Kanika Sharma

Delhi is luckily surrounded by some of the most exotic holiday destinations in India. It is also just a couple of hours away from the grand majestic Himalayas. Every extended weekend Delhiites loves to head out with their family and loved ones to catch some quick breather away from the busy city life. From the pink city and deserts to the high mountains and the Ganges, the weekend getaway locations in Delhi are numerous and each one of them is more fascinating than the other. 1. Jaipur, Rajasthan Jaipur is the capital city of Rajasthan which is adjoined by the national capital at a distance of 260 km. The Pink City surely needs no introduction regarding attracting tourists from all over the country and the world. This place is surely one of the best weekend getaways for the people of Delhi who cannot plan an elaborate holiday with their loved ones due to lack of time and prior official commitments. 2. Dehradun, Uttarakhand This beautiful hill station is a few hour's drives from Delhi and one of the most preferred locations for hanging out with friends and family. It is at a distance of approximately 250 km from Delhi and is connected through a network of roads. If you wish to escape from the scorching heat of Delhi, even for two days itself, Dehradun is the best place for that. The valleys and cloud-laden mountains surely give your soul a peaceful halt for a while and let you relax. 3. Haridwar-Rishikesh, Uttarakhand Well, if you wish to make your weekend more towards having a spiritual connection and seeking divine blessings, then heading to Haridwar and Rishikesh would be the best experience for you. The mesmerizing Ganga Aarti will make your inner-self rejuvenated and pure. Rishikesh is located at a distance of 20 km from Haridwar, so you should not miss visiting the Laxman Jhula built on the river Ganges is the most visited place in Rishikesh. 4. McLeodganj, Himachal Pradesh This is comparatively a time taking a getaway from Delhi and may take up to 8-9 hours from roadways. In spite of the distance of 500km, the experience you will have in Mcleodganj is simply great. The peaceful residing place of the Dalai Lama looks heavenly and beautiful and is untouched by the hustle and bustle of the city. The prayer flags and temples along with a peaceful surrounding will leave you enchanted and you would wish to just sit back and relax and absorb all the positivity around you. 5. Dhanaulti, Uttarakhand Another beautiful hill station in Delhi is Dhanaulti which is at a distance of 300 km by road. Those who have been to Mussoorie and Dehradun before can easily opt out of their trip to this place. It is a perfect summer getaway for Delhiites and the captivating sight of the valleys is enough to treat your eyes and souls from the traffic and scorching temperature of Delhi. 6. Bandhavgarh, Madhya Pradesh Bandhavgarh is popularly known for the high density of Tigers where one can come and take pleasure in biodiversity. This Bandhavgarh park is famous for its wide variety of wild species Apart from Tiger reserve here on can also see Bandhavgarh Fort which has more than 39 caves and is surrounded by hill rocks and is known for being one of the best destinations of India. 7. Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh In Khajuraho one can perfectly see the balanced art, culture, tradition, heritage of the city. The city Khajuraho is famous for its temples which are reflecting the Indian grandeur Architecture of the ancient period. In all 22 temples, one can have the feel of religious aspects of that period. The temples were built in 570 BC by chandelles.

Gangotri Dham temple is situated amidst the beautiful and thriving greenery of the lap of Garhwal Himalayas in Uttarkashi. Forming one of the most significant pillars of the holy Char Dham Yatra, this temple is devoted to goddess Ganga who is worshipped as the life-giver and finisher of all the sins. It is Sadi that whoever gets to take a holy dip in its waters is granted moksha. One can not only offer their Darshan at this beautiful temple here but also savour some of the most beautiful sceneries in its raw, untouched form. All this put together makes this temple truly one of a kind and makes your spiritual experience totally worth it. Gracing the bank of the holy Bhagirathi River and flanked on all sides by holy devotional places of some Hindu mythological value or the other the temple is a spectacular sight. Temple Architecture This iconic home of goddess Ganga which is glistening white in its outlook was built by the Nepalese general Amar Sigh Thapa around the 18th century. He realized the significance of this place and decided to build a beautiful pure white glistening temple right next to the holy river. It is constructed using the Negara style of architecture and is completely constructed with white marble stone. Unlike any other opulent and elaborate temple, the grace and elegance of this sacred place is the absence of fine carvings and artwork on the walls which gives it a unique personality of its own. One can see 5 small Shikharas gracing the complex compound which go up till 20 feet in height and can be seen from far away and gradually as you approach the main entrance. The inner sanctum or the Garbha Griha is built on sort of a raised platform where devotees indulge in various puja activities and rituals. Along with the image and structure of goddess Ganga, one can see the images of goddess Yamuna, Annapurna Devi, Saraswati Mata, and Lakshmi Devi among others. Significance of Gangotri Dham Temple As the name suggests and as mentioned earlier this holy Dham is dedicated to the goddess Ganga. Its main and most vital significance lies in the fact that it marks the original and ancient place where the Ganga river had descended from the heavenly to the earthly realm. The temple is also of importance to the trekkers and adventure lovers since this is the route that guides them to the geographical origin point of Ganga i.e. Gaumukh River. Built-in close proximity to Bhagirathi Shila - the place where King Bhagirath is believed to have worshipped the goddess to make her presence on earth - the significance of this place further multiplies. Tips for Travelling To Gangotri Temple Just like every other major place of pilgrimage you should follow some important rules which cannot be overlooked under any circumstance: Avoid traveling during the monsoon season since everything remains prone to unpredictable weather changes and harsh climate conditions. The best time to visit Gangotri would be in between the months of May to mid-July since it is one of the most easily reachable temples in the Char Dham Yatra circuit. Although you will be traveling in pleasant weather conditions, remember to not lag in packing the appropriate amount of warm clothing and winter wear since no matter how good and pleasant the weather is it will be a chilly condition throughout. Being a holy place of worship one must not litter under any circumstance and make sure to maintain the sanctity of the place without polluting either the temple complex or the holy river flowing by it.