Haridwar
State rank: 26 out of 56 Places To Visit In Uttarakhand
Weather:
Ideal duration: 1-2 days
Best time: Throughout the year (Read More)
Nearest Airport: Dehradun (Check Flights)
"Ganges' wave of religion and spirituality"
Haridwar Tourism
Situated along the holy Ganges, Haridwar means gateway to god and justifies its name both in terms of natural beauty and spirituality.
Haridwar is famous for its temples and ghats where pilgrims bathe to relieve themselves of their sins and achieve salvation. The Jairam Ashram and the Kanva Rishi Ashram are places where one can go to hear narratives of the Hindu legacy, other than a tour to the numerous temples that fill Haridwar with their chants and colors. The city celebrates its own religious and spiritual significance in a number of festivals that attract a huge number of people. These include the Kumbh Mela, whose grandeur can be witnessed only once in 12 years, Ganga Dusshera, Kavad Mela and Somvati Amavasya mela. The city is also famous for its Yoga and Ayurvedic treatments.
Top Things To Do In Haridwar
Haridwar Packages
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Spectacular Haridwar | 3 Days 2 Nights
₹ 5,190 onwards
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Glorious Joshimath & Haridwar | 6 Days 5 Nights
₹ 10,000 onwards
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Panoramic Haridwar & Mussoorie | 4 Days 3 Nights
₹ 11,000 onwards
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Haridwar Reviews
Please add puri sabji at Mohan ji puri wale in front of Har ki pauri in wht to eat ssection , belive me puri sabji from his shop is awesome, you can find the difference just visiting his shop, there are dozen of other shops but all others are empty except this one
Review for Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar
Visiting Haridwar at this time of year is not at all useful. I visited har ki paudi in the month of june and the water in ganga was smelling real bad. The management is also not at all concerned for the cleanliness of the place. However place is good for visit in winter. Maximun time to stay here is 30 minutes.
Review for Ganga Aarti, Haridwar
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What's Great?
One of the seven holy cities of Hindu the place is truly pure and pious. The holy river Ganga flows through it and is the main tourist attraction. Apart from River Ganga the place is also believed to be of high religious importance because it is believed that during Samudra Manthan a few drops of Amrit was spilled here.
What's not so Great?
The place is really crowded. Many devotees come regularly here and place can get really cramped. Also while bathing in River Ganga many people end up drowning.
For Whom
The place is a must visit for people who love Hindu Mythology. Also, people with love for religion and gods should definitely visit this place. It is believed in Hindu religion that if any individual desires to wash away their sins then that individual must take a dip in the holy river, Ganga. The place is for yoga lovers too.
Top Hotels in Haridwar
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DEVNADI "Heritage Hotel"
Staring from INR 3,900
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Ganga Lahari
Staring from INR 5,000
Bathing in River Ganga
Bathing in River Ganga is one of the must-do lists of every Hindu. Haridwar is considered as one of the holiest cities in India. The city is well known because it is the primary area from where river Ganga emerges. The city is known to reaffirm every devotee's wandering faith in God. Bathing in river Ganga not only gives a sense of purity but also is a starting point for many. Many people believe that one dip in the holy river and all your sins get washed away.
Kumbh Mela in Hairdwar
In every 12 years in Haridwar, Kumbh Ka Mela is organised. This is a mass Hindu devotee gathering in Haridwar. The number of people is in millions. The gathering is one of the most peaceful gatherings and is also considered as the World?s largest congregation of religious pilgrims. People take a dip, light lanterns and diyas and pray to gods and goddesses. It is one of the most religious gatherings in India. This mela is considered as one of the holy rituals of Hindus. The mela also has many games, shops, eating facility, rides and much more.
History of Haridwar
Haridwar, known as the ?doorway for the gods? is a city located in the state of Uttarakhand and is home to the famous Ganga river. According to ancient stories, the city came to be when a drop of Amrit, a potion for immortality being made by the gods and demons together, fell on the earth. Haridwar was one of the four sites where the Amrit was spilt. This city has a very interesting and rich mythological background. It is considered to be one of the holiest places in India. The city was first mentioned in the scriptures of the Mauryan empire in 322-185 B.C and then of in the travelogue written by Hiuan Tsang in the 629 A.D. Emperor Akbar, kept jars of the water from River Ganga and drank from it during his travels as the water of the river was said to grant immortality. Raja Maan Singh laid the foundation of the Haridwar that exists today. He built two dams on the Ganga river which severely affect the course of the river.
Land of Lord Vishnu
Har ki Pauri is a ghat located on the banks of River Ganga. Har is the name of Lord Shiva and Pauri means footstep. During the Vedic period, Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu were said to have visited this place. There are footsteps of Lord Vishnu that are embedded in a stone wall there. Hence, this place holds a great religious importance and is visited by pilgrims from all around the country.
Family Genealogy Registration
Death rites are carried out in the city of Haridwar as it is a holy site. Immersing the ashes of the deceased in the river Ganga is said to grant them an entry into heaven. Hence, many people visit Haridwar to carry out death rituals for their deceased family members. Due to this, the Pandits who carry out this rituals, started keeping a record of the family's trees gotra, marriages and other crucial information. With this, intricate genealogical information of families was recorded over centuries and has now become a source through which one can track history of their family.
Itinerary
Day 1 - After reaching Haridwar, go to the Holy River Ganga for a dip. After that enjoy the Desi breakfast and go to Mansa Devi temple. The goddess is very famous as it is believed that she grants wishes. You should also visit Maya Devi temple and Chandi Dev temple. After that, in the evening you should visit Har ki Pauri Ghat. It is very well known holy bank of river Ganga. During sunset every day, Ganga aarti is performed here and you should not miss it. Day 2 - Beginning with another holy dip in river Ganga start your day by visiting the beautiful ashrams in Haridwar. Shanti Kunj Ashram is built in a beautiful garden where many spiritual activities are organised for the purity of souls. From there you can go to Patanjali Yogpeeth for stretching of your body by doing yoga. The trips to ashrams can be life changing for many. Haridwar is known for yoga practice and for finding inner peace. Day 3 - You can explore the adventurous side of yours. Haridwar also hosts activities like trekking, bird watching, river rafting and much more. Rajaji National Park is another major attraction here for having a large population of elephants and tigers. In the evening, you can enjoy the famous aloo puri at Mohanji Puriwale and Kachoris at Kashyap Kachoriwala. The desi cuisine is better than any other place.
Haridwar's platter is dominated by vegetarian North Indian food, you will not run out of choices to flatter your appetite with South-Indian, Bengali, Chinese, Continental food as well as an elaborate and delicious assortment of delicacies, forming a staple meal, 'Thali', which is popular all over.
Other than the mouthwatering Chole Bhature, delicious Dosas and lip-smacking Indian Chinese food that the town offers, what you just cannot miss is the rich, colorful street food, which has some of the best preparations of the city. It is from the streets, that Haridwar gets its most popular and delicious items that almost define the food here. Don't miss the popular Aloo Puri, Kachori, Lassi, Parathas and a huge variety of traditional sweets.
Latest questions by travellers on Haridwar
This depends on how long you are visiting for. Check out the Places to Visit tab above to see the various places of interest in Haridwar. The map section will show you the location of these places, and you can plan your trip accordingly. The wildlife sanctuary is away from the main city, so you will have to allocate your time accordingly.