Bharat Gaurav Express

• 12 Jun 2024

Why in News?

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), in collaboration with the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board, has launched online ticket reservations for the Bharat Gaurav Express train from Tamil Nadu to six spiritual destinations in Uttarakhand.

Key Points

• The six spiritual destinations are: Rishikesh, Rudraprayag, Guptkashi, Kedarnath, Joshimath, and Badrinath.
  • The journey spans over 13 days and includes a helicopter transfer from Guptkashi to Kedarnath.
• Kedarnath Dham is located in Rudraprayag district. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and situated on the bank of the Mandakini River. It is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas (divine representations of Lord Shiva) in India.
• Badrinath Dham is located in Chamoli district. It is home to the sacred Badrinarayan Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
• Rudraprayag is one of the Panch Prayag of Alaknanda River, the point of confluence of rivers Alaknanda and Mandakini.
  • It is named after Rudra, an aspect of Lord Shiva. According to a legend, Lord Shiva appeared here as 'Rudra' to bless Narad Muni.
• Joshimath is a hilly town located on the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway (NH-7) in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
  • The city serves as a tourist town as it acts as an overnight rest stop for people visiting Badrinath, Auli, Valley of Flowers, and Hemkund Sahib, among other important religious and tourist locations in the state.
• Guptkashi is located in the Rudraprayag district. It is known for its ancient Vishwanath Temple dedicated to the god Shiva, which is similar to the one in Varanasi.
• Rishikesh is located in the Dehradun district. It is commonly referred to as the 'yoga capital of the world'.
  • It is situated on the right bank of the Ganges River and is a pilgrimage town for Hindus, with ancient sages and saints meditating there in search of higher knowledge.

Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB)

• It is a government body responsible for promoting tourism in the state of Uttarakhand.
• It was established in 1976 and is headquartered in Dehradun.
• The UTDB works to develop and promote tourism infrastructure, attract investment, and market Uttarakhand as a tourist destination.