Review of Arrivalguides To Go - A Travel Guide App by Intel

Every once in a while, we all love to pack our bags and break loose from the daily humdrum of our lives,  don’t we? But have you ever felt that instead of recharging your batteries and energizing your spirits, this holiday of yours actually left you drained out even more? If yes, then one of the major reasons behind this could be lack of planning or no planning at all. Some consider planning a necessary evil, for some it is pleasing and enjoyable but one thing that cannot be denied is that planning does form an important part of traveling. How your trip shapes out in the end, to a large extent, depends on how you go about sketching things in the beginning.

Personally, I love to travel and my idea of travel begins right from the word Go – that’s before tightening my belts and packing my bags! After choosing on a destination, I like to get a lowdown of the place right from its history, restaurants and so on and I must confess that for me, planning not only forms one of the most fun parts of traveling but also adds to the entire travel experience. This research later helps me to do things my way around things I would love to do, so that my high of a fulfilling vacation remains... long after I am back!

Years ago, the only way to do this was guidebooks, tour packages or word of mouth. Today, you have the internet or the laptop and it’s a whole new experience. Of course, spontaneity is fun too but a bit of planning never hurts and you really don’t want to come back and exclaim, 'Oh My! How could I miss this?! I was right next to it!’... Right?

To avoid such a situation and to make things a little easy for you, Intel has introduced an app - Arrivalguides To Go - which aims at giving you an entrée to their 400 destination guides. All of these guides are fully packed with necessary information of a location like restaurants, sightseeing, cafes, shopping and much much more!

Review of Intel App Travel Guide - Arrivalguides To Go

When I opened the app, the splash screen that popped up managed to impress me first up itself with its clean presentation and uncluttered ambiance. Navigation was easy with two different sections – ‘Choose Destination’ and ‘Inspire Me’ leading the way into different countries and cities around the globe.
 

The initial pop up screen of the App

The Intel app comes with basic information about various destinations listed with it which include Cambodia, China, India, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and many more. Instinctively pilot your way through beautiful countries featuring more than 100 destinations and ensure that you find address of hotels, the most comfortable restaurants or the contact details of your car rentals at the tip of your hands!

Various destinations in Asia

City specific features broken down by Hotels, Cafes, Clubs, Shopping, sights and things to do, etc give constructive insights of a location from general introduction and its climate to picture gallery, basically covering all the necessary stuff that a traveler needs to plan a fulfilling holiday.

List of cities to choose from in India

The packed details are neatly divided into smaller chunks of info that is trouble-free on the eyes and easy on the mind.  Accompanied by relevant photos and crisp and clearly written content, steering through the app is an experience that is parallel to swishing a book in a bookstore.
 

Overview of New Delhi in India

New Delhi - Things to do (The pic is that of Lotus Temple)

It also offers an entire section ‘Inspire Me’ which is quite interactive and fun too. If you are raring to make trip somewhere but cannot make up your mind on the place, then this could definitely come in handy. It helps you choose a destination by answering 10 simple pictorial questions and gives you a bucket list of options to choose from, thus inspiring you to pack up your suitcase and get going.

The App inspired me to travel to these places

The search feature makes it easier for a user to rummage around the many destinations and directly jump to his desired location.

Search result for 'Japan'

USP of the App

• The app scores over the traditional guidebooks by regularly auto updating itself anytime you go online.
• It respects the fact that a traveler is often out on the road in areas with no internet connection and lets him download and save their guides for offline use too.

Final Thoughts

It’s an effective alternative to the traditional paper guidebook to the regions and lets you get your own fixes and be your own Guide. And what’s more, all this at absolutely no cost! The app is completely free which is an absolute gift - just imagine the amount of information you get!

For a frequent traveler, it forms an excellent travel companion and for a non traveler, it serves a great virtual and learning experience. It is essentially an application for anyone and everyone…

So what are you waiting for? Go for this app today - Be your Own Guide and enjoy a fuss free travel anywhere and anytime!!! Bon Voyage!

