Gateway to the Gods       

Haridwar (also called Hardwar) is a timeless, beautiful, holy city on the banks of the river Ganga or Ganges River.
The word Haridwar, meaning Gateway to the Gods, is derived from two words – ‘Dwar’ meaning Gateway and ‘Hari’ meaning God.It is here the holy Ganga enters the Indo-Gangetic plains of India after traversing 253 kms (157 miles) down the hills from its source Gaumukh at the tip of the Gangotri Glacier – 3,139 metres (10,300 ft) above sea level.

Mythology

The God and the Demons churned the oceans (Samudra Manthan) to obtain Amrita, the elixir of immortality. Amrita was deceptively taken by the Gods and carried away by Garuda – Lord Vishnu’s Vahan.

Some Amrita accidentally spilled over in four places – Allahabad, Haridwar, Nasik and Ujjain.
These four places are considered very holy and religious festivities called the Kumbha Mela are celebrated once every 3 years in each of these 4 places by rotation.It is believed that in Haridwar, the Amrita fell at the place called Brahma Kund at Har-ki-Pauri (meaning “footsteps of the Lord”) which is considered the most sacred ghat (river bank) of Haridwar.It is here that King Bhagirath, the great-grandson of King Sagar, brought down the mighty river Ganga from Heaven for the salvation of his 60,000 ancestors who had been turned to ashes by the Sage Kapil Muni.Lord Vishnu is believed to have left his footprint on the stone set in the upper wall of Har-Ki-Pauri, where the Holy Ganga touches it at all times.

History

Haridwar is a very ancient city.
Archaeological findings prove that terra cotta culture dating between 1700 BC and 1200 BC existed in this region.
Haridwar came under the rule of the Maurya Empire (322 -185 BC), and later under the Kushan Empire (1st – 3rd centuries).Haridwar was visited by the Chinese traveller, Huan Tsang, in 629 AD.
The Turkish invader Timur Lang (1336-1405) invaded the city on January 13, 1399.The first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak (1469-1539), bathed at ‘Kushwan Ghat’. Haridwar is also mentioned in the Ain-e-Akbari written by Abul Fazal during the reign of Mughal Emperor Akbar, in the 16th century.
During Akbar’s rule, there was a mint for copper coins at Haridwar.Raja Man Singh of Amber laid the foundation of the present day city of Haridwar and also renovated the ghats at Har-ki-pauri.
After his death, his ashes were immersed at Brahma Kund by Mughal Emperor Akbar himself.Bhimgoda Dam, one of the two major dams on the river Ganga, is situated here.
It was constructed to divert the waters of the Ganga to the ‘Upper Ganges Canal’ to irrigate the surrounding lands.
Work on the Upper Ganges Canal started in April 1842.
The Canal was opened in 8 April 1854.
Its main channel was 348 miles long, its branches 306 miles long and the various tributaries over 3000 miles long. The unique feature of this Canal is a half-kilometre long aqueduct over Solani River at Roorkee, which raises the canal 25 metres above the original river.
Before construction of this dam, ships of the East India Company, sailed right up to Tehri.
After construction of the Canal, much of the water was diverted to the fields and ships could no longer sail up.

Places to see


Hari-Ki-Pauri  – 1.5 km                                                        

This sacred bathing ghat also known as Brahmakund was constructed by King Vikramaditya  during the 1st century BC in memory of his brother Bhrithari.
The Aarti, or evening prayer, offered to Goddess Ganga at dusk every day is a fascinating spectacle.
The pilgrims float hundreds of diyas (lamps on floats) on the river.

Chandi Devi Temple – 6 kms

This temple dedicated to Goddess Chandi sits atop the ‘Neel Parvat’ on the eastern bank of river Ganga.
The main statue was established by the Adi Shankaracharya in 8th century A.D.
The temple is a 3 kms walk from Chandighat, but can also be reached by a ropeway.

Mansa Devi Temple – 0.5 km

Situated at the top of Bilwa Parwat, the temple of Goddess Mansa Devi, (literally meaning Goddess who fulfills desires) is a popular tourist destination.
The cable car offers a picturesque view of the entire city.

Maya Devi Temple – 0.5 km

This is one of most ancient temples dating to the 11th century.

Daksha Mahadeo Temple and the Sati Kund – 4 kms

Lord Shiva’s first wife Sati self-immolated herself here.

