Hotels in Uttranchal

Destinations in Uttranchal

Uttaranchal formerly a part of Uttar Pradesh was formed on November 9th, 2000 as the 27th state of the Indian Union. It is one of the most beautiful and enchanting region of northern India. Nature has endowed this land with so much beauty and spiritual bliss that it is also known as Dev Bhoomi, the Land of Gods . Ganga, Yamuna and scores of other rivers originate in Uttaranchal. Among them Ganga is the most holy and prominent as she represents the soul of India- her rich culture, history and civilization. In Sanskrit 'Himalaya' means Abode of Snow, truly characterizing the vast permanent snow fields above the snow line.In the heart of these majestic mountains lies the state of Uttaranchal with Kumaon region in its east and Garhwal in the west.

History

Uttaranchal finds mention in the ancient Hindu scriptures as Kedarkhand, Manakhand and Himavat. The Kushanas, Kudinas, Kanishka, Samudra, Gupta, the Pauravas, Katuris, Palas, the Chandras and Pawaras and the British have ruled in turns. It is often called the Land of the Gods (Dev Bhoomi) because of its various holy places and shrines. The hilly regions of Uttaranchal offer un spoilt landscapes to the tourist -pilgrim.

The present state of Uttaranchal was earlier as part of the United Province of Agra and Awadh which came into existence in 1902. In 1935, the name of the state was shortened to the United Province. In January 1950, the United Province was renamed as Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal remained a part of Uttar Pradesh before it came into being on 9 November 2000, the 27th state of India.

Physiography

Uttaranchal lies in the Northern part of India amidst the magnificent Himalayas and dense forests. The state is bordering Himachal Pradesh in the north-west and Uttar Pradesh in the South and has international borders with Nepal and China. The State today with 13 Districts can be grouped into three distinct geographical regions, the High mountain region, the Mid-mountain region and the Terai region. Dehradun is the interim-capital city.

Uttaranchal consists of 13 districts viz., Pithoragarh, Almora , Nainital, Bageshwar , Champawat , Uttarkashi , Udham Singh Nagar , Chamoli, Dehradun, Pauri , Tehri Garhwal , Rudraprayag , Haridwar

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit the Himalayan region is the summer, when the weather is very pleasant. Parts of the hills will be inaccessible in winter. The plains region is best visited in winter, when the weather is milder.

Fairs & Festivals

The world famous Kumbh Mela/Ardh Kumbh Mela is held at Haridwar every twelfth/sixth year interval. Other prominent fairs/festivals are Devidhura Mela (Champawat), Purnagiri Mela (Champawat), Nanda Devi Mela (Almora), Gauchar Mela (Chamoli), Baisakhi (Uttarakashi), Maga Mela (Uttarkashi), Uttaraini Mela (Bageshwar), Vishu Mela (Jaunsar Vavar), Peerane-Kaliyar (Roorkee), and Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra held every twelfth year