Haridwar Travel Guide: Har Ki Pauri, the Hill Temples and Planning

Most of Haridwar's sights belong to its Panch Tirth, the five pilgrimages within the city: Har Ki Pauri, Kushavarta Ghat, Kankhal, Mansa Devi on Bilwa Parvat and Chandi Devi on Neel Parvat. The ghats and Maya Devi are in the old city by the river; the two hill temples are reached by ropeway or on foot.

Har Ki Pauri and Brahma Kund

Har Ki Pauri, "the footsteps of the gods", is Haridwar's best-known ghat; the district credits it to King Vikramaditya, and it has been extended over the years to hold the Kumbh crowds. Within it lies Brahma Kund, where drops of amrit, the nectar of immortality, are believed to have fallen. The Ganga aarti is held here at dusk every day: priests raise towering lamps to temple bells, conch shells and chanting, while hundreds of diyas and flowers float on the river. There is a morning aarti too. Our Haridwar day trip from Rishikesh is timed for the evening ceremony, with a guide who arranges a vantage point.

Mansa Devi Temple

On Bilwa Parvat, a hill of the Shivalik range above the city, the Mansa Devi temple is one of Haridwar's three Siddhpeeths, the temples where wishes are believed to be granted; the others are Chandi Devi and Maya Devi. Devotees tie threads to a tree in the complex when they make a wish and return to untie them when it comes true. You can walk up a path of about 3 km or take the ropeway known as the Mansa Devi Udan Khatola, and the top looks out over the city and the river.

Chandi Devi Temple

Chandi Devi crowns Neel Parvat, one of the five tirthas. Incredible India dates the present temple to 1929, built by King Suchat Singh of Kashmir, while tradition holds that Adi Shankaracharya installed its image of the goddess. The walk up starts at Chandighat and runs for about 3 km on a fairly steep path; a ropeway, the Udan Khatola, makes the climb in a few minutes. Devotees come in large numbers for the Navratri festivals, in Chaitra (March–April) and Ashvin (September–October).

Maya Devi Temple

A walk from Har Ki Pauri, the Maya Devi temple honours the goddess who gave Haridwar its old name, Mayapuri. Incredible India counts it among the Shakti Peethas, where the heart and navel of the goddess Sati are believed to have fallen, and dates it to the 11th century. In the sanctum Maya Devi sits between Kali and Kamakhya. With Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi, it completes the city's triangle of Siddhpeeths, so many pilgrims visit all three on the same day.

Kankhal and the Daksha Mahadev Temple

Kankhal, on the outskirts of the city and one of the five tirthas, is where King Daksha, the father of Sati, is said to have held the yagna in whose fire she gave up her life after he insulted her husband, Shiva. The Daksha Mahadev temple, dedicated to Shiva, stands on the site. It is busiest in Shravan, the month of July and August, when Shiva's devotees fill the city.

Bhimgoda Kund and the bathing ghats

Bhimgoda, a sacred tank a short walk from Har Ki Pauri, is said to have been made by Bhima of the Mahabharata when he struck the earth with his knee, and devotees bathe in its water, above all in Sawan (July–August). Beyond Har Ki Pauri, Uttarakhand Tourism names Vishnu Ghat, Ganesh Ghat, Birla Ghat and Gau Ghat among the ghats where pilgrims take a dip in the Ganga. Bathe only where others do, at the ghats.

Shantikunj, Sapt Rishi Ashram and Patanjali Yogpeeth

Haridwar is a city of ashrams. Shantikunj, a renowned spiritual retreat, is about 5 km from Har Ki Pauri. Sapt Rishi Ashram, one of the oldest, stands where the Ganga is said to divide into seven streams and runs a Sanskrit school. Patanjali Yogpeeth, on a large campus, carries out research in yoga and Ayurveda. Uttarakhand Tourism notes that many ashrams welcome visitors and guests for yoga, meditation and Ayurvedic treatment.

Rajaji National Park and Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar

About 8 km from the city, Rajaji National Park covers some 820 sq km of Shivalik forest, formed in 1983 by joining the Rajaji, Motichur and Chilla sanctuaries. The district lists 23 species of mammals and 315 of birds, from elephants, tigers and leopards to sambar, goral and the king cobra. Closer in, the Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar, 3.5 km from Haridwar, draws thousands of migratory birds in winter.

Piran Kaliyar

On the outskirts of Roorkee, south of Haridwar, the dargah of Hazrat Makhdum Allauddin Ali Ahmed "Sabir" is visited by devotees of every religion, and the district describes it as a living example of unity between Hindus and Muslims. It is about 17 km from the district headquarters, and its Urs, the annual celebration, draws pilgrims from India and abroad.