Beautifully placed at the joint where the holy River Ganga gushes from the Himalaya, Haridwar is the most popular spiritual destination in India. Situated in Uttarakhand, the city remains soaked in the waters of spirituality all year long. The sights of uncountable temples, ringing of bells and devotees hymning their love for god are common yet fascinating in Haridwar.
Every year, devotees come here in thousands to take a holy dip in the waters of Ganges. They then gather around Har ki Pauri Ghat (which literally means the Lord’s Footsteps) to partake in the evening aarti to please the almighty. The sight of hundreds of clay lamps floating in the shimmering waters seems unearthly during the aarti.
Pilgrims planning a trip to Haridwar also visit the Chandi Devi Temple, dedicated to Chandi Devi, a Hindu deity Durga. Perched on Neel Parvat, this one of the oldest temples of Hindus attracts thousands of devotees during Navratra and the Kumbha Mela. Other popular attractions that depict the faith of Hindu devotees in their religion are Bharat Mata Temple, Bhimgoda Kund, Daksha Mahadev Temple, Maya Devi Temple and Mansa Devi Temple.
Haridwar is also famous for serenity oozing ashrams where one can indulge in yoga and meditation therapies. Most of the ashrams like Parmarth Niketen, Omkarananda Ganga Sadan, Jairam Ashram, Santoshpuri Ashram and Saptrishi Ashram are nestling the Ganga River which make them ideal places to reside close to the divine powers. Apart from simple living, these ashrams also offer yoga classes, healthy food and various spiritual activities that rejuvenate human body and soul.
So, plan your trip to Haridwar today to experience this town of saints and sages.