Rishikesh, is a sacred city in the Dehradun district of the Indian state Uttarakhand. It’s also known as gateway to the Himalayas. Its situated on the banks of the river Ganga, surrounded by hills and not far from Haridwar. Today it styles itself as the Yoga capital of the world and is the place where you can learn about all aspects of Hinduism. The whole town is considered to be sacred and there is a believe that meditation here leads to salvation. Despite the growing number of visitors from all over the world, the town has retained its old-world charm.
Ganga or the river Ganges is the holy river of India for Hindus. She is truly a Divine mother and source of inspiration. She irrigates not only farmer’s fields, but also hearts, mind and souls of millions of devotees. Every evening, as the suns last rays touches the holy Ganga, people gather near Paramarth Niketan’s Ganga Ghat and Thriveni Ghat to experience the holy Ganga Arthi (Fire offering to the river). It is a top attraction at Rishikesh and is an important religious ceremony. This Divine ceremony is filled with prayers, and arthi where, people provide fire offerings to the river in the form of floating lamp and flowers. It is a spectacular view, where thousands of lamps float on the river and looks like stars.
Rishikesh is a delightful place to explore on foot. Cross the suspension bridges (Ram Jhula and Laxman Jhula) and you experience the spectacular view of the town and river Ganga. It’s an amazing experience to relax near the Ghats. The place is considered to be holy city and is vegetarian. There are places to visit like, Ram Jhula, Laxman Jhula, Paramarth Niketan, Thera manzil temple, and Thriveni ghat. The place is much more than religious as it’s famous for adventure sports. Town is excellent for river rafting and trekking.
If you are in Rishikesh and not visiting Chotiwala then your trip is incomplete. You must have the Thali from Chotiwala. The original Chotiwala is located at a walking distance from Ram Jhula and its pretty much an unmissable place. For stay, you will get good clean hotels or backpackers at reasonable price. You can book hotels in advance with Booking.com.
Have a great and relaxing stay! Happy travelling!