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Rishikesh is such an enchanting place that if you visit it once, in all likelihood you would fall prey to its charm. It would entice you to come again & again. Despite visiting Rishikesh at least five times, I still yearn to visit it. I had last visited it in July 2019. Unfortunately, we had to put on hold the plans for 2020. I eagerly look forward to another opportunity to visit it. Till then, let me satiate my yearning by taking you on a virtual tour of this holy city blessed by the gods & rishis.
Legends, mythology & history
Rishikesh at the foothills of the Garhwal Himalayas has natural beauty in abundance. In Sanskrit, Rishikesh (Hrishikesh) means Lord of the Senses and stands for Vishnu. As per legends in Satyug, two rishis by the name Raibhya & Som Sharma came to the forests here. They did severe penance leading a very austere life. Lord Vishnu was pleased with their devotion and gave them darshan in the form of Lord Hrishikesh. Hence the name of the place became Rishikesh. From times immemorial, sages & rishis have come to the forests & hills on the banks of Ganga at Rishikesh for doing penance, meditate & seek salvation. According to another legend, in ancient times these rishis with long hairs (kesh) used to take dip in Ganga and wash their long locks. This gave the place its name.
Mythology
As per mythology, Ram & Lakshman had stayed at Rishikesh for sometime. There is an ancient Lakshman temple in Tapovan area of Rishikesh. As per legends Lakshman had meditated at this place. People believe that Lakshman Jhula was built at the same spot where Lakshman had built a bridge using jute ropes.
History
Scholars believe that Rishikesh as a dwelling place came into existence in the 8th century after Adi Shankara laid the foundation of the Bharat (Hrishikesh Narayan) temple in Rishikesh.
Come to Rishikesh for a soul-stirring experience
Rishikesh is a place that evokes so many emotions as every visitor who comes to this place is a SEEKER. He might be a devout Hindu coming to take a dip in the holy Ganga to wash his sins. It could be the transit place for those going on the ‘Char Dham’ yatra. The visitor could be a seeker of spirituality. May be listening to the discourses by the saints & spiritual gurus is what brings him here. The desire to learn or practice Yoga with the gurus at this ‘world capital of yoga’ is what attracts many to Rishikesh. A nature lover would come here seeking scenic vistas or for trekking. River rafting or adventure sports may bring the adventure seekers. People also come to Rishikesh in search of inner peace through meditation.
Rishikesh – a complete package
Whatsoever may be the reason that bring people to Rishikesh, it has a magnetic pull that keeps one mesmerized for life. I can say from my experience that a sojourn in Rishikesh is definitely an uplifting experience both for the body & the soul. In modern lingo it can be said that Rishikesh is a complete holiday package. It is an amazing travel destination that has something on offer for tourists of all age groups from across the globe!!! Please visit Rishikesh at least once in your life time for a soul-stirring experience. It is true that the “The pleasure we derive from journeys is perhaps dependent more on the mindset with which we travel than on the destination we travel to”.
Many faces of Rishikesh
Rishikesh can be divided in three distinct areas – one is the downtown with dusty roads and lot of traffic which should be avoided for stay. At one end of the town is the Ram Jhula and further 1.5 kms away is the older bridge Lakshman Jhula. The areas around these two bridges is where majority of the visitors stay. Several ashrams are located in an area known as Swarg Ashram which is on the other side of Ram Jhula. The more well known Ashrams are Geeta Bhawan, Parmarth Niketan and Vanprastha Ashram. Vanprastha Ashram has two wings. It has comfortable rooms with balcony, attached bathroom and kitchenette. Majority of the rooms are AC rooms and the tariff is reasonable. One has to book a room at Vanprastha several months in advance through their Kolkata office.
Our Rishikesh sojourns
I and my wife have gone to Rishikesh either in the month of April or July for two weeks sojourn and have always stayed in Vanprastha Ashram. During these months my wife’s Guruji, Swami Govind Dev Giriji Maharaj (one of the renowned saints of India and now trustee & treasurer of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust) stays there and conducts Geeta Shivir, discourses & kathas. Though my wife attends both the morning & evening sessions, I attend it periodically and spend rest of the time exploring Rishikesh and surrounding places. In the words of Marcel Proust (famous French novelist) “The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes”. Despite visiting Rishikesh so many times, every time I discover something new and interesting.
