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The pilgrimage to the Himalayan shrines of Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri was suspended after the roads leading to them were hit by fresh landslides following heavy rains on Monday, leaving hundreds of pilgrims stranded.

Landslides struck the Rishikesh-Badrinath highway at several places including Govindghat, blocking vehicular traffic. The Rishikesh-Yamunotri National Highway has also been hit by landslides at Chhatanga area, official sources said here.

The yatra to Gangotri temple remained suspended for the second consecutive day as the landslides that hit the Rishikesh-Gangotri National Highway at Sainj in Uttarkashi district on Sunday have not been cleared so far.

Fresh landslides have also hit the highway at Helkugad and Netala, the sources said.

PWD, BRO and police personnel are working round-the-clock to clear the debris and reopen the road for vehicular traffic.

Meanwhile, administrative teams have been sent to the affected areas to take care of the stranded pilgrims, they said.

Meanwhile, light to moderate rains continued to lash most parts of Uttarakhand with Uttarkashi receiving the heaviest rainfall at 84 mm, followed by Bhatwari (72 mm) on way to Gangotri temple during the past 24 hours, Met Director Anand Sharma said.

Chamoli recorded a rainfall of 58 mm, Purola 40 mm and Kausani 30 mm, he said.

The Met department has predicted light to moderate rains at many places in the state and heavy rains at isolated places in Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts during the next 24 hours.

3,000 pilgrims stuck in flood-hit Uttarakhand

Uttarkashi: Torrential rains in Uttarakhand have cut off large parts of the Himalayan state and pilgrims who were on the chaar dham yaatra have been stranded for days.

They don't have enough food or drinking water and most of them are forced to sleep by the roadside.

Thousands of them are stuck along the Bedi-Kedarnath and Gangotri-Yamunotri routes. They had reached Uttarakhand from different states for the holy chaar dham yaatra.

hat was when the landslides and flashfloods happened, leaving them beyond the immediate reach of relief teams. District Magistrate Hemlata said: “Tourists stranded will be rescued.”

Getting out of Uttarakhand is difficult for them as around 1,500 major and minor roads have been severely damaged. Even the 4 helicopters provided by Delhi are now used exclusively for transporting relief material.

With telecommunication lines also down, it's been a while since these stranded pilgrims heard from their family and friends.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/

Temple of Baijnath in Uttarakhand

Baijnath is a small Indian town on the banks of the Gomti River in the Bageshwar district of Uttarakhand. The place is most noted for its ancient temples.

Situated at an elevation of 1125 mts. it is 19 Kms. from Kausani towards Bageshwar. Lying on the banks of Gomti river in a flat valley, the temple complex of Baijnath was constructed by the Katyuri kings. Here in Baijnath old anicient temples of Shiva, Ganesh, Parvati, Chandika, Kuber, Surya, Brahama are located . These were constructed in 13th century AD.

Baijnath has remained the capital of Katyuri Kings, who ruled the area from 7th-11th century AD., then it was known as Kartikeyapura and lies in the centre of 'Katyur' valley; in 1901 it is was a small village with a population of 148 [1].

One of the most remarkable monuments of the Bias valley is the temple of Baijnath. Baijnath is situated at an elevation of 1125 m and some 19 km from Kausani towards Bageshwar and 4o km east of Nagarkot, as the crow flies, close to the Mandi border and on the main road, which leads from the Punjab plains through Kangra, Kulu , Lahul, and Ladakh to Central Asia.

The temple is situated at the junction of the rivers Gomti and Saryu, where you are most welcome to feed the abundant fish found in the river, but angling or fishing is strictly prohibited.

Lying in a flat valley, the temple complex of Baijnath was constructed by the Katyuri kings. Baijnath in earlier times was known as "Kirgram" the famous capital of Kiratas. This fact is proved by the sanskrit inscriptions in Sharada script on the stone slabs found in the temple. Baijnath is dedicated to Lord Shiva in his form as Vaidyanath or the "Lord of Physicians".

Both the south and north wall of the mandapa are adorned with a graceful balcony window. The four corners are strengthened by means of massive buttress-like projections in the shape of half-engaged - miniature sikhara temples, each containing two niches in which image slabs are placed. Smaller niches in slightly projecting chapels are found between the corner projections and the entrance and balcony windows.

The adytum, which contains the linga known as Vaidyanatha, is entered through a small anteroom with two pillars in antis. This linga enshrined in the sanctum is one of the 12 jyotirlingas in the country. The roof of the mandapa is supported by four massive pillars connected by raised benches which form, as it were, a passage leading up to the entrance of the sanctum. The strong and sturdy build of the temple shows the rare expertise of the Kangra artesian.

The architrave's resting on these pillars divide the space of the ceiling into nine compartments, each of which is closed by means of corbelling slabs. In front of the mandapa rises a stately porch resting on four columns. "The shafts of these pillars", Fergusson remarks "are plain cylinders, of very classical proportions, and the bases also show that they are only slightly removed from classical design".

"The square plinth, the two toruses, the cavetto or hollow moulding between are all classical, but partially hidden by Hindu ornamentation, of great elegance but unlike anything found after wards". The same author at considerable length discusses the capitals of the pot-and -foliage type.

Both the south and north wall of the mandapa are adorned with a graceful balcony window. The four corners are strengthened by means of massive buttress-like projections in the shape of half-engaged - miniature sikhara temples, each containing two niches in which image slabs are placed. Smaller niches in slightly projecting chapels are found between the corner projections and the entrance and balcony windows.

A life sized stone Nandi, believed to be the carrier of Lord Shiva stands at the entrance. Also are other miniature shrines and memorial stones within the complex said to have been built around 804 A.D.

The temple of Baijnath, although situated at no great distance from the centre of the earthquake of the 4th April 1905, but suffered slight injury from that catastrophe. The neighbouring smaller temple of Sidhnath, on the contrary, completely collapsed. Every year during Shivratri Fair, pilgrims descend on Baijnath for the colourful fair and festivities.

Today most of the idols in the temple are kept in the museum. But, the largest statue of goddess Parvati in all of north India is still kept here. Yet another important figure in Indian history has left his impressions on Kasauni. The figure being the famous poet in Hindi literature, Sumitra Nandan Pant, who was a local from these parts and in whose poetry, there are frequent references to this place.

Soruce: http://www.4dham.com/go2/Baijnath.html