10 Things to Do in Haridwar | How To Reach Haridwar
No list of spiritual journey is complete without a Haridwar visit in North India. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalaya and washed clear by the holy Ganga, this land of folk & fable is hailed as the holiest place to cleanse oneself of sin. But apart from performing the ritualistic cleansing at Har Ki Pauri and temple hopping, Haridwar has so much more to offer in terms of things to do in Haridwar. This holy city in India captures the essence of family and culture, from the sacred Ganges River that runs through the city to the food and bustling markets found in and around ancient temples.
Despite this, Haridwar can satisfy travelers from all over the world, whether they are enthusiastic about nature, looking for beautiful tourism, or devotees are looking for pilgrims for a quiet retreat. Haridwar is becoming more than a sacred city, which attracts visitors from all over the world who want to find out its other aspects. Our list of best tourist attractions in Haridwar will help you find the other side of the holy city. Two of the best tourist attractions in Haridwar in one day are pilgrim tourist attractions for devotees, a National Park for Adventure and Nature Lovers, and local markets for curious tourists.
How To Reach Haridwar
The most important pilgrimage in India. Har Ki Pauri Ghat is very famous for Ganga Aarti and numerous visitors come here to see it in the evening. All three modes of travel are well connected and the city is accessible. There are the ways to reach the city of Lords, Haridwar. There are planes, buses, and trains to the holy city.
How To Reach Haridwar By Air
To get to Haridwar, you have to catch a flight to Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. This is a domestic airport, around 20 km from the city centre. The distance from Haridwar to Dehradun is 52 kilometers, regular taxi services are available from the airport. This is a less than two hours journey passing through Ambala-Dehradun-Haridwar road, on the way you will pass through NH7 and NH34. Haridwar is 200 km away from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. It is the busiest airport in India and always receives traffic from national and international airlines. The closer accessibility to the airport, makes Haridwar ever so accessible for tourists.
How To Reach Haridwar By Road
Haridwar is well connected with Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and other destinations in the state by several state and commercial buses. Buses are also plenty available in Haridwar, the frequency and fare are both decent. The bus station is nearby and the rail station is very close to it. Bear in mind that buses don’t come on the dot. Book a Bus ticket in Haridwar – Just contact the Bus operators and book your ticket. Just make sure you check the condition of the bus ahead of time.
Choose cushioned and push-back seats for the long and bumpy road ahead. The bus service provider can arrange this , but if it is subject to availability. Note that if you have to cancel your plans, refunds will depend on each company’s policy. Make sure you look for the facts that in peak seasons there are not enough AC buses. Therefore, arrive early at the bus stop and make sure you book your reservation in advance of your intended travel time. Taxis can be booked from Delhi to Haridwar. The Debited rate from Delhi to Haridwar (Approx) as below per kilometer.
How To Reach Haridwar By Railways
The Haridwar Junction Railway Station has good connectivity via trains; trains run frequently to Delhi (four to five hours), Dehradun (one hour) and Rishikesh (about an hour). Haridwar Junction Railway Station is located to the south of town and within walking distance of most hotels, but expect to cover a 2-km walk to the famous Ghat in Haridwar known as Hari-ki-Pauri.
Things to do in Haridwar
1. Har Ki Pauri
Har Ki Pauri Ghat (Ganga Bank): One of the famous tourist Attractions in Haridwar, Har Ki Pauri Ghat, is a sacred bank of the Ganga River. This holy place is a significant attraction placed within 2 kilometers from Haridwar Junction Railway Station in Haridwar city. The Har ki Pauri Ghat scene is so captivating when the aarti is done on the River Ganga as the sun sets. This is a sight not to be missed.
2. Chilla Wildlife Sanctuary
Chilla Wildlife Sanctuary is situated along the banks of the Ganges, around ten kilometers away from Haridwar. Rajaji National Park started its journey from 1977, when it was established as a wildlife sanctuary, and followed by merging of the two sanctuaries (Chilla Wildlife Sanctuary, Motichur) in 1983 and Rajaji scientific sanctuaries. Bears, elephants, leopards, small cats and birds of every type are at home in the sanctuary.
