Baijnath Temple, Kasauni

      Baijnath temple complex is located 17 kms from Kasauni. Baijnath Temple complex has many historic ruins.Intricate and delicate carvings makes the temple fabulous. The sculptures are are also made to precision and tell a saga of craftsmanship which existed in those days. These temples are located 3 kms from Garud Bazar along river Gomti. The mere location of Baijnath temples mesmerises visitors. The statues and carvings done on the stone are really some piece of creation. The idols are so lively that it appears as if they are going to speak now. The temple is about 1000 years older.

Chandi Devi , Haridwar

      Chandi Devi temple is six kilometer from the main town of Haridwar. It is on the top of a hill called the Neel Parvat which is on the other side of the river Ganga. The temple was constructed by the King of Kashmir, Suchat Singh, in 1929 AD. Chandi Devi is a three km trek from the Chandi Ghat. The story goes that Chanda-Munda the army chief of the demons Shumbh-Nishumbh were killed by Goddess Chandi hence the name Chandi devi. It also said that the original statute of Chandi was established by Adi Shankaracharya in 8th century AD. Recently a rope way has been built which takes you to the top directly.



The Ghats , Varanasi

      In this ancient city of pilgrimage, the bathing ghats are main attraction. People flock here in large numbers every day to take bath and worship in the temples built beside the river bank. The centuries old tradition to offer puja to the rising Sun is still maintained. One of the main ghats of Varanasi is the Dasashvamedh or the ghat of ten sacrificed horses. It is said that the sacrifices were made by Lord Brahma to pave path of the return of Shiva after the period of banishment. The beauty of this ghat has remained unchanged even after ages of harsh treatment it has undergone. The Ghat has remained unspoiled and provides the same view of the river front which it has been showing for ages now. Some the other famous ghats are the Asi, Barnasangam, Panchganga and Manikarnika ghats. As the first rays of Sun sparkle on the water of Ganga, devotees take their dip before performing any other religious activity. You can go for a boat ride from the Ghats. It is advisable that take a boost before the sunrise and watch the ravishing beauty of Varanasi unfold itself with the rays of dawn.



Har ki Pauri , Haridwar

       The most sacred ghats in India - Har ki Pauri, was built by Vikramaditya in memory of his brother Bhartrihari. This ghat is also known as Brahmakund. In the evening a Maha Aarti is performed on this ghat. It is an event which is must not be missed by any visitor. The floral diyas which float on the ghat in the twilight creates an impression of a stars being brought in the river water. The ghat is full of Pandas and Pujaris often take money from the visitors. Always try to avoid them.There are many hotels, guest houses and temples on this ghat.

Mansa Devi , Haridwar     

      It is situated on top of a hill called the Bilwa Parvat. The temple can be reached by the rope way or one can take the normal trekking route to the top. The top of the hill gives you an excellent view of Haridwar. The temple is surrounded by many shops and you have to follow the line to have a glimpse of the goddess. One of the goddess has three mouths and six arms while another has eight arms. The trolly ropeway route to Chandi Devi and Mansa Devi, is very exciting.



Mathura

      Mathura is one of the major pilgrimage spots for Hindus which is 58 kms from Agra.  Krishna, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu was born here.Mathura also has rich affliations with Buddhism. Ashoka the Great was a great patron of Mathura.

     The Ram Janam Bhumi controversy has brought this place to public attention.The Ram Kesava Deo Temple was among the temples which were destroyed and mosques was built in their place. This temple has a small room that looks like a prison cell; Hindus believe that Lord Krishna was born here. Near the Janambhumi site is the Potara-Kund where the nappies of Krishna are said to have been washed.

      Mathura is located on the banks of the River Yamuna. Its ghats are believed to have links to various phases of Krishna's childhood. Krishna is said to have rested at Vishram ghat after killing Kansa. Just beside the ghat is the Sati Burj which was built by Behari Mal in 1570 to commemorate the Sati of his mother. The upper stories of this four storeyed building was knocked down by Aurangzeb. The Kans Qila, Jama Masjid and the Dwarkadheesh temple situated nearby are worth visiting. The archaeological museum has a rich collection of sculptures of the ancient Mathura school. The dusty town of Vrindavan also attracts many pilgrims. This is the place where Krishna is said to have played and flirted with the Gopis' (beautiful maidens from his village). Dramatic representations of his Raslila is popular not only in India but abroad as well.

Vrindavan

      This temple is one of the finest in North India. It was built by Raja Man Singh in 1590. The architecture of this temple is excellent.Originally a seven-storyed building, it was chopped to four storeys by Aurangzeb.

