Haridwar

People bathing in the Ganges River, Haridwar, India

Haridwar, also spelt as Hardwar, literally means the Gateway to God’s land, and aptly so as from here one may take many treks to the Himalayas and trips to many other beautiful spots nestled in the Himalayas. Haridwar is among the seven holiest cities for the Hindus, and its social life is intimately linked to many religious rituals. The Ganges River flows alongside Haridwar, and Hindus come here from length and breadth of India, and also from abroad, to have a dip in the waters of the Ganges, as they believe that this would wash away all the sins of the mortal world. This is just a small aspect of life at Haridwar, and it looks really breath taking sight to view hundreds of men, women, and children taking bath in the holy waters of the Ganges to purify them. This being apart, there are other reasons to be in Haridwar, the Gateway to the celestial abode. From Haridwar, you may plan your trips to further up to places located in the Himalayan heights like Rishikesh, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamanotri. Once you have seen all or some of these places, you will feel that you have done a rendezvous with the majestic and mighty Himalayas, the sense of fullfilment would be superb; and while moving down to the plains, you may perhaps feel a tinge of parting with the celestial Himalayan ranges.

Haridwar (and the district of Haridwar of which the town of Haridwar is the headquarters) is spread over an area of 2360 km² and located at an altitude of around 250 metres. The place presents a panorama of Indian culture in its most traditional manifestation, as also the bounty of the nature and the magnificence of the Himalayas. It is a wonderland for a tourist who desires to saviour the religious rituals of the Hindus, find solace in the serenity of a religious and spiritual tradition continuing for thousand of years, and also top this with a roam around various spots in the Himalayan ranges presenting the ravishing natural beauties.

Tips for: backpackers • business travelers • luxury/exotic travel • hitchhikers • families • seniors • LBG travelers • pet owners

Hotels and lodging

There are many hotels in Haridwar: [1]

• SHRI RAM SHARNAM ASHRAM, HARIDWAR

[2] ROOMS ARE AVAILABLE AT NOMINAL MAINTENANCE CHARGES:

Normal Room Set - One room of two beds for two persons only @ Rs.100/- per day (Indian Money) as nominal maintenance charges.

Semi Deluxe Room Set - One room of three beds for three persons only @ Rs.125/- per day (Indian Money) as nominal maintenance charges

Deluxe Room Set - Air conditioned One room of Four Beds for four persons only @ Rs.450/- per day (Indian Money) as nominal maintenance charges.

Special Provision for Groups - One Big Hall @ Rs.20/- per person per day (Indian Money).

Attractions

There are several places in Haridwar, which are associated with religious activities, and you shall find large gatherings of people there in the temples and on the banks of the Ganges River, almost from before the dawn until late in the night. At the same time, there are many places around Haridwar with unmatched natural and scenic beauties waiting for you to be explored and enjoyed. The major attractions of Haridwar are:

• The Hari-ki-Pairi, a bathing ghat, that is, a place on the bank of the Ganges River where people would take bath under the open sky to free themselves from the worldly sins which they may have committed. Taking bath even if you may not have committed any "sin" would also be an interesting idea if you could withstand the cold water and the crowd of large number of humanities around you all taking bath at the same time.

• The Maha Kumbh, a fair celebrated at an interval of twelve years and which is the largest congregation of people in India. Similar fairs are also held at three more places in India.

• Temples like the Gorakhnath, dedicated to an ascetic Guru Gorakhnath; the Kankhal Temple, the Birbhadreshwar Temple, Daksha Mahadev Temple and the Sati Kund; Mansa Devi Temple; Bhimganag Tank.

• The Parmarth Ashram has a beautiful image of Goddess Durga and the Pawan Dham ashram is famous for its Hanuman Temple built with pieces of glass.

• The Gurukul Kripa University, which emulates a pattern of education as taught in ancient India, and followed the Guru-Sishya (Teacher-Disciple) pattern of education. The university also has the Ved Mandir Museum with a nice collection of artifacts and archaeological exhibits.

• Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar, that is, the Blue Stream Bird Sanctuary, has many rare birds visiting the sanctuary, including the Siberian Cranes.

• The Beauty Point from where you may have a panorama of breathtaking Haridwar.

From Haridwar, you may plan your excursions to many other wonderful places hidden in the Himalayas.

Practical information and resources

• Currency: Indian Rupee
• Electric supply: 220 Volts
• Time zone: Indian Standard Time (IST), which is UTC +5:30
• Language: Hindi. One can also manage with Simple English.
  • Language Tips:

Photo gallery

Phrase in English	Phrase in Hindi
Hello	Namaste
Yes	Haan
No	Nahin
Thank you	Shukriya
How are you?	Aap kaise hain?
Nice to meet you?	Aapse milke khushi hui?
What is the price?	Kya daam hai?

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Hindus bathing in the Ganges River

Hindu Rituals in the Ganges River

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External resources

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• Haridwar - Places of Interest.
• Haridwar - The Ganges River
• Haridwar - The Temples

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