Top Things You Need to Explore in the Holy City of Haridwar, Uttarakhand
The moment I think of holy places to visit in India, the first city that comes to mind is Haridwar, Uttarakhand. I’m sure many would agree with me! India is a hub of sacred sites, each reflecting a unique culture within its respective state. Haridwar stands out as one of those remarkable holy places that attracts numerous tourists seeking spiritual experiences.
Situated at the location where the Ganges River emerges from the Himalayas, Haridwar lies along the banks of the river in Uttarakhand. Many pilgrims flock here to bathe in the fast-flowing Ganges, and people come from around the world to gather at the famous ‘Har Ki Pauri’ Ghat, which adds to the lively and chaotic atmosphere of the city..
How to reach this Holy Place, Haridwar, Uttarakhand?
Haridwar can be reached in multiple ways, as per your budget.
Being one of the most visited cities of Uttarakhand State, there are multiple ways
to reach Haridwar, Uttarakhand.
By Air
Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun is the nearest airport to
reach your destination. Haridwar is 40 km from the airport. You can
hire a self-driving vehicle or can also opt for local transportation.
By Train
Haridwar Junction is the nearest railhead to reach the holy
place. The main Haridwar is 2 km from the station. You can also reach
here from Dehradun and Rishikesh railway stations. Haridwar is 30 to 50
km from Rishikesh and Dehradun station. Once you reach the Haridwar junction
then take a shared auto to reach the ‘Har Ki Pauri’. They will charge 10 to 20 INR
per person.
By Road
Haridwar city is well connected by road from the nearby
cities like Dehradun, Rishikesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh. Several private
buses connect to Haridwar from this place. One can board the bus from this
place at a suitable time. Enough parking space is available if one
travels with their own vehicle.
My Experience of Visiting Haridwar
The journey started from Mumbai with the preplanning of
exploring Haridwar city and moving further to Kedarnath and Badrinath Dham. I, along with my wife, managed to reach Haridwar city by train. The journey
was Mumbai- Delhi- Haridwar- Kedarnath- Badrinath. I knew the traveling was going
to be very hectic, but the things that we had planned to explore were far better
than what we suffered in the traveling. It is said that sometimes the journey
is better than the destination, right? The most interesting part of our journey
was traveling in the Rajdhani Express from Mumbai to Delhi. There was an elderly couple in our compartment who accompanied us throughout the train journey, and
that couple was so kind and talkative. Traveling is all about meeting new people and exploring new places, it is true. They both gave us some knowledge about Ayurveda and the things they follow to keep themselves fit. The
uncle, at the age of 75, was as fit as he followed the daily Yoga activity. As he
was from Haridwar, he gave some basic information about Haridwar and helped us to explore the Haridwar points.
Whenever you travel anywhere then it is always good to interact with new people
to learn new things. We reached the Haridwar
railway station at 4 pm and headed to the hotel to get freshened up. We decided to
move towards the ‘Har Ki Pauri’ Ghat at Haridwar. The distance from our hotel was not more than 1 km, we had a very short time on hand, and Aarti was about to start, so we decided to take a cycle rickshaw to reach 'Har Ki Pauri'.
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| One of the memorable journeys of Mumbai-Delhi via the Rajdhani Express |
It is always good to give a short break to places like Mountains, Beaches, and jungles, hiking and exploring the holy place with a chaotic and reverent feel. Haridwar was among the one. Many pilgrims visit this place in large numbers to take holy baths in the Ganges. ‘Har Ki Pauri’ (The Footstep of the God) is where lord Vishnu left the footprint behind. Every evening, hundreds of worshippers gather for the Ganga Aarti (River Worship Ceremony). As the sun sets, bells ring out a rhythm, torches are lit, and leaf baskets with the flower petals inside and a candle on top of them are lit and placed on the river to drift away downstream. Sounds interesting, right? Many devotees take a deep bath in the river of Haridwar.
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| A leaf basket flower, and with candle on top of it are placed in the river. |
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| Many small stalls are available that sell this leaf basket. |
Haridwar, Uttarakhand, is one of the important pilgrimage sites in the state. I had never been to a place full of devotees and
temples. My visit to the Haridwar holy place took me close to my dream. Once you
enter this holy city, you will get a glimpse of the joyful climate. Being
situated on the edge of the river Ganga, ‘Har Ki Pauri’ Ghat at Haridwar shines in
the evening. This Ghat is also called the exit point of the river Ganga. It is
one of those places where the Kumbh Mela takes place. I was lucky enough because we all reached here just 5
minutes before the Aarti starts. When you visit Haridwar then don’t ever
miss the Aarti (River Worship Ceremony), this is the peculiarity of Haridwar. We sat at the edge of the river to witness the soothing sound of a bell
along with a rotating heavy fire lamp. There are so many small temples dedicated to the Ganges.
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| A temple dedicated to lord Ganges is on the edge of the Ganga River. |
The color of dusk reflecting on the water looks so beautiful. The Aarti takes place from around 5:30 to 6 pm in the evening, so I would suggest you not miss this time to feel the actual flavour of Haridwar. We took a long photogenic break to click some amazing pictures around the river Ganges. You can also visit to Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar if you have good time on hand. After attending the Aarti, we moved to the restaurant next to the temple and had our favorite Aloo Paratha. You must carry your woolen clothes if you are planning to visit here in the wintertime.
Ideal Time to Visit this Holy City
This town experiences a moderate temperature throughout the year;
the best time to visit Haridwar is between November to March, as the weather is
cool and pleasant when you are out exploring the place. This is the time when the temperature
ranges between 5 degrees to 20 degrees. You may find tourists visiting here
between April to October, but most of the people prefer to visit in the winter
season to witness the climate's goose pump. Sometimes the temperature here falls to zero degrees.
Budgeted Stay in Haridwar City
‘Har Ki Pauri’ is not more than 2 km from Haridwar railway station, so one does not have to worry about staying near the railway station or bus stop. There are so many options near the station for a stay. We had our budget stay in Dharmashala near the station. Dharmashala offers clean accommodation for all budgets, including the low-income group. Few of the Dharmashalas look beautiful with a good ambiance around. No doubt, other hotels are available, ranging from economic to deluxe rooms. If anyone is running out of budget and looking for some cheap accommodation, then Dharmashala is the best option. Some of the Dharmashalas do not provide the guizer facility, so it is better to take detailed information before you check in.
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| Shyam Niwas Dharmashala near Haridwar railway station |
Food in Haridwar, Uttarakhand
If you are on your budget trip, then how can you miss the
street food? Sometimes this street food can give you the feel of a 3-star restaurant, agree right? Haridwar is one of those places that is famous for street food. The flavor of hot Parathas in a cold climate is something you
cannot miss here. There are so many restaurants near ‘Har Ki Pauri’ that serve simple food, but sometimes this simple food can beat the five-star food. There
are so many good restaurants on the road from Haridwar railway station to ‘Har Ki
Pauri’. Being a holy place, there is no non-veg food available in the surrounding
area.
Shopping at Haridwar
Haridwar is a famous spot for shopping. There are a variety of clothing options available for the shop; you may get everything from traditional wear to western clothes in the Haridwar market. There are so many shops selling woolen clothes at a cheap rate. Many tourists visit Haridwar and then move to Char Dham, like Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri, as the journey to these places starts from Haridwar city. People normally do the shopping for woolen clothing and travel further to these snowy places. You must know how to bargain while shopping in Haridwar, Uttaranchal.
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