My morning walks in Swargashram
“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open”. I have followed this advice to a T. That’s why I seek the small joys in life and could always find beauty even in most mundane of the things & places. In Vanprastha Ashram, I get up at 4.30 a.m. and I am out for my morning walks at 5 a.m. Swargashram already comes to life by then. At that hour there is a gentle breeze blowing and view of Ganga is mesmerizing. The place is so tranquil and retains the old world charm. The cows & bulls roaming freely or the cow dung in the lanes do not make me look with disdain or distract me from the beauty of the nature.
A solitary walk in the rain.
Have you ever taken a solitary walk in the hilly terrain in pounding rain with mountains on one side and river flowing on the other? With clouds hanging low, you get the feeling of floating through the mist. I experienced this one morning during my stay at Rishikesh when I went on a 12 kms trek covering Ram Jhula, Bhootnath Temple, Lakshman Jhula & beyond. On the way I crossed few small streams overflowing with rain water, came face to face with some langoors & monkeys, saw some beautiful wild flowers, discovered an old abandoned temple. I enjoyed a cup of piping hot masala chai & hot onion bhajiyas at a road side stall. What a welcome break from city life to come face to face with the beauty of nature. The fresh pure air & the aroma of the leaves & soil is so intoxicating & refreshing. I can only say it was heavenly bliss!
The amazing chaiwala:
After my morning walk, I stopped at this tea-stall for a cuppa of steaming tea. There was this young lad who was doing nothing less than an amazing feat while preparing tea. This pic would leave your eyes wide open in amazement. Not a drop of the tea spilled ! The tea tasted excellent too. This became my regular haunt. On a subsequent visit to Rishikesh, when I went there to meet him at the stall, he wasn’t there. His dad told me that he has gone to Dehradun to study in a college. It could be that I missed his style of making tea because the tea never tasted that good again!!
Evenings in Rishikesh
Evenings in Rishikesh are such a delightful spiritual experience. One can sit in solitude watching the bewitching sunset on the Ganga as the sky acquires various hues of gold, pink & grey. As the time for Ganga pujan & Aarti approaches there is a fervour among the devotees as they try to occupy vantage places to watch & enjoy the spectacle.
At the anointed time the priests dressed in their finery offer devotional prayers to river Ganga amidst the chanting of the mantras. The rituals connected with the Aarti involve 5 steps – Deep Aarti (offering light), Dhoop Aarti (offering fragrance), Dhuna Aarti (offering flowers), Nag Aarti (with Shiv tandav prayer) & Jal Aarti (offering water). After the aarti, the devotees lit diyas’ in a leaf bowl and along with flowers release them in Ganga water. It is a pretty sight to see hundreds of diyas floating in the river as the lights come on. Devotees get the feeling that they are on the right path to salvation!
Ganga aarti at Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh
Ganga Aarti every evening at Parmarth Niketan is the most talked
about event among the tourists at Swargashram. I attended the aarti on
two evenings. I found that it is undoubtedly a beautiful spectacle but
it has less of ‘astha’ attached to it and more of a show for the tourists !!
The
Aarti on the first evening turned out to be special because my
favourite cricketer Rahul Dravid along with his family attended it. On
the second evening Aditya Puri, the then Chairman of HDFC Bank was the
chief guest as HDFC Bank had sponsored a afforestation campaign in
Rishikesh.
Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji is the Spiritual Head of Parmarth Niketan
who is popularly known as Muniji. He organizes International Yoga
Festival at Parmarth Niketan every year. Hundreds of foreign delegates
attend it.
On one of the evenings, I had the opportunity to watch Ganga Pujan
& Ganga Aarti from a vantage point at Shatrughana ghat. It is a
beautiful experience as the evening light fades and the artificial
lights come on ! One can see the lit up Ram Jhula bridge on one side
& Swargashram on the opposite side.
The street sadhus of Rishikesh:
The sadhus of Rishikesh are found everywhere and they make a striking sight. They emerge out of the shacks or the ashrams every morning. You would also find some seeking alms. Many stay in Rishikesh while some are wandering mendicants. Only some are genuine sadhus.
