Pilgrimage Tours

Garhwal Himalayas are known as the Land of the Gods, Gurus & Ganga, where lofty peaks rise to eternal splendor. For centuries, saints & pilgrims have walked these mystical valleys & shrines in the search of eternal truth. It is here in the deep recesses of the mountains that the glaciers melt to form the sacred Ganga & Yamuna rivers 

The world, according to the Hindu Scriptures, is a vast ocean and a "Yatra" to holy places is the only way to ferry across it. A yatra to holy places in the Garhwal Himalayas rewards one, both, visually & spiritually. Yatras are undertaken to the sources of the Ganga, and its tributaries, and places such as Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri & Yamunotri. 

Shree Narayan Tours & Travels  organises various yatra packages in the Garhwal Himalayas as follows:

- Badrinath-Kedarnath-Gangotri-Yamunotri (14 days-to & from Delhi)
- Badrinath-Kedarnath yatra (8 days-to & from Delhi)
- Gangotri-Yamunotri (8 days-to & from Delhi)
- Badrinath (6 days-to & from Delhi)
- Kedarnath (6 days-to & from Delhi)
- Gangotri (6 days-to & from Delhi)
- Yamunotri (6 days-to & from Delhi) 

1. Yamunotri Gangotri Kedar Badri (Delhi Hardwar Mussoorie Syanachatti Yamunotri Uttarkashi Gangotri New Tehri Gaurikunda Kedarnath Rudraparyag Joshimath Badrinath Hardwar.)
2. Kedarnath Badrinath Hemkund
3. Delhi Dharamshala Manikaran Kullu (Delhi Chandigarh Bilaspur Mandi Manikaran Kullu Palampur Dharamshala Pathankot Delhi.)
4. Panch Pryag, Panch Keder, Panch Badri

PANCH BADRI

All as the apt tribute to Lord Vishnu reveres the five Badris. Badrinath is devoted to the worship of Vishnu who, according to an amusing tale, Usurped this place from Shiva. For Vishnu had come here as the gods once did, to offer penance. He loved the place so much that he plotted to unseat Shiva from his meditation here. He took on the form of a beautiful child and began to wail. Shiva's wife, Parvati picked him up but could not calm the child. Since his wailing continued to disturb Shiva, he shifted to Kedamath in exasperation, leaving the spot free for Vishnu to occupy. But remainders of Shiva's stay continue to linger, most visibly in the name, badri, a kind of berry that Shiva was S most fond of, and the gigantic tree, invisible to the mortal eye, that served Shiva. Considered one of the Chair Dham or four principal places of Hindu worship, Badrinath's four subsidiary badris include Bhavishya Badri, Yogdhyan Badri, Vridht Badri and Adi Badri.

Badrinath:- Also known as Vishal Badri, this temple located at a height of 3,133 nits. is the largest and most popular of the Vishnu pilgrimages among the five Badris. The original temple here is believed to be built by King Pururava and the icon of the lord carved by Vishwakarma, the creator of the gods. The idol was recovered by Adi Shankaracharya from the waters of the nearby Naradkund and consecrated once more in the temple, restored in the 19th century by the royal houses of Scindia and Holkar.

Adi Badrinath:- Another pilgrimage centre of local importance is this group of 16 temples enroute to Ranikhet and close to the confluence at Karan Prayag. The main temple is dedicated to Narayan and has a raised platform in the pyramidal form. Within the temple, a black stone idol is installed. It is believed that these temples, dating to the Gupta age, were sanctioned by Adi Shankaracharya who wanted to spread the tenets of Hinduism to every remote corner of the country.

Bhavishya Badrinath:- The future Badri is located at 2,744 mts. amidst the thick forests surrounding Tapovan. According to a divination, it is here that all devotees will throng once Badrinath is no more. While there can be no conceivable reason why this should happen, scientists agree that Joshimath, the entry point into the area befare the final, most strenuous climb, is sited on an ancient landslide and has been sinking, and with a barrage coming up close by, may actually see the fulfillment of the divine prophecy. But whatever happens, Bhavishya Badri is popular even now. Enshrined here is the lion-headed image of Narsingh. Visitors pass the serene Tapovan a place known for its hot water springs en route to the banks of the Dhauliganga, and on to the shrine.

Vridha Badrinath:- Before Badrinath was designated one of the four Char Dhams of Hindu worship by Adi Shankaracharya, the idol of Badrinath carved by the divine Vishwakarma was enshrined and worshipped here. It is said that when mankind entered the age of Kali, Vishnu chose to remove himself from the temple. Interestingly, the image was found by Adi Shankaracharya at Naradkund, and restored, though part of it remains damaged. This, the first badri, is located at a height of 1,380 mts. at Animath. While Badrinath closes during winter, the idol and priests hibernating at Joshimath, Vridha Badri remains open throughout the year.

