Haridwar – Abode of Lord Shiva
Haridwar is an ancient city discovered in the foothills of the Shivalik range in the Garhwal region. It is considered one of the seven holy places in India. It is religiously significant that the holy river “Ganges” enters the plains for the first time. Haridwar comprises two words, “Hari” and “Dwar.” Hari means God, and Dwar means door, which collectively means “A door to the gods” and serves as the Gateway to the Char Dham of Uttarakhand. Apart from being a religious place, Haridwar is a good place to learn about Indian culture and is also very famous for its years-old Ayurveda treatments and herbal medicines. The popular PatanjaliYogpeeth in Haridwar is world-famous in Ayurveda treatment and medication; Swami Ramdev and AcharyaBalkrishna founded it. Haridwar is now home to many students to learn unique Indian traditions, and we call that place “Gurukula.”
At the time of sea churning, it is believed that nectar(Amrit) fell on the earth, among the 14 wonderful things; there are 4 places where the nectar fell. Har-ki-Pauri is where the nectar fell on the earth; therefore, the world-famous Khumbamela is held here every twelve years and ArdhKumbhamela every six years. Pilgrims believe that they can go to heaven by taking a holy dip in the Haridwar’s river Ganga. It is believed that if you dip in the holy Haridwar’s river Ganga water, all your evils will be cleansed. Many saints and devotees worship lord Shiva, lord Hari, and Maa Ganges in Haridwar.
In Previous days, Haridwar was a port city widely used by ships to import or export things by East India Company. The Bhimgoda Dam, built on the Ganges River, which was built in 1854, is located in Haridwar. Haridwar railway station was connected to Lakshar railway station in 1886. The area of Haridwar city is around 2360 sq km. Its Altitude is 292 meters from sea level. The major languages in Haridwar are Hindi, Garhwali, and English. Haridwar is a holy place, so non-vegetarian food and alcohol are strictly prohibited in Haridwar. The weather is pleasant between October tandFebruary month, and it is the best time to visit.
The Rajaji National Park is 10 km away from Haridwar, a wonderful and popular place for nature and wildlife lovers. There are five spiritual places in Haridwar that most people visit, and those places are very popular, so those five places are also known as “PanchTirtha.” They are:-
Harki Pauri:- The pious place where the nectar fell on the earth during sea churning. Ganga aarti is held here, which is world popular.
Kushasvart(Ghat):- This is a religious ghat on the bank of the river Ganges, where people perform religious ceremonies for their ancestors.
Kankhal: It is believed that this is the oldest living area in Haridwar. There is also Sati Kund in Kankhal, where Mata Sati entered the fire because her father Daksha did not accept Mata Sati’s husband (Lord Shiva)
BilwaTirtha (Mansa Devi Temple): This temple is located at the peak of Bilwa Mountain and, therefore, called Bilwatirtha. This Temple is dedicated to the Mansa Goddess. Mansa indicates to expect, and the goddess is supposed to complete all your wishes when you visit with pure heart.
Neel Parvat (Chandi Devi: This temple is located at the peak of Neel Mountain. Temple is dedicated to Goddess Chandi Devi and was established by Adi Shankaracharya.
The famous and auspicious “Ganga Aarti” is held at Har Ki Pauri. Popular markets in Haridwar are Bada Bazar, Moti Bazar, Kankhal, Jwalapur. From Delhi, the distance to Haridwar is 230 km. Similarly, Rishikesh is 25 km, Mussoorie is 110 km, Dehradun is 55 Km, and Devprayag is 110 km.
Haridwar is well connected to other places in Uttrakhand state and the National capital, Delhi. You can reach three ways to Haridwar:-
By Air: The nearest airport is Jolly Grant at Dehradun, the state capital, with weekly flights from Delhi National capital.
By Rail: Haridwar is the main railway station, and from here, all the trains are available
By Road: The NH 54 highway passes through Haridwar. This highway is well-connected to the major cities. Buses and taxis are available 24/7 from Haridwar to the major places.