Have you been to Uttarakhand?
This is a very exciting Indian Tourist Place. Uttarakhand is a state at the Northern part of India. This place is formerly known as Uttaranchal. It was formed out from the North-western districts of Uttar Pradesh and the Himalayas on the 9th of November 2000. People also refer this as the Land of Gods as they believe that this is one of the most naturally bestowed states in India. Uttaranchal shares its borders in the north by Tibet, in the south by Uttar Pradesh, in the east of Nepal, west of Haryana and northwest of Himachal Pradesh. It is also the home to some of the finest Hindu temples and religious tourism destinations in India. It was in the year 2007 when Uttaranchal was renamed to Uttaranchai which means part of the North. The state covers the area of 20,682 square miles of land and the capital is Dehradun.
Attractions of the Uttarakhand:
Valley of Flowers National Park: This is an Indian National park in the state of Uttarakhand in the West Himalaya founded in 1931. It is popular for its meadows of endemic alpine flowers and variety of flora.
Roopkund: In the Uttarakhand at the lap of Chamoli district, you will find a beautiful clear water lake called Roopkund. The starting point of your travel to Roopkund is Debal. You will find in this Indian Tourist place a picturesque lake that is surrounded by snow covered majestic Himalayan peak and glaciers. It is popularly called Skeleton Lake as this frightening area has 300 to 600 skeletons dated back 15th century AD. It is a one of the dreaded secluded places found in the regions of the Himalayan Mountains.
Why do you think there are lots of skeletons there?
Was there a mass killing or they we’re just struck by a super typhoon?
Was it a mass grave or a sunken cemetery?
Or a group travel to trek the mountains?
Based on the local folklore there was a troop that earned the fury of the local deity called Latu and were caught by the mighty hailstorm, they were thrown in the Roopkund Lake. It was in 1942 when a British forest guard in Roopkund who made this alarming discovery. The lake which is full of skeleton is at the bottom of a small valley some 16,000 feet above sea level. It was summer when the ice is melting the shows more skeletal remain.
There are some which are floating in the water and some are lying haphazardly around the lake’s edges. During the expedition in 2004 it revealed that the bodies were during the 850 AD. As checked in the DNA, there are two groups of people who died. One is a family or a tribe of related individuals and the second group are the locals which could be the porters and guides that were hired by the tribe. Based on the research, the 2004 expedition came into a conclusion that those 200 people died from a sudden and severe hailstorms. They were trapped in the valley and cannot seek shelter nor hide somewhere. The cricket ball sized hailstones which are hard as iron came and resulted for a sudden death of the travelers. The remains are at the lake for 1200 years until they were discovered.
Kedarnath Mandir: This is one of the holiest Hindu temples that is dedicated to the god Shiva. It is on the Garhwal Himalayan range near the Mandakini River in Kedarnath, Ultrarakhand, India.
Nainital Lake: This is a natural freshwater body, at the township of Nainital in Uttarakhand India. It is tectonic in origin and shaped like kidney or crescent shape. It has an outfall at the south eastern end.
Weather Conditions:
Uttarakhand has two types of climates as it is differentiated in the plains and in the mountainous areas. The best time to visit the state is during summer when the weather is mild. There are some areas of the hills that become inaccessible in winter time because of prolonged snowfall. The plain region is best during winter as the weather is pleasant. During summer, the temperature is crossing the mark of 40° C while winter time can be chilly with the temperatures going below 5° C. Climate from the southern foothills averaging during summer at around 30° C and during winter time, the temperature is around 18° C. In the Middle Himalayan valleys, warm temperate conditions prevail, usually about the mark of 25° C. For the higher areas of middle Himalayan, summer temperature is mostly between 15 to 18° C and as winter approaches, the temperature will drop below the freezing point. The eastern flanks of the Himalayan ranges are subject to heavy rainfall while it is relatively dry at the western section.
Accommodation Status:
Since your travel would have a lot of walking through the fields, remote villages, pines and forest on the north western side of India, it is a great opportunity to vibe yourself in the ancient culture and meet the villagers as they welcome you to their way of life as well as their homes. As the traveler enjoys and experience the Himalayan village life, expect a simple bathrooms in outdoor wash-houses, no televisions or hair dryers, but don’t worry as there is electricity where you can charge your phone. A short 4 day stay or longer hikes through the stunning Himalayan foothills, you will immerse yourself in village life with authentic home stays. The village folks would be gladly to serve you there authentic and delicious Kumaoni foods.
How to reach Uttarakhand?
The area is very remote. You need to take an overnight train ride from Delhi and then another 3 hour car journey to the hill station where you will start walking.