As per several mythological accounts, after the war with Kauravas, the Pandavas spent a year in agyatvas (incognito exile). There are traces of them at several places across Uttarakhand. As per the state tourism department, the Mahabharat connection of the state starts from the country라이브 바카라 last village, Mana—considered as the residential place of Ved Vyas—along the Indo-China border to Jaunsar region bordering Himachal Pradesh. The entire circuit is 250-300 km long. Vyas Pothi, Pandukeshwar temple, Hanuman Chatti, Lakhamandal are other popular destinations on the Mahabharat circuit. There is also the very popular Shiva circuit in the state. Destinations like Badrinath and Kedarnath attract lakhs of pilgrims every year.
Now, the state government is planning to develop a Ramayan Circuit. Taking a cue from the Uttar Pradesh government—that is encashing on the Ram temple emerging as a popular religious tourism destination after its consecration in January 2024—the Uttarakhand government is planning to trace the footprints of Ram in the state and promote these places as tourist destinations. There are plans to develop the approximately 60-km route between Rishikesh and Devprayag—believed to be the path that Ram undertook while on his atonement journey after killing Ravan—as the Ramayan Circuit.
The central government announced developing the Ramayan Circuit across the country in 2015. The tourism ministry has identified 15 cities in nine states. Uttarakhand is not a part of the national list. The state is planning to develop its own Ramayan Circuit.
Uttarakhand tourism minister Satpal Maharaj first floated the idea in 2020 after the bhoomi pujan ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He said by putting these temples in the Ramayan Circuit, people will get to know about the importance of Uttarakhand in Ramayan.
Since then, several experts in the state have been conducting research studies to explore the possibility of developing the circuit in the state. The Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar (Pauri Garhwal) conducted a study. “We handed over all the documents to the government about three months back. There is a book—Ram-Path—which gives full details of Ram라이브 바카라 footprints in Uttarakhand. This heritage needs to be archived, promoted and preserved. We urge the government to do the needful,” says Sarvesh Uniyal, project officer at the Centre for Mountain Tourism at the university.
In a telephonic conversation last week, Maharaj, the tourism minister, informed that the places have been mapped and a blueprint will be floated soon. Talking about the potential places that will be included in the circuit, he said: “The Pandavas spent maximum time of their agyatavas in Uttarakhand. So, we have many places in the Mahabharat circuit. The Ramayan circuit will be developed along the same lines.” The spiritual guru-turned-BJP politician, added: “The Raghunath temple in the heart of Rishikesh is a testament to the presence of Ram in Uttarakhand. There is the sacred Rishikund close to that. There are temples dedicated to Bharat, Shatrughan and Laxman—the younger brothers of Ram.”
The documents submitted by Uniyal also include places like Guru Vashishta gufa, Laxman Jhula, Ram Jhula, footprints believed to be of Ram at Devprayag and the twin villages of Saloor-Dungra—a UNESCO world heritage site known for its ancient annual Ramman festival. “It is a religious festival celebrated every year in April in the Garhwal region. The Ramayan Circuit will include these places. It will foster economic growth and cultural exchange,” he says.
When asked about the timeline, Maharaj said: “We are in touch with all the stakeholders. There is a need for thorough planning. Budged allocations will happen after that.”
As per the available data, Uttarakhand attracts crores of tourists and pilgrims every year. In 2023, 5.96 crore people visited various places in the state—an increase of 62 per cent from 2018, the pre-covid period. As per the state government라이브 바카라 projections, tourist inflow is likely to touch 6.7 crore by 2026.
Is the state infrastructure equipped to handle such a high number of tourists? Over the past few years, the state has grappled with numerous instances of torrential rains, flash floods, landslides, cloud busts and forest fires killing many locals as well as visiting tourists and pilgrims. It has led to wide-spread displacement as well. Scientists at Dehradun- based Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology have warned the state government about Uttarakhand라이브 바카라 vulnerable geographical conditions.
“Climate change is the biggest concern. Biodiversity loss and deforestation are leading to an increase in temperature. Development projects like road building and widening projects as well as clearing forests for railway tracks and airports have put a strain on natural resources. The rise in vehicular traffic is also a worry,” says Bimla Bhardwaj, a retired school teacher at Dehradun.
Until now, Uttarakhand라이브 바카라 spiritual tourism has primarily revolved around the Char Dham Yatra. In 2016, the government at the Centre announced a Rs 12,000-crore ‘Char Dham Pariyojana’ to construct an 889-km long National Highway and also build a railway line connecting Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. Hemkund Sahib—at the height of 15,200 feet in Chamoli district—is another popular pilgrimage destination.
More than twice the number of tourists visited the Char Dham Yatra in 2024 as compared to the previous year. More than 1.8 lakh pilgrims visited Hemkund Sahib last year. A high-power committee set-up by the Supreme Court has, time and again, raised concerns regarding the impact of the ongoing Char Dham project on the mountains in the state.
The new infrastructural projects being announced to accommodate the increased flow of tourists are putting a severe strain on the natural resources. Recently, under the ‘Parvatmala project’, the centre approved the 12.9-km ropeway project that will connect Sonprayag to Kedarnath and Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib. It will be completed in six years and will entail an investment of Rs 6,811 crore.
When asked how the state plans to cope with such pressure, Uniyal says: “If the Ram Circuit is developed, the state will be able to divert tourists to newer destinations. This will ease congestion at conventional destinations.”
A few years ago, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Trivendra Singh Rawat, who is now a sitting MP from Haridwar, had talked about developing a Sita circuit in Pauri Garhwal district. As per mythology, it was in the Phalswari village of Pauri Garhwal where Sita disappeared into the Earth. The village is situated 15 km away from Pauri town.
Sachin Kurve, Secretary of Tourism, Uttarakhand, says: “The Ramayana Circuit is a priority for the government. We will develop and promote all locations associated with Ramayan. The project is not only going to enhance the state라이브 바카라 economy but will also encourage tourists to visit other mythological destinations.”
