Vishnuprayag
Encyclopedia
Vishnuprayag is one of the Panch Prayag
(five confluences) of Alaknanda River, and lies at the confluence of Alaknanda River
and Dhauliganga River
on the Joshimath-Badrinath route, in Chamoli district
in the Indian state of Uttarakhand
.
According to mythology, it is the place where Sage Narada meditated, after which Lord Vishnu appeared before him. Kagbhusandi Lake, with its emerald green water, is a nearby attraction.
It has an average elevation of 1,372 metres.
fields of Chaukhamba
, is joined by the Saraswathi River near Mana
(that originates on the south from the international border), and then flows in front of the Badrinath temple, one of the most revered Hindu
shrines. It then meets the Dhauli Ganga River, whose origin is from the Niti
Pass, after traveling a distance of 25 km (15.5 mi) from its source to form the Vishnu Prayag. This stretch of the Alaknanda River is called the Vishnu Ganga. Legend narrates the worship offered by sage Narada
to god Vishnu at this confluence. An octagonal shaped temple - located near the confluence - dated to 1889, is credited to Maharani of Indore
- Ahalyabai. Though originally built to install a Shiva linga, it now houses a Vishnu image. A stairway from this temple leads to the Vishnu kund (kund means pool of water or lake) at the confluence, which is seen in a tranquil state.
Badrinath Temple
Badrinath is set at an altitude of 3,133mts above sea level in the Chamoli district of Garhwal region in Uttarakhand state. The deity of Badrinath temple is Lord Vishnu and the temple was established in the 9th century by Adi Shankaracharya. The temple has a height of approximately 15mts with the top covered with a gold gilt roof. The temple is situated on the right bank of the sacred Alaknanda River with the colorful ‘Singh-Dwara’ at the entrance. The temple stays closed during winter as the place is prone to heavy snowfall.
Auli
Auli is situated 29km from Vishnuprayag. Popular for Skiing
and Paragliding
, this tourist destination offers amazing views of the snow clad peaks of the majestic Himalayan range. Asia
’s longest and highest cable car is situated in Auli connecting it with Joshimath.
and fauna
. Valley of flowers national park is the home of many endangered animals like brown bear, black Asiatic bear, blue sheep and snow leopard. The valley of flowers was declared as the national park in the year 1982 and it is now a world heritage site. The valley of flowers is situated in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand state. The virgin beauty of this valley lures the botanists, nature lovers and adventure lovers.
Chopta
Popularly known as Mini Switzerland or the Switzerland of India. The number of tourists visiting Chopta has increased in recent years. Tungnath
the highest temple of Lord Shiva is only 3.5km away from here which should be covered on foot. Chopta is situated 117km from Vishnuprayag.
disguised as an old monkey to test the strength of Bheema.
.
Panch Prayag
Panch Prayag is an expression in Hindu religious ethos, specifically used to connote the five sacred river confluences in the Garhwal Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand, India...
(five confluences) of Alaknanda River, and lies at the confluence of Alaknanda River
Alaknanda River
The Alaknanda is a Himalayan river in the state of Uttarakhand, India that is one of the two headstreams of the Ganges, the major river of Northern India and the holy river of Hinduism...
and Dhauliganga River
Dhauliganga River
The Dhauliganga is one of the six source streams of the Ganges river. It meets the Alaknanda River at Vishnuprayag in Uttarakhand.-Path:The -long Dhauliganga rises at an altitude of in the Niti Pass in Chamoli District of Uttarakhand, and subsequently flows through Darma valley. At Raini, from...
on the Joshimath-Badrinath route, in Chamoli district
Chamoli District
Chamoli district is a district of Uttarakhand state of India. It is bounded by the Tibet region to the north, and by the Uttarakhand districts of Pithoragarh and Bageshwar to the east, Almora to the south, Garhwal to the southwest, Rudraprayag to the west, and Uttarkashi to the northwest...
in the Indian state of Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
.
According to mythology, it is the place where Sage Narada meditated, after which Lord Vishnu appeared before him. Kagbhusandi Lake, with its emerald green water, is a nearby attraction.
Geography
Its geographical coordinates 30.34°N 79.34°E and its original name (with diacritics) is Vishnuprayāg.It has an average elevation of 1,372 metres.
How to Reach
- Rail: Closest railway station from Vishnuprayag is Rishikesh at a distance of 263 km (163.4 mi) away. Buses and taxis are easily available from Rishikesh to Vishnuprayag.
- Road: Vishnuprayag is at a distance of 504 km (313.2 mi) from DelhiDelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, 263 km (163.4 mi) from Rishikesh and 283 km (175.8 mi) from Nainital. Vishnuprayag is connected by roads from major towns and cities of Uttarakhand like Karnaprayag, SrinagarSrinagar, UttarakhandFor other uses, see Srinagar .Srinagar is the biggest town in garhwal and a municipal board in Pauri Garhwal District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.-Geography:...
, Rishikesh, HaridwarHaridwarHaridwar is an important pilgrimage city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India...
, Nainital etc. - Air: Jolly Grant AirportJolly Grant AirportJolly Grant Airport , also known as Dehradun Airport, is an airport serving Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.-Overview:The airport is located about southeast of the city of Dehradun. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, the airport, after a runway extension to accommodate larger aircraft,...
is the nearest airport to Rishikesh situated 283 km (175.8 mi) from Vishnuprayag.
Best time to Visit
Can be visited throughout the year but best to avoid monsoon months. Due to probalities of land slides and road blockages, even though the place offers some great scenic beauty.Path
The Alaknanda River, which originates in the eastern slopes of glacierGlacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
fields of Chaukhamba
Chaukhamba
Chaukhamba is a mountain massif in the Gangotri Group of the Garhwal Himalaya. Its main summit, Chaukhamba I, is the highest peak in the group. It lies at the head of the Gangotri Glacier and forms the eastern anchor of the group...
