Haridwar(INDIA)

Haridwar is one of the most ancient pilgrimage centres in India. The ancient holy place gets its name from the location it is situated at and the belief associated with it. It is the gateway to the 4 main shrines (Char Dham) situated in the upper reach of Himalayas, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Badrinath.

Similarly, here at Haridwar lies the “Bramha Kunda” where thousands of pilgrims take holy bathing believing that a dip here will wash away their sins and get salvation (Moksha) enabling them to reach the heaven where Lord (Hari) lives. In other words, it is a doorway to the heaven with the name Haridwar meaning “Hari” as Lord and “Dwar” as Door.

Situated at the point where the sacred river Ganges reaches the plains, Haridwar, consists many temples and the hermitages (Ashrams). In the ancient scriptures the place is described with the name of Mayapur. A visit to Haridwar will be like stepping into a celestial world.

The evening Aarati of Haridwar (the fire ritual) on the river banks of river Ganges is the most fascinating view for all (Hindu, Christian, Buddhist or Muslim). Hundreds of tiny lights (Diyas) floating down the river along with the sweet aroma of incense & the flowers mixed with repeating sounds of “OM” by the priests on the Ghats (holy river banks) of Haridwar gives a lifetime experience to anyone.

Besides the spiritual and holy importance of the place, Haridwar is a paradise for nature lovers. It is an ideal destination for wild life and adventure sports. The place is an entry point to the white water rafting at Shivpuri and it also offers incredible trekking in the mountains. A part of the Rajaji National Park (Chilla) lies within the boundaries of the district where one can have amazing experience of wild flora and fauna. One can watch a herd of elephants roaming majestically in the jungle or may find oneself excited by wildlife of many kinds including Jungle cats, Samber, Barking deer, wild boar, Ghurals, Langoor, sloth beer, woodpecker, king cobra, leopard, Himalayan yellow throated Marten, tigers etc.

Elephant safari is truly amazing in the Doon valley with a bio diversity of 23 species of mammals and 315 avian-fauna species.

Getting to Haridwar is quite simple. One can use either of the transportation medium like air, road or rail whichever is convenient.

The nearest airfield is the Jolly Grant Airport (Deheradun) which is 41 kilometres away. Many private airlines provide service to and from the Indian capital Delhi which is just at a road distance of 214 kilometres from Haridwar.

The rail service is the cheap and best to use in India. Haridwar is well connected with all the important cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Varanashi, Kolkata, Ujjain, Haldwani and Deheradun.

In case of road access, Haridwar itself lies on the Indian National Highway Number 58. Many private and government buses plus the small taxis and jeeps carry thousands of people to and from Haridwar every day.

Road distance to some of the important places of India from Haridwar:

o HHaridwar-Delhi-214 km

o Haridwar-Nainital-286 km

o Haridwar-Badrinath-325 km

o Haridwar-Ambala-168 km

o Haridwar-Agra-386 km

o Haridwar-Kedarnath-250 km

o Haridwar-Deheradun-52 km

Auto rickshaws, tempos, tangas (horse ridden carts), cycle rickshaws, private buses and taxis can be used as local transport in Haridwar.