Bhimgoda  Tank – 1 kms

This tank is situated at a distance of about 1 km from Har-ki Pauri.
When the Pandavas were going to Himalayas through Haridwar, Bhima drew water from the rocks here by thrusting his knee, or goda, into the ground.

Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar – 3.5 kms

This Bird Sanctuary is situated on the main Ganga River, or Neel Dhara, at the Bhimgoda barrage.
It is a paradise for bird watchers and home to many migratory birds during the winter season.

Jairam  Ashram

Here is a massive white statue depicting the famous Samudra Manthan.
 
Sapt  Rishi Ashram and Sapt Sarovar – 7 kms

A picturesque place. The seven great sages or Saptarishis – Kashyapa, Vashisht, Atri, Vishwamitra, Jamadagni, Bharadwaja and Gautam meditated here.
At this place, the Ganga split herself into seven streams so that the Rishis were not disturbed.

Parad Shivling – 2 kms

Situated in Harihar Ashram, Kankhal.
There is huge Shivling weighing about 150 kgs and Rudraksha tree.

Pavan Dham

This modern temple is made entirely of glass pieces.

Bharat Mata Mandir

Each floor of this multi-storey temple, dedicated to Bharat Mata (Mother India), depicts an era of the Indian History, from the days of Ramayana to India’s independence.


Reaching there

Air
The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun,
But most tourists come through New Delhi airport.

Railway
Haridwar has a railway station with direct links to all major cities of India.

Road
Haridwar, is well connected by road by the National Highway 58, between Delhi and Mana pass.
It is 200 kms. or about 6 hours drive from Delhi.

Recommendation

Haridwar is one of the seven holiest places of the Hindus.
A dip in the Holy Ganga here is believed to wash away all sins.
A lot of Hindus visit Haridwar.Moreover, this is the usual entry point to Rishikesh, the Char Dhams and the Himalayas beyond.Haridwar is also an important centre of Ayurvedic and herbal medicine and the unique Gurukul school of traditional education. The Pandas of Haridwar keep meticulous genealogical  records of Hindus visitors who come here.
You can find the dates your ancestors or relatives visited the place.

Gateway to the Himalayas  
   
                                              
Rishikesh is a picturesque holy city on the banks of the Ganga or Ganges River at the foothills of the Himalayas.
Rishikesh and its surroundings are ideal for Vedic learning, yoga, spiritual meditation and similar activities. You can climb into the ice and snow covered mountains; stroll through the dense forests harbouring a variety of animals and birds; or engage in a number of adventure sports.Rishikesh is also the starting point for onward travel to the Char Dhams – Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri  (the four holy pilgrimages) – and is therefore known as the gateway to the Himalayas.

Mythology


Lord Rama performed penance here after killing Rāvana, the demon King of Sri Lanka (Ceylon).
Adi Shankaracharya visited the place and established the original Bharat Mandir temple on the banks of the Ganges River in the heart of the old town during the 12th century.
The Inner sanctum of the temple has an idol of Lord Vishnu, carved out of a single Shaligram.
Above the idol is a Shree Tantra installed by Adi Shankaracharya.
There are numerous temples, ancient as well as new, along the banks of the Ganges River in Rishikesh.

Vedantic Studies and Yoga

Rishikesh is known throughout the world as ‘the world-capital of Yoga’.The 120 year old Kailas Ashram Brahmavidyapeetham, an institution for the preservation and promotion of traditional Vedantic Studies, is located here.
Swami Vivekananda, Swami Rama Tirtha and Swami Sivananda studied in this institution.During the mid-1960s, The Beatles visited the now closed Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram.
Several artists, like Mike Love of The Beach Boys, Donovan and Gyp Mills, and the Hollywood star Kate Winslet have visited the place to contemplate and meditate.You can spend a few weeks, or months, in one of the many Ashrams delving into the secrets of yoga and meditation.

Description

The term Rishikesh is loosely applied to five distinct sections encompassing the town and the settlements on both sides of the river Ganges.
These include:
1.  Rishikesh town, the commercial hub;
2.  The suburb Muni-ki-Reti, or the “sands of the sages”;
3.  Sivananda Nagar, north of Rishikesh, home of Sivananda Ashram and head quarters of the Divine Life Society founded by Swami Sivananda;
4. The temple section of Lakshman Jhula, a little further north; and the
5. The Ashrams around Swarg Ashram on the east bank.

What to see

Town  Area

Bharat Mandir
This is a major centre of attraction.
The original temple was destroyed by Tamur lane in 1398 A.D. and later rebuilt.

