Haridwar
- Haridwar, known for its temples and bathing ghats is one of the
holiest cities in India. Situated on the foothills of Shivalik, Haridwar
is a point of entry to Char Dham. The city has a very rich cultural and
religious heritage. Apart from being a religious center, the city is
known for other things as well. The city has the first IIT in Roorkee
which is world famous for the qualitative technical education it
imparts. The city also a home to one of the "Navratna PSUs of
India, BHEL". The city is renowned for Gurukul Kangri Vishva
Vidhyala where education is still imparted in traditional Gurukul style.
The city also has the privilege of organizing Kumbh Mela after every 12
years.
Referred by many names in past like Mayapuri, Gangadwar and Kapila, the
sacred city of Haridwar finds mention in many ancient scriptures and
historical documents. According to Hindu legends, King Bhagirath brought
River Ganges to Haridwar from heaven for the salvation of his ancestors
who were killed by a curse of Rishi Kapil. It is also said that this
city is one of the four sites where drops of nectar were accidentally
sprinkled after the Samudra Manthan. Findings by archeological
department prove that Terracoota culture existed between 1700B.C. in
this region.
The biggest attraction of Haridwar is Har-ki-pauri, a sacred ghat which
was built by King Vikramaditya in memory of his brother. The aarti
ceremony in every evening on this ghat attracts thousand of devotees,
the beauty of which can't be described in words. The riverbank temple of
Haridwar has Lord Vishnu's imprints. It is because of these imprints
that it is even considered more auspicious to take a dip in Ganges on
this ghat to attain salvation. Mansa Devi temple situated on top of
Bilwa Parvat is also a must visit temple. The other places to visit are
Chandi Devi temple, Vaishno Devi temple, Bharat Mata temple, Maya Devi
temple, Shanti Kunj besides the ghats.
