Travel Diaries 2019: Uttarakhand

Travel Diaries 2019: Uttarakhand, a celestial walk in the kingdom of Gods

Devbhumi - The abode of the Gods, is an epithet which is a recurring theme in the world of devotion and travel, when we talk about the state of Uttarakhand.

As a rule, Uttarakhand is comprehensively separated into two districts - the Garhwal Himalayas and the Kumaon Himalayas. This whole district has a profound established presence in the hearts of numerous Indians directly from the hour of the Mahabharata and the Puranas.

Legend has it that the Panch Kedar shrines here were originally established by the Pandavas, and that they made their final ascent to the afterlife right from the lap of these mountains.

The Garhwalis are so genial and brimming with life that to meet them as a general rule is an activity in revival and a festival of life. It isn't without reason that the incomparable Ruskin Bond has discovered shelter in the midst of these mountains.

Here are five lesser known spots you should visit in Uttarkhand. Every ha a particular flavor with excellent sights and sounds and can invigorate your spirit from the day by day humdrums of an everyday life.

• A drive of 90 km from Dehradun lies the beautiful cantonment hill station of Chakrata, situated at an altitude of around 7000 ft above sea level.

This town is a bit isolated and hence has retained its ethereal charm. The local people here are called the Jaunsaris and the Bawaris and they claim their respective lineages directly from the Pandavas and the Kauravas of the Mahabharata. There is a saying here that one tribe doesn't establish matrimonial relations with the other till date, thus continuing with the Kurukshetra legacy.

Chakrata has numerous wonderful spots, one of which is the trek to the lovely Tiger Falls.

One needs to trek around 5 km here and there the slope to arrive at its region. In transit the genial residents there constantly offer a wide range of refreshments to the explorers.

• Rudraprayag is a small hill town which witnesses the confluence of the Alakananda and Mandakini rivers. If you go there seeking the spot where Jim Corbett had killed the famous man-eating leopard, you have to ask the locals for the direction in this way "Angrej ne sher ko kaha mara tha?" (Where did the English gentleman kill that tiger/leopard?).

The local people there still believe that the aforementioned leopard was actually a powerful monk who used to meditate by the day incognito and would hunt at night to punish those who have done something wrong. In any case, this place has a unique serenity which permeates your entire mind once you listen to the gushing sound of the two powerful yet beautiful rivers flowing nearby.

• A drive of around one hour from the mainstream slope station of Mussoorie is the modest and less loud slope station of Dhanaulti. As a result of the hurry to Mussoorie in the summers, many individuals these days are favoring Dhanaulti over its increasingly acclaimed neighbor due to the laid back peaceful atmosphere that it radiates all-round the year.

From Dhanaulti, one can likewise visit the hallowed destinations of Surkanda Devi Temple, Chandrabadni and Kunjapuri. This district likewise gets immense snowfall. When I wound up stalling out in a blizzard while coming here from Chamba.

• The other region of Uttarakhand is the Kumaon Himalayas. The origin of the name Kumaon has its roots in the legend of the Kurma Avatar of Lord Vishnu in Hinduism. One of the most beautiful spots in this region, which is not part of every tourist map is the tiny hamlet of Abbott Mount. The place is beautiful and serene with the mighty Himalayan peaks cowering all around. Travellers here claim that they have seen ghosts, who have believed to throng its old colonial houses ever since its early days, making the place eerie and mysterious.

• Another delightful spot in this district is the pool of nine corners - Naukuchiatal, which is effectively open from Nainital. This spot likewise has the one of a kind Escape Festival of Art and Music consistently. Uttarakhand is really a spot near paradise.