Haridwar literally means Gateway to the Lord. One of the holiest Hindu pilgrim sites on the banks of the sacred river Ganga, Haridwar is a bustling town with crowded markets, a multitude of temples, ashrams and ghats overflowing with pilgrims desirous of attaining a measure of salvation – in this
life or in the next one. Most of Haridwar”s visitors are temporary – mendicants and sadhus who stop here to offer prayers before venturing to greater heights, pilgrims seeking succour and foreigners in search of spiritual sustenance. Happily for its permanent residents, the turnover never stops and people keep flocking to Haridwar for the many spiritual delights that it offers. The centre of all this activity in Haridwar is Har-ki-Pauri,which literally means footsteps of God. Lined with temples and guesthouses looking on to the river, the ghats (river landings for bathing) have worshippers bathing early in the morning and the spectacular Ganga Arti (worship of the river Ganga with lamps) in the evenings. In the distance are the Himalayan peaks, and all around forests and hill shrines. The atmosphere, the rituals and the view around Haridwar all serve to give the uninitiated a glimpse into Hindu religious philosophy. Haridwar is one of the four sites where the great Kumbh Mela takes place every twelve years. Associated with the divine nectar of life churned out of the sea by the gods, Haridwar along with Allahabad, Ujjain and Nasik was one of the spots where the urn was kept down and spilt some of its divine contents. Sanctified by the belief that visiting Haridwar during this period brings more nirvana to the Hindu soul than many years of penance and prayers do, millions of pilgrims throng the town for a dip in the holy Ganga during the Kumbh celebrations.
Beware of touts who pretend to be ”sadhus” and try to extort money from travellers and exercise caution when walking around the ghats as they tend to be pretty slippery.
Historically Speaking
According to Hindu belief, Haridwar is the land that was sanctified by the footprints of the Lord. Associated with both Shiva and Vishnu, it is believed to have been the place where Sati (Shiva’s consort) consigned herself to the sacrificial fire. The terrible ‘Tandava’ (dance of destruction) performed
by Shiva in grief led to Vishnu dismembering Sati’s body, with the different parts scattering across India. Besides its pre-eminence in Hindu texts, Haridwar’s claim to fame is its mention by the Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang and its invasion by the plundering troops of Timur Lame.
Shopping
The Bara Bazaar, Moti Bazaar and Jwalapur areas of Haridwar are the main shopping centres, selling religious implements, brassware, cane and bamboo products, semi-precious stones, vermilion powder, herbal medicines, spices and pickles. The sacred rudraksha garland, made from strings of the rudraksha
seed and used by religious men, is also sold here. Laymen however, can seldom accurately judge the authenticity of the seeds. You can pick up cans of Ganga water, which is used by Hindus in rituals for purification. Alternatively, you can buy jerry cans and collect the water yourself.
Events
An everyday celebration is the evening aarti at Har-ki-Pauri that starts at 7p.m. All the temples perform the aarti at the same time and the sight of thousand of diyas floating in the river is an amazing one. The most famous festival at Haridwar is the Kumbh Mela . A large number of people
to come and have a bath at the holy Ganga and people from all around the world wait for the Kumbh Fair. It is one of the most important festivals of Haridwar. It is celebrated once in 12 years. Ardh Kumbh is the name given to the fair that is celebrated to rejoice the holy bath after six years. The holy bath – time is supposed to lead you to the Moksha or attain Nirvana. The fair is celebrated thorough out the city with happiness and enthusiasm. The Ardh kumbh is celebrated in every six years. Holi and Diwali are two other festivals that are celebrated with great fervour throughout the country but in Haridwar there is a sense of magic. The magnificent colours at the ghats on Holi or the beautiful lamps on the Ganga at Diwali that light up the city are worthy of a trip to the city.
Night Out
For a town that serves strict vegetarian food, the fare turned out is remarkably good. The choice is varied and from south Indian ‘dosas’ and ‘thalis’ to Punjabi “chana bhathura” and “parathas”. Whether you eat at food stalls or at restaurants, the food is bound to be wholesome and tasty! There
is no scope for entertainment in this holy town, except to watch the “Ganga Aarti” in the evenings when the river glitters with the light from hundreds of earthen lamps floating down it.
