Garhwal

Garhwal is smack in the middle of the Himalayas, with Himachal Pradesh in the West and North-West; Tibet in the North; the plains of Western Uttar Pradesh in the South and Kumaon in the East.

History of Garhwal
The history of Garhwal is older than that of the Ramayan and Maha- bharata. It is a land of popular myths, like that of Lord Shiva appearing as Kirat, of Urvashi, Shakuntala and the Kauravas and Pandavas. Worship of Lord Shiva is pre-dominant in this region.

Historically, it has been described in the ancient text of Kedarkhand to extend from Gangadwar (modern day Hardwar) in the South to the high mountains in the North, and from the Tamsa (Tons) river in the in the West to Buddhachal (probably the Nanda Devi group of peaks between Garhwal and Kumaon) in the East.

Today it is an administrative division of the raising state of Uttaranchal, comprising the districts of Chamoli, Dehradun, Pauri, Tehri and Uttarkashi.

Places of interest in Garhwal
Char Dham
With the majestic and mystifying Himalayas as the backdrop, the four most holy pilgrimages of India never cease to amaze travelers and visitors. Char Dham, or the four pilgrimage centers, comprising of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are frequented by the religious minded as well as those intrigued by the remnants of bygone years.

Dehradun
Surrounded by lush green forests and hills, Dehradun has always been a favourite with the tourists. Dehradun, the district headquarter is located at an altitude of 2,200 feet above sea level in the picturesque Doon valley. It is endowed with a pleasant, moderate climate & is well connected with other important places.

Mussoorie
Mussoorie or the "Queen of Hills", as it is Popularly known is located in the Garhwal hills. Due to its immense natural beauty, Mussoorie is known as the queen of hill stations. In 1820 Captain Young from the British army was influenced by the beauty of this place and made this place his residence. This marked the foundation of a hill station called Mussoorie. The name, Mussoorie, is derived from plants of 'Mussoorie' which were found in abundance here. After its discovery, this hill station gradually developed as a center of education, business, tourism and beauty.