Mahesh Yogi Ashram:
A visit to Mahesh Yogi Ashram in Swargashram is a trip back in time. Those born in the 50’s & 60s are aware of the popularity & fame that Mahesh Yogi commanded in the international arena as a spiritual guru. He acquired further fame as the world renowned ‘Beatles’ group became his disciples and they came to his Rishikesh Ashram in early 1968 and spent a couple of weeks/months here. They composed some of their popular songs here. Mahesh Yogi popularised the concept of transcendental meditation and had followers all over the world. He was very popular. He was featured on the covers of Time, Newsweek & LIFE magazines.
Mahesh Yogi’s Ashram in Rishikesh near Vanaprastha Ashram is spread in an area covering 7.5 hectares. It was lying neglected till 8 years back but now Rajaji Forest Reserve is maintaining it as a nature centre. There is an entrance fee for it. There are 84 huts known as Chaurasi Kutias. These were used as lodging rooms for the disciples who used to stay at the Ashram. Besides these there are other buildings which have unique architecture. There are excellent murals on the walls which are eye catching. Everything is in ruins today but gives you glimpse of the wonderful times during the 60’s & 70’s when the Ashram was teeming with disciples. There is a small cafe inside the Ashram premises and I had refreshing mint tea!!
Incredible India: Chotiwala Restaurant
Chotiwala is an iconic restaurant in
Swargashram that has been serving North Indian food for the last 60
years. According to beliefs, in the ancient times the cooks employed by
the kings had to shave their head except for a choti. This ensured that no hair fell in the food while it was being cooked. This inspired one Mr. Agarwal to name his restaurant ‘Chotiwala’.
Today his two sons run separate restaurants adjacent to each other. At
the entrance to their respective restaurants sits a well decorated fat
person with his head shaven except for the trademark choti !!! He is the major attraction among the tourists for photoshoot. Chole Bhature & lassi are the specialities of this place. They also serve thali but the quality has deteriorated.
Lakshmanjhula – favourite haunt of the foreigners & hippies
The walk of nearly 2 kms from Swargashram to Laxman Jhula is along the Ganga and it is an interesting walk. You not only see amazing sights but also see many intriguing activities. As you sit in solitude on a boulder on the sandy bank of Ganga, the placid, pristine, azure waters and the surrounding hills & mountains leave you mesmerized. It fills your heart with appreciation for nature. The moment one enters Lakshmanjhula area one gets the feel of having come to a different world.
Lakshmanjhula – a delightful experience
Here one sees yoga retreats, centres with expertise in ayurvedic healing, reiki and meditation healing. Some of them offer short term courses. There are schools offering short term courses in folk art & music. There are numerous cafes with view of Ganga – the popular cafes are Little Buddha Cafe & Ganga View Cafe. German Bakery on other side of Lakshmanjhula is perched high at a vantage point. It offers a bird’s eye view of the surroundings. There are several shops selling handicrafts & artifacts. The place is always teeming with foreigners. There are number of temples around Lakshmanjhula, the most prominent being the thirteen storeyed Trayambakeshwar temple. The view from the top floor leaves you spellbound.
Bharat (Hrishikesh Narayan Temple):
There is a beautiful ancient temple near Triveni ghat in Rishikesh town known as Bharat or Hrishikesh Narayan temple. The legend & history associated with the temple is given in the pic below. Many visitors to Rishikesh miss this temple as it doesn’t find mention in many of the travel sites. In my view this should figure top in the list. There are beautiful sculptures adorning the outer walls of this 8th century temple. There is an ancient tree outside the temple and a small archaeological museum is also located in the premises.
Triveni ghat is another interesting site closeby where as per legends, Yamuna & Saraswati come to meet Ganga. There are a number of temples around the ghat and the evening aarti here is a spectacle to watch. There are a number of eateries near the ghat. I tried one of them and was served delicious hot kachoris with aaloo sabji.
Videshwar or Rani temple
I came across a beautiful Shiva temple near Lakshman Jhula known as Videshwar Mandir. As per the citation in the temple, it was built in 1939 by Vidyawati Kuor Sahiba – Maharani of Tikari (must be some small princely state !! ). I spent about 15 mins in the temple – no pujari could be seen and no other visitor or devotee came inside. This temple is popularly known as Rani Mandir !!
Bhootnatha or Bhooteshwar temple
An early morning climb up to the Shiva temple known as Bhootnatha temple on top of a hillock in Swargashram @ Rishikesh afforded a panoramic view of the town & river Ganga.
