Religion in Uttarakhand State  :

There's no doubt that religion is something that Indians can't live without. Though Hindus constitute the majority of Uttarakhand's population, the state also features many different faiths or systems of beliefs. The percentage of Hindus in the state is around 92%. The remaining population is comprised of people belonging to religions like Sikhism, Christianity and Islam among others. No wonder, all these people that follow different faiths live quite harmoniously with one another, which makes Uttarakhand one of the most beautiful and peaceful states in the country.

More than 90% of population of Uttarakhand consists of Hindus. The other religions that can be found there are the following:

Sikhs - 2.5%
Muslims - 2.5%
Christians - 2.5%

Apart from these major religions, you'll also notice some other forms of worships. Uttarakhand is also home to many different ethnic groups or sects that follow their own folk forms of worship. Some of these include Snake Worship, Karna Worship, Duryodhana Worship and Mahasu worship among others.

Other forms of Worship are : Apart from these regular religions, several folk forms of worship are also prevalent in Uttarakhand. Major ones among these are.

Snake worship:  The descendants of the Nagas who lived in Uttaranchal in ancient times still worship the snake on Nag Panchami.

Karna worship: Karna (of Mahabharata) worship is widespread in the Jaunsar-Bawar area of western Garhwal.

Sameshwar or Duryodhana worship:  Duryodhana (of Mahabharata) is worshipped in the upper valleys of the rivers Tons, Yamuna, Bhagirathi, Balganga and Bhilangana.

Mahasu worship:  Mahasu worship prevalent in the Yamuna and Bhagirathi valleys of the western Garhwal.

Religion or faith can be defined as belief in a supernatural power that protects us, punishes us and provides us with whatever we need. It sometimes has a face and sometimes it doesn’t but the faith prompts people to worship this power. Religion is big business in Uttarakhand, not just because it's one of the important attractions for domestic tourists, but also because it's a vital part of daily life for the people of these hills. Large segment of the people in Uttarakhand, especially in the upper reaches, are heterodox Buddhists and Hindus. This is the area which has been known as `Dev Bhoomi'- the land of the gods. Many of Hinduism's most important shrines lie within Uttarakhand, tucked away in the mountains and along the rivers of the state. Amongst these, the most sacred are the `Char Dham'- the four shrines of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath, a pilgrimage of which is supposed to ensure instant salvation. 

The sacred Ganga, on its foaming path down to the plains, meets its tributaries at what are called the Panch Prayag- the five sacred `sangams' of the river at Vishnuprayag, Nandprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag and Devprayag.Hardwar and Rishikesh are two of Hinduism's most prominent destinations for pilgrims, while the historical Gurudwara of Hemkund Sahib, near the Valley of Flowers, is an important shrine for Sikh pilgrims. 

At any time, in any season, Uttarakhand's many shrines swarm with pious devotes, coming en famille from across the country, and beyond, to worship. All along the Ganga and its tributaries are ashrams, ghats, temples and shrines by the dozen, and even the smallest village will be dominated by its own temple.