Popular Historical Temples & Places of Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand, lying in the lap of the mighty Himalayas is a welcome choice for the travel crazy populace. The range of the places is very wide and far flung. The holiness of Uttarakhand is unsurpassable. This apart, the beauty of the mountains echoes the world over. Some of the historically influential places here are as under:

Dwarahat

Historical Relevance: Literally, the place signifies doorway to heaven; where ‘dwar’ stands for doorway, and ‘hat’ means Heaven.There are over 50 temples that appeal to the devotees, making Dwarahat a holy place of worship. Influenced by the Gujarati style of architecture, the temples here were constructed by the Katyuri kings.

Other Interests: Situated close to the town of Ranikhet, Dwarahat makes for one of the most visited places of Uttarakhand tourism. The land is famed for the colourful fairs that are organized, and also numerous Hindu festivals are celebrated with pomp and show. The scenic beauty is beyond comparison, there are several hills, peaks and caves that are exceedingly beautiful. Chauhatiya and Dunagiri are two of the most thronged places amongst many others.

Lohaghat

Historical Relevance: By the banks of the Lohawati River flourished one of Uttarakhand’s popular travel destinations. Lohaghat lies in the district of Champawat. Historically and mythologically, Lohaghat is of tremendous significance, making it one of the most ancient Indian places. Historically important here is the Mayawati Ashram, apart from many other primitive temples and shrines.

Other Interests: This tiny hill station is decorated with rows of pine and oak trees, and the colourful Rhododendron flowers, originally from Europe, grow here naturally in abundance.

Narendra Nagar

Historical Relevance: Designated previously as the capital of the district of Tehri, this small town opens one’s eyes to one of Uttarakhand’s oldest places, originating in 1919. The royal palace of Narendra Shah is a historical relic. The place was perhaps occupied by many sages as a place of meditation. It is the place of origin of Astrology.
Other Interests: The place is known for the thick Alpine forests which beautify the place even further. If a glance of the Doon valley and the mighty Ganges is one’s top priority, then Narendra Nagar is the right place to visit, for it lies on the Rishikesh-Gangotri-Yamunotri route.

Chamoli

Historical Relevance: This city originated from the Garhwal district. It is known as Kedarkhand. Apart from this the revolutionary movement known as the Chipko Movement rooted out in this very place. It houses the Chota Char Dham temples and also three of a total of five Prayags are situated here.

Other Interests: The mythological importance of the place is very dominant. Besides these, there are lakes and parks that accentuate its bounty. Skiing is one fun activity available for the adventure lovers. ‘Valley of Flowers’ is a must visit place when in Chamoli.

Kausani

Historical Relevance: Kausani, a scenic hill station of Uttarakhand has a special historical significance. It is here that Mahatma Gandhi, the Father Of Nation penned down the famous ‘Gita- Anasakti Yoga’ an incredible commentary. During his stay at Kausani, Gandhi ji was mesmerized by the exceptional scenic beauty of this hill station. The beautiful nature of Kausani served as an inspiration for this famed commentary. Gandhi Ji had put up in a guesthouse there during his stay at Kausani and it is now famous by the name of Anasakti Ashram. Kausani is also the birth place of the very well known Hindi poet Sumitranandan Pant whose poems vivid describe the scenic grandeur of the place.

Other Interests– Nature lovers, adventure seekers all make a bee line to Kausani with equal enthusiasm. Anasakti Ashram, Sarla Ashram, Rudradhari waterfalls, Tea estate of Kausani, Sumitra Nandan Pant art gallery are some of the key places of interest therein.

Patal Bhuvaneshwar Caves

Historical Relevance: A visit to these caves is considered equivalent to a thousand years of meditation. The Pandavas brothers found refuge in these caves when they were ousted from their kingdom. These caves are a group of several caves, each having deep secrets within them. The caves seem to be lying in the form of a maze where, entering into one leads to another with no definite end to the whole network. The caves are believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva and several crores of other Hindu deities.

Other Interests: In the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, amidst the greenery, one can find the tiny, peaceful village of Patal Bhuvaneshwar. The Patal Bhuvaneshwar caves are a group of limestone caves. These caves command tremendous mythological belief and reverence.

Gopeshwar

Historical Relevance: Named after the Hindu deity, Lord Krishna, this town is one of the most important towns of the Garhwal region in Uttarakhand. This holy town is popular for one of the age old Shiva temples, which again has several other temples of other deities within its periphery. The other temples are known for the absence of any idol within, yet are divine in their own way.

