Haridwar - The Way of Ganga

I was in the Haridwar recently and it was seen everywhere the clear Ganga Water - River.  

We dipped the holy water and seen lot of temples and enjoyed a lot. My experience in Haridwar during my visit is explained here with some photos taken by me. Hope you will also enjoy this...

First we started on 7th March 2011 from Delhi by Mussoorie express @10.00 pm and reached Haridwar around 7.00 am next day 8th March 2011. On the train itself we met one old man, he knows everything about Haridwar and Rishikesh. He is a regular visitor it seems. With the information gathered from him and have some information from web we proceed to Haridwar.

Ganga River

Sankar Statue in Haridwar



Rope Car to Mansa Devi Temple

First we moved to a Iyappa Temple cottages nearby the Railway station. There are plenty of Share autos are there. They charged Rs.10 per passenger to this Temple. The rooms provided to us is in a Ok Condition and they charged Rs.300 per day for 4 persons. (I think they charged us more as we are new to haridwar). In front of a Temple cottage, some of the Auto drivers are waiting for local tour and they approached us immediately when we arrived to temple. Then we finalised for a local Haridwar trip including morning ganga bath and upto evening Ganga Arathi Rs.800/- (This autos can accomodate 10 persons easily - but we are only 6, anyhow we have to pay Rs.800 for this auto). The auto driver was very pleasing and helpful to us. He first taken us to the Ganga for bathing. There are lot of places are for bathing - named ghats. like birla ghat, sivananda ghat, bramha gund etc., we taken bath in the Birla Ghat. The water was clear and moving with some speed. @ 9 am also the water was very chilled and the steps are slippy. Somebody said don't use soap to bath, it is banned there. We taken bath with cautious. We saw there some peoples are offering flowers with deepam and coconut to ganga matha. Then we left to our room and for breakfast by the same auto.

After finishing breakfast, first we went to Mansa Devi Temple, it can be reachable by Rope car (They charging Rs.48/- per person) and by steap road. We opted for Rope car and take darshan of a Mansa Devi Mandir. There is one more temple here in Haridwar accessible by Rope car is Chandi Devi Temple ( Rope car Charges Rs.80 approx). We have left this because we don't have time and as suggested by the old man met in the train. Then we saw Sankaracharya matt, Geetha Temple, Parad Sivaling at Kankhal.

Parad (Mercury) Sivaling

We also went to Dakshaneswar temple, where the Daksha maharaj made yagna and his duaghter godess parvathi came to quarell for not calling sivasankar for the yagna.



Dakshaneshwar Temple

 

Lord Dakshaneshwar

After Luch we went to some artificial temple in Haridwar. Some Electronic Temples, Pawan Cham Glass Temple, Char dham temple and Bharat matha mandir. In these Pawan dham Glass temple is worth seeing and free entry. The electronic temples and artificial temples made in these area are money minded. Some of the pandits in these temples are asking us to lean to them, they will put thilak in our fore head and pat on our backside and ask us for a dakshana. I don't like these kind of activities in temples. Finally we saw Bharat matha mandir, it is a 7 storey building having lift (charging Re.1/- per person). they will take us to the 7th floor, there from the 7th floor we have to come down by walk and see in each floor the idols of national leaders, sadhus, sanths and devthas.

Electronic Temple

                                                   

Pawan Dham Glass Temple

Radha Krishna at Glass Temple

Uma Shankar at Glass Temple

                                                      

Char Dham Mandir

                                                              

Bharath Matha Mandir

In the evening, we went to Har ki pauri and waited for the famous Ganga Arathi. By 6 pm the people are gathering slowly and by 6.30 the Har ki pauri was fully packed with peoples all along the ganga river steps. After 6.30 pm the Ganga arathi was started and the whole place was became holiest. the seen was very nice and it was worth watching. So if you been in Haridwar don't miss this opportunity to watch this Har ki Pauri Ganga Arathi.

Ganga Matha

Hari ki Pauri / Brahma Kund

Ganga Arathi at Har ki Pauri

                                                         

Ganga River Ariel view in Haridwar

Sadhu/Akori in nude

After that we roaming around the city and In the night we went to our room for rest. Next day we started to proceed Rishikesh.

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Rishikesh - The Rejuvenating place

I had recently visited to Rishikesh on 9th March 2011 and my stay was only half a day. But the Trip was memorable and refreshing. Here I explain my experience in Rishikesh.

Rishikesh is the nice place situated on the Riverbed of the Ganges, it is such a place can suitable for Different kind of peoples, like Trekking and rafting for youths, Ayurvedha and Yoga for Middle Ages and Pilgrimage for old age peoples. The Mind and Body are Rejuvenated by way of Ayurvedha/Yoga, Trekking/Rafting and Pilgrimage in Rishikesh. Rishikesh can be reachable by Train, Bus and Air. By train you can come up to Haridwar and catch a bus or Car/jeep (22kms) to Rishikesh. Buses are operated from different places like Delhi, Dehradun etc., to Rishikesh. By air you can come up to Dehradun and catch a bus or car (70 kms) to Rishikesh.

Ram Jhula & Laxman Jhula

We 6 persons are started From Haridwar, taken a share auto (charged Rs.800 – can sit up to 10 peoples) to Rishikesh and reached by 10.00 am. There is an auto union in Rishikesh, from that point the auto leave us and we have to pay the auto amount to the union and fix a time for return. (if you come late after the fixed time they will charge Rs.80 / hour). They will give a receipt for this to you and when return you have to surrender the receipt and take the money from union and pay to the auto driver.

Swargh Ashram

 Rudraksha Tree

Guides also available from this point. (they will charge Rs.100 approx). In Rishikesh places worth to see are 1. Triveni ghat, 2. Ram Jhula, 3. Laxman Jhula, 4. Paramarth Nikeahtan, 5. Swargh Ashram, 6. Geetha Bhavan.

In these, Laxman Jhula is little distance from Ram Jhula, so you have to catch another jeep and it costs Rs.50 for one way. Neelkanth Mahadev temple also at a distance of 12km from this Ram jhula. We have not much of time so we saw only Ram Jhula, Triveni ghat, Paramarth Niketan, Swargh Ashram and Geetha bhavan. You can see Rudraksh trees in Rishikesh. In Rishikesh you can buy Spatikam (crystal)mala, idols and Rudraksha are at reasonable prices.

Sree Yanthram

After that we went for a small Rafting for 12 kms stretch. Because we don’t have much time. There is diffeent length of rafting is available here upto 27kms takes 4 hours.The Guide arranged for this rafting @Rs.350/ per person. (I came to know later that some peoples are offering Rs.250/- per person.)We waited for the vehicle to come for picking us to the place where the rafting starts. After that point is reached we have given life jackets and the persons are pumping the air in the rubber boat. After everything was ready we gave all our mobiles and cameras to the boat person, he kept them in to a water proof bag and tied in that boat. Two guys are guiding and accompanying in that boat and 4 of us are ready to row. The ride was very thrilling. First we have little fear and after some time we have enjoying our ride. It taken 1.5 hours for the 12 km(approx) stretch. The Thrilling ride was very good and enjoyable. Guys if you are in Rishikesh Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity. This is not very risky but thrilled.

Preparing Rafting Boat

Camp Near the Ganges

Boat ready for Rafting




Rishikesh Lakshman Temple

Rafting in Ganges



After the Rafting

After that we came back to Haridwar and my Journey to the other destination is starts…..

Visit my Tamil Blog: http://iniyaindiyavilravi.blogspot.in/2012/10/blog-post.html
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