Haridwar also names as “Theerth Nagri”, is one the most holy placesof Hindu religion and is situated in Uttarakhand. River ganga comes from mountain and enters in planes of Teerth Nagri. This holy city is one of the seven holy cities of India namely ‘Sapt Puri’. Apart from this, the way to reach the other three religious centers of Uttarakhand, Rishikesh, Kedarnath and Badrinath also goes through this place.
The city of Haridwar is also known as Mayapuri, Kapila, Mokshdwar and Gangadwar. This city is mentioned in many ancient Hindu epics. The history of this city is present from the time of King Vikramaditya. This place is known for its world famous religious centers and tourist attractions. Most religious places located here are situated on the banks of holy river Ganges.
Why Visit:
Haridwar is the place where people from across the world visit for pilgrimage and to take a holy dip into the holy river Ganges. It is an ancient and one of the most sacred cities in India. The diverse nature of the Hindu religion has attracted foreign visitors from all around the world.
History:
Haridwar is mentioned as Kapilasthana and Mayapuri in Hindu scriptures. The name kapilsthana is in the name of “Kapil Muni”. According to Hindu mythology The Bhagiratha, the great-grandson of King Sagar whose 60000 son got died from the curse of Kapil muni, brought Ganga from heaven to earth to give his ancestor salvation. Still Hindus bring their died family members ash to Haridwar for their salvation.
Main Attractions of Haridwar:
Ganga Aarti:
Delve into devotion by participating in the Ganga aarti organised in the evening time here. The aarti song sung by all devotees praise the River Ganga. She is worshipped as living Goddess. Flowers and lighted earthen lamps are put on a stem cut and floated in the river water as offerings to the Goddess. You feel inner peace and calmness to be a part of all this.
Bharat Mata Mandir:
Bharat mata mandir is a religious shrine, it is founded by Swami Satyanandagiri. This temple was inaugurated by Late smt Indira Gandhi in 1983.
Kumbh Mela:
According to the Hindu mythology, Haridwar is one of the four places where few drops of elixir(Known as Amrit in Hindi and Sanskrit) accidentally spilled over from the pitcher (Kumbha). The pitcher of elixir was being carried away by the vehicle of God Vishnu (Garuda bird).
The drops fell on four different places. Those plces are Nasik, Ujjain, Haridwar and Allahabad. Because of this divine incident people celebrate the grand Kumbh Mela in one of these four places, one place after another, in the interval if 12 years. Millions of devotees gather from all over the world to be the part of this grand religious fest and take holy bath on the banks of the Ganga river.
Places To Visit In Haridwar:
Temperature & Altitude:
During summer: 25 to 44 C
During winter: 2 to 24 C
Altitude: 250 meter
Monthly Weather:
| Month | Avg. Minimum Temp | Avg. Maximum Temp |
|---|---|---|
| January | 7°C | 19°C |
| February | 11°C | 26°C |
| March | 14°C | 30°C |
| April | 22°C | 39°C |
| May | 26°C | 40°C |
| June | 26°C | 40°C |
| July | 27°C | 35°C |
| August | 25°C | 35°C |
| September | 25°C | 35°C |
| October | 21°C | 35°C |
| November | 14°C | 29°C |
| December | 10°C | 24°C |
How To Reach Haridwar:
By Road
Haridwar can be reached easily by road from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. State transport buses are connected with these routes. Haridwar is 222 kilometers away from Delhi and after completing a total of five to six hours bus journey, you can reach here.
By Train
Distance from Delhi to Haridwar railway is 220 km. Haridwar has its own railway station, which is connected to many parts of India. This station is connected to many other cities including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Dehradun, Varanasi, Puri and Kochi. You can reach here by express trains.
By Air
The nearest airport to Haridwar is Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun. This airport is 56 km from Haridwar.