The Hindu : National : Tourists flock to Uttarakhand

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Tourists flock to Uttarakhand

Staff Correspondent

Himalayan shrines among the major attractions for the visitors

Himalayas Calling: The famous Hindu pilgrimage shrine of Badrinath has always been a big draw.

DEHRA DUN: All roads seem to be leading to the higher Himalayan shrines, meadows and valleys these days for tourists rushing up the hills of Uttarakhand. Hotels and dharamshalas in Hardwar and Rishikesh are booked to capacity with local entrepreneurs doing brisk business here and all along the yatra route.

The Kedarnath area alone reported a queue of over 5,000 pilgrims trekking up to the shrine on Monday.

The tourists seem to be lapping up the sweet roasted corn, plums and other hill fruits being sold by enterprising children on the roads near the villages. “We have enjoyed the yatra better this time, and if such enthusiasm continues among the local shopkeepers and young entrepreneurs, Uttarakhand will soon graduate to one of the best destinations in the country,” observed Seema and her husband J. Mukherjee from Kolkota.

Similar sentiments were aired by Ramaswamy from Bangalore and Santokh Singh from Amritsar.

“According to official estimates, about one lakh visitors have enjoyed a holiday or pilgrimage at Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Gangotri so far this season and a lot more are expected to do so in the next few weeks,” said State Tourism Development Board Joint Director A.K. Dwivedi.

The pilgrims and nature-lovers’ rush can also be seen at Govindghat from where one treks through a magnificent landscape either to the Sikh shrine of Hemkunt Sahib or the Valley of Flowers.

“Special arrangements have been made to provide better facilities to the visitors. Chief Minister Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri is briefed on the situation every day,” said Mr. Dwivedi.

Mr. Dwivedi urged the travellers to follow the road safety rules and lodge a complaint with the local officials if they get a raw deal anywhere. “We come to the Himalayas to enjoy and appreciate nature and should try to return with the choicest memories and not tragedies,” he said.

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