DIVINE WEEEKEND - RISHIKESH via HARIDWAR

RISHIKESH via HARIDWAR

TOUR SUMMARY

Delhi - Gaziabad - Modinagar - Meerut - Khatauli - Muzzaffarnagar - Roorkee - Haridwar - Rishikesh

CONTENTS

INTRO : A crisp Introduction to the Destination & Super Stop.

THE JOURNEY : Driving experience, General Information(Trivia) & Suggestions etc (Notes).

GROUND REPORT : A summary of the Destination & important Stopovers. Safe pit stops(refreshment breaks). Details like Altitude, Distances, HOTEL INFORMATION WITH TELEPHONE NO & Tourist Attractions etc.

INTRO

DESTINATION RISHIKESH

A fast flowing Ganga through a lively valley and the forested mountains standing silently in the background...is always an awe-inspiring sight. Gateway to the Himalayas, the ultimate spiritual destination and Yoga Capital of the World invites you to...

...wash your spirit clean at Yog-nagari RISHIKESH

SUPER STOP HARIDWAR

THE GATEWAY TO GOD with colourful, crowded, narrow lanes & by-lanes...where the reflection of floating flickering floral diyas, in sparkling and glittering Ganga, is the most delightful sight in the twilight...where temples have historical as well as spiritual significance...where loud chants of 'Har Har Gange' takes you beyond the spiritual aura and mythology...a perfect blend of solace, spirituality, and fun...

Where Ganga emerges from the Himalayas...is HARIDWAR.

THE JOURNEY

Month : April

Starting point : New Delhi

Destination : Rishikesh via Haridwar

Mode of transport : Car

She likes to wear nail polish & lipstick, she loves earrings but she's yet to get her ears pierced. At less than two years (of age) SHANVI is a fashion statement. But on this tour, her first love...our energizer bunny's beautifully grown golden locks were going to vanish.

Mundan ready...lovely Golden Locks!

SHANVI's fourth tour started at around 3:45 AM. Within ten minutes of the drive, she fell asleep, perhaps, assured that she is not left behind. Passing through Ghaziabad, Modinagar, Meerut, Khatauli, it was a great drive till Muzzaffarnagar. Our first BREAK at Namaste midway (Muzaffarnagar) 123 kms from our home, was refreshing. Post Muzzaffarnagar, upto Roorkee, roads were nightmarish. From Roorke, it took us over an hour & half to reach Haridwar.

We checked into a hotel on the outskirts of the city. Without wasting much time, we hired an auto rickshaw for Har-Ki-Pauri. Mostly, the roads in and around Haridwar remain jam-packed, and more so during the weekends. In spite of being a weekday today, the conditions were still quite furious, perhaps, because of Baisakhi day(a north Indian festival). So ultimately, it proved to be a good idea to park the car safely in hotel's parking and roam around the town in local transport.

HAR - HAR - GANGE...

HAR - HAR - MAHADEV

We reached the Ghat at 11:30 AM for SHANVI's mundan. Mundan ceremony is considered auspicious, especially, when performed on the Ghats of Ganga & more so on the festive occasion of Baisakhi. During the ceremony, hair from the child's head are shaved off. It is believed that besides addressing the teething issues it also improves the growth of baby's hair.

After the ceremony we headed straight to the chotiwala restaurant for lunch. Few years back it used to be, by far the best eating joint of Haridwar. On this occasion it looked ordinary. Quite tired by now, we returned to the hotel to refresh ourselves for the grand evening extravaganza at the Ganga Ghat.

After resting our tired limbs for few hours, we once again left for the market.

Primarily a pilgrimage place, Haridwar maintains a typical shopping environment. Moti Bazar Market on the Upper Road is a famous economical street market in Haridwar. Besides a good number of shops selling 'asli' rudraksha, as claimed by shop owners, a variety of pooja items, idols, beaded accessories, wood & stone carvings, jewellery items etc are available here.

Haridwar also is a foodies paradise...sabzi-Puri, chole-bhature, gulab jamun, kadai milk and all kind of spicy street-food & sweets are available in Haridwar.

~~*~~

MUSSOORIE (Dhanaulti)

HARIDWAR is just 80 kms from the Queen Of Hills, MUSSOORIE, to know all, visit:

https://hillheart.blogspot.in/2018/01/family-destination-mussoorie-dhanaulti.html?m=1

~~*~~

Enjoying thoroughly the hustle and bustle of the crowded city, we proceeded towards Har Ki Pauri (Brahma Kund). The evening aarti at Ganga began at 6:30 PM. During the Ganga Aarti, 21 Pooja Arties are rotated simultaneously. Though overcrowded, the devotionally charged wonderful evening at Har Ki Pauri was an unforgettable experience for us.

