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A Paradise For Tourists 
Lying in the north of the vast and bountiful expanse of India and cradled
in the awesome beauty and calm serenity of the stately
Himalayas ,
Uttaranchal - the "Devbhumi" that has attracted tourists and
pilgrims from world over since time immemorial.
Sacred pilgrimages of different religions including the world famous "Char
Dham " or the four Hindu pilgrimage destinations of Shri
Badrinath - Kedarnath
- Gangotri -
Yamunotri; the sacred Sikh pilgrimage of Hemkund - Lokpal, Nanakmatta and
Meetha - Reetha Sahib and Piran Kaliyar have drawn pilgrims and seekers
for spiritual fulfillment to Uttaranchal. Kailsah Mansarovar, Tholingmath
are all in the Chinese occupied Tibet, but for the people of yesteryears,
these were some of the most important landmarks in Uttaranchal.
Comprising of eight hill districts and an area and population that equals
the state of Himachal
Pradesh, Uttaranchal is an expression of divinity, austerity,
meditation, penance and attainment.
Historically Speaking
Uttaranchal has been described in the ancient texts as
Kedarkhand and
Kurmanchal. The history of the region is older than that of the Ramayan
and Mahabharata. It is a land of popular myths, like that of Lord Shiva
appearing as Kirat, of Urvashi, Shakuntala, as well as the Kauravas and
Pandavas.
Of the two component cultural units, Garhwal was known as "Kedarkhand",
or the region of Kedarnath, and Kumaon as "Kurmanchal", the land
of the "Kurmavatar" (Lord Vishnu in his incarnation as the
Tortoise).
Geographically, Uttarakhand is a conglomeration of mountains and peaks, "Among
mountains I am the Himalaya", said Lord Krishna in the famous Hindu
holy book Bhagwat Gita. The Himalayas have been equated with God or in
other words, everything in Himalayas is godly divine.
It is also said that the Pandavas went to heaven through "Swargarohan"
- a heavenly spot, about 35-km north of Sri Badrinath. Did the Pandavas
actually ascend from here to that heaven which is said to be beyond this
world? This is a difficult question to answer. But a possible answer can
be that the Pandavas shed off their mortal bodies at Swargarohan and this
Swargarohan alone was the heaven, referred to in the Mahabharata. In fact
heaven and otherwise everything exists in this mortal world only. Heaven
is a multifaceted concept of everything good and beautiful and Uttaranchal
is one of it.
The Cultural & Natural Heritage
Culturally, Uttaranchal has a rich and vibrant heritage. There are
several local
fairs
and festivals
like Jhanda Mela, Surkanda Devi Mela, Magh Mela, Nanda Devi Mela, Chaiti
Mela, Purnagiri Mela, Piran Kaliyar Mela, Joljivi Mela and Uttarayani
Mela, incicative of the immense possibilities for cultural tourism in
Uttaranchal.
The holy river
Ganga
and
Yamuna
have their sources in the hills within this state. The rich cultural
traditions, the rare natural beauty and the cool and invigorating climate
of this land of origin of the holy Ganga and Yamuna Rivers have been its
main attractions.
Uttaranchal still remains the source of spiritual attainments where the
urge of self-realization and 'Moksha' becomes an inherent virtue dawn upon
the pilgrims. Uttaranchal has that galaxy of peaks and glaciers, that
vastness of meadows and jungles and that wealth of colourful jungles and
valleys and dales, which have no parallel on earth.
Adventure Among The Hills!
The queen of hills,
Mussoorie
, the lake district of India -
Nainital
, Kausani, Pauri, Landsdowne, Ranikhet,
Almora
, Pithoragarh, Munsyari and many more attractive tourist destinations are
part of Uttaranchal.
Uttaranchal is a paradise for adventure sports. The sheer variety ranging
from Mountaineering,
Trekking,
Skiing
, Skating, Water Sports to Aero Sports like Hang Gliding, Paragliding make
Uttaranchal one of the most attractive destinations for adventure sports
not only in India but the world over.
Wildlife
Along with the world-famous
Corbett
National Park , Uttaranchal has several breath taking destinations
for wildlife tourism. These are the
Rajaji
National Park , 
Govind
Pashu Vihar, Asan Barrage, Chilla and Saptarishi Ashram, the last four
being a delight for bird watchers.
Uttraranchal has a flora and fauna, which is diverse as well as rare.
Making this state an ideal location for Eco-Tourism. Eco tourism includes
Jungle Safaris,
Trekking
on forest trails, Nature Walks, catch and release of Mahaseer and other
fish species. However, the outmost priority in all these activities is
given to retaining the ecological fragility of the region.
A clean, fresh and invigorating environment makes Uttaranchal a preferred
destination to relax and unwind. From the most modern facilities at
Mussorie
and Nainital
to the untouched, pristine beauty of its snow-clad peaks, rivers and
mountains, Uttaranchal provides all that a tourist could possibly seek for
amusement and leisure.