On this divine journey of Char Dham of Himalayas, there are an array of other attractions and sights along the route and around the main shrines. The nearby places that pilgrims/visitors/devotees can truly savour that includes spiritual sites like Rishikesh and Haridwar. Vibrant places like Dehradun, Devprayag, Tungnath, Auli, Rudranath and Madhyamaheshwaram, these are the best places considered as they serve aspects like spirituality, tranquil ambiance, and natural beauty.

• Rishikesh
• Haridwar
• Devprayag
• Tungnath
• Rudranath
• Madhyamaheshwar
• Auli
• Kalpnath

Popular Chardham Yatra Packages

• Badrinath Dham Ek Dham Yatra Package
• Do Dham Yatra Helicopter Tour
• Chardham Yatra By Helicopter
• Char Dham Yatra from Delhi
• Chardham Yatra Package from Haridwar

Rishikesh

Rishikesh, formally spelt as ‘Hrishikesh’ is a small pilgrimage town of Hindus near Dehradun city of Uttarakhand. A beauteous hub of spirituality and deep-rooted cultural norms. The town is renowned for its iconic and serene vistas as it is perched on the banks of holy river, the Ganges. And being nestled in the foothills of the majestic Himalayas, adds more to the enchanted beauteousness.

Fascinatingly, Rishikesh is known to be the ‘Yoga Capital of the World’ as the town draws visitors from around the globe for its meditation and yoga practices. Additionally, this town is a home of traditional health and healing practices like Ayurveda and other therapeutic remedies of enhancing the overall well-being of oneself.

The city houses many tranquil places like holy temples, ashrams, numerous yoga centres and meditation settings for netizens as well as for foreign travellers to seek spiritual enlightenment via immersing themselves in the divine ambiance and to find retreat and rejuvenation away from the hustle and bustling mundane lives of big cities.

Iconic attraction of Rishikesh includes bridges like Lakshman Jhula and Ram Jhula which suggest its religious as well as historical significance which is traced back to the ancient times.

Being tied in the lap of the utter nature, Rishikesh is renowned for serving a wide variety of adventure activities like trekking, river rafting, rock climbing, camping, bungee jumping, hiking and a lot more to the list.

In conclusion, Rishikesh is a serene town known for its blend of spirituality, adventure activities, panoramic vistas, attractive sights, traditional healing practices and the iconic holy river Ganga.

Also Read: Popular Temples in Rishikesh

Haridwar

Haridwar is a significant pilgrimage city nestled in the state of Uttarakhand, said to be one of the oldest living cities of India. Haridwar which translates to ‘Gateway to God’ suggests its religious and spiritual importance that is draped around it. It is said to be one of the seven holiest cities of Hinduism in India. The city is perched on the right flank to the river Ganges. In a nutshell, Haridwar is a spiritually enchanted city with nature delights.

Pilgrims and devotees taking a holy dip into the waters of sacred river Ganga is an iconically significant ritual. Being the abode of temples, ashrams, vibrant festivals, divinity, natural beauty, fascinating holistic rituals, natural healing practices and nearby attractions are a few of many characteristics attracting visitors and pilgrims from around the nation as well as around the globe.

Some of the iconic temples among the innumerable ancient temples of the town includes Maya Devi, Chandi Devi and Mansa Devi Temple. Being perched on the elevated hills, the temples serve surreal vistas of the surrounding. The ambiance is utterly divine of these sacred settings, several monks are found to be enchanting sounds of Vedic hymns and mantras.

Festivals such as Kumbh Mela, which happens after a span of 12 years happens is organised in Haridwar.

Religious and well-known events like Ganga Aarti which is held at Har-ki-Pauri (an important pilgrimage site) every evening to offer prayers and to honour goddess Ganga.

So, the concluding statement is Haridwar is a holistic town that boats religious aspects, nature and events beautifully.

Also Read:  Shri Kedarnath Yatra Travel Guide

Devprayag

Devprayag is a quaint town and a unique pilgrimage destination located in Tehri Garhwal district in Uttarakhand state, lying at an elevation of 472 metres. The word is combined from ‘Deva’ which means God and ‘Pyayag’ meaning Confluence. Devprayag is a renowned site for the confluence of two river, Bhagirathi and Alaknanda, which together forms the holistic river, Ganga. Due to which, it attracts innumerable pilgrims and devotees who take a holy dip into the waters, upon believing the water cures physical ailments as well as wash away sins and thus purify the soul.

Devprayag is among the five sacred important Prayags including Vishnuprayag, Nandaprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag and Devprayag itself.

Devprayag holds a great historical and religious importance, local legend has it that Lord Rama along with his father King Darsharath performed penance here, it also said that Devasharma meditated here.

This sanctum site has many attractions sprawled around it, that includes Raghunath temple, Betal Kund, Brahma Kund and numerous other.

In conclusion, Devprayag being the sacred and holistic site thereby attracts an array of devotees who are finding spiritual enlightenment and visitors alike who are looking for more of a tranquil ambiance along with divine presence. A blend of intriguing history, spirituality, gateway to numerous nearby sites and the serene nature really adds to this captivating site called Devprayag.

Also Read: Chardham Yatra Travel Guide

Tungnath

Tungnath is a sacred Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva and a significant one among the Panch Kedar Temple circuit. It is nestled in the Rudraprayag district and tied up in the lap of the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand. Tungnath is believed to the highest temple of Lord Shiva in the world as it is perched at a striking elevation of approximately 3,680 metres.

The temple is said to be ancient as the construction can be traced back to 1000 years ago. Thus, it suggests a long by-gone history. Legend has it that this shrine was associated with the Pandavas from Mahabharata.