The Kavad Yatra
During the holy month of shravan, hundreds & thousands of pilgrims (mostly young men in the age group 16 to 35) join the Kavad yatra. They wear saffron coloured dresses & join the Kavad yatra from several nearby states and march first to Haridwar and from there some of them march further to Rishikesh. They sleep in open on one of the several ghats on the banks of the river.
In the morning they take a dip in Ganga and collect Ganga-jal in their earthen pots. From Rishikesh they trek 13 kms to reach the Neelkhant temple high up the mountains. Here they stand in queue for hours and when their turn comes they seek Lord Shiva’s blessings after doing abhishek of the Shivling with the holy waters that they have carried. Such is the faith that some ardent devotees crawl up the entire climb in order to fulfill their wish! While temporary bhojnalayas (eating joints) spring up, several organizations & wealthy individual families set up free langars for the pilgrims. On one such occasion, I became a part of the yatra for a distance of 5 kms just to get a feel of the yatra!
Devprayag – where Alaknanda & Bhagirathi rivers meet
Devprayag (73 kms from Rishikesh) is the holy place where the placid river Alaknanda meets the gushing & roaring river Bhagirathi. Thereafter the river becomes calm and acquires the name Ganga. During our visit to Badrinath in 1992 by bus, we had passed this place and the beautiful sight of the confluence of the two rivers remained etched in my mind. So on one of the visits to Rishikesh, I decided to visit this place and take a holy dip here. It is believed that it is that spot that Ram visited after killing Ravan. He took a dip in the river and did penance to atone for the sin of killing Ravan, a Brahmin. Adi Shankara established the ancient Raghunath temple here. I took dip at the Sangam and then had darshan in Raghunath temple. I spent nearly two hours here and had lunch at a roadside dhaba.
Adventure sports in Rishikesh
Rishikesh is a popular white-water rafting centre, backpacker hang-out and Himalayan-trekking & hiking gateway. It allows you to explore wilderness in the mountains and during monsoon, treks to the several waterfalls around it. Rajaji National Park & Tiger Reserve lies between Haridwar & Rishikesh and one can enjoy a jeep safari. The park has number of wild elephants. My son had once enjoyed the river rafting here but I could not muster courage to do this!
Sand Mining in Rishikesh
Sand mining is rampant in Rishikesh especially during the summer months when the waters of Ganga recede exposing white sandy tracts of river bed. Most of this activity is done illegally in the wee hours of the morning. Ponies are used to carry the sacks filled with sand.
Travel, stay & weather
The road distance between Haridwar to Rishikesh is 27 kms while Dehradun is 45 kms away. Jolly Grant airport of Dehradun is 21 kms from Rishikesh. Trains connect Haridwar with many major cities of India. A cab from Haridwar station to Rishikesh takes between Rs 1200 to Rs 1400. Some cities are connected with Dehradun by flights.
There are several hotels (catering to all budgets) in Rishikesh. There are many luxury resorts too. The well known ‘Ananda in the Himalayas’ Spa & Resort is located at Narendranagar, 18 kms from Rishikesh. The tariff here starts from Rs 20,000/- for one night for two people. It is rated among the best Spa Resorts in the world. In addition Ashram stay is also possible. There are many retreats or resorts on the banks of river Ganga affording beautiful view of the river.
Tourists throng Rishikesh through out the year. Foreigners avoid the summer months when the temperature reaches 37* Celsius. During winters the minimum temperature goes down to 5* Celsius.
As the Lakshman Jhula area is where majority of the foreigners stay, there are number of cafes offering cuisines from across the globe. Being a sacred, holy pilgrimage centre of the Hindus, meat & alcohol is banned in Rishikesh. Geeta Bhawan Sweet Shop near Ramjhula has been in existence for several decades and it is popular with the tourists. It is well known for jalebis & samosas. They have sitting arrangement and people enjoy kachoris & sabji here.
Regular Updates
I have clicked all the pics (except my own pics).
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Disclaimer:
I have made sincere efforts to provide you the correct information about all the places that have been culled out from various sources. I do not take any responsibility for any errors that might have crept in the narration. There is no intention to hurt the faith or religious sentiments of any person or community.
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