You can download this app by following the link - Arrivalguides To Go by Fastcheck AB or you may also browse from a host of other apps by clicking here Intel AppUps Your source for apps.

Note - This blog is an entry to the "My Favorite PC App" contest. Check out numerous apps for PC/Netbooks available at the Intel AppUp Center. If you are looking for an opportunity to build and monetize your applications, check out the Intel® Atom™ Developer Program.

If you are an IndiBlogger and liked My Review Then Please Vote for it on Indivine here. Thank you :)

Rishikesh - Where to Stay, Eat (Swami Dayananda Ashram)

Day 5 : Neelkanth Peak - Hanuman Chatti Temple - Exploring Joshimath - Enroute to Rishikesh (Joshimath - Srinagar) - RISHIKESH SWAMI DAYANANDA ASHRAM - Haridwar - Char Dham Trip Concludes Finally....

The sixth day of our trip to the Garhwal Himalayas, finally saw us in the plains… the very place from where we had embarked on this holy journey just a couple of days back – Rishikesh!

Rishikesh, the Land of the Sages, is a celebrated spiritual town nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas with the Holy River Ganga gently flowing besides it. It is believed that when Raibya Rishi undertook rigorous penance, God appeared in the form of ‘Hrishikesh’ and the area henceforth came to be known as Rishikesh. Besides being the starting point for the pilgrims undertaking the Char Dham Yatra, it is also famous as the ‘Yoga Capital of the World’ which draws a considerable rush to the town the entire year around.

Welcome to the 'Land of the Sages' - Rishikesh

If you are on a serious soul-searching mission, then Rishikesh is the destination tailor-made just for you. People come here to find a direction to their lives, connect to their inner selves and go back home with pleasurable memories and a silent promise to return again.

Where to Stay, Eat in Rishikesh (Swami Dayananda Ashram)

Step in Rishikesh and you will see lots and lots of ashrams and hotels to stay, suited for a variety of different budgeted traveling pockets. Even though there are a clut of ashrams, one important thing to remember is to book your rooms well in advance especially during the season period since the town sees a lot of tourists not only from India but also from abroad for reasons quite clearly evident in the introductory paragraph.

A Board in the Swami Dayananda Ashram displaying the tithis, nakshatras

and other celestial details of the day

Although, we were to spend just a couple of hours in Rishikesh, still we had prebooked our room for freshening up at the Swami Dayananda Ashram.

Swami Dayananda Ashram

Spread in a huge sprawling area, it is a very humble and a serene place located in the middle of the town, still distant enough to make it calm, laid back retreat from the maddening touristy rush, also one of the things the town is notoriously known for.

Swami Dayananda Saraswati, a contemporary teacher of Vedanta

and a scholar in Sanskrit in the tradition of Sankara.

There is no failure in life. There are only varieties of experiences. We learn from experiences, and not from failure which does not exist - Swami Dayananda

The rooms are amazingly very clean and well maintained for an ashram which has no fixed tariff! You don’t pay anything here but just make a donation!

Our room at the Swami Dayananda Ashram in Rishikesh

What’s more they also offer complementary lunch and dinner serving homelike, pure and satvik food which is cooked daily in the premises itself.

Dining Hall area of the Ashram

There is a well equipped library with CD’s and books written by Swami Dayananda himself, an ashram temple, a lecture/satsang hall where regular yoga courses and spiritual camps are held all round the year and a façade where you can stand and fill in your eyes and heart with the unending views of the River Ganga and the mountains.

View from the Ashram facade

Lord Shri Gangadhareswar Temple - Facing the Ganga River, is the ashram temple wherein daily worship is offered by the visiting devotees and the ashram sadhus and priests.

