THE RISHIKESH GANGA GHAT IN UTTARAKHAND, INDIA
About Rishikesh ::- Rishikesh Also Spelt As Hrishikesh, Is A City Governed By Rishikesh Municipal Corporation (Since October 2017) And A Tehsil In Dehradun District Of Indian State Uttarakhand. Located In The Foothills Of The Himalayas In Northern India. It Is Known As the "Gateway To The Garhwal Himalayas" And "Yoga Capital Of The World". It Is Lies 21 km(13mi) North Of City Haridwar And 45 km (28 mi) Southeast Of The State Capital Dehradun. It Is Known As The Pilgrimage Town And Regarded As One Of The Holiest Places For Hindus. Hindu Sages And Saints Have Visited Rishikesh Since Ancient Times To Meditate In Search Of Higher Knowledge.
Hrishikesh Is A Name Of Vishnu Composed Of "Hrishi" Meaning Senses And "Kesh" Meaning Lord, Thus Lord Of The Senses. The Name Commemorates An Apparition Of Vishnu To Raibhya Rishi As A Result Of His Tapasya (Austerities) As Lord Hrishikesh. In Skanda Purana This Area Is Known As "Kubjamraka" As Lord Vishnu Appeared Under A Mango Tree. Flowing 249 km Through Its Narrow Himalayan Valley, The Ganges Emerges From The Mountains At Rishikesh Then Debouches On To The Genetic Plain At The Pilgrimage Town Of Haridwar.
Rishikesh Has Been A Part Of The Legendry "Kedarkhand". Legends State That Lord Rama Did Penance Here For Killing Ravana, The Asura King Of Lanka, And Lakshman His Younger Brother Crossed The River Ganges Using Two Jute Ropes At The Point Where The Present "Lakshman Jhula" Stands Today. The Kedarkhand Of Skanda Purana, Also Mentions The Existence Of Indrakund At This Very Point. The Jute Rope Bridge Was Replaced By A 248 Feet Long Iron Rope Suspension Bridge In 1889. After It Was washed Away In The 1924 Floods, It Was Replaced In 1927 By The Present Stronger Bridge Built By The United Provinces Public Work Department. Another Similar Suspension Bridge Ram Jhula Was Built In 1986 At Near By Sivananda Nagar.
The Ganges, One Of The Most Sacred Rivers To Hindus, Flows Through Rishikesh. Here The River Leaves The Shivalik Hill In The Himalayas And Flows Into The Plains Of Northern India. Several temples, Ancient And New, Are Along The Banks Of The Ganges In Rishikesh. Shatrughan Temple, Bharat Temple, Lakshman Temple Are The Ancient Temples Established By Adi Shankaracharya. Shatrughan Temple Is Near Ram Jhula And Lakshman Temple Is Situated Near Lakshman Jhula.
The Historical Records Mention That Some Pilgrimage Used To Stay At Rishikesh As A Resting Place Before Moving Onwards To The Higher Mountains For The Pilgrimages While A Larger Number Used To Visit Rishikesh As The Original Destination And Visited Various Sites Between Rishikesh And Lakshman Jhula Before Returning. However, Rishikesh Has In Recent Decades Shifted From A Pilgrimage To A Tourist Town. The International Yoga Festival Introduced In 2000 Has Brought A New Influx Of Tourists.
According To Many Hindu Yogis And Sadhus The Riverside Stretch Is Of Spiritual And Religious Importance, As It Is Where The Ganges Takes Its From After The Confluence Of The Rivers Bhagirathi And Alakananda At Devprayag In The Garhwal Himalayas. Saints And Yogis Have Been Meditating On The Banks Of Ganges Since Antiquity. However These Banks Have Been Polluted With Liquor Bottles, As Well As Obscene Activities And Behavior At The Beaches.
Brahmpuri, Shivpuri And Kaudiyala Are Small villages From Where People Can Start Their Rafting To Rishikesh. Small Rafting Can Be Done From Brahmpuri(11 Km) 18 Kms Rafting Can Be Done From Shivpuri And 25 Kms Long Rafting Can Be Done From Kaudiyal. During Monsoon Rafting Is Not Possible Due To Heavy Rain. October To June General Season For Rafting Camping Is A Famous Weekend Activity. So Many Temporary Camps Are Established Near Rishikesh. Camping Can Be Done In Jungle And River Bank. Some Camps Provide Group Activities. There Is No Age Limit For Camping Enjoy The Nature River And Small Trek In The Camp.
How To Go ::- Rishikesh Has A Good Network Of Buses Connecting It With Important Places Such As Haridwar, Dehradun, And New Delhi. Nearest Railhead To Rishikesh Is In Haridwar Which Is Approximately 25 Kilometers Away. Nearest Airport Is Dehradun Jolly Grant Airport Which Is Approximately 35 Kilometers Away.
