| FACTS
& FIGURES
Population : 2,30,000
Languages : Hindi, Punjabi, Garhwali and English
Best time to visit : October to March
STD Code : 0133
LOCATION
The holy city of Haridwar is located in the Himalayan
Indian state of Uttaranchal at a distance of 214 km
from Delhi. Haridwar extends from latitude 29° 58'
in the north to longitude 78°13' in the east. The
place is well connected to other cities of north India
by road and train.
CLIMATE
Haridwar is situated at a height of
almost 300 meters above sea level and the temperature
usually hovers around 40°C during summers. Winters
see the mercury dipping to as low as 6°C. The best
season to visit Haridwar is between October and March
during winter.
HISTORY & LEGENDS
Haridwar or ‘the Gateway to the Gods’ is
one of the seven holiest places according to Hindu mythology,
as the Gods are believed to have left their footprints
in Haridwar. Due to its geographical location too, Haridwar
stands as the gateway to the other three important pilgrimages
of Uttrakhand namely, Rishikesh, Badrinath and Kedarnath.
Referred to as Mayapuri, Gangadwar, and Mokshadwar in
the ancient scriptures and epics, Haridwar has always
remained a major pilgrimage for the Hindus.
SITES TO VISIT
Har-Ki-Pauri, the sacred ghat was constructed
by King Vikramaditya in the memory of his brother Bhartrihari.
The golden reflection of floral diyas in the river Ganges
is the most enchanting sight in the twilight during
the Ganga aarti ceremony at the ghat.
The temple of Chandi Devi atop the Neel Parvat on the
other bank of river Ganges was constructed in AD 1929
by Suchat Singh, the then King of Kashmir. The temple
is a 3-km trek from Chandi Ghat and it is believed that
the Adi Shankaracharya established the main statue in
eighth century AD. The Chandi Devi Temple is now also
accessible by a ropeway, which starts near the Gauri
Shankar Temple.
The temple atop the Bilwa Parvat is dedicated to Goddess
Mansa Devi. One can have a panoramic view of Haridwar,
the Ganges, and the countryside from this place.
The Vaishno Devi temple here is newly constructed and
a true replica of the original Vaishno Devi temple in
Jammu & Kashmir.
The Gurukul Kangadi University is a center of learning
where education is imparted in the traditional Indian
way. Within the precincts of the University is the Veda
Mandir, which houses many archaeological exhibits. It
is situated on the Haridwar-Jwalapur bypass road.
Other important places to visit are the Bharat Mata
Temple, Maya Devi Temple, Bhimgoda, and Shanti Kunj.
SITES NEARBY
Rishikesh, around 28 km off Haridwar,
is at the base of the Himalayas and it is where the
Ganges comes down to the plains from the hills. A breathtaking
experience of natural beauty and undiscovered wildlife
awaits here. Not to mention the peace and tranquility
of a landscape associated with sages and meditation.
The Daksh Mahadev Temple is an ancient shrine situated
to the south of Kankhal town. This temple was constructed
by Queen Dhankaur in AD 1810. Kankhal has several other
temples and ashrams too.
The Sapt Rishi Ashram is situated along the Haridwar-Rishikesh
road. The Ganges flows in seven streams in front of
this Ashram, hence this place is also called Sapt Sarovar.
The Kanva Rishi Ashram is situated around 42 km from
Haridwar. The ashram is on the banks of the Malini River
along the forest road to Kotdwar.
The Chila Wildlife Sanctuary, part of the Rajaji National
Park, covers an area of around 240 sq. km. It has 23
species of mammals and 315 fauna species. Lucky tourists
can catch glimpses of elephants, tigers, leopards, jungle
cats, Himalayan yellow throated martens, sambers, chitals,
barking dears, wild boars, langurs, ghurals, sloth bears,
king cobras, woodpeckers, etc. Fishing in the river
there is allowed with permits only.
The Triveni ghat is an interesting place to be at dawn,
when people make offerings of milk to the river and
feed the fish. After sunset, priests set floating lamps
on the water during the Aarti ceremony.
The temple of Neelkanth Mahadev, a place associated
with Lord Shiva, is situated at a height of 1700 meters.
It is a 4-hour walk from Rishikesh and a not-to-be-missed
destination away from the madding crowd.
FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
Haridwar, one of the oldest and holiest
pilgrim centers of India, is also the place that plays
host to around eight to ten million devotees during
the Kumbh melas. The history of the Kumbh Mela dates
back to the creation of the Universe and as a show of
their faith, Hindus from all over the country assemble
to take a holy dip in the Ganges.
SHOPPING
The main shopping centers of Haridwar
are Moti Bazaar, Upper Road, and Jwalapur. One can shop
for rudraksh, Gangajal (vessels containing Ganges water),
kumkum (vermilion), Ayurvedic medicines and precious
stones in and around Haridwar.
WHERE TO STAY
There are many places to stay in Haridwar,
but it is hard to find any luxurious accommodation.
Most of the hotels and resorts are in the middle range
or budget categories. Many of the ashrams and dharmshalas
also provide simple and cheap accommodation. The numerous
resorts dotting the banks of the Ganges are also good
options.
HOW TO REACH
By Air
The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant in Dehradun,
but it is preferable to use the roads or rail to Delhi
and then take flights to the destination of ones choice.
By Rail
This major pilgrimage center is well connected
by trains to almost all the major cities in India. In
fact, trains are the major source of the tourist inflow
to Haridwar.
By Road
The National Highway no.45 crosses the city,
so it is connected to other cities of the state as well
as those in the other states too. There are regular
buses available from Delhi to Haridwar. The state transport
corporation has ordinary as well as deluxe and semi-deluxe
buses on this route for long distance travel. There
are private buses that take one to nearby places and
also some of these private deluxe buses run on the long
distance routes.
Local Transport
Auto Rickshaws and Cycle Rickshaws are
the most convenient mode of transportation in and around
the city. For covering longer distances, one can use
taxis and buses.
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