An
Overview :
Located on the northern part of the Indian state Uttranchal, Rishikesh is a
popular Hindu pilgrimage destination site. The city is surrounded by hills of Himalayas
on three sides and is on the confluence point of the river Ganges and
Chandrabhaga. In ancient time, it was the mediating centre for various sages
or Rishis. It was the place where Rishi Raibhya did hard meditation and God
appeared by the name of Hrishikesh and hence called the place as Rishikesh.
Rishikesh is the gateway to the four major pilgrimages places together
called Chardham. The city is renowned for its Ashrams which are main seats
for spiritual learning, meditation and yoga practices.
Pilgrimage Shrines :
The city is dotted with several ghats and old temples, which are major
attractions for tourists and pilgrims. Some of the important ones are given
below:
» Ashrams - A number of ashrams located on the
banks of the river Ganges are popular for their yoga and meditation
programmes. There are also several temples inside every ashrams having
mythological importance. All the ashram are collectively called the Swarg
Ashram and the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram.
» Lakshman Jhula - Its a hanging bridge on the
river Ganges. It is believed that Lakshman the brother of Lord Rama crossed
the river with the help of a rope bridge made of jute. The present 450 long
bridge was built in 1939 and is suspended of use now. There is a temple near
the bridge dedicated to Lord Lakshman to commemorate the journey of
Lakshman.
»
Triveni Ghat - This sacred ghat is in the confluence point of three
mountain streams and is known as a major bathing spot. It attracts large
number of Hindu pilgrims to take a holy dip in this sacred ghat to wash
their sins.
» Gita Bahwan - This is a beautiful building near
Lakshman Jhula, which houses several stone statues of Gods and Goddesses of
Hindu mythology.
» Temples - There are a large number of temples can
be seen throughout the city. Some of the must visit temples are the
Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, the Raghunath Temple, Bharat Temple which are
worth visiting.
Besides the above mentioned temples and other pilgrimage spots, the
International Yoga Week Festival celebrated in the month of February every
year also attracts tourists on a large scale. This festival is the ideal
place to learn different aspects of yoga and meditation.
Getting to Rishikesh :
The holy city Rishikesh is easily accessible from all important cities of
India by air, rail and road.
» By Air - Jolly Grant Airport of Dehradun
is the nearest one to Rishikesh and is at a distance of 24 km.
» By Rail - Rishikesh railway station is connected
to some of the major towns and cities of India. One can also reach Rishikesh
via Haridwar.
» By Road - An excellent network of roads link the
city to all major towns of Uttranchal and surrounding areas. State
Transports Corporation has bus services to almost all main cities of North
India.
» By Local Transport - Auto rickshaws, cycle
rickshaws and taxis are easily available in Rishikesh.
