Magical Rishikesh

Uttarakhand must be one of the most popular tourist states in country. It has amazing hill stations and wild life reserves and it offers places for all kinds of tourists. This article will talk about one of the popular tourist hotspots situated in the state; Rishikesh. The moment one thinks of Rishikesh, images like holy Ganga River, resonating bells, mesmerizing mountains and holy dips conjure up in mind. The place is well visited by tourists though out the year. Rishikesh has a special place in Hindu religion and the reason is its position as a gateway to the Char Dhams. These Char Dhams signify four major pilgrimages of Hindus, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.

It is believed that, one can attain Moksha (salvation) if he meditates in Rishikesh which is situated on the bank of river Ganga. The beauty of the place lies in its versatility and offerings. On one hand it gives you a perfect religious reason to come and at the same time, those who are adventure freak love coming to Rishikesh because they can do river rafting and paragliding. Nature lovers just go ga-ga over the scenic beauty of Rishikesh and that explains why you will find it crowded with tourists. It would be an exaggeration to say that Rishikesh is a rare mixture of nature and divinity.

There are several tourist attractions in the town. The major ones are; Lakshman Jhula which is a hanging bridge, Ram Jhula, Gita Bhavan, Rishikund, Bharat Mandir, Swarga Ashram and Nilkanth Mahadeo. The place has several accommodation facilities and one can go anytime during the year.

Corbett National Park

One of the visited wildlife reserves of India Corbett National Park. Situated in the state of Uttarakhand, it has large population of leopards, tigers and elephants. The Park is blessed with scenic beauty as well. Situated at the panoramic foothills of Himalayas, Corbett National Park was initially established as ‘Hailey National Park’, in the year 1936. That makes it the oldest national park in the country. Changing times witnessed changing names of the park. First it was 'Ramganga National Park' during 1950s and finally its current one 'Jim Corbett National Park'. The park has the distinction of being the first tiger reserve when Indian government started ‘Project Tiger’. The park has been named after legendary hunter Jim Corbett.

Flora and Fauna of the Corbett Tiger Reserve is extremely rich. From varied kinds of animals to marshy depressions and hilly areas, the place is truly endowed with mesmerizing beauty. Several types of vegetation are found in the park including Sal, Khair, Sissoo, Ber, Kuthber, Bel, Chbilla, Dhak, Semal, Khingan, Kharpat, Rohini, Bakli, Pula and Bamboo. Inside the park, it is estimated that no less than 488 different species of plants exist.

The main animals found in the Jim Corbett Park are, tigers, found kinds of deer, wild boar, leopards, elephants, three types of nocturnal cats, Sloth Bear, Black Bear, Himalayan Palm Civet, Common Otter, Blacknaped Hare, Porcupine, Ghoral, Langur, Rhesus Monkeys, Jackal, Indian Grey Mongoose, otters, yellow-throated martens, Indian pangolins, etc. If anything was missing then wide variety of migratory birds complete that. Huge numbers of 585 species of birds inhabit the park. It is definitely a must visit for any tourist who wants to explore India.