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Hardwar is a holy city in the Uttaranchal in northern India.
Literally meaning Gateway to God, Haridwar is considered one of
th e
seven holiest places accordng to Hindus, as the devas are said
to have left their footprints there.The spot where the immortal
nectar fell when it was carried in a Kumba after the famed
churning of the oceans at the time of creation of the universe
is known as Brahma Kund. Hindus all over the world flock to this
place to have a holy dip to attain salvation from their sins of
birth.The dusk arathi performed at Hari- Ki- Pairi (known for a
footprint of Vishnu on a stone in a wall) is a spectacular sight
full of emotions of sound and colour never to be missed by any
visitors. This is the second most holiest pilgrimage site after
Varanasi for Hindus all over the globe. Here pilgrims float
diyas on the Ganges, to commemorate their deceased ancestors.
The city also stands as a gateway to three other important
pilgrimage destinations: Rishikesh, Badrinath, and Kedarnath. In
Haridwar there is a big statue of Shiva at the fork of the river
A paradise for nature-lovers,
Haridwar presents kaleidoscope of Indian culture and
civilisation. Haridwar also termed as 'Gateway to Gods' is known
as Mayapuri, Kapila, Gangadwar as well. The follower of Lord
Shiva (Har) and follower of Lord Vishnu (Hari) pronounce this
place Hardwar and Haridwar respectively as told by some. It is
also a point of entry to Dev Bhoomi and Char Dham (Four main
centers of pilgrimage in Uttaranchal) Viz. Badrinath, Kedarnath,
Gangotri and Yamunotri.
The point of attraction in Haridwar remains to be the river
Ganges especially during the Ganga Aarti ceremony at the
Har-Ki-Pauri
 ghat.
The temple of Chandi Devi atop the Neel Parvat, the temple atop
the Bilwa Parvat dedicated to Goddess Mansa Devi and the replica
of the Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu & Kashmir are the other
tourist attrations in the city. Haridwar is also the seat of
spiritualism, yoga and meditation. The Gurukul Kangadi
University is the center of learning where education is imparted
in the traditional Indian Gurukul system today also. The Veda
Mandir within the university is home to many archaeological
exhibits. Other important tourist places include the Bharat Mata
Temple, Maya Devi Temple, Bhimgoda, and Shanti Kunj.
Haridwar is one of the first towns where Ganga emerges from the
mountains to touch the plains. And that's why the water is
crystal clear and cool. Lush green forests and small ponds add
to the scenic beauty of this holy land. The Rajaji National Park
is just 10 km from Haridwar. Its an ideal destination for wild
life and adventure lovers. In the evening the ghats look
breathtakingly beautiful as thousands of diyas (lamps) and
marigold flowers float and illuminate the holy waters.
Haridwar is also one of the four places where the Kumbh Mela
occurs after a rotation of every twelve Years and the Ardh Kumbh
after every six years. The other places are Allahabad (also
known as Prayag), Ujjain and Nasik. Kumbh, 1998 was the last
Maha Kumbh of this century. Yet beyond the mystic aura and
mythology, Haridwar casts another magic spell on the visitor.
Being one of the oldest living cities, Haridwar finds its
mention in the ancient Hindu scriptures as it waves through the
life and time stretching from the period of the Buddha to the
more recent British advent. Haridwar has not only remained the
abode of the weary in body, mind and spirit, but also served as
centre of attraction for many, for learning the arts science and
culture. Haridwar's long standing position as a great source for
Ayurvedic medicines and herbal remedies as well as its unique
Gurukul school of traditional education, the scenic beauty and
lush greenery...all give the city unique flavours and charm; a
must among the sojourn centres in a discoverer's itinerary of
Uttaranchal-A destination for all seasons.
Har Ki Paudi
This is
Haridwar's most important
 bathing
spot. Every day thousands of people come over here for taking
holy dip in the Ganges. This ghat is also known as Brahmakund.
In the evening a Maha Aarti is performed on this ghat. It is an
event which is a must, not be missed by any visitor.
Chandi Devi
This temple is on the top of a hill called the Neel Parvat which
is on the other side of the river Ganga. The temple was
constructed by the King of Kashmir, Suchat Singh, in 1929 AD.
Chandi Devi is a 3-km trek from the Chandi Ghat.
Temple of Mansa Devi
This temple is on the Bilva Mountain. To go up, a trolley
ropeway can be used or one can walk up the rock stairs. The view
of Haridwar and the Ganges is very scenic from here.
Daksha Mahadev Temple
4-kms from Haridwar is a town called Kankhal. Mythology says
that the king of this place King Daksha Prajapati performed a
Yagya. His daughter, Sati was married to Lord Shiva. But Daksha
was not happy with this marriage and did not invite Shiva-Sati
in the Yagya. But Sati came and was insulted by her father. She
could not take the insult and burnt herself in the Yagya-Kund.
On hearing this the followers of Shiva killed Daksha. But later
Mahadeo (Shiva) brought Daksha to life. The Daksha temple is an
attribute to this legend. This place is one of the five sacred
places in Haridwar.
Sapt Rishi
At one place Ganga divides herself into seven small streams.
This place is known as the Sapt Rishi and provides a very
pleasing sight.
Maya Devi
Maya Devi is one of the Shaktipeeths in India. This ancient
temple of Maya Devi is also the Adhisthatri deity of Haridwar.
It is said that when Lord Shiva was carrying his wife Sati, who
had burnt her self to keep the honour of her husband, then the
heart and navel of Sati had fallen at this place.
Gurukul Kangri
This is on the Jwalapur By-pass Road. The Arya Samaj
revolutionary, Swamy Shraddanand founded this University. Once
upon a time this University was very famous, but now most of the
buildings there need to be restored. A museum here houses many
ancient sculptures.
Beauty Point
On the Mansa Devi temple road, about two kilometer from Haridwar
is a point which provides an excellent view of Haridwar and the
near by greenery. This place is called the beauty point as the
sight from here of the surrounding is very exciting and
enthralling.
Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar
This place is an enchanting bird watching point particularly
during the winters. There are various species of birds which can
be spotted here. Around Laljiwala on the banks of river Ganges
one can expect the Siberian Cranes, which are one of the prized
visitor to this Pakshi Vihar
Air
In the region Air Services are available only upto Jolly Grant
airport in Dehradun.
Rail
There is a railway station at Haridwar. This major pilgrimage
center has been well connected by trains to all the major towns
of India. In fact trains bring the major load of pilgrims and
tourist inflow to Haridwar.
Road
The National Highway No - 45 crosses through the city so it is
connected to other cities of the State as well as other towns in
India in an efficient manner. There are buses available from
Delhi to this place. The state transport has ordinary as well as
deluxe and semi-deluxe buses on this route for long distance
travel. There are private buses available too, which will take
you to nearby places and some of these private deluxe buses run
on the long distance routes. |