Tehri Garhwal
Tehri Garhwal is one of the oldest towns of Uttarakhand once tehri was the capital of the king of Garhwal region. Tehri district in the state of Uttarakhand, famous for Tehri Dam which is the highest dam of India. Tehri is divided into New Tehri and Old Tehri both are filled with picturesque surroundings and ancient temples.
Old Tehri: It is 16 Km away from New Tehri and 84 Kms from Rishikesh on the junction of River Bhagirathi and Bhilangana. The transit point to the Yamunotri, Gangotri and Badrinath was choosen as the capital of Tehri Garhwal by Raja Sudharshan Shah after the expulsion of the Gorkhas with the help of East India Company in 1815. The the town was flecked with historical buildings and temples, which are now submerged beneath the Tehri Dam(Asia’s largest rock filled dam).
New Tehri: The newly built well planned modern New Tehri is located at a height of 1,550 metres overlooking the massive artificial lake and Tehri Dam is built on the Bhagirathi and Bhilangana river. It has taken over as district headquarters of Tehri Garhwal from the Old Tehri. The town was established to rehabilitate the Old Tehri, which was submerged into the waters of the Tehri Dam. New Tehri is considered to be Asia’s most comprehensive and successful rehabitation programme. The town has now been developed into a lovely hill resort.
Other famous and important places to visit near Tehri are Badrinath, Devprayag, Srinagar, Gautam Rishi’s Temple and Sem Mukhem Temple etc.
Best Places to Visit in Tehri
Tehri Dam:
Tehri Dam is the tallest dam in Asia and the 4th tallest rock-filled dam in the world, sprawling over an area of 45 sq. km in the Bhilangana and Bhagirathi valleys near Tehri town.
Surkhanda Devi Temple:
The sacred shrine temple atop a mountain attracts many devottes during the Ganga Dassehra Fair which is held between May and June. To reach the shrine one has to trek a route of 2 Kms from Kaddulkhal, 22 Kms from Chamba.
Dhanaulti(24 Km):
The delightful site is enriched with immense natural beauty and lies on the Mussoorie Chamba. The lovely weather and beautiful scenic surroundings make it a perfect site.
Chamba:
Charming Chamba, the beautiful resort at a height of 1676 metres is 48 Kms from Narendranagar, Tehri on the road of Gangotri.
Devprayag:
It is set on the confluence of Alaknanda and Bhagirathi river and is one of the “Panch Prayag”. The town lies in between the Badrinath and Rishikesh highway about 87 Kms from Narendra Nagar.
Kaudiyala:
The beautiful picnic spot 37 Kms from Rishikesh today’s Badrinath route is famous for white water rafting. GMVN conducts river rafting courses here.
Nagtibaba:
The site is at an altitude of 3,048 metres is a favourite destination for trekking and adventure sports.
Chandrabadani Devi:
The sacred shrine on Chandrabadani Mountain is 10 km from Kandi Khal which is approx 22 Kms from Devprayag. Legends saids that the torso of Goddess Sati, the consort of Lord Shiva fell here in ancient times.
Narendra Nagar:
The erstwhile capital of Garhwal on the main Rishikesh – Gangotri Yamunotri route.
Khatling Glacier:
The glacier is the source of the river Bhilangana and a popular trekking destination. The trek starts from Ghuttu, 62 Kms from Tehri.
How to reach Tehri
By Road:
Tehri Garhwal is well connected to all the major and minor cities of Uttarakhand.
By Train:
The nearest major railway station from Tehri is Dehradun(93 Kms).
By Air:
The nearest airport is at Dehradun, Jolly Grant Airport (93 Kms).
Stats of Tehri Garhwal
- District Headquarters: New Tehri
- Population of Tehri Garhwal: 6, 16, 409
- Languages are spoken in Tehri: Garhwali and Hindi
- Altitude: 1676 m
- Best season to visit Tehri: Throughout the year
- Literacy Rate: 67.4%
- Area: 4085 sq km