, is joined by the Saraswathi River near Mana
Mana
Mana is an indigenous Pacific islander concept of an impersonal force or quality that resides in people, animals, and inanimate objects. The word is a cognate in many Oceanic languages, including Melanesian, Polynesian, and Micronesian....
(that originates on the south from the international border), and then flows in front of the Badrinath temple, one of the most revered Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
shrines. It then meets the Dhauli Ganga River, whose origin is from the Niti
Niti
Niti can refer to:* Nickel titanium alloy or Nitinol* Shape memory alloy* NITI, a Bulgarian UAV...
Pass, after traveling a distance of 25 km (15.5 mi) from its source to form the Vishnu Prayag. This stretch of the Alaknanda River is called the Vishnu Ganga. Legend narrates the worship offered by sage Narada
Narada
Narada or Narada Muni is a divine sage from the Vaisnava tradition, who plays a prominent role in a number of the Puranic texts, especially in the Bhagavata Purana, and in the Ramayana...
to god Vishnu at this confluence. An octagonal shaped temple - located near the confluence - dated to 1889, is credited to Maharani of Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
- Ahalyabai. Though originally built to install a Shiva linga, it now houses a Vishnu image. A stairway from this temple leads to the Vishnu kund (kund means pool of water or lake) at the confluence, which is seen in a tranquil state.
Vishnuprayag Hydro Electricity Project
This project is owned by Jaypee Industries and is around 12km in length. The project is capable of producing 400MW. Mutual understanding has been done between the government and Jaypee industries regarding consumption of energy and selling it. The project is located at Hanuman Chatti near Vishnuprayag.Badrinath TempleBadrinath templeBadrinath temple , sometimes called Badrinarayan temple, is situated along the Alaknanda river, in the hill town of Badrinath in Uttarakhand state in India. It is widely considered to be one of the holiest Hindu temples, and is dedicated to god Vishnu. The temple and town are one of the four Char...
Badrinath is set at an altitude of 3,133mts above sea level in the Chamoli district of Garhwal region in Uttarakhand state. The deity of Badrinath temple is Lord Vishnu and the temple was established in the 9th century by Adi Shankaracharya. The temple has a height of approximately 15mts with the top covered with a gold gilt roof. The temple is situated on the right bank of the sacred Alaknanda River with the colorful ‘Singh-Dwara’ at the entrance. The temple stays closed during winter as the place is prone to heavy snowfall.AuliAuliAuli, is an important ski destination in the Himalayan mountains of Uttarakhand, India. Auli is known as 'Bugyal' in the regional language which means meadow. In fact some French and Australian experts consider Auli to be one of the best ski resorts in the world. Auli is less known ski destination...
Auli is situated 29km from Vishnuprayag. Popular for SkiingSkiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
and Paragliding
Paragliding
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure...
, this tourist destination offers amazing views of the snow clad peaks of the majestic Himalayan range. Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
’s longest and highest cable car is situated in Auli connecting it with Joshimath.
Valley of Flowers National Park
Valley of Flowers National Park can be reached by a trek of 16km from Govind Ghat. It is nestled in the west Himalayas covering an area of 87.50sq km. The valley is entirely covered with the sheets of snow during winters and the flowers bloom here from June to October only. This place is rich in varied and unique floraFlora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
. Valley of flowers national park is the home of many endangered animals like brown bear, black Asiatic bear, blue sheep and snow leopard. The valley of flowers was declared as the national park in the year 1982 and it is now a world heritage site. The valley of flowers is situated in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand state. The virgin beauty of this valley lures the botanists, nature lovers and adventure lovers.
ChoptaChoptaChopta is small settlement and Commencement point to 3rd of Panch Kedar Tungnath About 3.5Km from here. Another 1k.m from Tungnath leads to Chandrashila Peak ....
Popularly known as Mini Switzerland or the Switzerland of India. The number of tourists visiting Chopta has increased in recent years. TungnathTungnath
Tungnath is the highest temple in the world and is one of the five and the highest Panch Kedar temples located in the mountain range of Tunganath in the Rudraprayag district of Tehri Garhwal, in Uttarakhand, India. The Tunganath mountains form the Mandakini and Alaknanda river valleys...
the highest temple of Lord Shiva is only 3.5km away from here which should be covered on foot. Chopta is situated 117km from Vishnuprayag.
Hanuman Chatti
Situated few kilometers ahead of Vishnuprayag where a temple is dedicated to God Hanuman. This was the place where Hanuman and great Bheema of Mahabarata met. God HanumanHanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
disguised as an old monkey to test the strength of Bheema.
Kagbhushandi Lake
It is situated near Vishnuprayag and the emerald water of this pristine lake affords enchanting views. The lake can also be approached from Vishnuprayag beside from Bhundhar village near GhangariaGhangaria
Ghangaria is a small village on the way to Hemkund Sahib, and a popular pilgrimage site for Sikhs about 6 km from here and the Valley of Flowers, a national park known for its variety of flowers about 3 km from here. It is located in the northern Himalayan ranges at an altitude of 3049...
.
See Also
- Panch PrayagPanch PrayagPanch Prayag is an expression in Hindu religious ethos, specifically used to connote the five sacred river confluences in the Garhwal Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand, India...
- Nandaprayag
- Rudraprayag
- DevprayagDevprayagDevprayag is a town and a nagar panchayat in Tehri Garhwal district in the state of Uttarakhand, India, and is one of the Panch Prayag of Alaknanda River and where the Ganges River is formed.-Overview:Traditionally, it is considered to be the place where sage Devasharma led his ascetic life,...
- Karnaprayag