas & Kauravas, but remains a tragic hero for in life he never had the legitimacy he desired. Besides the temple dedicated to Kama, the temple dedicated to Goddess Umadevi, Narayan & Gopal stand at the confluence.
69 km from Gwaldam, Karnaprayag is on the main Rishikesh Badrinath highway. From here, the road to SriKedarnath (115 km) goes through Rudraprayag & the road to Sri Badrinath (128 km) through Joshimath.
Karnaprayag is the base for treks to Roopkund and the Bedni Bugyals and the approach to the Pindari Glacier.

Nandprayag

22 km from Kama Prayag, Nand Prayag at 914 m forms the confluence of the Alaknanda & Mandakini (flowing from a glacier near Nanda Devi Peak) rivers. On their way to Tapovan across Kunwari Pass or on their way to Roopkund, it is popular with trekkers. It is said that the confluence is named for the pious Raja Nanda. According to one legend, the king had been promised the boon of Vishnu as a son. Unfortunately, the same boon had been granted to Devki, the imprisoned sister of the tyrant king, Kansa. Ultimately, the gods found an ingenuous if wily solution: Vishnu would be born as Krishna to Devki but would be brought up by Raja Nandas wife, Yasodha.

Vishnuprayag

Hormed by the confluence of the impetuous Vishnu Ganga (known after this point, as the Alaknanda) and the Dhauliganga river, Vishnu Prayag, 1372m, has an ancient temple called Vishnu Kund. It is said that the sage Narad worshipped Vishnu at this sanctified spot. Visitors will find the Kagbhusandi Lake bewitching with its emerald green depths giving it a still surface, while on the banks, blossoms evoke the colours of nature in all her glory. The lake can also be approached from Vishnuprayag beside from Bhundhar village near Ghangaria.

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Beautiful birds of Uttarakhand

Posting some absolutely beautiful pictures clicked by my cousin Soma, who is an avid birdwatcher. She had a wonderful trip to Uttarakhand recently.


The birding trip was organised by Mr Yashpal Negi a bird expert, who runs the Mandakini Birdwatchers Camp at Kakragad, Uttarakhand located 40 km from Chopta (chopta is the nearest road head)and 33 km from Devprayag.

Blue Capped Rock Thrush


The Himalayan Monal was seen near the Shiv temple at Tunganath.

Pika (with a baby) is a hamster like mammal found in high altitudes.





Rufous Bellied Woodpecker

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BJP asks Harish Rawat not to focus much on image-building

Dehradun: The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday asked newly appointed Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Harish Rawat not to confine himself to an image-building exercise in disaster affected areas but take concrete steps to rebuild lives and rehabilitate affected people  



"Only visiting affected areas is no more than an image-building exercise. People are looking for concrete steps from the government to bail them out of the effects of the crisis that hit them last year," Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Ajay Bhatt said commenting on the CM's ongoing visits to the flood-hit areas of the state.

Citing pitiable condition of villages, the BJP leader said that Semi village in Rudraprayag district is sliding, Urgam valley has no connectivity and Darnma valley is totally devastated despite over seven months after the mid-June tragedy.

Asking the Chief Minister to take concrete steps to mitigate the suffering of people in affected areas, he said that Rawat should immediately seek from the Centre Rs 8,000 crore promised towards rehabilitation of the people of the state.

"What I want to say is that piecemeal efforts won't do. What is needed is concrete visible work in terms of repair of damaged infrastructure and relocation and rehabilitation of the flood-hit villages," Bhatt said.

However, assuring the Chief Minister of full cooperation from the opposition in his efforts to provide succour to people, the Leader of Opposition said, "It is his (CM's) honeymoon period. We are not going to subject him to rigorous
scrutiny from day one. But the results of his efforts should begin to make themselves visible in a month's time," he said.

After being sworn as the Chief Minister on Saturday last, Rawat has been visiting flashflood-hit areas of Uttarakhand to take stock of the ground realities.

He visited Tharali and Piplkoti areas of one of the worst-hit Chamoli district on Monday and is currently touring the affected areas of Kumon region in Pithoragarh district.

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The Heaven - Uttarakhand Devbhoomi

Uttarakhand, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods (Hindi: देव भूमि, Dēv bhūmi ) due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship. Known for its natural beauty and wealth of the Himalayas, the Bhabhar and the Terai, the state was carved out of the Himalayan and adjoining north-western districts of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000, becoming the 27th state of the Republic of India. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region on the north, Nepal on the east and the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh to the south and Himachal Pradesh to the north west.

The region is traditionally referred to as Uttarakhand in Hindu scriptures and old literature, a term which derives from Sanskrit uttara (उत्तर) meaning north, and khaṇḍ (खण्ड्) meaning country or part of a country. It has an area of 20,682 sq mi (53,566 km²).

In January 2007, the name of the state was officially changed from Uttaranchal, its interim name, to Uttarakhand. The provisional capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun, which is also a rail-head and the largest city in the region. The small hamlet of Gairsain has been mooted as the future capital owing to its geographic centrality but controversies and lack of resources have led Dehradun to remain provisional capital. The High Court of the state is in Nainital.

Recent developments in the region include initiatives by the state government to capitalise on handloom and handicrafts, the burgeoning tourist trade as well as tax incentives to lure high-tech industry to the state. The state also has big-dam projects, controversial and often criticised in India, such as the very large Tehri dam on the Bhagirathi-Bhilangana rivers, conceived in 1953, the phase one of which has already been completed. Uttarakhand is also well known as the birthplace of the Chipko environmental movement, and other social movements including the mass agitation in the 1990s that led to its formation. ..

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