This scenic city nestled in the Doon valley is the capital of Uttarakhand , the northern state of India previously known as Uttaranchal. Dehradun is one of the famous tourist destinations in Uttaranchal and attracts a large number of tourists every year.

Location:

Dehradun is flanked by the Himalayas in the North, the Shivalik range in the south, the Yamuna river to its west and the Ganges to its east. The city is located in the North western side of the state and adjoins the districts of Uttarkashi, Pauri Garhwal, Hardwar, Nahan (Himachal Pradesh) and Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh).

History:

Dehra is a variation of the word dera which means camp, or a temporary abode. A group of Sikhs led by Ram Rai on being ordered by the Mughul emperor Aurangzeb to retire to the forests had pitched temporary tents in this area. Dun is the name of the valley and the word means low land at the foot of a mountain.

Darjeeling is also called ‘Queen of the hills’. This famous hill station in the state of West Bengal in India is one of the highlights of Indian tourism and West Bengal tourism benefits significantly from the vast number of Indian and international tourists that visits Darjeeling every year. The town is also the capital of the Darjeeling district which is the northernmost district of West Bengal bordering Nepal. The town offers fantastic vacations in summer as well as winter. The view of the Himalayas, particularly the magnificent view of the Kanchenjungha is one of the major attractions of Darjeeling. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, popularly known as the toy train, has become the symbol of Darjeeling

Major tourist attractions in Darjeeling

Every nook and corner of Darjeeling fascinates the tourist. The mall, the sloping streets, the beautiful colonial buildings, the pines, temples, monasteries and even the whistling toy train combine to make Darjeeling one of the best hill stations in India. The major tourist spots in Darjeeling are-

Dalhousie is a beautiful hill station in the state on Himachal Pradesh. The city was established in the year 1854 during the British rule in India and is situated on and around five hills. Located on the Western side of the Dhauladhar mountain range of the Himalayas, the city is the gateway to the ancient Chamba Hill State. We at Touristplacesinindia.com offers you complete guidance on all that you want to know about the beautiful city of Dalhousie.

The city is situated about 6000 ft above the sea level and has a large number of destinations which attracts tourists from all around the World. The hill region in which the city stands is a repository of ancient Hindu culture and is bounded by temples all around.

About Auli :

Located in the Chamoli district of the northern state of Uttarkhand, Auli is a small hill station which has recently received popularity as a ski resort in India. The slopes of Auli are considered to be the best in Asia and offer one of the very few skiing options in India. The Nanda Devi peak is visible on a clear day from the town. The city is also the venue of the annual winter sports organized during the months of February and March. The skiing season in Auli is normally between November till March.

Fast facts
Languages: Hindi and English
Best time to visit: December to March
STD Code: 013172

History
The temple at Joshimath is one of the four set up by the famous Indian saint, Guru Adi Shankaracharya. These are called pithas and are revered by Hindus all over India. The local semi nomadic Bhotiya tribes have inhabited Auli and the nearby areas for many centuries. These tribes carried out trade with the Tibetan nomads and since then, cultural intermingling has been a constant feature between these two regions. The slopes that are now popular for skiing once used to be the training grounds for the Indo-Tibetan border police force.A famous and daring skiing descent from the 23490 feet high Trishul peak was successfully attempted in 1958. Skiing down took only 90 minutes while the climb had taken four days.

Best Season, Climate, and Clothing

Since it is famous for winter sports, skiing in particular, the best time to visit this scenic hill station is during winter. November to March is the ideal time for the skiers as the slopes are in perfect condition for skiing during that period. From December to March, the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam organizes 7-day and 15-day skiing courses. Heavy woolens are needed to combat the harsh winters and temperatures can reach well below zero degrees Celcius.

