Spiritual India & Pilgrimages > Haridwar & Rishikesh - by S. Chatterjee

A yellow, incense soaked evening, hundreds of oil lamps vying for a bigger share of its blessings – the Ganga surges ahead with quintals of flowers, ashes of the dead and hopes of the millions.
Haridwar, the gateway to har and hari is among the holiest of places for the Hindus.
The city is a true reflection of the Hindu way of life. As you drive into it however, a corporate hoarding advertising the reincarnation of Vishnu in the form of Uran Khatola – the trolly… welcomes you… . This aside, everything here revolves around the Ganga - from Ganga tea stalls, to Ganga paanwalas and Har Har Gange hotels.

Haridwar is of special significance, for it is among the first human establishments in the plains where the Ganga descends from its long and winding journey through the Himalayas. It is on the main route to the holy shrines of Badrinath and Kedarnath, and is also called the gateway to Har and Hari, the presiding deities in these shrines.

Despite the hard-sell of priests poaching on the simple trust of the devotee, shopkeepers attempting to sell instant Nirvana, and a mob of smooth operators preying on the unwary tourist, it is still revered and thronged by millions.

Haridwar is an ancient town, and is even mentioned by the Chinese scholar/traveller Huen Tsang in the 7th Century AD. Despite its ancient history, Haridwar does not have temples that are really ancient. The city saw two destructive phases in its long history, first between the 11th and 14th century, when Turks, Afghans and Persians ran amuck in North India. Later, after the fall of the Mughal Empire, it was ravaged again in the anarchy that followed it.

There are hundreds of temples and numerous bathing ghats in Haridwar. Of these, the Har-ki-Pauri is the most important. The river’s powers to wash away sins at this spot are superlative and are endorsed by a footprint of Vishnu on a stone nearby. Har-ki-Pauri translates to ‘the feet of Vishnu’.

It is characterised by round the clock religious ceremonies like upanayan or the initiation rite, mundan or the head tonsuring rite, asthi visarjan or immersing the ashes of the dead and shraddha or prayers propitiating one’s ancestors. The main centre here is a small pool called the Brahma Kund that is especially popular for taking ritual baths.

It is also popular as a picnic spot and a general purpose bathing area. As you sit on the Ghat steps, you will notice a number youths diving or swimming. As the twilight hour draws near, the place is adorned by a more religious look. Huge oil lamps are lit in preparation for the evening arati. Hundreds of burning wicks, one each for the numerous temples lining the shore, lend a mystical mood. Thousands flock to participate. Late arrivals and tourists watch the spectacle from the bridge overhead.

Priests sing ritual prayers waving oil lamps over the Ganga, as temple bells reverberate. Devotees participate in the singing and make personal offerings by floating leaf-boat oil lamps in the river.

Haridwar is especially important on Baisakhi in April and Ganga Dushehra, the day the Ganga descended on earth. It also hosts the 12 yearly Kumbha Mela that attracts millions of devotees from all over.

Temples of Haridwar:

Bhimgoda Temple: One kilometre to the north of Har-ki_Pauri, the Bhimgoda tank is of equal sanctity. It was so named because the Bhima, second Pandav brother is said to have excavated it with his knee.

Mansa Devi Temple: It is worth taking the chairlift to the Mansa Devi Temple on the hill above the city. You could even walk up 1.5 km to the temple and enjoy an enchanting view of the city and the ghats.

Pareshwar Mahadev Temple: 4 km south of Haridwar, the temple houses a sacred Shivalinga, reputedly made of mercury.

Daksha Mahadeva Temple: The Daksheshwar is 2 km further down from the Pareshwar Mahadeva Temple. It is believed that Daksha, the father of Sati, performed a sacrifice here but neglected to invite Shiva, Sati’s consort. Sati was so incensed with this indiscretion that she managed to spontaneously self-immolate.

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