Yogdhyan Badrinath:- Every so often in the Garhwal Himalayas, tales from the Mahabharata spring magically to life. Yogdhyan Badri, 1,920 mts, is located at Pandukeshwar, named after the Pandvas King. It is said that the Pandavas, victorious after their battle against the Kauravas, but emotionally scarred, came to the Himalayas. And it was here that they handed over their capital, Hastinapur, to Raja Parikshit and took up penance before seeking out the highway to heaven. The importance of the badri is immense and the sanctum has an image of the lord in a meditative posture.

PANCH KEADR

'Kedar' is also another name for Lord Shiva - the protector and the destroyer. According to the legends, the Pandavas after having won over the Kauravas in the Kurhkshetra war, felt guilty of having killed their own brothers and sought penance with Lord Shiva's blessings. Lord Shiva eluded them repeatedly and on being detected by them assumed the form of a bull. The second of Pandavas - Bhima tried to pick him up, but Shiva sank into the Earth and only the hump came in Bhima's hand. Seeing their determination the Lord was pleased and freed the Pandavas from their sin and requested them to worship his hump at Kedarnath. The other parts of Shiva's body, arms, face, navel and hair locks appeared at Tungnath, Rudranath, Madmaheshwar and Kalpeshwar. These four shrines along with Shri Kedarnathji are worshipped as "Panch Kedar". The Panch Kedar is the holy destination for all the Hindus. Madmaheshwar, Tungnath, Rudranath and Kalpnath with Kedarnath form the Panch Kedar, the five most important temples of Lord Shiva in Garhwal Himalayas.

Keadrnath:- The Kedarnath shrine, one of the 12 jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva, is a scenic spot situated, against the backdrop of the majestic Kedarnath range. At an altitude of 3,581 mt it is a 14 km trek from Gaurikund. Kedar is another name of Lord Shiva, the protector and the destroyer. Shiva is considered the embodiment of all passions – love, hatred, fear death and mysticism which are expressed through his various forms. There are more than 200 shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva in Chamoli district itself, the most important one is Kedarnath. According to legend, the Pandavas after having won over the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war, felt guilty of having killed their own brothers and sought the blessings of Lord Shiva for redemption. He eluded them repeatedly and while fleeing took refuge at Kedarnath in the form of a bull. On being followed he dived into the ground, leaving his hump on the surface. The remaining portions of Lord Shiva appeared at four other places and are worshipped there as his manifestations. The arms appeared at Tungnath, the face at Rudranath, the belly at Madmaheshwar and his locks (hair) and the four above mentioned shrines are treated as Panch Kedar.

Tungnath:- Tungnath (3Kms.) Situated at an elevation of about 3,680Mts.above sea level, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Enroute exotic varieties of rhododendrons, while flowers and shrub like trees can be seen in abundance. Kanchula Korak Musk Deer Sanctuary (74Kms.) On the Chopta Gopeshwar road, Kanchula Korak Musk Deer Sanctuary is famous for breeding musk deer.This Sanctuary covers an area of 5 sq. Mts. and is an ideal place for tourists to view rare Himalayan wildlife. This place is also popular for its dense forests and natural aromatic flowers.

Rudranath:- This shrine is 23 kms from Gopeshwer. The Mukh or face of Lord Shiva is worshipped as Neelkanth Mahadev. The temple site provides splendid views of Hathi Parvat, Nanda Devi, Nanda Ghunti, Trishuli and other peaks. Suryakund, Chandrakund, Tarakund, etc. are the holy kunds situated nearby. The scenic beauty and the spiritual piousness of the place make it scenically beautiful as well as enchanting.

Madmaheshwar:- The navel reappeared at this shrine after disappearing at Kedarnath. This Shrine is 30 kms from Guptkashi. The temple can be approached by a trek through the famous Sidha Peeth of Kalimath. Wild, unparalleled scenic beauty and incredible landscapes distinguish the distance from Kalimath to Madmaheshwar. Chaukhamba, Kedarnath and Neelkanth peaks are visible from here. Gaundar, at the conflux of Madmaheshwar Ganga and Makandya Ganga, is the last place that is worth a visit before one reaches this shrine.

Kalpeshwar:- The hair locks (Jata) of Lord Shiva are worshipped in this small rock temple. This temple is located in Urgam Valley. This shrine is a delight for the tourists with striking views of valley with terraced fields and lush green forests. The temple is reached after a trek of 10 kms from Rudranath to Helong which is the motor head on Rishikesh-Badrinath route.