Why is Uttarakhand called Devbhoomi?
About Devbhoomi Uttarakhand
The literal meaning of Devbhoomi is "Land of God". Uttarakhand has been called the land of God because of the presence of holy places at various places.
Devbhoomi is mostly spoken of in the Himalayan regions of India, of which the most famous Devbhoomi is Uttarakhand. In Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, you will find the abode of deities everywhere and in every house. And people will get to see their reverence.
Section of the land of god
According to the sages of ancient times, Devbhoomi is divided into four sections.
1. Kashmir Division Khand- One of the 4 sections "Kashmir Division" comes in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir of India.
2. Kangra Division Khand - Kangra Khand is located in the Himachal Pradesh district of India.
3. Kedar and Kurma Khand- Kedar and Kurma section comes in the Uttarakhand state of India.
4. Kailash Khand - Kailash Khand comes under Nepal and Sikkim.
why is Uttarakhand called Devbhoomi?
Why is Uttarakhand called Dev Bhoomi? This question definitely remains in the mind of every pilgrim coming from outside Uttarakhand. To put in a simple language, "Dev Bhoomi is the place where many deities reside, and many places of pilgrimage are located."
There are many Hindu pilgrimage centers in Uttarakhand, which have existed since ancient times. Uttarakhand is also known by the name of Dev Bhoomi since ancient times. Due to its location in the Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, Devbhoomi seems to be attracted to it.
Because most of the pilgrimage places of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand are located in mountainous areas. India's longest and the world's holiest river Ganga also originates from the Uttarkashi district of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. Some important facts exist about why Uttarakhand is called Devbhoomi-
1. Two Blocks in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand
Talking about the rest of the states, there are two sections "Kedar Khand and Kurma (Manas) Khand" in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand. Kurma Khand is also called Manas Khand.
On the other hand, due to these two sections, Devbhoomi Uttarakhand is in comparison to other states of India. Most of the tourists come here for walking and religious rituals.
2. The origin of the two main rivers, Ganga and Yamuna, is Devbhoomi Uttarakhand
Devbhoomi, India's longest and the world's holiest river, originates from Gangotri Glacier in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The same Yamuna river originates from the Yamunotri glacier and later joins with the Ganga to form the longest river in India.
3. Char Dham is located in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand
Talking about the most popular tourist places in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, Char Dham Yatra is most liked by the people. The Char Dham Yatra is completed through holy places like Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.
Kedarnath Temple is an ancient temple named after Lord Shiva. Badrinath Temple is situated on the banks of the Mandakini river in Rudraprayag district in the Garhwal Himalaya ranges. Shri Badrinath Temple is an ancient temple of Lord Vishnu.
Badrinath Temple is located in the middle Himalayas in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. Gangotri Temple is a famous temple of the goddess of the river Ganga. Gangotri Temple is situated near Gomukh in Uttarkashi district. Yamunotri Temple is a famous temple dedicated to Yamuna Devi, located in Uttarkashi district.
4. One of the 4 Jyotirmaths of India in Uttarakhand
Adi Shankaracharya had established 4 mathas in India in ancient times, which are known as East-West and North-South. One of which is situated in the state of Uttarakhand. Jyotir Math Devbhoomi is located in Joshimath in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
5. Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand has a large number of Hindu temples
Due to a large number of Hindu temples, Uttarakhand is famous as Devbhoomi. Devbhoomi Uttarakhand is called "Earth's Heaven" due to the settlement of temples at holy sites.
6. Panch Badri in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand
The five temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu have been called Panch Badri. Badrinath, Adi Badri, Bhavishya Badri, Vriddha Badri.
7. Panch Kedar in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand
There are five major Hindu temples called Panch Badri which are dedicated to Lord Shiva. Panch Badri is formed from Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Kalpeshwar, and Madhameshwar temples.
8. Panch Prayag in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand
The meeting of two or more rivers together is called Sangam or Prayag. It is considered auspicious to take a bath before worshiping at these confluences. Panch Prayag of Uttarakhand -
- Alaknanda river and Dhauliganga meet Vishnuprayag near Joshimath.
- The Alaknanda River and the Nandakini River meet at Nandprayag.
- In Rudraprayag, there is a confluence of Alaknanda River and Mandakini River.
- Pindar river meets Nandakini river at Karnprayag.
- The river Ganga is formed by the meeting of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers at Devprayag.
9. World's tallest Shiva temple, Tungnath Mahadev
Tungnath Mahadev is located in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand state. The height of the Tungnath temple is 3680 meters. And it is said that Tungnath Temple is the highest Shiva temple in the world.
The Pandavas had composed Tungnath Mahadev in ancient times itself. The Pandavas worshiped at the Tungnath temple to get the darshan of Lord Shiva.
10. Maha Kumbh Mela is held in Haridwar
Mahakumbh Mela is also one of the famous festivals in Hinduism. Mahakumbh Mela is also celebrated in Haridwar along with Prayagraj, Ujjain, and Nashik. The Kumbh Mela is organized after the completion of the 12-year cycle. and Yogdhyan Badri is the five temples.