Other Interests: Gopeshwar also has an Oak View that doesn’t fail to cause wonder. The world famous pilgrimage of the Hindus, Badrinath and Kedarnath are easily accessible from Gopeshwar.

Jageshwar

Historical Relevance: This temple is famed for having some of the oldest statues which have historical prominence and thus may be termed as antics. There are over 100 temples within the Jageswar temple building and it in itself is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, extremely sacred to Hindus. Historically, these temples are over 2500 years old. The oldest amongst them is the Mrityunjaya Temple dating back to 8th century A.D.

Other Interests: The intricately designed deodar tree forests in the area account for the supreme bounty that lies ahead of the snow laden mountains at the backdrop. A glimpse of the scene is bound to make one skip a beat or two. Since the primary temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, occasions like Shravan Mela and Shivratri Mela are marked here in grandeur. Apart from the Shiva temple, other deities also have temples dedicated to them these include, Goddess Durga and Kali, Lord Kuber, Sun God et al. Jageshwar Monsoon Festival celebrated in August is also a prime attraction of the temple. The place also has some caves around, which are again worth a visit.

Dehradun

Historical Relevance: Originally, the region was part of Kedar Khand. It later became part of the Kingdom of Ashoka, the Gorkhas, the Rohillas and the Garhwalis. During the tenure of the British it was part of Meerut, and post 1968 it was joined to the Garhwal. Lakhamandal and Jagatram are archeologically important places near Dehradun where horse sacrifice was prevalent in ancient times to establish power. Kalsi, another place near Dehradun is famed for having Ashoka’s Rock edicts.

Other Interests: The land is famous for the key educational hubs of national importance. Tapkeshwar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is renowned for the naturally occurring droplets of water that fall automatically on the Shivalinga. The Tibetan temple is also a visited place here. There are numerous picnic locales in the area which often remain crowded.

Corbett

Historical Relevance: Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve built in 1936 is famous as a tiger reserve. There are approximately over two hundred tigers but spotting any one of them is a Herculean task. There are in all six zones in the forest. The most interior is Dhikala. This National Park is famed to be the oldest of its kind. The ecosystem is rich and has several species of migratory birds.
Haridwar

Historical Relevance: The city is known as the gateway of the Ganges and it also opens the way to the Hindu pilgrimage centre of Char Dham. Haridwar is also one of the places where there tripped off drops of Amrita, or the elixir of Life. Etymologically, Haridwar is known as the Gateway towards the Gods. Hari in Sanskrit means God and Dwar means the doors.

Mussoorie

Historical Relevance: Initially the Gorkhas were in charge of Mussoorie, and later it was seized from them by the British who used the place as a private holiday destination. Later it was also made the head office of The Survey of India office which was then located in Dehradun. From the days of the British Raj, to the days when it is the honeymoon destination of free India, Mussoorie has lived up as one of the most coveted places of the travel mongers.

Other Interests: And the climate here is always sunny except the monsoon and the winter mist, which again have their own share of attraction. The beautiful trees and the extra ordinary mountain flowers fill the aura with colour and fragrance. Certainly it is ‘Queen of the Hills’.

Nainital

Historical Relevance: Naini Lake signifies the existence of Nainital. It is also known as the Manaskhand owing to the trio of sages who visited here. It is also one of the many Shakti Peethas. It is also known as the Lake District of our country.

Other Interests: Naini Temple is another cause of attraction which narrates the tale of Shakti. China Peak is an all-time favourite. Lakes, caves, falls, gardens, important historical buildings and educational institutions make Nainital stand alone.

Binsar

Historical Relevance: This was the capital of the kingdom of the Kings of Chand Raj. There is an ancient sacred temple dedicated to Lord Shiva which was constructed by Raja Kalyan and he named it Bineswar.

Other Interests: Binsar Wild Life Sanctuary, photography and bird watching destination.

Bageshwar

Historical Relevance: The place was tucked to the district of Almora. According to Skanda Purana, Hindu Gods and Goddesses meditated here to Lord Shiva. According to Hindu scriptures has the power to free man from the clutches of life and birth.

Baijnath

Historical Relevance: Baijnath temple in Kausani is another Hindu temple. The temple is not only religiously important, but rather has much archaeological importance. There are ruins from the past that are very important to know the golden past the place once had. The temple stands firm by the waters of Gomti River.

The above are some of the places of prominence in Uttarakhand. There are numerous others which have no less splendour amongst the tourists.