What to See in Haridwar

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Haridwar is a place where the twain between the mind and soul comes to an end. It is a mirror in which the Indian culture gets reflected. The charm of Haridwar does not end with it being only a holy place but in recent times, Haridwar has emerged as a prominent tourist destination. With a good number of sightseeing places, a holiday in the abode of the Lord will simply be blissful.

The most notable attraction in Haridwar is the Har-Ki-Pauri. This well known ghat which has the footsteps of the lord was built by King Vikramaditya in the memory of his beloved brother Bhartrihari. The special attraction here is the evening prayer attended by thousands of devotees. The scene of the aarti being performed with hymns filling up the air and little oil lamps floating on the rippling waters of the Ganga is simply enchanting.

Haridwar can also be nicknamed as a city of Temples. A number of temples are found in Haridwar, notable for the architectures and the legend behind them. Some of them are the Maya Devi Temple, Daksha Mahadev Temple and Chandi Devi Temple on Neel Parvat. This temple was built by the Raja of Kashmir, Suchat Singh in the year 1929 A.D. Two more temples attract attention of the tourists. One is the Mansa Devi Temple on the Bilwa Parvat and the other Doodhadhari Barfani Temple dedicated to Lord Ram and his wife Goddess Sita. The entire temple complex is believed to be made out of marble.

Situated 20 kilometers away from Haridwar is the pious Dargah of Hazrat Makhdum Allauddin Ali Ahamed 'Sabir'. Built by Ibrahim Lodi, this place attracts crowds during the Urs festival. The place is famed as Piran Kaliyar.

Other notable attractions in Haridwar include the Bhimgoda Tank, Sati Kund, Jairam Ashram, Sapt Rishi Ashram and Sapt Sarovar, Parad Shivling, Anandamayi Ma Ashram, Gurukul Kangri University founded by Swami Shraddhananda and Pawan Dham.

For bird lover's and wildlife enthusiasts, a visit to the Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar and the Rajaji National Park is a must. For shoppers, Jwalapur, the local shopping destination demands a ritualistic visit.