Srinagar or Shri Garhwal is a city in the Pauri Garhwal district of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is situated on the banks of the Alaknanda River. Apart from Srinagar present in Jammu and Kashmir, there is also a beautiful place in the state of Uttarakhand which is also known as Srinagar. Srinagar of Uttarakhand, situated in the middle of beautiful mountains and beautiful valleys, is no less than a paradise to visit in May-June and July.
Situated on the way to Badrinath, Srinagar has been important since mythological times. Shripur or Shrikshetra, with subsequent changes to the city, of Srinagar, was the only city before Tehri came into existence. In the year 1680, the population here was more than 7,000 and it became a commercial center known as Bazar, the court of the Panwar dynasty. After facing several devastating floods, it emerged as a well-planned city during British rule and is now the best educational center in Garhwal. Despite the difficulty of passing through many phases of displacement and establishment, this city has never lost its enthusiasm and continues to be a resting place and educational center for pilgrims on the way to Badri and Kedar Dham and still exists in that form.
Kamleshwar/Siddheshwar Temple
This is the most worshiped temple of Srinagar. It is said that Lord Vishnu worshiped Lord Shiva to obtain the Sudarshan Chakra when the Devas were getting defeated in the battle with the Asuras. They offered him 1,000 lotus flowers (from which the name of the temple is derived) and with each offered flower meditated on the 1,000 names of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva hid a flower to investigate them. When Lord Vishnu realized that one flower had fallen short, he decided to offer one of his eyes (the eye is also called a lotus) instead. Pleased with his devotion, Lord Shiva gave him the Sudarshan Chakra, with which he destroyed the demons.
Shankar Math
This is an ancient temple of old Srinagar which survived the flood of 1894 when its lower part was filled with tons of debris. There is a difference of opinion on the builder of this temple, but in the Kedar section, there is a description of Deval Rishi and King Nahusha who did penance here. This place is also called Thakur. According to a copper plate issued by Fatehpati Shah in the year 1670, the then Dharmadhikari Shankar Dhomal bought this land here and established a temple here with the permission of Rajmata. The temple has a large mandapa and since it has no pillars, it is an example of the discovery of contemporary stone architecture.
Keshorai Math
This is the largest temple in Srinagar situated on the banks of Alaknanda. Like Shankarmath, it is made of pieces of stones, whose huge size surprises. This temple was built by Keshorai in the year 1682. He remained standing even after drowning in the flood of 864. It is said that Keshorai had grown old when he decided to make a pilgrimage to Badrinath. When he was resting at this particular spot, Narayan told him in a dream to dig the place where he was lying. When he dug it, he found a statue of Narayan and he established a temple around it.
Jain Temple
After the flood of the year 1894, the Jains of Bhalgaon rebuilt the original Parasnath Jain temple at great expense. The temple was built in the year 1925 on the initiative of Pratap Singh and Manohar Lal and Dantu Mistry of Srinagar did the impressive carvings. The grand entrance, the central hall, and the dandiya or verandah were reconstructed with attention to detail. There is a throne made in Rajasthani style in the sanctum sanctorum and the idol sits on the quadrupedal throne. In the year 1970, the famous Jain monk Shri Vidyanandji came here and stayed for a few days.
Sri Gurudwara / Hemkund Sahib
It is said that where the Gurdwara stands today, there was once a garden with a small place for pilgrims to stay. A pilgrim brought some scriptures written by Guru Gobind Singh and a Gurdwara was built to preserve it. They are still preserved in the Gurudwara. It was only after the pilgrimage to Hemkund Sahib in the year 1937 that a Gurdwara Committee was established to provide food and accommodation to the devotees traveling on foot to this religious place. Many Gurudwaras were built on the way to Hemkund Sahib and this Gurudwara is the third after Haridwar and Rishikesh.
Kirtinagar
If there is talk of visiting some wonderful and charming place in Srinagar, then first of all there is talk of Kirtinagar present here. Kirtinagar is a very beautiful village situated at a distance of about 6 km from the main city. Kirtinagar is quite famous among tourists because it is situated on the banks of the Alaknanda River. Many tourists arrive to spend a moment of relaxation on the banks of the river waves. One can also enjoy the wonderful beauty of the Himalayas from here. If you are going to visit Srinagar, then you can stay in Kirtinagar by taking a room.
Valley viewpoint
The Valley View Point, located a short distance from Srinagar city, is no less than a paradise. It is said about this place that Srinagar of Jammu and Kashmir also seems pale in front of the viewpoint. You can capture the spectacular views of the Himalayas from the Valley View Point. One can also admire the beauty of Srinagar city from this point. Let us tell you that the beauty of this place is at its peak during snowfall.
Naur
If you are a nature lover and you like to visit the most beautiful places in Uttarakhand, then without much time you should reach Naur. Beautiful mountains, beautiful rivers, deodar trees, and grasslands are present everywhere to add to the beauty of this place. Naur is included in the cities of Uttarakhand which are surrounded by thick clouds all the time. When there is severe heat in other states of India, then the weather here is pleasant. Here you can also see the local tradition very closely. Naur is a village situated a short distance from Srinagar.
Other Fascinating Places To Visit In Srinagar
Apart from Kirtinagar, Valley View Point, and Naur, there are many other amazing places that you can visit. You can also explore the best places like Dhari Devi Temple, Devalgarh Road, and Maletha. Apart from this, you can also do shopping for yourself in Gola Bazaar.
How to reach Srinagar?
Reaching Srinagar is very easy. You can easily reach here by taking a bus from Rishikesh or Haridwar. The distance from Rishikesh to Srinagar is approximately 109 km. You can also easily reach Srinagar from Devprayag in Uttarakhand. The distance from Devprayag to Srinagar is about 36 km. One can easily reach Devprayag by taking a taxi or cab.
(PC: Lifeberrys)