Uttarakhand, also known as Dev Bhoomi or “land of gods", is blessed with the
divinity of many auspicious temples; our age-old Vedas and Puranas, speak a
number of stories about the temples of Uttarakhand.
From the heavenly gates of Kedarnath to Badrinath, these places will leave your soul craving for the still and tranquil vibes you will definitely experience in these pious places. To find out
more about these holy places, check out the mentioned places below.
1. Badrinath temple
In the stellar town of Badrinath, Chamoli district, lies the Badrinath temple.
Badrinath is one of the Char Dham yatra temples located in the holy town of
Uttarakhand. Badrinath is one of the Panch Badri temples established by Guru
Adi Shankaracharya and is dedicated to the worship of Lord Vishnu.
Lord Vishnu is worshipped over here as Lord Badri Narayan in the Badrinath
temple. The temple lies along the Alaknanda river. Having a dip or Snan in the
Kund located in the vicinity of the temple is an age-old tradition followed by many
to date.
The architecture of this place is also quite fascinating. The Badrinath temple is
made up of stone with arched doors and windows. The wall and the pillar of the
respective temple is covered with beautiful carvings, making this an absolute
delight to see.
The temple is divided into 3 main parts Garbha Griha, Sabha Mandap, and
Darshan Mandap. Although a beautiful place, one should keep in mind the time
and temperature beforehand when visiting this place.
The temperature during summer in Badrinath lies somewhere between 12 to 22 celsius degrees, andduring the winters it can drop as low as -18 celsius degrees. Hence, the best time to visit Badrinath is from mid-April to June or from September to October.
2. Jageshwar temple
At an elevation of about 1,820 meters above sea level, Jageshwar is situated at a
distance of about 37kms from Almora. With almost 124 small and big stone
temples that date back to the 9th–13th century AD, the town of Jageshwar is an
important tourist destination in Kumaon and receives thousands of tourists every
year.
Situated in the locality of a dense deodar forest with a stream flowing through its
landscape, the view is definitely something to die for. The temples are around
2500 years old and dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and other Hindu gods
and goddesses.
Many of the temples around the town are preserved by the archaeological survey of India, including Dandeshwar temple, Chandi-ka temple, Kuber temple, Mritunjaya temple, Nanda Devi temple, Jageshwar temple, Surya temple, etc. The temples around Jageshwar have beautiful architecture and is adorned with stone sculptures.
3. Kedarnath temple
Standing on the Mandakini River and one of the most famous 12 jyotirlingas temples in India, the Kedarnath temple is a popular Shaivism site in India. Located in the Rudraprayag district, the Kedarnath temple is one of the Chota Char Dham yatra temples in Uttrakhand. The Kedarnath temple is perched on the Gharwal hills and isn't easily approachable by road. A 14 km uphill trek is required onwards from Gauri Kund to reach this temple.
The temple was initially built by the Pandava brothers and later re-established by Guru Adi Shankaracharya. The temple contains stone statues of the Pandava brothers, Draupadi, Nandi, Krishna, etc. The samadhi of Adi Shankaracharya lies just behind the temple.
Since lying in the colder belt region of Uttarakhand and often experiencing harsh weather conditions during the winter season the portals of the Kedarnath temple are opened only between April end (Akshaya Tritiya) to Kartik Purnima (usually,November). Due to the harsh winters, the temple deity is brought to Ukhimath, where it is worshipped for the next 6 months.
4. Gangotri Temple
Devoted to the goddess Ganga, the 18th-century Gangotri temple is tucked away under the coverlet terrains of Garhwal. The Gangotri temple lies at an elevation of about 3100 meters above sea level in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.The temple is built where the holy Ganga River originates.
This pristine white temple is believed to have contained a submerged Shivalingham, making it one of the major attractions of Gangotri town. The temple was built by the leader of the Gorkhas, Amar Singh Thapa.
If one is planning to visit the Gangotri temple during the winter season, due to the weather and temperature conditions, with a temperature of about -3 to -5 degrees Celsius, one should plan their trip accordingly.
The best time to visit the place is between mid-April and June. The weather remains quite pleasant and breezy, with an apt temperature of about 14—25 degrees Celsius. One could definitely visit this town during this time of year.
5. Chitai Goulu Devta temple
Often referred to as the “god of justice”, “Golu” or “Goljyu” Devta among the locals, the Chitai Golu Devta temple of Almora, Uttarakhand is dedicated to Lord Shiva Gaur Bhairav Avtar. At a distance of 9 km from Almora, the temple is also known as “Gwal Devta Mandir” among the native people of the place.
The temple is heavily visited by devotees to overcome their pain and seek justice. The temple is adorned by bells often times hung by the devotees, the people seeking/wanting justice to write letters to Golu Devta in order to pacify him and bestow them with justice.