The architecture of which is built in the Nagara style and is adorned with marble interiors and ornamented walls. Though the capacity is really low, as the temple can only accommodate like 10 people at once.

Nearby attractions of Tungnath includes Chopta Hill station that offers trekking and camping opportunities for adventure seekers, known as The Chopta Tungnath Trek. Chandrashila (‘Moon Rock’) Peak is yet another iconic attraction of Tungnath that offers a majestic 360-degree panoramic views of the Himalayas.

In conclusion, Tungnath holds historical, spiritual and adventurous significance. A rewarding destination for people seeking spiritual enlightenment and for ones who wants to be a part of a thrilling experience.

Also Read: Hemkund Yatra Travel Guide

Rudranath

Rudranath is an important temple of Hinduism dedicated to Lord Shiva as Rudra located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand state. It is believed that Rudra, is the fiercest form of Lord Shiva. This holy shrine is a part of Panch Kedar pilgrimage circuit, sprawled in the lap of Garhwal Himalayas at an altitude of around 3,600 metres above sea level.

Having said that, the site serves surreal vistas of the Nanda Devi which is the highest peak in the Indian Himalayas as well as Trishul-snow-capped peaks of the surrounding Himalayas.

As Panch Kedar temples are associated with a specific body part of Lord Shiva, and Rudranath temple is ‘Ekanan’, meaning that the face is worshiped, known as ‘Neelakanth Mahadeva’. The temple’s architecture is a small-stone structure and suggests North-Indian Himalayan style.

Access to this divine setting is considered to be the most challenging amongst the Panch Kedar cluster, as the journey to Rudranath involves a trek that passes through dense forests and meadows, as the temple is snuggled amidst rhododendron forests and alpine meadows. The trek starts from Sagar Village near Gopeshwar and takes over two days to reach Rudranath but the devoted pilgrims set out on this expedition and finds the physical challenges extremely rewarding.

In conclusion, Rudranath is a holistic site that is snuggled amidst natural beauteousness. The divine spiritual ambiance and surreal vistas are its forte.

Also Read: Best Treks to Explore in Uttarkashi

Madhyamaheshwar

Madhyamaheshwar which also goes by the name Madmaheshwar is a sacred Hindu shrine and a significant one among the Panch Kedar pilgrimage cluster. This holy setting is nestled in the Garhwal district and perched at an elevation of around 3,490 metres that serves the utmost beautiful backdrop of the surrounding snow-capped Himalayas, dense forests, and lush green alpine meadows.

This quaint temple is considered as the ‘second abode’ of Lord Shiva. Madhyameshwar temple is renowned for its religious importance as well as the history that is wrapped around it.

The ancient architecture of this shrine is a stone structure that suggests a classic north Indian Himalayan style, complemented by the picturesque vistas. Legend has it that, the temple was built by the Pandavas after Lord Shiva did split his body in five parts. Madhyamaheshwar temple is thereby dedicated to the navel or belly part of Lord Shiva.

The temple can be reached by a long trek of about 24 – 26 Kms that is full of difficulties starting from Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary. This trek takes about 3 days to complete and takes devotees through grasslands, dense forests and quaint villages. But the rewarding thingies like divine presence, mesmerising vistas and tranquil ambiance makes this destination worth going through all the hardships and challenges.

Also Read: Popular Pilgrimage Tours in India

Kalpnath

Kalpnath is the last but not the least sacred shrine of the Panch Kedar pilgrimage circuit, it is a temple were the ‘kesh’ which means hair, of Lord Shiva is worshiped. Perched at an altitude of around 2,200 metres of Umang Valley, in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.

Apart from holding a religious importance, this temple is also associated with Mahabharata’s Pandav brothers, thus holds a significant history tracing back to the ancient era.

This temple is also where the ‘Kalpeshwar Shivling’ is situated, which is a symbol believed to be the Lord Shiva’s hair. The Shivling also goes by the name ‘Anadinth Kalpeshwar’ and is a centre of attraction of the temple.

The architecture of this sanctum suggests a North Indian style that are adorned with Shiva iconography and the intricate carvings in its cave walls. Being perched on a hill-top and a confluence of river Ganga and Alkananda which can be seen here, serves mesmerizing views of the surroundings. It is accessible via short hike from Chamoli district’s Umang Valley.

Overall, Kalpeshwar sanctum is a significant religious site that beautifully weaves together the spirituality, history and natural beauty, that results in attracting innumerable devotees and tourists alike from around the planet.

Also Read: Badrinath Kedarnath Yatra Travel Guide

Auli

Auli is a beautiful hill station, and an ideal Ski destination nestled in the Chamoli district of Himalayan mountains. Auli is renowned for its Skiing facilities and is considered as the best ground for the same adventure activity by international standard. As the skiing slopes in Auli is a stretch of about 3 Kms with a drop in elevation of 500 metres, which can be highly fascinating to the adventure nuts.

Auli also goes by the name Auli Bugyal which translated to ‘meadows’ in Garhwali. Being perched at an altitude of around 3,050 metres above sea level serves majestic views of the surroundings that includes snow-caped mountain peaks like Nanda Devi, Dunagiri and Kamet.

Apart from Skiing, visitors can enjoy activities like cable car rides, rope lifts. It can even be ideal for honeymoon couples romanticizing snowfall and a place covered with a thick carpet of snow. It is sure a family destination as related fun activities like building snowmen and snowball fights can too be enjoyed here.

Auli serves as a gateway to iconic nearby attractions such as Nanda Devi, Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara and the Valley of flowers National Park.

Bottom line, Auli is a quaint hill station serving scenic beauteousness, that is ideal for adventure enthusiasts and families as well as for people seeking a serene ambiance for retreat and rejuvenation.

Also Read: Best Places to Visit in Uttarakhand

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