Probably right behind Varanasi in “holiness”, many polgrims come to haridwar to witness “the footstep of Vishnu”, chain links line the ghats because the currents in this part of the river are so strong, it is easy to be swept away.
The town itself is a holy place and is crammed with pilgrims who come to bathe in the ganges and float lit candles down the river as a means of offering. Intrestingly, although Haridwar is hot in summer, but the ganges water is always icy cold.
The river is fed by melting glaciers and snow peaks. That doesnt stop multitudes from turning up on any given day to bathe in the waters. Truly Haridwar is a city that signifies an arresting blend of indian culture and spiritual beliefs. The Kumbh Mela here is a big draw and the next Kumbh mela will be held here from Febraury to May in 2010.
Haveli Hari Ganga
We had booked ourselves into Haveli Hari Ganga ( also known as Pilibhit house), a mere 500 meters walk through the bazaar at the sacred Har ki Pauri. Hindus believe Haridwar was blessed by each member Hinduism’s great trinity, Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. They also believe that shiva left his footprint in a stone that is now part of a Har ki Pauri ghat( a section of river that is used for bathing). we were given prayer beads and lassi to drink on arrival and we had a room with a terrace which the ganges lapped onto. The Haveli has been designated as a heritage property by the Department of Tourism, Government of India. The best part is the clean private bathing ghats, which is a first for a hotel in Haridwar.
Temple Visit
The next morning we woke up before sunrise to go down to the ganges to watch the sunrise over the mountains. It was absolutely beautiful, we then hiked up a small mountain to Mansa Devi. It was about a 30 minute stair-master workout, but the views were worth it. Along the way, we were almost attacked by the numerous monkeys on the trail. We took cable cars up to the temples of Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi. these were high on the hill overlooking the town and the ganges. Streams of devotees made their way through the temples, making offerings of flower petals and nuts. Other temples in close vicinity on the hill itself are the temples of Gauri Shankar, Neeleshwar Mahadev and Anjani Devi.
The Ganga Aarti
Ganga aarti is a riverside religious ceremony that takes place at sunset. The Ethereal beauty of ganga aarti is an un paralleled vision. It is accompanied by chanting monks, symbols, flaming torches, drums and trumpets. In the end visitors and locals alike set large leaf boats filled with flowers and candles afloat on the river amidst the tangy aroma of incense.
Cuisine
Strictly vegetarian cuisine is the order of the day, street food is commendable especially the halwais. The karigar fries the jalebis in his huge wok and its wonderful sight to see his old hands moving with the speed of an expert. The samosas here are equally commendable, the matar ka samosas are delicious and very different from anywhere else. Do not leave without a meal at Chottiwala.
Getting there:
Located on the banks of river Ganges(Ganga), at the point where the ganges descendsfrom the hills to the north indian plains. Haridwar attracts a large number of Hindu pilgrims from all over the world.
By Air: Dehradun’s jolly grant airport, with twice daily service to delhi is 20 km from Haridwar.
By Train: Haridwar junction is well connected by train. The railway station is located on the south side of the town, within walking distance of most hotels.
By Road: Haridwar’s bus station, a stone’s throw from the train station is chaotic and has no signage whatsoever in english. There are regular bus services from Delhi, Rishikesh and other important town of North india to Haridwar
Accomodation: For most of the hotels the checkin time is 12 noon, plenty of dharamshalas are also available in Haridwar, Haveli Hari ganga ( The packages are extremely reasonable) or ashrams.
Attraction: Hari-ki-Pairi, to the north of the center, this is Haridwars focal point, where devotees gather to bathe and worship on the ganges. Mansa Devi Mandir, atop a hill near the center of town, can be reached by roads that generally winds uphill starting from railway road
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