Places to visit in Haridwar

This is the most prominent religious spots in Haridwar where hundreds and hundreds of devotees gather every morning to bathe in the holy water of the River Ganges. According to Hindu mythology, it is at Haridwar where a nectar drop fell from the ocean when the world was being created. The ghat is also known for the evening ‘aarti’ when thousands gather to witness the priests and pandits worship thee River Goddess. 

The most famous landmark of Haridwar is the bathing ghat of Har-ki-pauri. Literally meaning the footprints of the God, legends state that Hindu Lord Vishnu came to the town and his footprints were imprinted into the stone wall. It is this legend that makes it one of the holiest spots and hundreds of devotees throng the town to take a holy dip into the river Ganges. While at Har-ki-pauri, make sure that you visit the Hindu priests who are known to maintain family details in genealogy registers. 

Haridwar lies in close proximity to a number of other remarkable tourist destinations. One such place is the RajajiNational Park. Located en-route to Rishikesh, the park is known for its plentiful flora and fauna and tribal villages. For a truly reflective tour of the park, one can opt for the jeep or elephant safaris available in the national park.

Another destination which can be visited from Haridwar is the sacred town of Rishikesh. Also, known as the Yoga capital of the world, Rishikesh is dotted with temples and ashrams along with being the site for a number of adventure activities including white water rafting, bungee jumping and trekking.

Another holy site close to Haridwar is the PiranKaliyarSarif, a famous dargah popular among Hindus and Muslims. Constructed by Ibrahim Lodhi, the site is approximately 18 kilometres from Haridwar.

The name is deceptive but the ashram with well-manicured gardens is a favourable place to relax from the chaos of the town streets. Interested tourists can also opt to stay here as it offers simple accommodation for all. Also, the gardens of the ashram are used for spiritual camps that run from weeks to months. 

Haridwaris known as a pilgrimage town attracting hundreds of devotees and if you are travelling with children then do not skip a visit to the Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar. The park will allow the children to appreciate the nature and view migratory birds in their backyard. Also, make sure that your child catches the glimpse of the evening aarti at Har-ki-pauri. This will allow them to understand the faith and also be a part of it by lighting and floating lit diyas into the holy river. 

Located at the Rishikesh Road, the temple was built in 1990s. Dedicated to Shri Chintamani Parshwnath Bhagwan, the temple complex is famous for its intricately carved marble interiors and is a brilliant example of Jain architecture. 

The beautiful temple of Mansa Devi is located in the holy city of Haridwar in Uttarakhand. It is situated atop the Bilwa Parvat on the Shivalik hills. Mansa Devi temple is one of the most venerated temples of the goddess Mansa Devi and is therefore, a major pilgrimage site. Devotees and pilgrims from all over India visit this temple throughout the year and it also sees a lot of tourists that want to visit just to marvel at its beauty. To reach the majestic temple, one needs to cover a distance of 2.5 kms by trekking up the stairs built along the path that leads to the temple. 

The temple holds great religious importance and is one of the Siddh Peeths (Siddh Peeths are places that are believed to fulfil the desires of the worshippers) of Haridwar along with the Chandi Devi temple and Maya Devi temple.  In fact, the name Mansa means wish. 

Highlights of Mansa Devi Mandir:

Apart from the beautiful temple with its picturesque views, the ropeway facility that leads to the temple is yet another tourist attraction here. The ropeway is called Mansa Devi Udankhatola and was developed for the comfort and convenience of the devotees and pilgrims. 

The ropeway journey covers about 540 metres and escalates to a height of 178 metres from the base station. It’s important to keep in mind that the timings of the service change as different months go by. 

Best time to visit Mansa Devi Mandir:

The right time to visit the temple is during the months of February, March, August, September and October as the weather is pleasant during this time. The summer season can be inconvenient as the days get very hot. 

Do note that the Savan festival is celebrated in July and Haridwar sees a lot of devotees and pilgrims. Hence, it is recommended to avoid this month. 

How to reach Mansa Devi Mandir:

Haridwar has a good public transport facility, which is why there should be no problem finding conveyance to the temple. 

By Air: Haridwar does not have an airport and the nearest airport to it is the Jolly Grant Airport in the city of Dehradun. Fortunately, this airport is just 37 kms away from Haridwar and one can easily reach the city by public or private transport. Since Jolly Grant Airport only hosts select domestic flights, the Delhi Airport is a far more convenient option for visitors coming from great distances. 

By Rail: The major station here is the Haridwar Railway Station which is well connected to the major cities all over India. The railway station comes under the Northern Railway Zone and numerous trains connect cities like Delhi, Mussoorie, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and more. There are a lot of public transport options available from the station to take one to the temple. 

By Road: The NH-58 connects Haridwar to Delhi, Roorkee, Meerut, and Ghaziabad. The highway starts from Haridwar itself and connects it to Pilibhit, Kashipur, Nagina and Bareilly. A lot of state transport buses are available along this route.

Dedicated to the presiding deity of Haridwar, this temple is one of the 51 ‘shaktipeeths’ in the country making it vastly popular among devotees. This is again very famous for its evening aarti like Har-ki-paurighat.

As the name suggests, the temple is dedicated to Mother India. Hence, this is a temple which is more of a nation building exercise and houses saints and deities from all religions. Also, a number of heroes, especially freedom fighters have also been featured in this temple.