Evening aarti, Har-Ki-Pauri

At around half a kilometer from Har Ki Pauri, hoshiyar puri restaurant, again on upper road, is another famous food joint. For dinner, we decided to try this one tonight. Though space-wise a bit cramped, the food was tasty. Dishes were topped with butter and cooked in pure ghee, a satisfying Punjabi khana.

Being extremely tired, our journey from Divine-Land to Dream-Land was silk-smooth, i.e., as soon as we found the beds...we fell to sleep.

KHIRSU

WEEKEND HILL-STATIONS around DELHI (THE 7 HOURS' DESTINATIONS), visit: https://hillheart.blogspot.in/2018/04/weekend-hill-stations-around-delhi.html

The morning started with a drizzle. So, before leaving for Rishikesh, to enjoy the weather to the hilt, we tried out the famous sabzi-puree and kachori at Mohan ji Puriwale at Har Ki Pauri and a very special suji ka halwa, malpua & peda at Mathura Walo Ki Prachin Dukaan. After finishing our breakfast with a hot cup of tea, we moved ahead.

TRIVIA : You can also visit Chandi Devi and Mansa Devi mandirs, and enjoy cable car rides. It would give you a chance to have a bird's eye view of the town.

NOTE : Ignore pundits who will suggest you various poojas. Instead, just buy a floral Diya, say your prayers & let it float in Ganga. Typical of any pilgrimage place in India, Haridwar too is very crowded. Still, it is strongly recommended as a holy-day destination. Be careful from the touts who may bother or even cheat you. Beware of the pickpockets.

MUNSIYARI

MIGHTY HIMALAYAS & FAIRYLANDS around DELHI, visit: https://hillheart.blogspot.in/2018/04/long-drive-hill-stations-around-delhi.html 

It was rather easy going. Around 22 kms journey till Rishikesh was reasonably uneventful.

We checked in at 11:40 AM. A thick blanket of clouds was protecting us from the ruthless rays of the April Sun. And more importantly, it wasn't raining. After settling a bit, we ordered a simple yet protein-rich...dal-roti lunch. And a while later, a fitful nap puts some zing back into us.

At three, as we left the hotel, it was still quite cloudy out there. My sincere thanks to the heavens...for heavens didn't open that day.

Most of the evening was spent roaming along the banks of Ganga, enjoying the cool breeze suffused with the soothing scent of the holy river and tasting a variety of street food. We could see a lot of foreigners wandering around in the streets of Rishikesh. The influx of foreign tourists, perhaps, started in the sixties, when the members of world-famous music band 'The Beatles', visited Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram to learn the Transcendental form of Meditation.

A hot cup of coffee at a coffee corner near Lakshman jhoola was refreshing. Legend has it that many years ago Lakshman had crossed the holy Ganga with the help of thick ropes. Later, a 'swinging bridge' was built at the same place. Hence the name 'Lakshman Jhoola'. As you walk across the jhoola, you get a mesmerizing view of the fast flowing holy river underneath.

With almost similar architecture,  Ram Jhoola is at a distance of around two kms from Lakshman jhoola. There are many famous ashrams situated on both sides of the banks of Ganga, Sivananda Ashram, Geeta Bhavan, Swargashram, Parmarth Niketan to name the few. The ashrams offer all kinds of Yoga and Meditation courses. Boating facility is also available near both the bridges.

TRIVENI GHAT is one of the most prominent Ghats of Rishikesh. What  Har Ki Paori is to Haridwar, Triveni Ghat is to Rishikesh but it is not as crowded as was Haridwar. To me, Rishikesh is more tourist-friendly compared to Haridwar. Triveni Ghat is the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. This ghat is famous among the pilgrims as the most important ghat of Rishikesh to take a holy dip in the serene Ganga. This large ghat is quite well maintained. There are separate changing rooms for women.

The evening aarti, also known as the 'Maha Aarti', started at around 6:30 in the evening. Aarti was accompanied by the chanting of the bhajans, beating of drums & bells. As in Haridwar, here too, we floated diyas placed in a leaf boat decorated with flowers, in the river.

Later, we enjoyed a tasty dinner at The Sitting Elephant, a rooftop Restaurant overlooking the River Ganga.

Another must visit place in Rishikesh is Neelkanth Mahadev Temple. This Temple is dedicated to Nilkanth, an aspect of Shiva. Situated at an elevation of 1330 mtr, it is located about 32 km from Rishikesh. As the terrain is hilly & narrow, it is better to hire a taxi from Ram Jhula.

