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RISHIKESH, UTTARAKHAND
One of the most amazing adventure hubs in India, Rishikesh along with its twin city Haridwar is of prime religious importance. It has been a preferred destination for those seeking spiritual salvation.
It is now the Yoga Capital of the World, with many ashrams and all kinds of yoga and meditation classes. Most of this happens in the northern part of town, the less-crowded part. So while mornings are spent in yoga, evenings in Rishikesh are spent watching the nightly Ganga aarti. If you are planning to go for bungee jumping or for river rafting, holidays in October are an ideal time to visit Rishikesh before the weather gets too chilly. Backpackers come by the dozen to try out these activities.
Triveni Ghat is a confluence of three holy important Rivers the Ganges, the Yamuna and the Saraswathy, is a most revered sacred bathing spot in Rishikesh and is situated on the banks of Ganges River. It is of belief that those who take a dip in water at this ghat washes away all the sins and purifies the soul and will have salvation, a relief from all sins carried out; the water here has the power to purify them. Daily in the morning and evening there are thousands who take bath here and enjoy the Maha Aarti being performed. It very soothing to sit on the banks of the river and enjoy the cool breeze from the river.
Located at a short distance of just around 20 kilometres by road, Haridwar is one of the most important pilgrim spots in India. The name of the town itself means gateway to god in Sanskrit. Hardwar has been a typical place to start a pilgrim’s journey in order to reach Mount Kailash, the eternal abode of Lord Shiva and Badrinath which has a temple of Lord Vishnu and is one among the ‘char dhams’ pilgrimage of the Hindus .
Parmarth Niketan Ashram is just next to the Ganges you can go to the Ganges by walk they have his own private ghat. Ashram will provide his entire pilgrims a sacred & peaceful atmosphere for his guests who came all over the world. With over 1,000 rooms, the facilities are a perfect blend of modern amenities and traditional, spiritual simplicity. The daily activities at Parmarth Niketan include morning universal prayers, daily yoga and meditation classes, daily sat sang and lecture programs, kirtan, the world-renowned Ganga arti at sunset, as well as Nature Cure and Ayurvedic treatment. There are frequent camps in which pilgrims come from across the world to partake in intensive courses on yoga, meditation, pranayama, stress management, acupressure, Reiki and other ancient Indian sciences.
Lakshman Jhoola is a 450 feet long an iron suspension bridge and is one of the main religious attractions in Rishikesh. It is made over river Ganges to cross the river and is a landmark of Rishikesh. Devotees believe that Lakshman, the brother of Lord Rama, had once crossed the river with the help of a jute-rope bridge on the same spot. There are spectacular views from the bridge.
Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is among the most revered shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva that is located around 32 km away from Rishikesh. Positioned on a hill above Swarg Ashram, this ancient temple lies at the confluence of the Pankaja and Madhumati rivers, amid three valleys - Brahmakoot, Vishnukoot and Manikoot. Legends say that the venom that oozed out while the ‘Samudra Manthan’ was ingested by Lord Shiva at the place which is now known as the Nilkanth Mahadeo.
Bharat Mandir Built by Adiguru Shankra Charya around 12th century, Bharat Mandir is situated in the heart of the old town on the banks of the Ganges. The Inner sanctum of the temple has the idol of Lord Vishnu, carved out of a single Saligram. In the inner canopy above the idol is Shree Yantra installed by Adi Sankraya Charya.
Rishikesh is one place which does not only provide the visitors with a dose of spirituality but also a taste of the thrill of adventure sports. The best example of such an offering is the jumpin heights centre, the extremely popular amusement park where you can experience the adventure of bungee jumping, fox flying asia’s longest flying fox ride, measuring 1 kilometre and the Giant swing right over the river. The place to be for adventure enthusiasts, Jumpin Heights is located at Mohan Chatti, about 15 kilometres away from Lakshman Jhoola in Rishikesh. The jumps are safe and are designed and supervised by experts from New Zealand.
Kaudiyala is considered to be one of the most visited view-points in Rishikesh. Located at around 36 kilometres from rishikesh towards Dev prayag and 380 meters above sea level, Kaudiyala is famous for offering its visitors the adventure sport of white water rafting and is one of the premier locations in the country for this sport. Dense hill forests surround the region and the place is also a habitat for many wild species of flora and fauna.
Located at a distance of 19 kilometres from Rishikesh, The town of Shivpuri is situated on the banks of the river Ganges and is famous for its Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.16 kms from rishikesh on the bank of river ganga. This place is one of the favourite destination for beach camping and rafting. There is a silver sand beach in Shivpuri with river ganga flowing one side and its tributary on the other. During your stay in Shivpuri, you can indulge yourself in number of activities like Jungle Walks, River Rafting, Beach Camping, mountaineering and Jungle Trekking. You can spend the day enjoying river rafting in Ganges and other adventure activities. In the evening, relax around a campfire and enjoy the amazing food.
Touted as the Yoga capital of the world, International Yoga Festival is undoubtedly awaited by one and all in Rishikesh. Organised every year in the month of March by Parmath Niketan Ashram, witness the biggest gathering of Yoga practitioners here. Take part in the Yoga classes as well as attend the forums and discussions given by renowned spiritual leaders.
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