Rishikesh India

Rishikesh - Gateway to the Himalayas

xRishikesh located in the Tehri-Garhwal region of Uttaranchal is a gateway to the Himalayas. The town is situated at an altitude of about 1360 feet above sea level, and is surrounded on its three sides by hills. Sprawling on the right banks of the river Ganga, Rishikesh lies at the confluence of Ganga and Chandrabhaga stream. The banks of the Ganga is dotted with several temples. Rishikesh represents the place where Lord Vishnu, vanquished the demon Madhu. It is said that many yogis and sages lived and praticised penance at Rishikesh. Legend goes that the sage Raibhya Rishi, did severe penance and God appeared to him in the form of Hrishikesh, as a reward. The place is known as the Tapo Bhumi or the place for meditation of the Gods. Tapovan located on the other bank of the Ganga, houses a temple of Lakshmana, it is believed that Lakshmana carried out penances here. Rishikesh is not a single town, but the name is applied to an association of five distinct sections, that includes hamlets and settlements on both sides of the rivers.

What attract Pilgrims

Rishikesh houses many places of pilgrims interest. Some of the famous attractions are:

Lakshmana Jhula : The 450 feet long suspended bridge, built in 1939, is a major attraction for visitors. It is believed that the bridge is built at the very place, where Lakshman crossed the river Ganga, on jute ropes. The bridge offers the panoramic view of the river Ganga. One can enjoy the freshness of air, cool splash from the river, and sound of flowing water, here.

Ram Jhula : Ram Jhula or Shivanand Jhula is close to the Lakshmana Jhula. Similar to Lakshmana bridge this suspended bridge is built between Shivanand Ashram and Sawarg Ashram.

Bharat Temple : The 12th century temple, built by Adiguru Shankracharya, lies in the heart of the old town. Situated on the banks of the river Ganga, the temple is a major pilgrimage centre at Rishikesh. Detailed description of this temple are available in ancient record of Kearkhand. The temple has the statue of Lord Vishnu, in its inner sanctum. The inner canopy above the statue is shree yantra, which was installed by Adiguru Sankracharya.

Parmarth Niketan Temple : Parmarth Niketan is one of the most popular temple complexes and ashrams in Rishikesh. The Niketan has a school run on traditional Indian patterns, which is known for its substantial work on Hinduism. Every day in the evening, the Ashram organizes enchanting Ganga Arti and Hawan on the Parmarth Ghat .

Kunjapuri Temple : The Kunjapuri is one among the thirteen most important goddesses of the lower Himalayan Shivalik range. The place situated on the Himalayan peaks offer the excellent views of sunrise and sunset as well as Indo Gangetic plains. The visitors can also view the peaks of Banderpunch (6316 mts.), Swarga Rohini (6252 mts.), Gangotri (6672 mts.) and Chaukhamba (7138 mts).

Vasishtha Goofa (Cave) : The place is situated upriver, and can be reached by one hour drive. Vasishtha Goofa is the site where saint Vasishtha meditated on the banks of the river Ganga. The peaceful cave is a perfect place for meditation.

Triveni Ghat Triveni Ghat : This is the main ghat of Rishikesh, where most of the pilgrims take their holy dip. Every day in the evening a large number of pilgrims attend the Ganga Arti at the Ghat.

Rishikund : Located close to Triveni Ghat, Rishikund is the most ancient place. The past evidences relate this place to Kubz Saint, who was blessed by the Goddess Yamuna, by saturating this pond by its water. On the banks of the pond the Raghunath temple stands, which is dedicated to Lord Rama and his wife.

Nilkanth Mahadeo : Situated at a distance of 12 Kms from Rishikesh, the place is surrounded by tranquil forests. According to the Hindu mythology, once the ocean was being churned for 'amrit' first venom oozed out, Lord Shiva drank the venom at the place, which now known as Nilkanth Mahadeo.

How to Reach Rishikesh

Air : Nearest airport is the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun (25 Kms). The flights are available from Delhi to Dehradun.

Rail : Haridwar (24 Kms) is the major railhead near Rishikesh, which is connected to Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Lucknow, Varanasi and other cities of India.

Road : Rishikesh is connected by roads with towns and cities of Uttaranchal and other part of country. The distance of some important places from Rishikesh are Haridwar (24 Kms), Dehradun (25 Kms), Mussoorie (77 Kms), Kedarnath (228 Kms) and Gangotri (258 Kms).

Accommodation

The hotels at Rishikesh offer plenty of accommodation options. The popular ones include Ananda in Himalayas, Hotel Baseraa, Hotel Ganga Kinare, Hotel Ganga View, Hotel Natraj and Inderlok Hotel etc.

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