SURKANDA DEVI Temple

Perched at approx, 10,000 ft. from sea level, SURKANDA DEVI TEMPLE is only about 100 kms from HARIDWAR. Plan a journey with me to 22 SPECIAL TEMPLES around famous HILL-STATIONS, just click here:

https://hillheart.blogspot.com/2018/05/18-special-temples-around-famous-hill.html

~~~~~***~~~~~

NOTE : Besides the spiritual liveliness, Rishikesh is also very popular for adventure sports like trekking, rafting, kayaking, bungee jumping, cliff jump etc. This place is an amalgamation of multiple activities.

GANGA at RISHIKESH

The fast flowing Ganga at Rishikesh

Next morning after enjoying a peaceful brunch at excellently located Ganga Beach Restaurant at Lakshman Jhoola, we left for our home...sweet home.

GROUND REPORT


PIT STOPS

MODINAGAR: (approx 50 kms from Delhi) - Jain shikanji.

KHATAULI : (approx 110 kms from Delhi) - McDonalds & Haldiram’s outlets and more.
Cheetal Grand (Khatauli bypass)

MUZZAFFARNAGAR : (approx 130 kms from Delhi) Namaste Midway - Kullar(earthen cup) Tea near the entrance is good. McDonald's, subway,haldirams, Baskin Robbins, costa coffee all under one roof & bit of shopping too.
...& Many other famous restaurants.

SUPER STOP

HARIDWAR

Altitude -314 m (1,030 ft)
State - Uttrakhand
District - Haridwar district
Division - Garhwal

DISTANCE :

Haridwar - Delhi - 210 km.approx.

Nearest railway station -Haridwar

Nearest airport - Jolly Grant Airport(35 km)

HOW TO REACH :

BY ROAD : Haridwar can be reached easily by road from Delhi, Haryana, UP, Punjab etc. State transport and private buses are easily available for Haridwar.

BY RAIL : The Haridwar Railway Station is located in the heart of the city. It links the major cities of India with Haridwar.

BY AIR : The nearest domestic airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun which is a located 35 km from Haridwar. Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi is the nearest International Airport.

MAIN ATTRACTION

Haridwar is a popular Hindu pilgrimage site. The holy Ganga, after flowing for 253 kms (from Gaumukh) in the hills, enters the Plains for the first time at Haridwar, which gave the city its ancient name, Ganga-dwára*.

Legend has it that Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik and Prayag (Allahabad) are four sites where drops of Amrit (elixir of immortality) accidentally spilled over from the pitcher while being carried by the celestial bird Garuda. This is manifested in the Kumbha Mela, which is celebrated every 12 years in Haridwar*.

An annual Kanwar yatra is carried out from Haridwar by large numbers of Shiva devotees, who gather sacred water from the Ganga and carry it across hundreds of kms on foot, as an offering to Lord Shiva at the local Shivalayas (Shiva Temples).

WHERE TO STAY*

Delhi booking office, Uttarakhand Tourism, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd.(GMVN)
 102- Indraprakash Building, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi 110001
Ph - 011-23350481, 23326620
delhi@gmvnl.com

1. Rahi Motel Haridwar(GMVN)
Address: Near Railway Station Near Railway Station, Haridwār, 249401
Phone: 095680 06661

2. Hotel Rahi (Motel, GMVN)
Address: Near Bus Stand, Devpura, Haridwar, Uttarakhand 249401
Phone: 099992 33233

All kinds of Budget & luxury Hotels along with good dharamshalas, in and around Haridwar are in plenty.



DESTINATION

RISHIKESH

Altitude  : 372 m (1,220 ft)

State : Uttrakhand   

District : Dehradun


DISTANCE FROM :

Delhi : 232 kms

Haridwar: 22 kms


NEAREST RAILWAY STATION : Haridwar

NEAREST AIRPORT : Jolly grant airport, Dehradun


HOW TO REACH :

BY ROAD : Rishikesh has a good network of buses connecting it with important places such as Haridwar, Dehradun and New Delhi. You can choose from a regular, deluxe or a luxurious coach.

BY RAIL : The nearest railhead to Rishikesh is in Haridwar which is approximately 22 kilometers away. Haridwar, in turn, is linked to major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow and Varanasi. Some of the popular trains are Shatabadi Express, Jan Shatabdi, AC Special Express and Mussoorie Express. For those making the journey to Rishikesh, it is advisable to take the train till Haridwar and then either take a bus or hire a taxi to Rishikesh.

BY AIR : Jolly Grant airport at Dehradun is the nearest airport to Rishikesh which is approximately 35 kilometers away. The second nearest international airport for Rishikesh is in New Delhi which is well-connected with different cities across the globe.


MAIN ATTRACTION

Whereas Haridwar still depends only upon the religious pilgrimage, Rishikesh along with the religious beliefs has also acquired recognition as an adventure sports destination of India. The town also serves as a gateway to the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand, viz, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.

Shatrughna Mandir, Bharat Mandir, Lakshman Mandir are the ancient temples established by Adi Shankaracharya. Shatrughna Temple is near Ram Jhula and Lakshman Mandir is near Lakshman Jhula.

The jute-rope bridge of Lakshman Jhula was replaced by iron-rope suspension bridge in 1889. After it was washed away in the 1924 floods, it was replaced by the present stronger bridge. Another similar suspension bridge, Ram Jhula was built in 1986.


WHERE TO STAY*

Delhi booking office, Uttarakhand Tourism, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd.(GMVN)
 102- Indraprakash Building, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi 110001
Ph - 011-23350481, 23326620
delhi@gmvnl.com

1. GMVN Tourist Bungalow MuniKiReti
Address: Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 24912
Phone: 0135 243 0373

2. Bharat Bhoomi, GMVN
Address: Natraj Chowk, BSNL Colony, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 249201
Phone: 099992 33233

3. GMVN Tourist Guest House - Rishilok
Address: Near Kailash Gate, Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 249137
Phone: 099992 33233

4. Rishilok Tourist Complex, GMVN
Address: Munikireti, Tapovan, 249137
Phone: 070604 10506

All kinds of Budget & luxury Hotels along with good dharamshalas, in and around Rishikesh are in plenty. You can also find several hotels with private Ghat facility.


PETROL PUMPS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE ROUTE.

