The temple is situated at a distance of 9kms from the city of Almora, in the state of Uttarakhand in India. The nearest railway station is the Kathgodam railway station
( 94 kms ). Pantnagar airport ( 124 kms ) and the IGI international airport at New Delhi ( 352 kms ) are the closest airports. The temple has free entry and the usual exploration time is
2 hours.

Gollu Devta is popular as a God of Justice. Devotees worship at the temple with the means of a White Cloth, Pagri and White Shawl. The people believe that what God asks for in propitiation is a bell, as is evident from the thousands of bells strung across the temple premises! One can even seek divine intervention by writing to the Devta. Stacks of letters are pinned all over the temple along with the bells.  

Devotees from far flung areas come to worship Gollu Devta . They perform either a 3-day pooja ( worship ceremony ) or a 9-day pooja and give offerings of Ghee, Milk, Curd, Halwa, Poori and Pakauri.

The post Chitai Golu Devta temple, Almora first appeared on President Travel Service.

The Jim Corbett National Park is well connected to major northern cities via motorable roads. The nearest railway station is situated at Ramnagar and it connects the Jim Corbett National Park to various cities. The Sitabani tourism zone is open all the year round for safaris. It also has a popular old temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Sitabani forest area is known for its variety of flora. It is a great natural habitat for a rich variety of fauna as well, such as Royal Bengal Tigers, Elephants, Sambhars, Barking Deer, Porcupines and the King Cobra. It is also a haven for bird watchers.

Booking jeeps is mandatory for taking planned safari tours in this area and advance bookings are recommended.

The post Sitabani temple, Ramnagar, Nainital first appeared on President Travel Service.

Hindu mythology says that to master the intricacies of music, sage Narad did severe penance to appease Lord Shiva, who appeared in his Rudra form to bless the sage. The Pandava Dance, a  form based on the dance and music of the Kauravas and Pandavas as described in the epic Mahabharata, is very popular among locals in the district.

The presence of two separate routes from Rudraprayag, one to Badrinath
(about 150 kms away) and the other to Kedarnath (around 50 kms away), make it an important destination for religious tourism. The region is blessed with natural beauty and the town is surrounded by lakes and glaciers. The nearest railway station to Rudraprayag is Rishikesh, 140 kms away. Taxis and buses are easily available from Rishikesh to Rudraprayag.

The post Rudraprayag first appeared on President Travel Service.

The face ( mukha ) of God Shiva is worshipped here at the Rudranath temple. A trek to the site starts from Sagar village which is about 3 kms away from the town of Gopeshwar in the Chamoli district. Rudranath is sometimes considered to be the toughest Panch Kedar temple to reach. A motorable road is present up to the village Sagar beyond which a 20 km trek via slippery paths has to be undergone to reach Rudranath.

The post Rudranath Temple, Gopeshwar, Chamoli first appeared on President Travel Service.

The town has been a part of the legendary ‘ Kedarkhand ’ and it is believed that Lord Rama did penance here for killing Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. Legend also has it, that Rama’s younger brother, Lakshmana, crossed the river Ganges using a jute rope-bridge at a point where the present day ‘ Lakshmana Jhula ‘ stands.

Thousands of years ago, sages came to this place to attain peace and spirituality. As their study and practice grew, Rishikesh established itself as the birthplace of Ayurveda the Indian system of medicine, Yoga, Meditation, Spirituality and Spa Therapies. Now, it has become renowned the world over as the place to study, learn and practice these therapies.

Rishikesh known for its holiness, is equally popular for adventure sports! Being on the banks of the river Ganges and located at the Himalayan foothills, it is an ideal destination for activities like rafting, trekking, rock climbing, kayaking etc. The town is the world capital of Yoga, and it is believed that meditation here brings one closer to attaining moksha ( the release from rebirth on the Earth )!

Triveni Ghat: These stepped river embankments, are situated at the confluence of three sacred rivers the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati ( which legends state, once flowed here ). There is a belief attached to this ghat that Lord Krishna visited this spot when he was hurt by an arrow shot by a hunter! Most pilgrims take a dip in its holy waters to wash themselves pure from sin before visiting the various temples.