The Lord Shri Gangadhareswar Temple

at the Swami Dayananda Ashram in Rishikesh

Temple architecture

The main deity of Lord Shiva worshipped as Lord Gangadhareswar

An image inside the Temple representing the Twelve Jyotirlingams of Lord Shiva

An idol of Goddess Gauri, the consort of Lord Shiva in the temple

Besides the temple is the private ghat of the ashram which the resident devotees can utilize to take a holy dip in the River Ganga.

Image from the blog archives, Year 2009

Private bathing ghat of Swami Dayananda Ashram

This time the bridge was broken due to the floods

that had hit the town in Aug 2010

Of all the places that I have stayed in my travels so far, Dayananda ashram is definitely one which is very close to my heart and will always remain so!

Dayanand Ashram trivia – An interesting fact I came to know about this ashram was that the South Indian Superstar actor, Rajnikanth also prefers to stay at this place whenever he is in the town!

Previous posts from this trip -

1. Char Dham Yatra

2. Planning the Char Dham Trip
3. Introduction to Uttarakhand and Char Dhams

4. ISKCON Temple, Delhi
5. Entire DAY 1 of the Yatra (includes The journey finally begins... Haridwar to Uttarkashi)

6. Entire DAY 2 of the Yatra (includes Enroute to Gangotri - Gangnani, Enchanting Mother Ganga... Our First Dham - Gangotri, Places to visit in and around Gangotri, Bhaironghati, Harsil, Pilot Baba Ashram in Bhatwari, Temples of Uttarkashi)
7. Entire Day 3 of the Yatra (includes Uttarkashi to Birahi (Chowrangikhal), Uttarkashi to Birahi (Kemundakhal))

8. Entire Day 4 of the Yatra (includes Birahi-Badrinath:Joshimath Gate System, Badrinath introduction - Where to stay, Eat, Alaknanda River and Brahma Kapal Ghat, Tapt Kund and the Panch shilas, The Badrinath Temple, Exploring the last Indian Village in Uttarakhand - Mana Village,  Places to visit in Mana Village, Diwali Celebrations in the Badrinath Temple)
9. Entire Day 5 of the Yatra (includes Neelkanth Peak, Hanuman Chatti Temple, Exploring Joshimath-Jyotirmath, Enroute to Rishikesh (Joshimath - Srinagar))

Treks Beyond Badrinath - Swargarohini, Satopanth Tal, Valley of Flowers, Hemkund Saheb

Beyond the holy town of Badrinath, there lie many favored trekking routes into the pristine ranges of the Himalayas that attract visitors from both home and abroad. Listed below are some of these places which I could not get a chance to visit this time around but would surely love to cover atleast once in my lifetime:

Govindghat

The confluence of Alaknanda and Lakshman Ganga rivers, it’s the spot of the magnificent Gurudwara (Sikh shrine) named after the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Govind Singh. About 275 kms from Rishikesh, it is also the starting point to numerous trekking routes in the Garhwal Himalayas.

Hemkund Sahib

In the lap of higher Himalayas, around 14000 ft above sea level in the Chamoli district of Uttaranchal, is situated the very sacred Hemkund Lake also known as the Lokpal Lake. Besides this lake is the holy Sikh Gurudwara dedicated to the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh who became one with God after performing penance here.  Touted as the highest pilgrimage spot in the world, the lake and its picturesque surroundings form an important pilgrimage not only for the Sikhs but for people from other faiths as well. Nearby is a Lakshman temple where Lakshman, the younger brother of Ram, is said to have performed meditation.

Hemkund Sahib and the Hemkund Lake. 

Hemkund is a Sanskrit name derived from

'Hem' meaning snow and 'Kund' meaning bowl

(image courtesy sikhnet.com)

Hemkund Sahib (also known as Gobinddham), situated along the banks of the Hemkund Lake, is surrounded by seven huge snow-covered mountains which are collectively called 'Hemkund Parvat'.

How to reach - The take-off point for Hemkunt Sahib is the town of Govindghat. The 13 kilometres trek is along a reasonably well maintained path which passes through the village of Ghangaria.

