JOSHIMATH:THE GATE OF HIMALAYAS

Joshimath is located in Chamoli,Uttarakhand and is one of the most spiritual and holiest places to visit nature.It is the gateway to Himalayas many phenomenal places such as a route to the Badrinath temple and ski place of Auli.Joshimath’s  beauty combined with spirituality is one of the main part to make it one of the most beautiful hill station in India.It is also the center of Garhwal Scouts a major part of Garhwal Rifles.The tourist also visit to see Dhauli Ganga with Alaknanda in Vishnuprayag for felling the purest form of nature in today’s world.

HISTORY

Joshimath is also known as Joshimath,the folklore behind its name is that Adi Shankaracharya came here  to meditate and here he achieved ‘Jyoti’.At 8th century Adi Shankarachayra established one of his four religious Mathas here born somewhere around the time of Jesus Christ .He was an  Hindu philosopher, and theologian . The temple established here by Shankaracharya belongs to Lord Narsimha – a Vishnu avatar.Joshimath was the part of Katyuri Dynasty ruled by the founder of Katyuri Dynasty Vasudev.He was buddhist but after being with Adi Shankaracharya and following his ideology he accepted the brahmin way  of living and followed Hinduism after that.

HOW TO REACH

You cannot visit Joshimath with airplane or railway as there is no source of connectivity with those mediums.The only way to visit the hill station is by bus or private vehicles.Though if you are living away from Uttarakhand and want to short your journey the nearest railway station from Joshimath is Jolly Grant at Dehradun 270 km away.When you reach the airport,it will take 9 to 10 hours to reach the destination from cab or other services.The nearest railway station from the destination is at Rishikesh 254 km away from the destination.If you want to travel with the road route, you can directly hire a cab from Delhi ISBT and it can take 14 to 15 hours to reach your destination.There are also state busses which will take you directly to Joshimath.

PLACES YOU SHOULD VISIT

If you are planning to visit Joshimath,there are also some nearby places you should plan to visit.

1-Sri Shankaracharya Math

2- Nanda Devi National Park

3- Narasimha Temple

4- Kalpavriksha

5- Tapovan

6- Govindghat

7-Vishnuprayag

8- Auli

TREK TO VISIT IN JOSHIMATH

As we discussed above,Joshimath is the path to visit  different trek and places of Himalayas with different kind of vibes from the nature,some brings adventure and thrill such as Kankul Pass and Bagini Glacier and some bring spirituality and inner peace to us like Badrinath Dham and Hemkund Sahib.

1- Badrinath & Mana village

Badrinath is the divine place of this entire region,that’s why Alaknanda’s entire basin is known as Badri kshetra,which mean the home of lord Badri.The Badrinath temple is the key to connect people to the god spiritually.It is situated at 10,827 sq ft between Nar & Narayan peaks and from their we can also witness the beauty of Mount Neelkanth(the queen of  Garhwal).The distance between Badrinath and Joshimath is 37.5km which can be covered by trekking(8 to 10 hours) or by bus(2 hours).The best part about this destination is that you can visit many other beautiful locations such as Mata Murti temple,Saraswati Temple, the hot spring of Tapt Kund, and Mana Village.

Those who come to Badrinath for spirituality and religious purpose often visit small versions of it in the route such as Panch Badri and Sapt Badri trek which includes the religious places like Adi Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Vridha Badri, Ardha Badri, Yog Dhyan Badri, and Dhyan Badri.

2-Pangarchulla peak

If you want to visit nature where things are still untouched by humans this trek is one of the top picks for your list.Joshimath is the starting point of one of the most exciting treks for trekking lovers.But you should not get confused with pangarchulla’s beauty and trekking level.You will see the beauty of mountains covered with snow unseen species of birds and animals,unfiltered and top images of nature coming up with great challenges.You can come for the trekking from Haridwar and  RIshikesh.

3-Valley of flowers and Hemkund Sahib

Undoubtedly you can say that this is the must visit and most favorite trek at the same time.Situated at the feet of Himalayas and near Nanda Devi National Park,this valley has been under UNESCO  World Network of Biosphere Reserve site since 2004.this valley is situated at a height of 3500 sq ft and you will start from Govind ghat near Joshimath.

Hemkund Sahib is one of the most holy and prestigious gurudwara situated at the feet of Himalayas near Hemkund lake.This is the only pentagonal gurudwara in the world built in 1960 by Indian army.

4-KUARI PASS TREK

If you are a beginner in trekking,this trek is one of the most beautiful and easiest to visit.Rhododendrons and pine trees will help you to generate electrolytes in your body as your guide will lead you to the Chitrakantha camp site known for its natural beauty.Route is same as Pangarchulla trek but at the end destination will change.

 There are many more beautiful treks such as

 Bagini glacier trek,

Dharansi Pass Trek,

Kankul Pass Trek you should visit if you are planning to spend some quality time in Joshimath.

BEST TIME TO VISIT JOSHIMATH

The best time to explore the beauty of Joshimath is between April to October as temp at that time is between 20 to 25 degree celsius and the mountains are completely visible.It is ebay to do camping,hiking,climbing,mountain biking at that time.The only weather I will suggest you to not visit Joshimath is rainy as it rains heavily which make it hard to camp,trek or hike at that time.Though some consider winter as one of the best season to visit Badrinath,Ukhimath, Mukhba, and Kharsali,  people who love skiing route their journey to the white mountains of AULI too.

Atlast,if you want to explore a place which will connect you directly to your spiritual and adventurous side at the same point,I will suggest you to visit Joshimath and enjoy the roller coaster ride offered by nature.