~~~~~***~~~~~

NOTE : ALWAYS drive carefully there...remember, mountains have a way of dealing with overconfidence.

~~~~~~*****~~~~~~

To enjoy all my posts...click your preferred  link below:

PHOTO GALLERIES

1. NAINITAL & JAGESHWAR...the lake city & the land of Shiva 

2. MUSSOORIE & DHANAULTI

3. MUNSIYARI...the lofty Himalayan sequence

4. CHAUKORI...a grand bouquet gifted by Mother Nature

5. DEORIATAL & CHOPTA...here the treks run parallel to the Himalayas

6. KHIRSU & UKHIMATH...rest house in the Himalayas

7. MUKTESHWAR...Shiva's land of salvation

8. Misty LANSDOWNE...the zenith of monsoon

9. KASAULI...nature's health resort

10. KANATAL, CHAMBA (Uttrakhand) & TEHRI LAKE

QUICK READS

# Checkout 15 LESS CROWDED hill-stations around DELHI

# 22 SPECIAL TEMPLES around famous HILL-STATIONS

# 13 WEEKEND HILL-STATIONS around DELHI

# MIGHTY HIMALAYAS & FAIRYLANDS around DELHI

PILGRIMAGE in HIMALAYAS 

# MUSSOORIE pilgrimage

# NAINITAL pilgrimage

# LANSDOWNE pilgrimage

# KASAULI pilgrimage

# PITHORAGARH pilgrimage

# DEV-BHOOMI pilgrimage

DETAILED BLOGS

1.  MUNSIYARI...the lofty Himalayan sequence

2. CHAUKORI...a grand bouquet gifted by Mother Nature

3. KASAULI...nature's health resort

4. KANATAL via CHAMBA...Hi-Land weekend

5. MUSSOORIE & DHANAULTI...the family destination

6. JAGESHWAR...the eighth Jyotirlinga

7. NAINITAL...the lake city

8. RISHIKESH via HARIDWAR...divine weekend

9. KHIRSU & UKHIMATH...rest house in the Himalayas

10. DEORIATAL & CHOPTA...here the treks run parallel to the Himalayas

11. Misty LANSDOWNE...the zenith of monsoon

12. MUKTESHWAR...Shiva's land of salvation

13. CHAKRATA via DEHRADUN

Respect Nature. She Reciprocates!

Mountains are the World’s Water Towers. Water, stocked as Glaciers, flows downwards in form of rivers. Besides satisfying our thirst, it also sustains most of the food production in addition to the maintenance of various green belts that generate the basic requirement of our life, the oxygen.

My birthplace, Delhi is a wonderful place, just a few hundred kilometers away from world's most famous water towers, The Towering Himalayas. And whenever we want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city we head straight into the lush green wilds of the Himalayas to breathe easy in the lap of raw nature. With an almost endless list of destinations, blessed with delightful landscapes and colourful trails for all tastes, capacities & capabilities, Himalaya, we believe is the abode of Gods. However, spending time in such serene surroundings brings its own responsibilities too...

...avoid littering around. Use eco-friendly produce during the journey.

********************************

The Himalayan escape...around Delhi

"Tourists don't know where they've been. Travellers don't know where they are going"

-Paul Theroux

~~*~~

Wanderer's Wonderland

* Compiled from Google