Barkot - Attractions, Tourist Places, Local Sightseeing in Barkot, Uttarakhand

Barkot – Attractions, Tourist Places, Local Sightseeing in Barkot, Uttarakhand

Barkot is a town situated in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand state in the Indian continent. The geographical coordinates puts the place at 30.82⁰N and 78.20⁰E. The place is located at 1,222 meters above sea level. Barkot experiences an average temperature of 30^oC in summer and in winter the average temperature is 24^oC. During winter, temperature can drop to -10^oC in the night. The river, Yamuna flows steadily through Barkot.

History of Barkot

In the past, Barkot was ruled by many dynasties such as Kunindas, Guptas, Gurjara-Pratihara, Katyuris, Raikas, Palas, Panwars, and Sikhs before the British took control of the city.

There are also some artifacts that shows the existence of Buddhism in some parts of the town. In 1803 the Gurkha Empire conquered Barkot. They were defeated by the British in 1816 who then took control of the town.

People & Culture in Barkot

Barkot offers a rich and diverse culture, with people from all caste, religion and sect residing throughout the place. One can come across people belonging to various religions such as Sikhs, Christians, Jains, Muslim and Hindus. Garhwali, Hindi and English are the languages spoken by the people in and around Barkot, with Hindi being the local language.

Dance has been the main culture in this region.

Festivals such as Holi, Diwali, Navaratri etc., are some of the festival celebrated in and around Barkot. The most important of all festivals is the Hariyali Devi Fair, Chhota Kailash Fair.

Food and Shopping in Barkot

The city, Barkot offers a wide range of Multi – cuisine, both vegetarian and non- vegetarian. Wheat has been the staple food in this region. There are plenty of dhabas in and around the Barkot serving varieties of tasty parotas.

There are plenty of shops selling amazing artifacts crafted from wood. Other crafted items are ornaments, woolen shawls and rugs. There are shops selling beautiful paintings. Barkot is famous for the aromatic rice known worldwide as Basmati.

Tourist Places in Barkot

There are Religious places of interest in Barkot. Some of these interesting places are mentioned below

Yamunotri Temple

Located in Barkot, this temple is the centre of attraction among devotees and tourists. Known as ‘Char Dhams’ attracts devotees from rest of the places in the country. Goddess Yamuna is said to be the most important deity of the temple.

Surya Kund

This place is renowned for its famous thermal spring. Pilgrims immerse raw vegetables and rice in it and these food items are cooked, it is served as ‘Prasad’.

Veda Camp

Veda Camp happens to another attraction in Barkot. This place with panoramic landscapes makes it fit for adventure sports such as trekking and camping. The camp is situated at the banks of Yamuna River. The place has plenty of Chir and Pine trees. The site offers a breathtaking experience of the Bandarpoonch Peak of the Himalayas.

Some other place with religious and natural landscapes of interest near Barkot are provided below

Kedarnath

The place has a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is situated near the banks of Mandakini River. This temple dates back to the Mahabharat epic.

Hanuman Chatti
Barkot falls
Apple orchards

There are plenty of Museums located near Barkot. Some of them are mentioned below:

National Gallery of Portraits
Hall of Fame Museum
International Dolls Museum
State Museum
Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology
Govind Vallabh Pant Public Museum
Museum of the Evolution of Life

Means of Commutation to Barkot

Barkot is well connected with Delhi the capital of India through roadways, railways, and airway. The city has very good public transport facilities.

Major districts in Uttarakhand like Uttarkashi, Rishikesh, Mussoorie, Teri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal and Dehradun provide easy access to Barkot via roadway. Bus and taxis are available in plenty.

The distance of Barkot from other places in the country by road are mentioned below