Valley of flowers

About 3 kms from Hemkund Sahib lies the 5 km long stretch called Valley of Flowers, an exceptionally beautiful high-altitude Himalayan valley in the upper reaches of Garhwal with river Pushpawati flowing through it. Discovered by Frank S Smith – a mountaineer, explorer and a botanist, the area lies on the Zanskar range of the Himalayas with the highest point in the national park being Gauri Parbat at 22043 ft above sea level.

The Mesmerizing beauty of the Valley of Flowers

(image courtesy panoramia.com and trekearths.com)

Declared a national park in 1982 by the Indian government and now a World Heritage Site, this enchanting part of Uttarakhand is inaccessible through much of the year and shuts down for visitors if the weather is absolutely bad. Legend has it that a flower called Brahma-Kamal (the state flower of Uttarakhand) blossoms here every 12 years.

There are strict rules for the trekkers here to preserve the valley in immaculate condition. Camping and overnight stay is not allowed in the Valley of Flowers, Ghangaria is the logical base camp for the trek.

How to reach - Getting to the Valley of Flowers requires a trek of about 19 km from the town of Govindghat. The nearest major town is Joshimath in Garhwal, which has convenient road connections from Haridwar and Dehradun, both about 270 km from Joshimath.

Satopanth Tal

A triangular shaped lake, each side about 1 Km long, situated at an altitude of about 15100 ft, Satopanth Tal is on the route taken by the Pandava brothers on their Swarga Yatra (descent to heaven). It is named after the Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. All around the lake stand mighty Himalayan snow peaks namely Mt. Neelkanth (21638 feet), Mt. Satopanth (23,206 feet), Mt. Swargarohini (20507 feet), Mt. Chaukhamba I (23413 feet) and Mt. Balakun (20040 feet). One also gets some stunning views of the famous Himalayan giant peaks like Chaukhamba, Neelkanth, Swargarohini & Narain Parbat enroute Satopanth lake. It is a very hard trek and a good experienced guide is advisable.

The term Satopanth is derived from two words –

‘Sato’ meaning heaven, and ‘Panth’ meaning path or way

(image courtesy rpmedia.net)

How to Reach - The glacier is just 17 kilometers from the famous holy temple of Badrinath in Chamoli district. The route upto Badrinath is motorable road, from there on after Mana you take the route along with the Alaknanda river. You will come across Vasudhara falls and thereon 5 kilometers ahead is the snout of Satopanth glacier. The trek can be undertaken in summers (May - Oct) only and the left bank of Alaknanda is suitable for camping.

Swargarohini

This is the route the Pandava brothers took for Heaven, Swargarohini

(image courtesy panoramia.com)

Enroute to the Satopanth trek, Swargarohini is a mountain massif in the Bandarpunch Range of the Garhwal Himalayas and comprises of 4 separate peaks. It is the believed to be the sacred path which the Pandavas of the Mahabharta fame had traversed on their way to Heaven.

There are more trekking options beyond...

... If the pilgrim-adventurer in you still craves for more, there are equally enticing options that lie beyond Uttarakhand as well - Yuksom -Zongri trekking route as mentioned in many of the popular Sikkim Tour Packages is a great bet along with the destination of Gangtok with its serene landscape soaked in silent Buddhist monasteries cuddled in the higher mountainous lap of the Himalayas.

Previous posts from this trip -

1. Char Dham Yatra

2. Planning the Char Dham Trip
3. Introduction to Uttarakhand and Char Dhams

4. ISKCON Temple, Delhi
5. Entire DAY 1 of the Yatra (includes The journey finally begins... Haridwar to Uttarkashi)

6. Entire DAY 2 of the Yatra (includes Enroute to Gangotri - Gangnani, Enchanting Mother Ganga... Our First Dham - Gangotri, Places to visit in and around Gangotri, Bhaironghati, Harsil, Pilot Baba Ashram in Bhatwari, Temples of Uttarkashi)
7. Entire Day 3 of the Yatra (includes Uttarkashi to Birahi (Chowrangikhal), Uttarkashi to Birahi (Kemundakhal))

