Haridwar as the name suggests is Hari ka Dwar i.e. Door or Way to
Hari i.e. God or Gateway to God. It is a major pilgrimage in North
India. It also leads the way for other
important spiritual destinations namely, Rishikesh, Badrinath, Kedarnath,
Yamunotri and Gangotri. Haridwar is
considered one of the holiest cities in India.
It is blessed of having numerous temples, spiritual ashrams and hosting
different Melas major of them are the Kumbh Mela and Ardh Kumb Mela. Here the River Ganges is the coolest and
purest. The place also is a major source
of ayurvedic medicines. The pleasant
landscape of Haridwar is eye soothing.
People of all caste and creed make a point to visit Haridwar at least
once.
Haridwar is also a
photographer’s delight as it offers every photographer opportunities to capture
Nature and God at its best.
Inexpensive lodges and hotels make stay at Haridwar economical and
pocket friendly. As it is God’s
gateway, the city is pious and nature friendly.
Connectivity
Haridwar has an excellent
connectivity by air, rail and road.
The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun which is at a
distance of about 20 kms from Haridwar. There are regular flights from New Delhi to
Dehradun. Haridwar is very well
connected by rail and many trains from New Delhi and even farther places
connect the city. The city has a well
functional Bus Stand and operates
regular bus services to New Delhi and around Haridwar namely, Dehradun,
Mussories, Nainital and other sight seeing places. The city has a well maintained parking lot
for private vehicles visiting Haridwar.
Accommodation
The city has numerous hotels,
lodges, dharamshalas and ashrams which provide world class stay for days as
they wish. All these places provide
foods, beddings and even cooking facilities.
The tariffs vary from executive class to standard economical class.
Sightseeing (Religious)
Haridwar has numerous places
to visit. Since it is a mythological
city and is a land of sadhus, Haridwar has innumerable temples dedicated to
Hindu Gods, numerous meditation centres or ashrams. The city is a paradise for nature lovers as
it is situated along the river Ganga and at the bottom of mountains. Hence the
city offers natural as well as religious sightseeing.
Among the major religious
sightseeing places are :
Har-ki-Pouri - where people
bath in the Ganges Kund as a cleansing ritual and view aarti every twilight and
lit lamps in the river.
Mansa Devi – The temple of
Goddes Durga perched on Bilwa Parvat of Shivalik range of hills
Chandi Devi – The temple of
Goddes Chandi Devi perched on top of Neel Parvat of Shivalik range of hills.
Bharat Mata Mandir – An eight
floor temple dedicated in honour of great Indian men and women.
Other religious sightseeing
places around Haridwar are Bhimgoda tank, Neel Dhara, Sapt Rishi Ashram, Maya
Devi Temple, Anandmayima ashram, Neel Kanth, Pawan Dham, Daksh Mahadev Temple.
An institution developed by
Swami Ramdev for scientific research and treatment in Yoga has also been
established in the name of
“PATANJALI”.
Sightseeing (Natural)
As Haridwar is situated on the
foothills of Shivalik Range of Hills, it has abundant natural sightseeing
areas. A photographer can take pictures
of the river sloping by the side of the hills, an birds eye view shot of the
city from Mansa Devi temple, a beautiful landscape of the Ganga river along the
hills. Natural hill cliffs and other
natural sceneries.
The nearest other place that
can be visited from Haridwar is Rishikesh.
This small town offers photographers opportunity to capture nature at
its best. The river, the Himalayan
mountain slopes, the mountain cliffs, the river below and the hanging bridges
across the river are scenes of delight.
Rishikesh has also numerous temples and ashrams. This city is a city of peace and tranquility
away from the bustling city of Haridwar.
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