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Gateway to the Lord – Haridwar. One of the holiest Hindu
pilgrim sites on the banks of the sacred river Ganga, Hardiwar is a bustling town with
crowded markets and overflowing ghats
where pilgrims stop before venturing to greater heights. In the distance are the Himalayan
peaks, and all around are forests and hill shrines. Haridwar is one of the four sites where the great Kumbh Mela takes
place every twelve years. Associated with the divine nectar of life churned out of the sea
by the gods, Haridwar, along with Allahabad, Ujjain and Nasik, was one of the spots where
the urn was set down and spilt some of its divine contents. |
Sanctified by
the belief that visiting Haridwar brings salvation to the human soul, millions of pilgrims
throng the town for a dip in the holy river during the Kumbh celebrations.
The main focus of activity is along the Ganga and its bathing ghats.
Har-ki-Pauri (“Footsteps of the
God”) is the main ghat, with bridges
and walkways connecting smaller islands in the riverbed. Popular legend says that Lord
Vishnu left his footprint at Har-ki-Pauri. Besides bathing at this site, the most
spectacular view here is the Ganga Arti in the evening. Thousands of earthen lamps are
floated in the water, which glitters like gold in the darkness.
To the east of Har-ki-Pauri lies the shrine of Maya Devi, one of the 52 shaktipeethas revered by Hindus as the sites
where the body parts of Sati fell. Dating to the 11th century, the Maya Devi
temple is said to be the spot where Sati’s heart and navel fell. Up north is the pool
known as Bhimgoda. According to the epic
Mahabharata, the Pandava hero Bhim drew water from the rocks with the stroke of his
horse’s hoof to create the pool.
On top of the Neel Parvat across the Ganga stands the Chandi Devi temple. According to popular
legend, the Goddess Shakti killed the demon Chanda-Munda and gained the epithet Chandi,
after which the temple is named. Perched on the crest of the nearby Bilwa Parvat behind
the town is the white painted shrine of Mansa
Devi, dedicated to the mother goddess.
Pawan
Dham has a temple
dedicated to the monkey god Hanuman. The significant feature of this temple is its richly
decorated glass interiors.
At Kankhal, 6 kms downstream, is the famous Daksha Mahadev Temple, also known as Shri
Daksheshwar temple. According to Hindu mythology, King Daksha, the father of Sati,
performed a grand fire sacrifice (yajna) at this spot. He invited all the gods and
goddesses except Shiva to the sacrifice, which enraged his daughter so much that she burnt
herself in the sacrificial fire. When Shiva came to know of this, he beheaded the king,
but later restored him to life. The temple is dedicated to this legend and has a gilded
image of a serpent symbolising Shiva.
When to go
The best time
to visit Haridwar is March - April and October - November as these months are very
pleasant.
Getting
there and around
Many visitors rent a car and drive from Delhi to Haridwar. It takes four hours and the
road is reasonably good, except in parts. Haridwar has good train connections with most
major north Indian cities, including Delhi, Varanasi and Agra. There are also good bus
connections with Agra, Dehradun, Nainital, Almora and Shimla. Buses leave the Station Bus
Stand every half-hour for Delhi. Check out the state of the buses – you may wish to
opt for the deluxe and air-conditioned variety.
If you’ve driven up from Delhi, you don’t have to worry
about the local transport. If not, rickshaws are the most popular mode of transport.
Vikrams (shared auto-rickshaws) and taxis are also available from the railway station.
Accommodation
Haridwar has a
choice of hotels, tourist lodges and ashrams. Beginning
from the mid-range, accommodation goes down to economy rooms in the ashrams. Most of the accommodation is around the
markets or facing the Ganga on the ghats.
GMVN also runs a comfortable hotel surrounded by lawns that is a short walk away.
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