Triveni Ghat
This is the most popular ghat in the town area where most pilgrims take holy dip in the river.
The daily evening Arti at the Ghat is really fascinating.

Rishikund
Close to Triveni Ghat is the most ancient place, the Rishikund.
Goddess Yamuna purified this pond with her water.

Ram Jhula Area

Geeta Bhawan
One of the oldest temple complex in the area.
The two famous Indian epics Ramayan and Mahabharat are described on the walls of the temple here.

Parmarth Niketan
One of the most famous temple complex and ashram in the area .
It is doing a lot of religious and charitable work in the area.

Transcendental Centre of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Situated on the extreme end of Geeta Bhawan, amidst peaceful forests, is Maharishi’s Transcendental Meditation Centre.
It is now laying practically abandoned.

Lakshman Jhula Area

Tera Manzil Temple
This is a multistoried temple complex of idols of Gods and Goddesses.
You can have an excellent view of the entire area from the top floors of the temple complex.

Places to Visit around Rishikesh

Vasishtha Goofa
About an hour’s drive from Rishikesh up the river is the Vasishtha Goofa, where sage Vasishtha meditated long ago.
The cave is very peaceful and is a perfect place for meditation.

Kunja Puri Temple
Kunja Puri is  one of the thirteen most important Goddesses of Shivalik range in the lower Himalayas.
You can witness beautiful  sunrise and sun set on the Greater Himalayan Peaks and the vast Indo Gangetic plains .
You can see most of the peaks of Garhwal Himalayas from here.


Wild Life

The Rajaji National Park is close by.
Chilla, the core zone the Park,  is a mere  19 kms drive from Rishikesh.
The Park is located where the Himalayan foothills end and the Indo Gangetic Plains begin.
You can see a great variety of animals and migratory and domestic birds along the Ganges.
You can meander through the forest on elephant back, or on jeeps, or both.

Skiing

Auli – 8-9 hrs drive from Rishikesh – is one of the best Skiing slopes in Asia with many high peaks such as, Nanda Devi, surrounding the slopes.
You have to drive up Rishikesh along the Ganges River to Devprayag, the ancient town at the beginning of the holy Ganga; along the Alakananda to Joshimath;  and on to Auli passing through the unbelievably beautiful towns of  Rudraprayag and Karanprayag perching on the confluence of various rivers. The Skiing season at Auli starts from the end of December or early January and lasts till the end March.


White Water Rafting and Camping

Rishikesh is one of the best places for white water rafting.
You can spend one or more days.
The  activities and trips can include rock climbing, rappelling, small treks, kayaking and camping.

Spas

Rishikesh has the best Spas of India and all kinds of authentic Ayurvedic treatment centres.

Ananda in the Himalayas
Situated inside the Palace of Garhwal Rulers at Narendra Nagar, Ananda is the best Spa. This is a little expensive. 

High Bank Peasants Cottage (HBPC)
HBPC has spa and also provides Ayurvedic treatment including “Kaya Kalpa”.  

Reaching there

Air
The nearest airport is Jolly Grant in Dehradun only 35kms away from Rishikesh.
But most visitors prefer to come via Delhi.

Rail
The nearest station is Haridwar.
Haridwar is a major railway station in the region.
There are many express trains connecting Haridwar to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Allahabad and other cities.

Road
Rishikesh is very well connected to the major cities of Uttaranchal and India, such as, Agra, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Delhi, Haridwar, Lucknow, Mussourie and Nainital.
But the most convenient way is to travel by road from Delhi
Rishikesh is 224 kms (6 hours drive) from Delhi.

Recommendation

The Lakshman Jhula – the hanging bridge across the Ganges River is fascinating.
Rishikesh is a perfect place for a few days rest and recreation.
You can visit the high mountains and the Char Dhams, meander through the Rajaji National Park, or try one of the adventures sports.

Oldest living City in the World

Varanasi (also called Benares) is the oldest living city in the world.
I lived and worked in Varanasi for two years, but that was over 25 years ago.

After that, I have visited Varanasi on and off.

Varanasi has changed, as all modern cities have, for the worse.
In those days, we lived in a small apartment, close to Dasashwamedh Ghat, the most popular ghat (bank) of the river Ganges.

We used to drop our two sons at the bus stop for their school bus to pick them up, walk down to the Ganges river every morning, stroll along the ghats (all the ghats are connected to each other) and meander through the narrow lanes bordering the river.

