The fertile plains where, the great river Ganga comes down from the Himalayas to meet the plains, is where Haridwar is situated. It is situated at the base of the Shivalik hills. Haridwar is amongst the sacred spots situated on the banks of the holy Ganga.

Haridwar means the gateway to the abode of Gods. In Hindu mythology Haridwar is known as Kapilsthan. According to the legends, Prince Bhagirnath of Suryavanshi, performed a penance here to salvage the souls of his ancestors, who had perished, due to the curse of the sage Kapila. The penance was answered, and the river Ganga trickled forth from Lord Shiva's locks, and its bountiful waters revived the sixty thousand sons of King Sagara.

Haridwar is also called the Gangadwar, Tapovan and also Mayapuri (in the Puranas). The place is also mentioned in the books of Hieun Tsang the famous Chinese traveller. Legends also have it that nectar churned out from the ocean fell at the four sites of the Kumbh fair, including Haridwar. The Kumbh, and the Ardh Kumbh fairs are grand events, when millions of devoted Hindus take a holy dip in the Ganga.

Prime Attractions of Haridwar

» Chandi Devi
Set on the Neel Parvat which lies across the main Ganga on the other bank is the Chandi Devi Temple. A trek of about 3 kms on the hill takes you to the temple.

» Mansa Devi
This temple is located on top of a hill called the Bilwa Parvat. The temple can be reached by the rope way or one can take the normal trekking route to the top. The top of the hill gives you an excellent view of Haridwar.

» Har-ki-Pauri
Amongst the famous bathing ghats at Haridwar, it turns into an exquisite sight in the evenings when the daily ritual of thousands of lit earthen lamps are set in the water, illuminating the night. An 'Aarti' of Ganga is also performed in the evening.

» Bhimganga Tank
According to the legends, this tank was made by Bhim with the jab of his knee, when the pandavas were going to the Himalayas through Haridwar.

» Daksha Mahadev Temple and Sati Kund
It is located at Kamkhal which is amongst the 5 sacred places located at Haridwar. According to the legends Daksh Prajapati, Sati's father, performed a yagna at this place. He did not invite Lord Shiva. Sati, feeling insulted, consequently, burnt herself in the Yagna Kund, here.

» Pawan Dham
The Ashram, here, is famous for its Hanuman temple, built with pieces of glass.

Places to Stay in Haridwar

There are many places to stay in Haridwar, but it is hard to find any luxurious accommodation. Most of the hotels and resorts are in the middle range or budget categories. Many of the ashrams and dharmshalas also provide simple and cheap accommodation. The numerous resorts dotting the banks of the Ganges are also good options.

How to get there

» Air
In the region Air Services are available only upto Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun.

» Rail
The Railways have a station at Haridwar. This major pilgrimage center has been well connected by trains to all the major towns of India. In fact trains bring the major load of pilgrims and tourist inflow to Haridwar.

» Road
The National Highway No.45 crosses the city, so it is connected to other cities of the state as well as those in the other states too. We would provide you all India tourist permit vehicles for the local transportations and also for the intercity drives too.