Somnath Temple Chawk

यत्र गंगा च यमुना । यत्र प्राची सरस्वती ।
यत्र सोमेश्वरो देव: तत्र माममृतं कृधी । इन्द्रायेन्दो परिस्त्रव ।।

Chandra Devan is considered to have built this temple & hence the name Somanathar to the Lord. Chandran fell in love with Rohini, one of the daughters of Dakshan. But Dakshan wanted to give all his daughters in marraige to one able & loving person, who would treat all his daughters equally. Chandran got married to all, but his love for Rohini was too great & the other daughters complained to their father. Dakshan cursed Chandran to dwindle in power & beauty. When Chandran begged forgiveness, Dakshan said that only prayers to Lord Siva, could free him of the curse. Chandran came to Somanath & prayed to Lord Siva, doing penance for about 4,000 years. Lord Siva appeared & said that he could not fully absolve him of the curse. Instead, he would wane in 15 days, but would grow again. This is the story said for the waxing & waning of the moon, producing new moon & full moon.

Gangotri – The Eternal Gift Of Bhagirath’s Penance
Be it man’s urge to placate the Gods above or to quench his desire for adventure, Gangotri is an ideal location. Gangotri, the origin of the sacred river Ganges, attracts tourists in large numbers every year. The confrontation with the daunting rivers and attempts to unravel the mysteries of the supernatural world are ubiquitous sights here. Along with the thrill of conquering nature, what one experiences here is the mystical aura that India is so famous for.

Location
Couched in the magnificent Garhwal hills, Gangotri is at an altitude of 3048 meters above sea level. It is on the northernmost part of the state of Uttar Pradesh and is very near the Indo-Tibetan border. It is approximately 300 km from Dehradun, 250 km from Rishikesh and 105 km from Uttarkashi. The summers are relatively cool and winters are freezing cold, with rains in the months of May and June. For the devotees and tourists, the gates of the temple are open only in the months of May to November.

This temple was of special significance to Sai Baba and he used to come here religiously on a regular basis. Several satsangs (religious sermons) were also conducted here with the assistance of Devidas, who happened to be a bal yogi (young devout). 

Make sure that you have sufficient time in hand for exploring all the attractions when you travel to Shirdi. 

Touristplacesinindia.com offers online information on the Shirdi Tourist Attractions and also offers useful inputs about Shirdi.

Shri Badrinath Dham

Badrinath, the seat of the god Vishnu in his aspect of Badrinarayan, is the most important of the four sites in India’s Char Dham pilgrimage.Situtaed in the hills of Himalaya, at the height of 10,248 feet above sea level. The route to Badrinath is one of the most arduous one due to the lofty hilly terrain, curves and cliffs amidst the most scenically beautiful place on the earth.

The Temple:

The temple’s was built by the Kings of Garhwal about two centuries ago.The temple has three sections – Garbhagriha (Sanctum), The Darshan Mandap, and Sabha Mandap. The Garbhagriha (Sanctum) houses Lord Badri Narayan, Kuber (God of wealth), Narad Rishi, Uthavar, Nar & Narayan.

Lord Badri Narayan (also called as Badri Vishal) is armed with Shankh (Conch) and Chakra in two arms in a lifted posture and two arms rested on the lap in Yogamudra.The principal image is of black stone and it represents Vishnu seated in meditative pose. The temple also houses Garuda (Vahana – vehicle of Lord Narayan) and Goddess Mahalaxmi. Also here are the idols of Adi Shankar, Swami Desikan and Shri Ramanujan Guru-Shisya parampara is supposed to have its roots here.The principal image is of black stone and it represents Vishnu seated in meditative pose. The temple also houses Garuda (Vahana – vehicle of Lord Narayan) and Goddess Mahalaxmi

The Gujarat government has decided to turn the rare total solar eclipse on July 22 into a tourism event. The celestial event will be visible first in India in the diamond city of Surat off the Bay of Cambay.

“We are expecting at least 5,000 tourists to witness the celestial drama that will unfold in Surat,’’ said Kishor Rao, secretary, tourism, Gujarat. He said the numbers might not be high but were impressive in light of the fact that it was a lean period for domestic tourism in the country. “For the first time, we will able to showcase something interesting to the Gujaratis in their own state,’’ he says.

The total solar eclipse, which happens when the moon overshadows the sun from the earth, will occur from 5.28am to 7.40am (Indian Standard Time). In India, it would be seen for the longest duration, 6.26am to 6.30am, in Surat. According to Narrottam Sahu, chief scientist of the state government, this rare spectacle would next occur on June 13, 2123.