Top 10 temples of Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand or Uttaranchal as it also known is The Holy Land for Hindus where millions of tourists flock every year to visit one of the most venerated and revered temples in the country. This hilly state relies heavily on religious tourism, where people from each state of the country congregate.  The top 10 list of the temples situated in this state are:-

1. Badrinath Temple, Badrinath : The Northern Dham of the four Char Dhams, this temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is the centrepiece of religious attraction in this holy-land. This temple is also one of the four sites which are known as the Chota Char Dhams. The temple is located in the Chamoli district on the banks of river Alaknanda. The statue of Vishnu is believed to be one of the 8 self manifested statues in the country. Visit the official website here

Badrinath: PC-indiandevidevta.blogspot.com

2. Kedarnath Temple, Kedarnath : One of the twelve Jytorilingas dedicated to Lord Shiva, this is the second most visited and revered temple within the state of Uttarakhand. This is also the second in the list of the 4 temples known as Chota Char Dhams. The town was recently destroyed in the flash floods but the temple was miraculously able to preserve itself. Visit the official website at badarikedar.org

Kedarnath: PC-marthoormahadevan.blogspot.com

3. Gangotri Temple, Gangotri : The third piece of the Chota Char Dhaam yatra, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Ganga and is the most revered site for the goddess despite the origin of the river takes place at Gomukh. Situated on the banks of river Bhagirathi, the temple is said to be the site where Goddess Ganga descended from heavens. More info here.

Gangotri: PC-indianinsights.blogspot.com

4. Yamunotri Temple. Yamunotri : The temple is dedicated to goddess Yamuna which is the grandest tributary to the river Ganga. The last of the four Chota Char Dhaams in Uttarakhand. Find out more about the source of river Yamuna here

Yamunotri: PC- tourservicesindia.blogspot.com

5.  Nanda Devi Temple, Almora : The most popular temple dedicated to the Devi in the state, the temple attracts lakhs of visitors in its premises.Fairs at Ranikhet, Almora and Nainital take place in her honour where thousands participate. More information here

Nandadevi: PC- uttarakhandpravasi.blogspot.com

6. Rudranath Temple, Rudraprayag: One of the five Kedars in the state, situated at the confluence of the rivers Mandakini and Alaknanda, the temple is surrounded by sacred Kunds and is said to the place where Devarshi Narad meditated. Rudranath temple is said to be the place where the soul of the dead cross the Vaitarini river.

Rudranath: PC-flickr.com

7. Mansadevi Temple, Haridwar : One of the 51 Shaktipeethas of India, the place is said to be the venue where the heart of lady Sati fell hence the veneration and devotion it invokes is unparalleled. This is also the centre of attraction during the Kumbh mela which takes place once in twelve years.

Mansadevi: PC-hindugodwallpaperz.com

8. Hemkund Sahib Temple, Joshimath : The revered Gurudwara situated at near Gobindghat in the Chamoli district devoted to Guru Gobind Singh. The adjoining glacial lake is surrounded by seven surrounding peaks each adorned by a Nishan Sahib. More information at the official website

Hemkunt: PC- indiantouristspots.blogspot.com

9. Chandidevi Temple, Haridwar : Perched atop a hill in the city of Haridwar, a huge pilgrimage centre in itself, the temple can easily be reached via a ropeway. This is one of the three Siddha Peetha in the state, the other two being Mansadevi and Mayadevi, is dedicated to goddess Chandika.

Chandidevi: PC-myharidwar.com

10. Madmaheshwar Temple, Mansoona : Madmaheshwar or Madhyamaheshwar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is one of the five Kedars and is believed to be built by the Pandavas. These five temples are also known as the Panch Kedar located in the Garhwal region of the himalayas, the other four being Kedarnath, Rudranath, Tunganath and Kalpeshwar.

Madmaheshwar: PC-flickr.com