Haridwar, Uttarakhand

A gateway to God, Haridwar is one of the first cities where Ganga emerges from the mountains to the plains. The followers of Vishnu (Hari) pronounce this place as Haridwar. But the followers of Lord Shiva (Har) call it Hardwar. The city is located in the Haridwar district, in the newly established State of Uttaranchal in northern India.

The sacred ghat at Haridwar is called Har-Ki-Pairi also known for a foot print of Vishnu. The ghat was constructed by King Vikramaditya and here the pilgrims float diyas to commemorate their deceased ancestors. In ancient times, this place was also known as Mayapur. Scriptures tell us that after the famed churning of the oceans, the holy nectar was carried in a kumba and this spot is also called Brahmakund.

Haridwar is also the site of Mahakumb Mela, celebrated every 12 years and the last one was held in 1998.

At dusk, Aarti is performed at Har-Ki-Pairi and it is a spectacular site. Hindus around the world get very emotional with the sound and color of this performance, the experience is worth a visit.