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The Destination
Haridwar, the gateway to the four pilgrimages in the
Uttrakhand region, is located in the foothills of
the Shivaliks. Situated on the banks of River Ganga, Haridwar
is the first major town on the plains that Ganga touches.
The water is clean and people prefer taking bath on
the numerous ghats created on the river shores. A
bath here is supposed to cleanse the soul and open
the way for the ultimate freedom, Nirvana.
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Since ages, Haridwar has been
the source of Ayurvedic medicines and has been
providing herbal remedies. Haridwar’s
longstanding situation as a great resource 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 a unique flavour and charm; a
must among the sojourn centres in a discoverer’s
itinerary of Western U.P. With the Rajaji Park
in the vicinity, Haridwar is also the destination
for wildlife and nature lovers.
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During any of the popular
festivals, you’ll be surprised to see
people from all walks gathered here - the holy
men in saffron, the hopeful devotees, sadhus
with their enormous locks and an assorted bunch
of people holding all kinds of beads, shells,
tridents and trinkets. As the cultural splendor
of this place hits you, it doesn’t take
much to guess that Haridwar is one of the most
important pilgrimage centers in India. It is
especially alluring in the evenings as thousands
of diyas and marigold flowers float along the
ghat during the Ganga aarti and illuminate
the Holy waters.
Haridwar is
one of the four major centers where the remarkable
Kumbh Mela is held every twelve years. The next
one is now scheduled for the year 2010. The
Mela (Hindi for 'festival') attracts
millions of pilgrims from around the country.
The whole city explodes into color and festivity
as enthusiastic pilgrims descend to the town
during this time. Patches of saffron are seen
everywhere as sadhus, close to 20,000 of them
congregate for one of the biggest religious
festivals in the world. They are an awesome
sight - bearded, long tangled tresses, wearing
huge ash or sandalwood marks on their
foreheads and carrying trishuls (tridents).
In and around
Haridwar, the Har-Ki-Pauri ghat marks the exact
spot where Ganga exits from the highlands. It
is regarded as a particularly holy place and
is considered to be one of the more sacred ghats
in India. Towards dusk, the priests perform
a Ganga Aarti (prayer ceremony). One can spot
a whole flotilla of lights downstream - little
boats made from the leaves of banana and banyan
trees. They are then bedecked with flowers and
a diya (earthen lamp) is lit and placed in the
middle. The floating fire is released into the
river. This spectacle of lights is not to be
missed.
On the other
side of the river is the Neel Parvat
(Blue Mountain), a hill, really. It’s
home to a temple dedicated to Chandi Devi, built
in 1929 by the then King of Kashmir, Suchat
Singh. On the hill right above the city is another
temple dedicated to Mansa Devi (one of the consorts
of Shiva).
Breathtakingly
beautiful, calm, serene, Haridwar is undoubtedly
a destination for all seasons.
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Facts at a Glance
| State : |
Uttaranchal |
| Area
: |
12.3
sq kms |
| Temperature
: |
21°C
- 45°C (Summers)
8°C - 25°C (Winters) |
| Altitude
: |
30
mts |
| Language
: |
Hindi,
Punjabi, Garhwali, English |
| Best
Season : |
October-March |
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History
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 is
situated 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.
Events
Haridwar is the city of festivals. 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. The Kumbh Mela became an important meeting
ground for the devout Hindus and its importance
has not diminished over the years. Even today,
millions of pilgrims from all over the world,
from various walks of life, sects and communities,
gather at the Kumbh. For most it is a once-in-a-lifetime
trip.
The main rite performed at the mela is the ritual
bath. Orthodox Hindus, who give great importance
to the performance of ritualistic action, believe
that a dip in the sacred waters on the auspicious
day will cleanse them and their ancestors back
to the eighty-eighth generation, off all evil
and sin, thus ensuring their salvation or freedom
from the cycle of death and rebirth. Ritual
bathing is a public act and is performed in
the open and ideally on the banks of a river
or stream. The most auspicious day for the ritual
bath at Kumbh is on the day of the new moon.
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