The driving force

Kumbh followed by Char Dham Yatra is proving to be a boon for the state's economy:

P.S. Chauhan

With the onset of June, when all the schools and colleges are closed in the neighbouring states and mercury is soaring high, the pilgrims and tourists from all parts are making a beeline to numerous destinations in Uttarakhand. True, state's salubrious climate and spiritual ambience in the backdrop of pristine natural beauty lure one and all. The yatra season, which generally starts from Baisakhi and lasts upto Diwali, is the mainstay of the economy of the state. The yatra season is at its peak these days and the entire state is abuzz with activities, with all sections of society, including the transportors, the hoteliers, the drivers and the shopkeepers, making hay while Sun shines. The number of pilgrims turning up for the Chardham yatra, which stated on May 16, is unexpectedly high. Ram Surat Nautiyal, the vice president of the Char Dham Vikas Parishad, says that from May 16 to May 31, more than 3 lacs pilgrims have visited the holy shrines. "If the present trend continues, it is expected that nearly 10 lakh pilgrims will visit the shrines by the end of June," says Nautiyal. It is expected that this year more than 15 lakhs pilgrims would come for darshan at the four most revered dhams of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri to seek release from the bondage of sin and suffering.

The yatra season comes as a double blessing. On the one hand, the lakhs of pilgrims are having a feel of the divine and of the scenic beauty, while, on the other hand, the state's economy is earning a handsome revenue. On an average, if a pilgrim visits Badrinath, he spends about Rs.3,000 and if he makes a detour to all the four holy temples, his average expenditure is Rs.6,000. On the modest estimate the yatra has contributed about Rs.150 crores to the state economy within two weeks and provided employment to thousands of locals. "It is mainly due to the Char Dham Yatra that even after the Kumbh the markets at Haridwar and Rishikesh continue to have a boom time," says Kailash Keshwani, the president of Haridwar District Vyapar Mandal.

With Hemkund Sahib yatra, which started on June 1, the number of the pilgrims coming to the state has further swelled up. Lakhs of the Sikhs from all over the globe pay visit to this holy place every year. Nestled at the height of 4320 meters in the Himalayas, the holy place, where the 10th Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, is believed to have undertaken meditation in his former life. The beauty and glory of the holy Gurudwara is further enhanced by the crystal clear water of the nearby lake, called Lokpal Hemkund Sahib Lake and the Laxman Temple. The holy place can be reached from Govind Ghat on route to Badrinath. The 29 km. journey from Govind Ghat to Hemkund Sahib is tough, but an exciting one for the adventurous devotees. The manager of the Govind Ghat Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee, Sardar Ajeet Singh says that though the yatra to Hemkund Sahib has began, the administration has not made adequate arrangements for drinking water, electricity and medical aid.

If you are adventurous and want to enjoy the unspoilt beauty of nature, the Valley of Flowers, which opens for the tourists from June 5, is the best destination for you. From Govind Ghat to Ghaghanria is the common route for Hemkund Sahib and the Valley of Flowers. From Ghaghanria, you can trek in one direction to Hemkund Sahib or to the famed Valley of Flowers in another direction. The Valley of Flowers, called by the locals Fairy Land, is highly enchanting and mystical playground of nature. From October to May it remains covered under thick layer of snow, while from June to September the entire valley gets charged with aroma of multi-hued flowers. This paradise of flowers, which spreads over 87.50 sq.kms., was first introduced to the world as the Valley of Flowers by Frank S. Smith, a naturalist, botanist and mountaineer, who camped here for many weeks in the monsoon of 1937. The valley was notified as a national park in 1982 and is now a world heritage site.

Shrikant Chandola, the additional chief conservator of forests of the state says that besides its rich wealth of flowers of more than 500 species and medicinal plants, the valley is home to rare species of fauna, such as snow leopard, the Himalayan bear, the musk deer, blue sheep and several colourful butterflies. If you are a wildlife enthusiast and do not want to scale high peaks, you should hurry up for the Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve and the Rajaji National Park which are going to be closed in mid June. Besides these famed destinations, there are several lesser known spots, such as Poornagiri temple, Jageshwar, PanchKedars and the Panch Badris, which are also attracting a large number of pilgrims and tourists. Uttarakhand, as its popular name 'Dev Bhoomi' suggests, is the mythical abode of gods and if you want to listen to the whispers of the divine in the midst of nature's majesty, it offers several ideal destinations for you at this time of the season.