Places to See in Haridwar
Haridwar is a popular destination for pilgrimage in India. This is the place that sees the holy Ganges meet the pious Yamuna River. It is also known as "Sangam". As per the mythological tale, King Bhagirath performed tough penance so as to wash away the sins of his ancestors who were cursed by the curse of sage Kapil. The dedication of the king and his prayers pleased Lord Shiva, who let the holy Ganges from the tip of his locks to the earth, here in Haridwar. The river washed away the sins and revived King Sagara's sons and blessed them. Since then, the Ganges is considered pious and baths taken at this place in the river is said to lead to salvation.
Haridwar, along with another pilgrim destination Rishikesh, serves as the gateway to Himalayan pilgrim destinations of Kedarnath and Badrinath. The city is flooded with pilgrims all through the year though maximum crowd of devotees from all over the world gather at this place during the Kumbh Mela, which is observed and celebrated with great zeal and devotion once in 12 years.
Haridwar and Spirituality
Haridwar has four pious bathing zones. This includes Kankahl, Gangadwara, Kusavarta, Nila- Parvata and Theertha. One of the highlights of this place is the Ganga Arti or prayer ceremony conducted in the evening by 7 pm. It's a spectacular ceremony that takes place on the banks of the river. Thousands of devotees and saints gather at this site and offer prayers with loud humming of hymns and religious songs. All the temples take part in this ceremony. Lighted lamps and flowers are offered to the river every day during the evening prayer service.
Places to see in Haridwar
On visiting Haridwar you can visit some of the ancient remains; most of which have mythological tales attached to it. As a major pilgrim destination this place is flooded by devotees from all parts of the world.
Har Ki Pauri:-Har Ki Pauri is a famous ghat along the Ganges in Haridwar. The ghat was built by King Vikramaditya to commemorate the remarkable event of Ganges descending after repeated prayers and penance by Bhagirathi. This river side is filled with devotees during twilight praying, lighting lamps, singing religious songs and participating in various rituals. This place is believed to have been visited and blessed by Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. There is a footprint of Lord Vishnu on a rock, which supports this ancient belief. Har Ki Pauri ghat is visited by thousands of devotees who take bath in the holy water, which is blessed by the Gods.
Mansa Devi:Mansa Devi Temple is one of the ancient attractions of Haridwar. It lies on the Shivalik ranges. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga. The temple is constructed on the Bilwara Parvat.
Chanda Devi:Chanda Devi Temple is an ancient temple, which was constructed in the year 1929 AD. The temple was built by King of Kashmir; Suchat Singh. The idol in the temple is of Goddess Chanda Devi who is believed to have killed the demon brothers Shumbh-Nishumbh. The idol was set up by Adi Shankaracharya.
Sapt Rishi Ashram and Sarovar:This is where the holy Ganges has divided into seven smaller streams.
Sati Kund:-Sati Kund is a holy site where Mata Sati, the wife of Lord Shiva is believed to have done self-immolation. The ghat is a pious site and is popularly known as Sati Kund.
Bharat Mata Mandir:This is one of the most important tourist attractions to visit and one of its kinds in India. The temple is dedicated to Mother India. It has pictures of some of the most eminent personalities in India who dedicated their lives to Indian struggle. It's an eight storied temple.
Chila Wildlife Sanctuary:Located at about 10 kilometers from the city, Chila Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the renowned attractions to check out. It lies on the river banks and shelters a huge collection of wild creatures of different species. There are about 315 different species of fauna and 23 mammals. There is a river that has a great collection of fishes. Wild creatures like leopards, king cobra, tigers, wild boars, deer, stags, monkeys, woodpecker, sloth bear, elephants, jungle cats and sloth bear and others. The park is closed for visitors after dusk.
In and around Haridwar:Some of the other amazing places to explore in and around Haridwar are:
Bhimgoda: This place is significant in the Indian history. As the legend goes, the Pandavas were here at this location. When they needed water, the mighty Bhima dug a deep ditch in the rocks with the help of his horse's hoof. This ditch gave out water and from then on is called as Bhimgoda.
Vaishno Devi Temple: Built recently as a replica of the Vaishno Devi Temple in Jammu, this site has been a major tourist attraction in Haridwar. The temple is dedicated the Goddess Vaishno Devi.
Shanti Kunj: This is another place of interest to visit in the city. This is a well known ashram of Gayatri Devi. The place is known for natural cures and yoga therapies.
Triveni Ghat: This is one of the most resplendent places to visit in Haridwar. It's best if you visit this location after sunset. This is when you can witness number of priests paying homage to the river and devotees making milk offerings to the Ganges. The river looks resplendent with lamps lit and floating all over the water.
Piran Kaliyar: Another wonderful place to visit is the Piran Kaliyar. It is located at about 23 kilometers from the city towards the south of the city. This is a Dargah of Hazrat Makhdum Alladduin Ali Ahmed 'Sabri'. It is situated towards the end of Roorke. This is the place, which stands as a perfect example of Hindu and Muslim unity. The place is visited by devotees of both the sects from India as well as from abroad.
Daksh Mahadev Temple: The Kanhal town near Haridwar shelters this ancient abode of Lord Shiva. The temple was built by 1810 AD. It was built by Queen Dhankaur. This town has various other remarkable ashrams and temples to visit.
