Haridwar

Haridwar (Hindi: हरिद्वार Haridvār), also spelt Hardwar, is a Hindu pilgrimage site at the Ganges River, in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.

Understand


Haridwar (huh-rihd-wahr) literally means the Gateway to God, is one of the Hindu holy places in India and a centre of Hindu religion and mysticism for centuries. Located on the banks of the River Ganges (Ganga), at the point where the Ganges descends from the hills to the North Indian plains, Haridwar attracts a large number of Hindu pilgrims from all over the world.

Get in
Haridwar is about 200 km from Delhi, the capital of India and is well connected by road and rail network from all parts of India. Although the town is nicely connected by train and bus, you should remember to book in advance, especially during pilgrimage season.

It is better to avoid travelling to Haridwar during the Hindu month of Sawan (around July) since there is a heavy crowd and all important roads are blocked and most of the hotels, buses, and trains are crowded. It is also not good choice to visit this place during the monsoon season (late May to August) as the rain will hinder your visit.

To travel from Delhi to Haridwar you can rent a car or private taxi. You can also prefer to go by train as frequent trains are available and those are less costly as compared to private cabs.

By plane
Dehradun's Jolly Grant Airport is nearest airport to Haridwar. It is domestic airport 20 km away from the city centre. Taxis from the airport to Haridwar cost ₹400. Frequent flights from Delhi are available as well.

Around 200 km away, Delhi is the nearest international airport, which is well connected to domestic and foreign airports.

By train


Here are some useful trains to reach Haridwar:

By bus
Haridwar's bus station, close to the train station, is chaotic and has no signage whatsoever in English. There are regular bus services from Delhi (theoretically 4 hours), Rishikesh (one hour) and other important towns of North India to Haridwar. Before booking the bus check the bus condition. Always go for cushioned and push-back seats. The long and bumpy ride will take a toll on your mood and body.

As there is shortage of AC buses during summer vacations so always go before 1 or 1.5 hour your suitable time so as to get the prior reservation.

Get around
Central Haridwar can be comfortably covered on foot. However, taxis and auto-rickshaws can be available at train and bus stations.

Cycle rickshaws usually cost ₹10 for nearer distance, while ₹25 for longer distance such as from main station to Har Ki Pauri. If you want to hire a taxi for more than three hours to visit ashrams and local temples then it may cost you ₹400. For similar distance, auto-rickshaws can cost around ₹200.

Events
Haridwar is the site of many religious festivals. Most notably, once every twelve years it is the venue for the Kumbh Mela, the world's largest festival, which drew a record 70 million people in 2003. The festival rotates between Haridwar and Prayagraj, Ujjain and Nashik.)The Ardh Mela, or "half mela", is held every six years. The last Maha Kumbh Mela was in 2022, and the last Ardh Mela was in 2016.

Other yearly festivals include:
 * Baisakhi, It is held in the month of April and devotees from Jharkhand, Bihar, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Haryana converge here to celebrate the auspicious festival Baisakhi.
 * Kanwar Mela, July. The largest yearly festival, drawing up to 300,000 visitors.
 * Kartik Purnima, held 15 days after Diwali on the first night of the full moon in November.
 * Somwati Amavasya, July. Almost as large as the Kanwar Mela.

While the festivals are colourful and fascinating, they also strain the town's limited infrastructure to the breaking point and sometimes beyond. Book rooms and tickets well in advance, and avoid travel by road as the traffic jams can be horrendous.

Buy
Haridwar, the holy city is one of the most renowned pilgrimage centres in India. Pilgrims from all over the world flock to this sacred city to take a dip in the holy waters of River Ganga. Being a destination for pilgrimage tourism, shopping in Haridwar is not on the itinerary of the tourist.

However shops in Haridwar have some interesting things to offer to the tourist. The main shopping centres are Moti bazaar, Upper Road, Jwalapur and Kankhal. You can also check out the Government Handloom and Handicrafts Emporiums and the Gandhi Ashram. Offers a range of handicraft decorative pieces. If you are interested in jewellery, then you can choose from a variety of imitation ones which make good fashion accessory.

In Haridwar, you will find neatly and intricately carved stone idols, which make unique souvenirs. It is fascinating that these stones have traversed with Ganga all along and they are eventually deposited in Rishikesh as the river enters the plains. This gives the stones amazing shapes and a natural polish. Besides idols, there are kitchen set toys made from stone, which are interesting.



Eat
Haridwar is a purely vegetarian town.



Drink
Alcohol is banned in Haridwar.

Sleep
For most of the hotels the check-in time is noon. Plenty of Dharmshalas are also available in Haridwar. A cluster of new, modern hotels has sprung up in Bhopatwala, some 5 km north of the city centre.

Stay safe
During festivals, especially the Kumbh Mela, Haridwar is packed to bursting and beyond. Stampedes are a regular occurrence, with over 50 killed in 1986, 21 killed in 2003 and 5 killed in 2010; the bridges across the Ganges are the most dangerous spot.

Alcohol is strictly banned in Haridwar. So don't get trapped in any illegal alcohol consumption as no one wants to end his journey in prison.

Similar to other holy places, Haridwar has significant number of beggars and charlatans. Watch out for the motives of Sadhus trying to offer some one-to-one tutoring in return of money. Beware of greedy monkeys which may attack anytime to grab food from your hands. Be watchful when you walk, as cows and their abundant leftovers can be seen on the roads.

Go next

 * Rishikesh - "Haridwar lite" 26 km upriver, popular with backpackers; literally meaning Lord of Senses, Rishikesh stands for Lord Vishnu and the city is blessed with holy river Ganges
 * Sapta Rishi Ashram - a few kilometres from Haridwar, the ashram is believed to have been the meditation ground of seven sages
 * Yamunotri