8. Entire Day 4 of the Yatra (includes Birahi-Badrinath:Joshimath Gate System, Badrinath introduction - Where to stay, Eat, Alaknanda River and Brahma Kapal Ghat, Tapt Kund and the Panch shilas, The Badrinath Temple, Exploring the last Indian Village in Uttarakhand - Mana Village,  Places to visit in Mana Village, Diwali Celebrations in the Badrinath Temple)
9. Entire Day 5 of the Yatra (includes Neelkanth Peak, Hanuman Chatti Temple, Exploring Joshimath-Jyotirmath, Joshimath-Srinagar)

Lord Shiva Temple in Ambernath, Maharashtra during Shravan

"Who wears snakes as garlands, whose eternal abode
is in the heart of the devotee, I bow to Him (Lord
Shiva) and His consort Bhavani (Uma or Paarvati)"

Month August, Hindu Calendar Month Shravan –

‘Mom, it’s raining so heavy today!’
‘The RainGods are bathing Lord Shiva dear…’

As a small child, I remember such instances quite vividly. For me, it was just the dark clouds and the cool breeze of the rainy season that came along in the months of July-August. But for her (read my mother) it was a little bit more… And it took me a few more years to understand the complete depth and significance that this month of rains contained within itself…

Auspicious Shravan also known as Sawan, The Beloved Month of Lord Shiva

…The Holy Month of Shravan it was…

Believed to be the holiest month of the year according to the Hindu traditions, this is the month dedicated to Lord Shiva and is packed with auspicious days, festivals and celebrations. The relevance finds its roots in the traditional story according to which Lord Shiva had consumed the Halahal or poison that had emanated from the churning of the ocean and stored it in His throat (this is the reason, he is also known by the name of Neelkanth). To cool him off and provide relief, The Hindu Gods and Demi Gods poured Holy Ganges water on Him. A ritual which is still honored with devotees offering special prayers and Ganga water/milk to Shivalingams in the Shiva temples all round the country to commemorate this time of the year.

Ambernath Yatra:  A Visit to the Ancient Ambreshwar Shiva Temple in Ambernath, Maharashtra during Shravan

The name Ambernath literally means Lord of the sky. Ambernath is the site of a very old temple, the ancient Ambreshwar Shiva Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, the construction of which dates back to 1060 AD in the 10th century.

Way to the Ambernath Shiva Temple in Maharashtra

Located by the bank of Vadavan (Waldhuni) river, the temple is a towering structure surrounded by a fenced wall. Richly carved and decorated out of a single black stone, the intricate carvings are inspired from Hemadpanti style of architecture.

View of the temple from a distance

There are two popular accounts that form the basis of the beliefs of the local legends here.

One belief suggests that the temple was constructed by the Pandava brothers of the epic Mahabharta fame for taking a night refuge during their period of exile (vanvaas).  They could not complete the structure which is reflected even today in the missing roof directly above the main sanctum area (Garbha Griha) of the temple. It is also said that there is a km–long passageway which was used by the Pandavas to escape which lies shut and locked today.

Spot the missing roof in this picture

in the direction pointed by the fluttering flag

There is another official version that advocates that this temple was constructed by Shilahara king, Chittaraja and later rebuilt by his son, Mummuni.

Magnificient architectural stone work at the Ambernath Temple

However, the saddening part is that a historical monument like this with such an exquisite past is gradually decaying with some of the sculptural carvings falling off due to neglect and poor maintenance by the authorities.

Main Entrance to the Ambernath Temple

Inside the temple, the main sanctum housing the shivling is situated at a slightly lower level and one has to descend a few of steps to take the blessings of Lord Shiva. There are a couple of other smaller temples too in the temple premises that you will come across while circumambulation.