The ceremonies of ‘Pinda Shraddha’, which are pleasing to departed ancestors and which allow them to join their forefathers in heaven, are also carried out here.

The post Rishikesh first appeared on President Travel Service.

Gurudwara Sri Nanak Matta Sahib is associated with the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Devji, who is believed to have visited Nanakmatta on his way to Kailash Parvat in 1515 AD. In fact, according to local lore, the place was earlier known as Gorakhmata and, after the visit of the Sikh guru, its name was changed to Nanakmatta.

Located about 56 kms away from Rudrapur, the town draws thousands of devotees, and is also popular for a dam constructed on river Saryu leading to the formation of Nanak Sagar, which adds to the beauty of Nanakmatta.

When to visit: All year round.

How to reach:
By flight: The nearest airport to Nanakmatta is at Pantnagar, which is aout 56 kms away. One can easily avail a taxi from the airport to Nanakmatta. Pantnagar airport is connected to New Delhi.

By train:  Khatima is the nearest railway station to Nanakmatta, about 15 kms away. Taxis and buses are easily available from the station.

The post Nanak Matta first appeared on President Travel Service.

This Surya Mandir ( Sun Temple ) is also known as Badaditya (Baraditya) Temple.

Entry Type: Free entry
Exploration time: 3 hours
Best time to visit: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov.

The temple once boasted of intricate designs carved on its wooden doors and panels, making it the second most beautiful shrine in India after the Konark Sun Temple. However, after the theft of a 10^th Century idol, the carved wooden doors and panels were transported to the National Museum New Delhi.

When the first sun rays fall on Katarmal Surya Temple, they light up an ancient idol of a sun god called Vraddhaditya!

The post Katarmal Sun Temple, Almora first appeared on President Travel Service.

Best time to visit: April to June and September to November.

The nearest airport is Pantnagar, about 150 kms away. The nearest railway station is Kathgodam, about 125 kms away. The site is connected by motorable roads to all the major towns and cities.

Recommended stay: One day.

The main temples of Jageshwar include Dandeshwar Temple, Chandika Temple, Jageshwar Temple, Kuber Temple, Mrityunjaya Temple, Nau Durga, Nava-grah Temple, a Pyramidal shrine, and the Surya Temple. The Maha Mrityunjaya Temple is the oldest while Dandeshwar Temple is the largest shrine of Jageshwar.

Architecture:  Most of the temples have the stone lingams, and very impressive stone images around the altar. A carved doorway leads to the square sanctum sanctorum. There is a tall curvilinear spire ‘shikhara‘, surmounted by an ‘amalaka’ (capstone) and a ‘kalasha’ (crown). Some ‘ashtadhatu’ (an alloy of eight metals) images are outstanding! One of the rarest specimens in northern India, the Ekamukhalinga can also e seen here.

The post Jageshwar temples first appeared on President Travel Service.

The mountain derives its name from the Sanskrit word ‘Om’, which is composed of three sounds: A-U-M. These sounds represent the three states of consciousness: waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. They also correspond to the three realms of existence: earth, atmosphere and heaven. The fourth state, beyond these three, is silence or pure consciousness, which is symbolized by the dot above the crescent in the Om symbol (ॐ).  

The mountain is considered sacred by Hindus and its snow pattern resembles the sacred word (ॐ).

Near Om Parvat are the Parvat Lake and “Jonglingkong Lake”. Jonglingkong Lake is sacred as Lake Mansarovar .

The ‘Shiva Purana’  narrates that OM originated before the universe’s formation. In Pauranic texts and folklore, it is said that there are eight hidden natural OM symbols in the world, with one being visible in the form of OM Parvat.

The mountain is considered holy by both Hindus and Buddhists and is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva.

(The ‘Puranas’ refer to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas ( metrical couplets ) and date to several centuries BCE).

The post Om Parvat first appeared on President Travel Service.