Holy Break

“One of the most popular spiritual gateways, 

Haridwar is a great place to spend a tranquil weekend.”

Haridwar or ‘the Gateway to the Gods’ is one of the seven holiest places according to Hindu mythology, as the Gods are believed to have left their footprints in Haridwar. Due to its geographical location too, Haridwar stands as the gateway to the other three important pilgrimages of Uttrakhand namely, Rishikesh, Badrinath and Kedarnath. Referred to as Mayapuri, Gangadwar, and Mokshadwar in the ancient scriptures and epics, Haridwar has always remained a major pilgrimage for the Hindus.

Mythologically, drops of nectar churned out from the primordial ocean fell at the four sides of the Kumbh Mela, including Haridwar. The Kumbh mela, taking place once every 12 years and the Ardha Kumbha Mela (once every 6 years) are big draws. One of the oldest living cities, has also served as the center for learning arts, science and culture.

I spent a quite weekend in Haridwar at the 90 year old Haveli Hari Ganga. The Haveli is situataed on the banks of the river Ganga is mere 300 m walk away from the sacred Har- Ki – Pauri  Ghat.

Since we reached Haridwar in the afternoon everyone wanted to rest for a while at the Haveli and explore the ghats in the evening. Every evening at 6:30 pm, an elaborate aarti is performed at Har- Ki – Pauri  Ghat – on the banks of the river – in front of the teeming crowds. The entire area is lit up with lights. The shimmering reflection of the illumination in the water is so breath taking that you cannot tear yourself away from the sight. I sat near the river bank and watched the Ganga flowing rapidly by and thousands of devotees taking holy dips in the water.

On day 2, we planned to visit two temples, one on each side of the Ganga, on the hill tops. To get to the top of both, we had to take the Udan Khatola or the Ropeway car. The view from the ropeway was marvelous, and as we gained height, a carpet of assorted flowers could be seen below.

Our first stop was the Mansadevi Temple. One of the most revered temples of Northern India, it is a must visit after you have been to Har Ki Pauri. The other temple, dedicated to Chandadevi is on the Neelparvat hills. After paying obeisance to the goddesses, we spent time viewing the surrounding mountains from the hilltop.