Haridwar Attraction
Haridwar is one of the region of Uttarakhand state and consists an area of 1994 Sq.km. It is enclosed three sides by the Shivalik hills and view on the right bank of the Ganga at an altitude of 292 m above sea level.Haridwar is a spiritual area where traveller come over the world. It is among the most revered tour centers of India which involve a appreciate position in hearts of Hindus.
Haridwar is regarded as one of the seven divine places to Hindus. According to the Samudra manthan, Haridwar along with Ujjain, Nashik and Prayag (Allahabad) is one of four sites where drops of Amrit, the elixir of immortality, accidentally spilled over from the pitcher while being borne by the spiritual bird Garuda. This is signify in the Kumbha Mela, which is celebrated every 12 years in Haridwar. During the Haridwar Kumbh Mela, millions of pilgrims, devotees, and tourists gather in Haridwar to perform ceremonial bathing on the banks of the river Ganges to wash away their sins to attain Moksha. Brahma Kund, the spot where the Amrit fell, is placed at Har ki Pauri and is treated to be the most sacred ghat of Haridwar.It is also the primary center of the Kanwar pilgrimage, in which millions of members gather sacred water from the Ganga and carry it across hundreds of miles to allocate as gifts in Śiva shrines.
Hari means “Lord Vishnu”. So, Haridwar stands for ” The Gateway to Lord Vishnu”. In order to reach Badrinath, one of the four Char Dhams, with a temple of Lord Vishnu, Haridwar is a common place to start a pilgrim’s journey. Therefore, the name Haridwar.On the other hand, in Sanskrit, Hara means “Lord Shiva” and Dwara means “gate” or “gateway”. Hence, Hardwar stands for “Gateway to Lord Shiva”. Hardwar has been a classic place to start a pilgrim’s journey in order to reach Mount Kailash, the constant abode of Lord Shiva, Kedarnath, the northernmost Jyotirlinga and one of the sites of the smaller Char Dham tour circuit and Gaumukh, the source of River Ganga. Har ki Pauri or footsteps of Lord Shiva is considered the most sacred site in Hardwar.
Haridwar Tourist Attractions Places is given below
Har Ki Pauri : Har means God and Pauri means foot prints. Har Ki Pauri means footprints of God. The most popular landmark at the Ghats is the footprint of Lord Vishnu himself. The area is famous for being the location of the Kumbha Mela and the Ardha Kumbha Mela.
Hari ki Pauri is one of the most sacred bathing ghat in India. Har Ki Pauri is 02 kms far from the Haridwar Railway Station.
Vishnu Ghat: Haridwar is often called the gateway to the Hindu pilgrimage sites of the ‘Char Dhams’ and attracts a huge number of tourists due to its amazing mountains, rivers and ancient temples.One of the sacred and the most visited Ghats in Haridwar; Vishnu Ghat is named after the Hindu deity Lord Vishnu. It is considered a sacred place as Lord Vishnu took bath at this spot and the water is said to relive all sins.
Chandi Devi Temple: The temple is devoted to Chandi Devi, a form of the Hindu idol Durga. The Chandi Devi Temple is one of the most ancient temples in India and attracts thousands of pilgrims during the festivals of Navratra and the Kumbha Mela.Chandi Devi Temple is also one of the siddh peeths in haridwar along with Mansa Devi and Maya Devi Temple. Temple can be reached by two ways. 1. By trek (03 km one way) 2. By Cable Car (ropeway) (10 Minutes ride).
Pawan Dham : Pawan Dham is Placed about 500 mt further, along the Rishikesh road. The temple is renowned for it’s fantastic glass and mirrorwork and it’s elaborated garbed idols. Pawan Dham Temple is Placed just two km from Haridwar, along the Rishikesh road, in Uttarakhand. The temple was constructed by the attempts of “Swami Vedantanand Ji Maharaj.” The temple is one of the famous tourist attractions.
Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar : Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar is a popular bird watching point which is around 3.5 km away from Haridwar. Placed at the Bhimgoda Barrage of Haridwar, Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar is famous for Siberian Cranes that are seen in the winter months at Laljiwala. A natural habitat of different species of migratory birds, Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar is an classic place to view one of nature’s charming creations.
Doodhadhari Barfani Temple : The Doodhadhari Barfani Temple is known for its architectural finesse. Doodhadhari Barfani Temple is placed in the ashram “Doodhadhari Barfani Baba”, This is one of most classic temples in Haridwar. The comfort work in marble and inlay with beautiful carvings makes its architecture looks apart from other shrines of Haridwar.
Kankhal : Kankhal is most known for the ancient temple of Daksheswara Mahadev temple placed in the south Kankhal town. The present temple was made by Queen Dhankaur in 1810 AD and rebuilt in 1962.Kankhal is one of ‘ Five Pilgr/sneha/wp-content/themes/twentyeleven/images’ (Panch Tirth) in Haridwar. The other fours are Har ki Pauri, Kushwart (Ghat in Kankhal), Bilwa Teerth (Mansa Devi Temple) and Neel Parvat (Chandi Devi Temple).
Sureshwari Devi Temple : This temple belongs to deity Sureshwari. The temple placed in middle of Rajaji National Park. Peaceful and sacred atmosphere makes this holy place more beautiful for believer. Permission is necessory from forest rangers to visit this temple.
Bharat Mata Mandir : This temple belongs to Mother India.Bharat Mata Mandir, 5 km north of the center. commited to Mother India, this is half temple, half nation building exercise, with seven floors deformed with deities, saints, and secular heroes of all Indian faiths.
Parad Shivling : Devotees mainly visit the Parad Shivling to get divine by Lord Shiva. Though the shivlingam is the major charm here.The Parad Shivling can be arrive by traveling a distance of 6 km from the religious town of Haridwar in Uttarakhand to Kankhal.
Ramanand Ashram : Ramanand ashram is placed in Shravan Nath Nagar of the city near railway station, this is the main ashram of Ramanand Sampraday in Haridwar. Mahant Bhagwan Das is the chief of this ashram.
Maa Anandamayi Ashram : This ashram is placed in Kankhal, one of five sub-cities of Haridwar, the ashram houses the samadhi shrine of Sri Anandamoyi Ma (1896–1982), a noted angel of India.This ashram houses the samadhi shrine of Sri Anandamoyi Maa.
Piran Kaliyar : Piran Kaliyar is the dargah of 13th-century Sufi saint of Chishti Order, Alauddin Ali Ahmed Sabir Kalyari also known as Sarkar Sabir Pak and Sabir Kaliyari, placed at Kaliyar village, near Haridwar on the banks of Ganga Canal, 7 km. from Roorkee,It is one of the most admire shrine for Muslims in India and is fairly revered by Hindus and Muslims.
Patanjali Yogpeeth (Trust) : Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, is one of the biggest yoga institutes in India, probably the whole world. Named after the Rishi Patanjali, the institute is Baba Ramdev’s flagship project. Its purpose is to practise and research and establish yoga and ayurveda, as well as manufacture ayurvedic medicines. It is also the home of the University of Patanjali.