Ancient Ambernath Lord Shiva Temple in Maharastra

One can’t help but marvel at the beauty of the religious place of worship which not only opens the window to the state’s rich past but also brings alive the time-honored stories from our ancient texts. And then, whichever way you may deem these stories to be, true or false; one can’t deny the peace and calm and the sense of spiritual energy that one is filled with when one visits such places and that also outlines one of the prime reasons I travel for!

Festivals at the Ambernath temple

The Ambernath temple is the hub of an enormous fair during Mahashivratri (Feb/March) and the entire Month of Shravan (July-August). Mahashivratri Fair continues for 3-4 days starting 2 days prior and extending to 1 day after shivratri as well.

Fast facts on the Month of Shravan

1. Every year, the month of Shravan marks the rainy season. This year, the auspicious month commenced from July 16 and will end with the sibling festival of Raksha Bandhan on August 13.

2. Mondays, called the Shravani Somvaar hold a special significance and many people observe the fast - Shravan Somvar Vrat - to please Lord Shiva and seek His blessings.

3. The Lord is worshipped by slowly trickling water/milk from a pot. In temples, a dharanatra or container filled with water or milk is hung over the Shivalingam with a small outlet at its base, the liquid dripping over the deity as offering. Bel or wood apple leaves, flowers, sweets, etc are also offered while chanting the Shiva mantra.

4. During this month, the Kanwarias take the holy water from the Ganga river in small pots and offer it to Lord Shiva at various big and small temples in the city. The first day of auspicious Shravan month also marks the beginning of fortnight-long ‘Kanwar Mela’.

Getting There and Distance: How to reach Ambernath

Ambernath Shiva Temple is on the Mumbai-Pune railway line at Akoli. Nearest airport from here is Mumbai. Temple is located about 2 km from Ambernath Railway Station (East). State transport plies buses regularly to Ambernath from almost all important places in Maharashtra.

From Mumbai, It is better to go to Ambernath (which is on the central line) by train and then take an auto-rickshaw (share rickshaws ply at the station for the temple for Rs. 8) from there to the temple.

Other Lord Shiva temples covered in My Yatra diary -

Kashi Vishwanath Dwadash Jyotirling Temple in Varanasi

Trimbakeshwar Temple, one of the 12 Jyotirlings in Nashik, Maharashtra

Note: The Char Dham Yatra continues next post onwards.

Enroute to Rishikesh (Joshimath to Srinagar)

Day 5 : Neelkanth Peak - Hanuman Chatti Temple - Exploring Joshimath - ENROUTE TO RISHIKESH (JOSHIMATH  - SRINAGAR) - Rishikesh Dayanand Ashram - Haridwar - Char Dham Trip Concludes Finally....

After exploring Joshimath, we set off towards our next destination Srinagar. Roads beyond Joshimath were quite smooth.

The Joshimath - Srinagar Highway on the Badrinath route

We kept clocking miles in good time whilst at the same time also savoring the beauty of the same fields and meadows, the gorgeous Himalayan mountains and the towering green trees that we had encountered on our way up to Badrinath.

Savor some of the Himalayan Beauty

After driving for about an hour, we made a brief halt once again; this time in the middle of the highway itself to take the blessings of, quoting the words of our driver, ‘some highly venerated local temples’.

It was quiet all around and the place was completely devoid of any tourist population. A fleet of stairs down from the highway take you to the Garud Temple. It was the first and the only temple that I remember visiting till now where the chief deity was not Lord Vishnu but His vehicle - The Bird Garud. According to the local belief, it was at this place that he performed rigourous penance to please Lord Vishnu and acquired from Him the boon of becoming His mascot.

The Garud Temple

Just besides the Garud Temple is the Laxmi Narayan Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and His consort Goddess Laxmi.

The Laxmi Narayan Temple just besides the Garud Temple

These temples face the Bhagirathi River which flows swiftly with the polished river stones making for a picturesque setting.

Listen to Her soft murmers…

Any amount of time spent in Her company is just never enough for me…

After a few quiet moments, we made our way back up once again. On the way up, we came across a local villager selling some sticks calling them as ‘Narsinghji (half-lion-half-man God Narsingh) ki Lakdi (stick)’ and asked us to take one back home.

