Haridwar belongs to the Uttarakhand state of India. It is one of the holiest cities in India. What makes Haridwar sacred is the river Ganges that enters the Indian terrains for the first time here. The city is also spelled as Hardwar and its ancient name is Gangadwar, because of river Ganges.
Why is Haridwar a sacred city?
According to the Hindu mythology, during the Samudra Manthan, Garuda, a celestial bird while flying, dropped few drops of Amrit or elixir of immortality here. The city is thus known to wash off people’s sins and a gateway to heaven.
Samudra Manthan is churning of ocean and its mention appears in Hindu epic tales of the Bhagavata Purana, the Mahabharata, and the Vishnu Purana.
Because of the pleasant, refreshing climate of the city and people’s religious sentiments, many popular Ashrams are built here and are still in operation. The famous few are-
Shantikunj Ashram
Shantikunj is the headquarters of a spiritual and social organization- All World Gayatri Pariwar (AWGP). The Ashram is built on the bank of river Ganges along the Shivalik range of Himalayas, giving it a mesmerizing atmosphere. The place thus attracts tourists for both spirituality and sightseeing.
Patanjali Yogpeeth
It is a Yoga Institute and research center founded by Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev. Thousands of people visit this Ashram for health benefits. The infrastructure of the Patanjali Yogpeeth is worth seeing on your visit to Haridwar.
Saptarishi Ashram
This is a place where people believe the seven great saints of India meditated. At this place, the river Ganges split into seven streams so that the sages do not get disturbed by the flow.
River Ganges at Haridwar
In the Hindu mythology, king Bhagirath performed years of meditation to bring her down to earth to release his 60,000 uncles from a curse. Because the Ganges was brought to earth by king Bhagirath in Haridwar, it is also known as Bhagirathi here. The evening Ganga Aarti in Haridwar is a lifetime experience.
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