Activities
Since Haridwar is a popular pilgrimage city all activities and major things to do here have to do with temples and other pilgrim activities. Visit the many temples or wash away your sins with a bath in the holy Ganga. Take a cable car to the hill top temple of Mansa Devi. The Ganga Aarti on the
Har-ki-Pauri is a spectacular thing to witness. Thousands people gather for prayers on the ghats and the river comes alive with flickering flames as floating offerings as are made to the holy Ganga.
Sights
The main focus of activity is along the Ganga and on the bathing ghats. Har-ki-Pauri is the main ghat, with bridges and walkways connecting smaller islands in the river. Metal chains hang from the bridges for pilgrims to hold onto while bathing in the swift currents of the river. It
is believed that King Vikramaditya built the ghat in memory of his brother Bhartrihari. Also known as Brahmakund, popular legend says that Lord Vishnu left his footprint at Har-ki-Pauri. Besides bathing at this site, you can take in the spectacular view of the Ganga Aarti in the evenings. Priests perform ritual worship of the river with huge multi-layered lamps, to the sound of conch shells and bells. Thousands of earthen lamps are floated in the water, which glitters like gold in the darkness. Though non-Hindus are not allowed onto the main ghat, they can watch the proceedings from the clocktower on a small island. To the east of Har-ki-Pauri lies the shrine of Maya Devi , one of the 52 shaktipeethas revered by Hindus as the sites where body parts of Sati fell. Dating to the 11th century, the Maya Devi temple is said to be the spot where Sati’s heart and navel fell. Up north is the pool known as Bhimgoda . According to the epic Mahabharata, the Pandava hero Bhim drew water from the rocks by creating a pool with the stroke of his horse’s hoof. On top of the Neel Parvat across the Ganga stands the Chandi Devi temple . Built in 1929 by the Maharaja of Kashmir, the last kilometre or so to the temple can be traversed on foot or on a cable car from the Gauri Shankar temple. According to popular legend, the Goddess Shakti killed the demon Chanda-Munda and gained the epithet Chandi, after which the temple is named. Perched on the crest of the Bilwa Parvat , behind the town is the white painted shrine of Manasa Devi . Dedicated to the mother goddess, the main image in the temple is a three-headed, five armed Durga, while another idol has eight arms. The temple can be accessed either by foot after a one-and-a-half kilometres trek or, by the ropeway that leaves from Upper Road near the station. From the temple, you get excellent views of the river and Haridwar. The modern Bharat Mata Temple is an eight-storeyed edifice 5 kms north of the centre. The temple dedicated to ‘Mother India’ has images of important historical figures and Hindu deities. Shanti Kunj is an ashram specialising in yoga lessons and natural cures. Pawan Dham has a temple dedicated to the monkey god Hanuman. The significant feature of this temple is its richly decorated glass interiors. A likeness of the cave shrine of Vaishno Devi at Jammu has been recently established in town. On the outskirts of town – on the Jwalapur by-pass road is the Gurukul Kangri University , where training sessions in Ayurvedic medicine are conducted. The university also has a museum called Ved Mandir exhibiting artifacts from ancient times. At Kankhal , 6 kms downstream, is the famous Daksha Mahadev Temple , also known as Shri Daksheshwar temple . According to Hindu mythology, King Daksha the father of Sati performed a grand fire sacrifice (yajna) at this spot.He invited all the celestial gods and goddesses except Shiva, his son in law, to the sacrifice, which enraged his daughter so much that she burnt herself in the sacrificial fire. When Shiva came to know of this, he beheaded the king, but later restored him to life. The temple is dedicated to this legend and has a gilded image of a serpent symbolising Shiva. The temple set on the banks of the Ganga, surrounded by trees, was built in 1810. Kankhal has some other temples and Ashrams besides the Daksha Mahadev temple. Rajaji National Park , famous for its wild elephants, is a short distance away across the river.
