Cheap Haridwar Tour Packages, Best Travel Agent in Haridwar, Local Travel Agent in Haridwar, Travel HedThe Gateway to God', or 'the Gateway to Heaven', Haridwar, is in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and is a famous pilgrimage destination for the Hindus from all over the world. Situated between the Shivalik Hills in the north and the north east and the Ganga River in the south, Haridwar inspires those inspired by spiritualism and nature. Haridwar-- blessed by all the gods of the trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh) -- was earlier known as Kapilsthan and Mayapuri. Considered to be one of the seven holiest places on earth for the Hindus, Haridwar is also one of the four places where the 'elixir of immortality' fell from the heaven when a tussle for the elusive pot of nectar of immortality had taken place between the gods and the demons. The Brahma Kund at Har-Ki-Pauri is the place at Haridwar where the elixir of immortality is believed to have fallen. The other three places are Nasik, Ujjain and Allahabad. Like these places, at Haridwar also Ardh Kumbh and Maha Kumbh Mela are held after every six and 12 years respectively which attract thousands of pilgrims and visitors from all over the world. Mythology has it that King Bhagirath brought Ganga to Haridwar to salvage the souls of his ancestors who had been cursed by the sage Kapil. Haridwar is a very ancient town; it finds mention by the famous Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang who has mentioned Haridwar as Maurya. Haridwar is also the place where the River Ganga, for the first time, enters the Indo-Gangetic Plains. Maybe, that's why the place is also known as Gangadwara. The waters of the sacred river look sparklingly clean and fresh at Haridwar. Haridwar is also the entry point to the Char Dham-Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. A holy dip in the Ganga at Haridwar is regarded very auspicious and cleanses one of all sins and impurities. Besides the renowned Har-Ki-Pauri at Haridwar, which is much renowned for its mesmerizing aartis and the floating diyas, there are some other ghats spots at Haridwar visited by the pilgrims in good numbers to bathe and offer their offerings to the god. They are: Gangadwara, Kankhal, Nila Parvata, Bilwa Theertha, and Kussavata. The beautiful sight of thousands of diyas with marigold flowers floating in the waters of the sacred river is very enriching, and it turns out to be the experience of a lifetime. Apart from the its many bathing ghats, Haridwar is also much famous for its numerous temples--much like Varanasi. Gangadwara Temple, Chandi Devi Temple, Mansa Devi Temple, Maya Devi Temple, Daksha Mahadeva Temple, Vaishno Devi Temple, and Bharat Mata Temple are just some of the many well-known temples of Haridwar that are worth visiting. Haridwar is a pilgrimage centre not only for the Hindus but for the Muslims also. Piran Kaliyar, also known as Kaliyar Sharif--the much revered dargah of Hazrat Makhdum Allauddin Ali Sabir--is a pilgrimage destination for the Muslims and the Hindus alike. It is located just 23 km away from Haridwar. For the wildlife and nature lovers, there's the Rajaji National Park in Haridwar which is home to many varieties of flora and fauna. Spread over an area of 820 sq km, the Rajaji National Park is home to 23 species of mammals and 315 species of birds. And oh, did I mention that Haridwar is also much renowned all over India for its Ayurvedic medicines? In fact, the place is the best resource for these medicines. No wonder, the practitioners of this ancient form of alternative treatment make it a point to visit the place at least once in their life.
