| FACTS &
FIGURES
Area : 11.20 sq km
Population : 82,000
Languages : Hindi, Garhwali, English
Best time to visit : September to November
STD Code : 0135
A PILGRIM’S
PROGRESS
The Garhwal region of north India is
speckled with some of the holiest of Hindu pilgrimage
sites and Rishikesh is one such major attractions. Crowded
with sadhus with long matted hair and pilgrims from
all over the globe, Rishikesh is the birthplace of yoga.
It attracts thousands of tourists every year, who come
to seek mental peace in the midst of the humdrum of
modern life. The various ghats and temples assist the
human spirit in its endeavor to be one with the ultimate
source of all creations. It is also an attraction for
the ones in search of adventure and passion.
LOCATION
Rishikesh is located in the northern
part of Uttar Pradesh. It is 238 km northeast of Delhi
and 24 km north of Haridwar and spreads on the right
banks of the Ganges, at its confluence with the Chandrabhaga
stream. It is surrounded by hills on three sides and
is perched at an altitude of 356 meters above sea level.
The name Rishikesh is loosely applied to an association
of five distinct sections encompassing not only the
town but also hamlets and settlements on both sides
of the river. These include Rishikesh itself, the commercial
and communication hub; the sprawling suburban Muni-ki-Reti
or the “sands of the sages”; Shivananda
Nagar, north of Rishikesh; the temple section of Lakshmanjhula,
a little further north; and the assorted ashrams around
Swarg Ashram on the east bank. In Rishikesh, the winters
last from November to March, when temperatures fall
below 0°C. The monsoons are generally experienced
in the months of July and August.
THE PAST
Legend has it that the sage Raibhya
Rishi did severe penance and, as a reward, God appeared
to him in the form of Hrishikesh. Rishikesh also represents
the site where Lord Vishnu vanquished the demon Madhu.
The place is known as the Tapo Bhumi or the place for
meditation of the Gods. Tapovan, on the other bank of
the Ganges, houses a temple to Lakshmana. It is believed
that Lakshmana, the younger brother of Lord Rama, carried
out penances here. The Neelkanth Mahadev temple is believed
to be the site where Lord Shiva had drunk the venom
that came out during the churning of the ocean. In the
1960s, the place came into limelight as the place where
the pop group Beatles met their guru, Maharishi Mahesh
Yogi.
SITES TO VISIT
Rishikesh abounds in temples. Most of
the pilgrims who pass through Rishikesh on their way
to the Himalayan shrines of the Char Dham pause for
a holy dip and puja at Triveni Ghat, in the central
part of the town. The river here looks especially spectacular
during aarti (evening worship) when diyas or oil lamps
float on the water. Nearby is the Bharat Mandir, Rishikesh's
oldest temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
The Chandreshwar temple stands at the confluence of
the Chandrabhaga and the Ganges. The Hanuman Mandir
is flocked by a large number of devotees on Tuesday.
The dense-knit complex of cafés, shops and ashrams
collectively known as Swarg Ashram, opposite Shivananda
Nagar, is the most attractive part of Rishikesh, backing
on to forested hills where caves are still inhabited
by sadhus or hermits. The large courtyard of the Parmarth
Ashram here is crammed with brightly clad statues of
gods and goddesses. Around 2 km north of Swarg Ashram,
a path skirts the east bank of the river en route to
Lakshman Jhula. The Lakshman Jhula is a 450-feet-long
suspension bridge and was built in 1939. The Lakshman
Temple on the west bank has been built to commemorate
the journey of Lakshmana across the river on a jute
rope. Many of the temples and ashrams around both ends
of the bridge—such as the extraordinary Kailashananda
Ashram, with each of its thirteen stories dedicated
to a different deity—are always filled with devotees.
It is a pleasant 2-km walk from this place to the Shivananda
Jhula. Ganga Museum has one of the richest collections
of Mughal and Rajput paintings of the 18th and 19th
centuries. The tomb of Fateh Jang, built in honor of
one of Shahjahan’s ministers, combines Islamic
and Hindu architectural features. The Jaisamand Lake
is a large artificial lake constructed by Maharaja Jai
Singh in 1910 and makes an excellent picnic spot. The
Vijay Mandir Palace is the royal residence of Maharaja
Jai Singh, uninhabited except for old retainers. This
palace serves as a window to the lifestyle of the princes.
SITES NEARBY
The Vilas Vinay Palace, about 10 km
from the main township, is a garden palace and was once
the residence of Maharaja Vinay Singh. Its gardens are
watered by the Silisehr Lake. There is a hunting lodge
on the hillside overlooking the lake and it has been
now turned into a hotel.
Fifteen kilometers on the Rishikesh–Chamba road
is located the historical town of Narendra Nagar. A
town of archaeological importance, it was built by the
King of Tehri, Narendra Singh. The royal palace here
is worth seeing as is the magnificent statue of Lord
Shiva’s attendant, the Nandi bull.
