Alaknanda river, viewed from Srinagar, Garhwal. Credit: Karamjeet Singh Srinagar From Devaprayag, the road follows the Alaknanda towards Badrinath. The town of Srinagar is located 34 km from Deoprayag, at an altitude of 1,900 ft. This is a very fast developing township and is not to be confused with the more famous Srinagar of Kashmir. In the summers, Srinagar becomes uncomfortably hot while the winters are a lot more pleasant.

Rudraprayag - Mandakini joins Alaknanda Credit: Raj Shirole

Rudraprayag
Another 34 km away lies the town of Rudraprayag, where the Mandakini, flowing from Kedarnath, joins the Alaknanda. It is the junction of the three hill districts of Pauri, Tehri and Chamoli. The road branches off here. One branch leads towards Kedarnath, while the other goes to Badrinath. Rudranath has a bustling market. It was also made famous by the famous hunter Jim Corbett in his books. There is a commemorative stone which marks the spot where Corbett shot the man-eating leopard in 1926.

Chamoli and beyond
The road then reaches Chamoli and resumes the steady winding climb to Badrinath. The nature of the terrain undergoes a dramatic change. No longer do green fields slope gently down to the riverbed. Rather, the road hangs precariously onto rocky slopes and ledges that grow steeper and narrower while the river thunders down below. Soon it reaches Pipalkoti, a popular halting place for pilgrims on the Badrinath route. Pipalkoti is generally warm and the pipal trees, from which the place takes its name, are conspicuous by their absence! But soon afterwards, as the road winds its way towards the next major township Joshimath, the weather undergoes a change, and suddenly it is a lot cooler.