A villager stacking up 'Narsinghji ki lakdi(s)' (Lord Narsingh's sticks) for sale

He said wrapping the stick up with a red cloth and tying it at the entrance will bring us good luck and well being for the family. We weren’t very sure of buying it but he persuaded and we eventually gave in.

After having a quick lunch in a nearby dhaba (shack), we got into the car and proceeded towards Srinagar. We were pretty much on track with time till we passed RudraPrayag (more on Prayags later) from where our luck with smooth roads was about to change.

Changing our route after RudraPrayag

News of a massive landslide ahead forced us to take a different route and we encountered the first of the many hairpin turns that lay ahead.

Dusty narrow tracks

On one side, were majestic crags towering up a thousand feet or more while on the other side, was a wild chaos of debris, boulders, big rocks and loosely cemented track-ends which could ditch you any moment for the dark gloomy ravines below.

Debris piled up on the sides of the pathway

The route was so narrow that it made 2 lane vehicular advances almost impossible. It took us over 3 hrs to navigate the 40 kms, so the state of the entire stretch is apparent.

The only beauty enroute this rough and rocky terrain was the magical canvas of the caramael colored horizon at the extreme end – a long chain of mountain peaks with their rugged summits glowing in the light tint shades of orangish strokes by the receding sun - that more than made up for the rattling at the end of the day… The strokes also reminded me that this trip was finally inching towards an end... This was to be our last night in the Garhwal Himalayas...

Nature art: The sun takes cover behind the Himalayan Mountains...

A Beautiful Sunset in the Himalayas

Srinagar – An Introduction, Where to stay

A dusty 2 hr drive later, we found ourselves at the GMVN Guest house at Srinagar.

An Introduction

Situated in a sprawling valley about 8 km long, it is here that the Alaknanda spreads out as if preparing its course in the plains as Ganga. Though it is not associated with a major shrine or a confluence, still it is one of the most prominent towns in Garhwal as it is a major economic, cultural, and educational center in the region and also home to some sacred ancient temples like Kilkileshwar Mahadeo and Kamleshwar Mahadeo dedicated to Lord Shiva. Since we left early for our downward journey the next day, we couldn’t explore the town or any of these temples this time around.

Where to Stay in Srinagar

The GMVN Guest house at Srinagar

It was only 9 PM but the tiring journey had completely sapped my energy leaving me craving for some much needed sleep. I ate something in a hotel opposite our rest house, the quality of which was nothing to write home about and just packed off for a good night’s sleep.

Previous posts from this trip -

1. Char Dham Yatra

2. Planning the Char Dham Trip
3. Introduction to Uttarakhand and Char Dhams

4. ISKCON Temple, Delhi
5. Entire DAY 1 of the Yatra (includes The journey finally begins... Haridwar to Uttarkashi)

6. Entire DAY 2 of the Yatra (includes Enroute to Gangotri - Gangnani, Enchanting Mother Ganga... Our First Dham - Gangotri, Places to visit in and around Gangotri, Bhaironghati, Harsil, Pilot Baba Ashram in Bhatwari, Temples of Uttarkashi)
7. Entire Day 3 of the Yatra (includes Uttarkashi to Birahi (Chowrangikhal), Uttarkashi to Birahi (Kemundakhal))

8. Entire Day 4 of the Yatra (includes Birahi-Badrinath:Joshimath Gate System, Badrinath introduction - Where to stay, Eat, Alaknanda River and Brahma Kapal Ghat, Tapt Kund and the Panch shilas, The Badrinath Temple, Exploring the last Indian Village in Uttarakhand - Mana Village,  Places to visit in Mana Village, Diwali Celebrations in the Badrinath Temple)
9. Entire Day 5 of the Yatra (includes Neelkanth Peak, Hanuman Chatti Temple, Exploring Joshimath-Jyotirmath)