3. Mansa Devi Temple
Mansa Devi Temple, located in Haridwar, is one of the most famous tourist spots among the five pilgrimages of the city. Every year, thousands of devotees of Hindu visit here to get blessings from Goddess Mansa for the fulfillment of their wishes. The temple is located on the Bilwa Parvat hill, hence giving a beautiful view of Haridwar. Visiting the temple requires trekking or using the cable car. If you are a couple, then Mansa Devi Temple is one of the best places to visit in Haridwar, as they come here to pray foran eternal next birth relationship.
4. Chandi Devi Temple
Chandi Devi: One of the main attractions in Haridwar around Har ki Pauri is the famous temple of Goddess Parvati, Chandi Devi. The temple is situated on Neel Parvat and is visited by many devotees, thus it is one of the top attractions in Haridwar. You have 2 options to reach the temple either have to walk 3 km from Chandi Ghat or use a cable car to reach here which gives brilliant views that will make you amazed.
5. Patanjali Yogpeeth
Patanjali Yogpeeth, which was established by Baba Ramdev, a well-known Yoga guru, is one of Haridwar’s most popular tourist destinations. It is a research institute and medical center focused on Ayurvedic remedies. The campus includes research centers, hospitals, laboratories, a university, a food and herbal park, canteen residential camps, and other facilities. This prestigious Haridwar university is inspired by Patanjali, the Indian sage, who is the author of Yoga and several other Sanskrit texts.
6. Daksha Mahadev Temple
The Daksha Mahadev Temple is a very popular stop for religious tourists in Haridwar, honoring the Hindu mythological legend. King Daksha Prajapati, father of Dakshayani/Sati, conducted a yagna but purposefully did not invite Lord Shiva. When she heard about the event, Sati tried to convince Shiva to come with her, but he refused. Sati’s father was not in favor of this marriage, however, the wife was adamant in going to the yagna. As her father lost it and yelled at her and Shiva when she got home.
But Daksha merematic continued his insults despite Satis’ attempts to sooth him. This sent Sati into a tail spin and she became Goddess Adi Parashakti right in front of Lord Shiva’s eyes. She exposed herself as the Eternal Power and announced that she would give up her mortal life by throwing herself into fire. Hearing of this, Lord Shiva assumed the rage-infused form of Virbhadra and severed Daksha’s head.
7. Bharat Mata Mandir
Have you heard of any temple that holds the valour and patriotism of all heroes ethat xisted in India? You know, we’re referring to the Bharat Mata Mandir temple. Worshipping Shiva, Vishnu, and all the saints, it is a complex. And just to clarify, in addition to showcasing some of the most important works of art and religious texts written by adherents of different religions, this is certainly bucket list material right here.
8. Gau Ghat
Hindus dedicate Gau Ghat Haridwar to the cow. Located on the banks of the Ganga, this ghat is supposedly named after Kamdhenu, the divine cow that provided unending nourishment. The ghat is a place of penance for those who have inadvertently killed a cow and are desperate to purge themselves of the sin. Many also come here to pray for dead loved ones to rest in peace. Gau Ghat is considered as one of the best places in Haridwar as it holds huge spiritual significance. Notably, this ghat was selected as the cremation place for Jawaharlal Nehru and the remains of Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi.
9. Pawan Dham
Pawan Dham is a must-visit tourist destination in Haridwar, which is a fine example of the artistic and craftsmanship excellence of ancient India, represented here by the use of glass. It was built under the guidance of Swami Vedantananda Ji Maharaj to the finest glasswork and beautifully carved walls. The temple has the deities made in marble of some of the most revered ones like Lord Hanuman, Ganesh, Shiva, Durga, Santoshi Mata , which were captivating the temple far and wide.
10. Shanti Kunj
Shanti Kunj, founded by Pandit Sriram Sharma Acharya in 1971, is a well-known ashram in Haridwar. It provides daily bhajans and aarti that promotes learning for spiritual and moral values. Overnight accommodation is provided for students at the ashram, which offers education and information on spirituality, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga, and other Hindu traditions. Furthermore, Shanti Kunj also has a research institute and a residential university. The ashram also offers Ayurvedic treatment to devotees. Shanti Kunj is very well-known among notable international guests like Dalai Lama and Morari Bapu.
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