Haridwar
Haridwar or Hardwar as it is called is one of the holiest pilgrimage places of the Hindus. The holy city on the banks of the river Ganga falls under the Haridwar District in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. One of the seven renowned holy places, Haridwar stands for the 'Gateway to God', since Hari stands for God and Dwar refers to gate or door. The significance of the place is associated with Hindu Mythology. It is believed that after the samudra manthan (churning off the sea in which the elixir of immortality was retrieved) the heavenly nectar was carried away by the Garuda, a celestial bird belonging to the Preserver of the Universe, Lord Vishnu. Drops of it spilled over and fell at this place which came to be known as Haridwar. Three other sites where the nectar fell were Nasik, Allahabad and Ujjain. All these four places are important pilgrimage places and also the site of the world famous Kumbh Mela, held at an interval of every 12 years. Haridwar is also known by several other names like Gangadwar, Kapila and Mayapuri and the district of Haridwar covers a total of 2360 kilometer square.In Haridwar the place where the heavenly elixir fell, came to be known as Brahma Kund or Har-Ki-Pauri. The Har-Ki-Pauri is the most important ghat (bathing place) and means "footsteps of the Lord". The footsteps are noticeable on the upper parts of the ghat and the river Ganga herself pays homage to it by washing it with her waves.
Haridwar has also been the seat of ancient culture, arts and science. Secrets of Ayurvedic treatments and herbal remedies all lie here. One of the primary methods of ancient education, the Gurukul system has its origins in Haridwar. Haridwar is also one of the first points from where the river Ganga descends to start her journey towards the plains.
If Haridwar is the gateway to the Almighty, then the path to attain salvation also lies here. It is the perfect place to get away from all the daily drudgery, mundane human life and the heaviness of the soul. This is the place to get relief from it all- to get a new life.