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. [1] 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.
Contents |
Its geographical coordinates and its original name (with diacritics) is Vishnuprayāg.[2] It has an average elevation of 1,372 metres.
| Panch Prayag |
|---|
Dev Prayag |
Nandprayag Valley • Karna Prayag |
Bhagirathi River • Rudraprayag |
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.
The Alaknanda River, which originates in the eastern slopes of glacier 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.
This project is owned by Jaypee Industries and is around 12 km 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.[3]
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 is situated 29 km 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.
Valley of Flowers National Park can be reached by a trek of 16 km 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 flora 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.
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 3.5 km away from here which should be covered on foot. Chopta is situated 117 km from Vishnuprayag.
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 Hanuman disguised as an old monkey to test the strength of Bheema.
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 Ghangaria.
|
||||||||