Haridwar: Ganges, Temples and Nature
Accommodation in Haridwar
Haridwar combines important pilgrimage sites with the Ganges and the landscape of Rajaji National Park. The Har ki Pauri ghat lies on the riverbank; temples on named hills and a forested area on the outskirts offer other points of interest. You can plan your trip according to whether you mainly want to explore religious sites or also include the district’s natural surroundings. Haridwar is also known as the gateway to Uttarakhand’s four pilgrimage sites.
The Ganges riverbank and the national park
Har ki Pauri is a ghat on the bank of the Ganges in Haridwar. It was built by King Vikramaditya and is one of the city’s notable religious attractions. Rajaji National Park extends across Haridwar district and has been designated a protected area, the “Shivalik Elephant Reserve.” It is a habitat for elephants, tigers and leopards. This natural side complements Haridwar’s religious character, while the two points of interest remain distinct places to visit.
One specific temple in the national park’s forested area is the ancient Sureshwari Devi Temple, dedicated to the goddess Durga. It is located in Ranipur on the outskirts of Haridwar. If you are interested in this temple, you can include Ranipur as a separate location to consider when planning your trip. Its location differs from Har ki Pauri on the Ganges riverbank, making your preferred focus a useful guide when searching for a holiday apartment.
Temples and religious traditions
Two other temples are distinguished by their locations on named hills: Chandi Devi Temple is on Neel Parvat and is dedicated to the goddess Chandi. Mansa Devi Temple is on Bilwa Parvat and is dedicated to the goddess Mansa Devi. Maya Devi Temple in Haridwar is a Shaktipeeth. These distinct religious sites offer several specific points of reference if you would like to learn about the city’s temples and the deities to whom they are dedicated.
Recurring pilgrimage traditions also shape Haridwar. The city is one of four places where the Kumbh Mela takes place every twelve years and the Ardh Kumbh every six years. The Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage by devotees of Shiva to Hindu pilgrimage sites in Haridwar. These different cycles can help guide you if you want to experience Haridwar as a pilgrimage destination.
A nearby place: Piran Kaliyar
South of Haridwar, on the outskirts of the city of Roorkee, lies Piran Kaliyar, a religious site worth visiting. Piran Kaliyar is regarded as an example of unity between Hindu and Muslim communities. The dargah there hosts the annual Urs festival, which lasts from the first sighting of the moon until the sixteenth day of the Islamic month of Rabīʿ al-awwal. If you would like to include this tradition in your travel plans, take into account both the location south of Haridwar and the festival’s specific dates.
Getting there and choosing a search area
Haridwar can be reached by road from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and other parts of Uttarakhand. Haridwar railway station has direct connections to major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Indore, Jaipur and Ahmedabad. When planning your trip, it can help to first choose the places that will shape it: Har ki Pauri and the temples in Haridwar, Ranipur with Sureshwari Devi Temple, or Piran Kaliyar on the outskirts of Roorkee. Then search for a holiday apartment based on your focus and the relevant place name.
For the broader travel overview: Uttarakhand.
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