The morning walks used be really fascinating.

We would pass small shops selling all kinds of colourful merchandise.

Bulls sitting or standing in the narrow lanes completing blocking the way.

But they neither disturbed any one nor felt the least disturbed when any one pulled them or pushed them to one side to pass through.

Lots of temples, pundits (priests), devotees, pilgrims, tourists and mere idlers like us.
The most fascinating thing about Varanasi was that no one seemed to be in a hurry.

Everyone had plenty of time to stand and stare and enjoy life.

Even many of those who had to go to office, ritually went to the river every morning, did some exercises, had an oil massage, took a dip in the holy river and visited one of the numerous temples.

So deep was this practice imbibed in many, that if they were in Varanasi, it was impossible to wean them away from this morning ritual.

For them, this was the most essential part of life.
Once we had a very strange experience.

My wife fell sick for quite a few days.

We could not go down to the river.

Then a strange thing happened.

It suddenly started raining.

And the river started swelling.

The area started getting flooded.

The river crossed its banks and came right up to the place where we stayed.

For some time, we sat with our feet immersed in the water.

After that, the water gradually receded.

This could be pure coincidence.

But someone had predicted that since we were not able to go to the river, the river would come to us.
History

There is no doubt that Varanasi is a very ancient town. It is much older than Rome.Old Rome has gone down the pages of history.

But Varanasi has not only survived, but prospered.
According to mythology, Varanasi was created by Lord Shiva.

We find mention of Varanasi in the epic Mahabharata and in our ancient scripture Skanda Purana.
Buddha arrived in Sarnath on the outskirts of Varanasi in 500 BC.

Even then it was a prosperous city.
The original name of Varanasi was Kashi from the word ‘Kasha’ meaning bright.

The present name is a combination of two words – Varuna and Assi, the two rivers on the north and south of Varanasi.
Even now, many Hindus believe that if they die in Varanasi, they will reach Heaven.

There are a number of old homes whether the aged come to live and spend their last days.

Culture
Varanasi has given the world its unique style of classical Hindustani music and has produced such eminent poets, writers and musicians as Kabir, Ravi Das, Munshi Premchand, Jaishankar Prasad, Acharya Ram Chandra Shukla, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Hariprasad Chaurasia and Ustad Bismillah Khan.
Tulsidas wrote his Ramcharitmanas here.

Gautam Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath.
What to see
Temples
Varanasi is a city of temples.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple, the shrine of Jyotirlinga, is the most sacred shrine of Lord Shiva in India.

The original temple was destroyed by Emperor Aurangzeb who built a mosque in its place.

The present temple was rebuilt near the mosque in 1780 by Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore.

In 1839, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the ruler of Punjab, donated gold to guilt the two domes of the temple with gold.
The Ghats

There are several interconnected ghats along the river.

Visit them in the morning or evening.

You will sense the fervour of the place.
Gyan Vapi Mosque

This mosque was constructed in the 17th century on the old temple by Emperor Aurangazeb.
Banaras Hindu University

The sprawling Banaras Hindu University is a great centre of higher education.

It is the largest residential university in India and the only university with a Hindu temple inside.

Man Mandir
The old palace of the Maharaja of Jaipur with a astronomical observatory.
Sarnath (10 kms from Varanasi)

Buddha gave his first sermon here.

The 110 ft. tall Damekh Stupa marks the place where Buddha preached his first sermon.

Later, Mauryan Emperor Ashoka erected magnificent stupas and other buildings and the famous stone pillar.

This place is visited by Buddhists from all over the world.
Reaching there
Air

Varanasi has an airport with direct flights from New Delhi, Kolkatta, Mumbai and other places.
Rail

Varanasi is an important railway station.

The city is linked by trains with all metros and major cities across the country – New Delhi (760 Kms.), Mumbai (1509 Kms.), Kolkatta (735 Kms.), Chennai (1970 Kms.), Lucknow (286 Kms.).

Road

Varanasi is connected with all the major cities by good motorable, all-weather roads.
Best Season
Varanasi is hot in summer.

The best time to visit Varanasi is between September and November because Varanasi celebrates a lot of festivals during this period.

Recommendation

Visit the oldest living city in the world.

Perhaps you will share the same feeling which brought Gautam Buddha to this place.

Varanasi is famous for its silk zaree saris (silk saree embroidered with pure gold thread) and woollen carpets.

But purchase from a respectable shop.

Varanasi is equally famous for its cheats.