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Haridwar
or 'the Gateway to the Gods' is one of the seven
holiest places according to Hindu mythology, as
the Gods are believed to have left their
footprints in Haridwar.
Due to its geographical location too, Haridwar
stands as the gateway to the other three
important pilgrimages of Uttrakhand namely,
Rishikesh, Badrinath and Kedarnath. Referred to
as Mayapuri, Gangadwar, and Mokshadwar
The list of attractions in Haridwar is endless.
Har-Ki-Pauri, the sacred ghat was constructed by
King Vikramaditya in the memory of his brother
Bhartrihari.
The golden reflection of floral diyas in the
river Ganges is the most enchanting sight in the
twilight during the Ganga aarti ceremony at the
ghat.
Several festivals are celebrated in Haridwar.
Haridwar, one of the oldest and holiest pilgrim
centers of India, is also the place that plays
host to around eight to ten million devotees
during the Kumbh melas.
The history of the Kumbh Mela dates back to the
creation of the Universe and as a show of their
faith, Hindus from all over the country assemble
to take a holy dip in the Ganges.
PLACES TO VISIT
Har ki Pauri
King Vikramaditya constructed
this sacred Ghat in memory of his brother Bhatrihari who
it is believed had come to Haridwar to meditate on the
banks of the Ganga. This ghat later came to be known as
Har-Ki-Pauri ( The ghat is regarded the most sacred and
auspicious point to bathe in the Ganga during the 12
year Kumbh and the 6 year Ardh Kumbh.
Sapt
Rishi Ashram and Sapt Sarovar
According to
legend the Saptarshis (seven sages) were deep in
meditation here. The Ganga, not wanting to disturb them
split herself into seven streams (Sapt Sarovar) around
them.
Mansa Devi Temple
This ancient temple dedicated to Mansa Devi is
of great importance to the followers of
Hinduism. It is situated on the top of Bilwa
Parbat and can be reached by foot or by a
trolley through the ropeway. Mansa Devi is said
to have emerged from the mind of Saint Kashyap
and is regarded as the wife of Nag King Vasuki.
The Holy Idol of the goddess has three mouths
and five arms while the other statue has eight
arms. As one of the famous Siddha Peetha
temples, Mansa Devi is supposed to grant all the
wishes of a sincere devotee. (In fact, Mansa is
derived from the word 'Mansha' which means
'wish'. There is a holy tree in the vicinity of
the temple.Devotees who want their wishes to be
fulfilled by the Goddess tie threads to the
branches of this tree. Once their wishes are
fulfilled people come back again to the temple
to untie the thread from the tree. This is one
of the most popular and most visited temples of
Haridwar.
Chandi
Devi Temple
The Chandi Devi temple at the
top of Neel Parvat on river Gang's banks was built
in1929 A.D. by the King of Kashmir-Suchat Singh. A three
kilometers trek from Chandighat, it is believed that the
main statue was established by the Adi Shankaracharya in
8th century AD. It is at a distance of six kilometers on
Neel Parvat on the other bank of River Ganga.
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