      Vrindavan has around 4000 temples many of which, like the Rangaji temple, were architectural marvels of their time. The Bankey Bihari, Radha Ballabh, Madan Mohan, Nidhi Van and the 10-storeyed Pagal Baba are some of the famous temples here.

       The International Society Of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has its Indian base in Virindavan. The Krishna Balaram temple is built in white marble and is infact a mausoleum dedicated to the founder of the sect, Swami Prabhupada, who died in 1977.

      The most impressive building in Vrindavan is the Govind Dev temple built in red sandstone.

Naina Devi Temple , Naini Tal

      The attractive lake of Naini Tal is said to be the eyes of Sati, wife of Lord Shiva. Sati had jumped into the sacrificial fire to escape the humiliation of her husband by her father, King Daksh. To mourn the death of his beloved wife, Shiva carried her mortal remains across the country. The parts of her body fell at various places which today are sacred places of worship for Hindus. It is said that the shimmering green waters of the Naini lake is a reflection of the emerald green eye of Sati. 'Naina' means eyes which symbolizes the eyes of Sati. On the northern side of the lake is built a temple dedicated to Sati and is called the Naina Devi temple. Near the temple is the Tibetan market which sells many interesting items. The Nainital Boat Club is a popular tourist attraction. Many of our film directors have captured the lake for song sequences. The sunset over the lake is an amazing sight. The reflection of the surrounding mountains in the lake creates a image which is indescribably beautiful.



Rishikesh

       Rishikesh is 24 km from Haridwar. This place is known as the Tapo Bhumi or the place for meditation of the gods. One of the popular pilgrimage spots for Hindus, this is where the Ganges leaves the mountains and prepares herself to begin her long journey through the plains. There are number of ashrams and meditation centers located on the bank of river Ganga. Rishikesh is situated in the beautiful terai of the Himalayas. To foreign tourists, this is a popular as a center for yoga.

       Rishikesh has the famous Lakshman Jhula or Shivananda Jhula and the Ram Jhula. These two bridges connect the two sides of Rishikesh. Then there is the Triveni Ghat which is famous for the evening mahaarti. Near this ghat is the ancient Bharat temple. Another tourist attraction is the Neelkanth Mahadev, a place where Lord Shiva is believed to have drank the venom which came out during the churning of the Ocean. Today Rishikesh is fast emerging as a centre for curing ailments through yoga and meditation. This place is also coming up as research center for ancient systems of medication. The surroundings of Rishikesh is covered with thick green woods which adds to the beauty of the place.



Vindhyachal, Varanasi

      There are many Shaktipeeths in India. These are the places where the Goddess of Power is said to be residing. She is worshipped in the form of Goddess Durga. Vindhyachal is one such peeth or abode of Shakti.Vidhyanachal is 90 kms from Varanasi. The temples of Vindhyavasini Devi, Asthbhuja and kalikhoh are a must-visit here.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi

      Kashi Vishwanath temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is popularly known as the 'Golden Temple' due the gold plating done on its 15.5 meter high spire. One tonne of gold donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh has been used in the gold plating of the spire. The temple was destroyed by various invaders and was rebuilt in 1776 by Rani Ahilyabai of Indore. Due to security reasons, metal detectors are placed throughout the temple. The Vishwanath temple was destroyed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb who built the Gaynvapi Mosque in its place.Even today the western wall of the mosque show the remnants of a temple which had very intricate and fine artwork on it. Both the Kashi Vishwanath and the Gyanvapi mosque are adjacent to each other.

Durga Temple

      The Durga temple is one of the most important temples in Varanasi built in the 8th century. This temple is built in Nagara Style. The shikhara of the temple is formed by many small spires which are built one on top of the other.

Bharat Mata Temple

      This temple is dedicated to Mother India. Just one km from the Varanasi station. The temple is built in the Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth which was built by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupt. This temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1936. The statue is built in marble. The statue is a replica of undivided India in three dimension which has the mountains, plains and oceans in right proportion.




Tulsi Manas Temple

      Tulsi Manas temple is dedicated to Lord Rama. The temple is built in the place where Goswami Tulsidas composed the epic 'Ramacharitramanas' which gives us with detailed description of the history and deeds of Lord Rama. Tulsi Manas Temple was constructed by a philanthropist family in 1964.


Nepali Temple

      This temple is built by the King of Nepal on Lalita ghat in Nepali style. The Nepali temple is also known as 'Kathwala temple'. The temple has some enchanting and magnificent woodwork. It is really a lovely temple.People from all over come to see this temple.The workers who carved this temple out were brought from Nepal. The wood used in the temple is also found in Nepal. The speciality of this wood is that termites do not eat this wood.