Rajaji National Park at Chilla is 16 km from Rishikesh.
The park (820 sq km) has wildlife in abundance and is
especially known for its wild elephants. The Sariska
sanctuary is 37 km from Rishikesh. It was established
in 1955 and is located in the valley of the Aravallis.
The Nilkanth Mahadev, east of Rishikesh, is one of
the holiest shrines here. The beautiful forest track
rises through the forests behind Swarg Ashram, passes
Mahesh Yogi's ashram, and eventually descends to Nilkantha,
which is at an altitude of 1700 meters. Its small bazaar
and dharamshala become especially animated during mid-July,
when pilgrims flock to the temple.
The small white Shakti temple of Kunjapuri is 10 km
higher at the sharp point of an almost perfectly conical
hill with breathtaking views of the Himalayas to the
north.
MEDITATION AND
YOGA CENTERS
Rishikesh is called the yoga capital
of the world and there are many ashrams in Rishikesh
offering courses on meditation, yoga and Hindu philosophy.
The hatha yoga and pranayama meditation classes at Sri
Ved Niketan Ashram are well known. The Shivananda Ashram
(Ph: 430040) is located opposite the Shivananda Jhula
and is flocked by tourists. It is also possible to stay
in the ashram by intimating the authorities a month
earlier. Other ashrams include the Yoga Niketan Ashram
(Ph: 430227), Omkarananda Ashram (Ph: 430883), Vanmali
Gita Yogashram (Ph: 431316), Dayananda Vedanta Ashram,
Brahma Niwas and the Yoga Study Center (Ph: 431196).
The International Yoga Festival is organized every year
from February 2 to 7 by UP Tourism.
ADVENTURE SPORTS
Rishikesh is a good base to start for
trekking tours into the Himalayas. The destinations
include Uttarakhand (144 km), Kedarnath (228 km), Badrinath
(203 km), Gangotri (253 km), Yamunotri (226 km), and
Mussourie (77 km). The Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN)
tourist office (Ph: 30372) and the Trekking and Mountaineering
Division (Ph: 32648) offer good help and guidance in
this field. There are many rafting companies, mostly
operating on weekends. Rafting is possible at Brahmpuri,
10 km from Rishikesh, and on the rapids at Shivpuri,
18 km from Rishikesh. Caving expeditions are conducted
through the 200-meter-long Vishitha Gufa, 16 km from
Rishikesh. Half-day elephant safaris are conducted in
the Rajaji National Park. Boat rides on the Ganga are
possible from Swarg Ashram Ghat. Other allied sports
like skating, horse riding, and gliding are also available.
Paddle boating and ropeway-rides are also possible in
Rishikesh. Details can be obtained from the GMVN information
counter, Muni-ki-Reti. (Ph: 431783, 430799, 432648).
WHERE TO SHOP
Being a pilgrimage place, the glamour
of big shop bargains is absent, but Rishikesh offers
handicraft items made of shells, beads and pearls. The
rudraksha mala or the Hindu rosary is a special attraction
here. Saris, kurtas, sheets and rugs can be purchased
from here. One can buy these items from the government-approved
UP handloom shop, Khadi Bhandar. The main shopping centers
in the city are Dehradun Road, Haridwar Road, Ghat Road
and Railway Road. The city center also has some state
emporia. A good range of Ayurvedic medicines made from
Himalayan herbs are available at Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Ayurvedic Center.
WHERE TO STAY
Rishikesh offers a wide range of accommodation
facilities. At the City Center, Chandrabhaga, Rishilok,
Swarg Ashram, and Lakshman Jhula area, one can find
many hotels. The Swiss Cottage and the Norwegian Cottage
offer good and cheap accommodation. The GMVN Tourist
Bungalow (Ph: 430373) at Rishilok is also a good place
to stay.
HOW TO REACH
The nearest airport is Dehradun, 35
km from Haridwar. A Vayudoot service operates from Delhi
to Dehradun. A few private airlines also operate flights
from Delhi to Dehradun. Rishikesh is connected by rail
via Haridwar (24 km) to Howrah, Bombay, Delhi, Lucknow,
Varanasi, Dehradun and other cities. There is a daily
Shatabdi Express and a Mussourie Express from Old Delhi
Railway Station to Haridwar. From there, one can take
either a passenger train (1½ hour) or a bus (½
hour) to get to Rishikesh. Rishikesh is connected by
bus via Haridwar with Agra, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Kullu,
Manali, and Shimla. It is also linked to Mussourie (77
km), Badrinath (301 km), Kedarnath (228 km), Gangotri
(258 km), Yamunotri (288 km), Srinagar (105 km), and
Joshimath (252 km). There are two bus stands, the Main
Bus Stand (Ph: 430066) and the Yatra Bus Stand (Ph:
432013).
To get around the town taxis
and jeeps are freely available.
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