How to get there by Air
The closest international airport is Delhi approximately 200 kms away. The Jolly Grant airport at Dehra Dun is 35 kms away. |
How to get there by Rail
Travelling to Haridwar by train is a great option as it is linked with all major cities to cater to the millions of devotees that flock to this city. Janshatbdi Express, Ujjaini Express Dehradun Indore Express, Uttaranchal Express and the Dehradun Madras Express are just a few of them. |
How to get there by Bus
The National Highway No. 45 passes through the city and makes a journey to Haridwar by road an excellent traveling option. Traveling to Haridwar by road has been made easy because of the city”s proximity to many major cities of northern India. There are many state buses and deluxe buses that go
to Haridwar.
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Haridwar has a choice of hotels, tourist lodges and ashrams. Beginning from the mid-range, accommodation goes down to economy rooms in the ashrams. Most of the accommodation is near the markets or facing the Ganga on the ghats. The Rahi Motel is by the bus stand and the Tourist Bungalow (Alakhnanda)
is rather moderately priced. GMVN, the tourism development authority under whose purview Haridwar falls, also runs a comfortable hotel surrounded by lawns. Some luxury hotels that provide 24 hours room service and several other amenities are Sagar Ganga Resort, Hotel Park View, Hotel Classic Residency, Alpana Hotel,Hotel Har ki Pauri, Country Inn and Suites and the Ginger Hotel.
What to Pack
In summer light airy cotton clothes are suitable, as are open-toed sandals. In fact you to enter a lot of holy areas and temples you have to remove your shoes, so easy slip-ons are the best. In winter carry warm clothes, as the nights tend to get cold.
Nearby Places
Sapt Rishi Ashram is one of the several ashrams on the outskirts of Haridwar; here the river breaks up into seven streams. Kanva Rishi Ashram , 42 kms up the road to Kotdwar is another important ashram on the outskirts of Haridwar The Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar is a
bird watching centre where migratory birds come to nest in winter. Situated on the banks of the Ganga, the park’s star attractions are the Siberian Cranes that may be spotted if you are lucky. The Dargah of Hazrat Makhdum Allauddin Ali Ahamed `Sabri’ , known locally as Piran Kaliyar is 23 kms south near Roorkee. This mausoleum is dedicated to the Sufi saint venerated by both Hindus and Muslims. Rishikesh , 24 kms upstream from Haridwar is the location for many ashrams and shrines. Literally meaning ”locks of the Rishi” (holy man), this small town lies on both banks of the Ganga. Rishikesh also became a popular destination for tourists from the West after the Beatles attempted the discovery of spiritual solace on the banks of this holy town. Rajaji National Park is a 830 sq km wildlife sanctuary east of the Haridwar across the Ganga, situated in the foothills of the Himalayas. The park is best known for its wild elephants, which migrate across the sanctuary along a forest corridor up to Corbett National Park 180 kms away. The main Chila entrance to the park is just 9 kms from Haridwar, and can be reached either by road or on foot by cutting across Har-ki-Pauri and the riverbed. On the silvery sands of the Chila beach, next to the barrage, you can see river turtles coming up to bask in the sun. The Rajaji National Park is home to 23 species of mammals including wild elephants, leopards, spotted deer, sambar, nilgai and a rare species of anteater. A hundred and eighty bird species like peacocks, jungle fowls, kaleej pheasants, cuckoos, hornbills, woodpeckers and warblers nest in the forests. The park has a dense vegetation of broad-leafed mixed deciduous forests, besides chir and pine trees, scrubs and some stretches of open pastures. The river has good angling possibilities, and permission for fishing is easily obtainable. Elephant rides in the park are available at Rs. 200 for two hours. It is also possible to explore the park by jeep or in your own car. There are four forest rest houses and GMVN tourist accommodation in the park, which is open from mid-November till mid-June. An entry fee of Rs.100 for foreigners and Rs.15 for Indians is charged for the first three days. For every additional day, an extra charge of Rs.50 and Rs.10 has to be paid.
icturesque Palolem Beach, enclosed by a thick forest of coconut palms in far south Goa, is arguably the state’s most beautiful beach. This mile long, shady, semi-circle shaped beach continues to grow in popularity every year, and it’s become very lively with the diverse crowd that it attracts.
