Haridwar India. Haridwar

Independent travel to Kedarnath (India).

"Here the sinner becomes a saint, and a saint becomes God."

“Kedar is the Greatest Shrine, only Haridwar
can be compared with him in the degree of cleansing of sins.
The human mind is unable to describe even a little bit
those fruits that the pilgrimage to this place bestows. "
Purely subjective impressions.
I am lying on the bottom shelf of the Haridwar-Delhi trains, looking out the window at the landscapes passing by and trying to comprehend, comprehend and digest those impressions that overwhelm me .... We are returning from Kedarnath.
Meditation practices in yoga, wushu, tai chi, etc., which allow you to cleanse and calm the Mind, of course, are good and necessary, especially in our time, overloaded with information, stress and nervous tension. They, undoubtedly, bring positive results and help to keep oneself in hand.
However, honestly, this trip and track in Kedarnath alone hit me with a virtual butt on my foolish head so that I still, like a small child, look around, smile and do not understand, and why is it all around like flies on garbage heap. I myself, of course, also dived into this business (work, road, car), but believe me - the feeling of a “blank slate” does not pass, tenaciously and pleasantly keeping my mind in relaxation and mental balance. Although on this trip, we did not have a trace of relaxation, but the following was.
03.06. we took off from Sheremetyevo and at 23.50 arrived in Delhi. We crossed over at the airport until the morning and at 5:00 we took the metro to the New Delhi railway station. Next train 12017 / Dehradun Shtbdi to Haridwar. Arrived at 11:30, no delay. The heat is overwhelming.
We went out to the station square, found a car and immediately, without entering Rishikesh, rushed towards Kedarnath. After talking with the driver and estimating the traffic, we decided to drive to Rudraprayag (166 km), with a stop in Devaprayag.
And they did the right thing. The sleepless night and difficult traffic were pretty tired.
The speed was no more than 50 km / h, in Rudraprayag, we arrived at 7 pm. The road is good, however, as it should be, not without talus. Well, the serpentine, of course, like on a New Year tree, the abyss along the road half a kilometer deep, jumping out from behind sharp turns and constantly humming oncoming cars, rows of Sikhs in orange scarves, orange dastars (turbans) and with orange flags. They are on a pilgrimage now. They rush like a plague, but it is clear that in the mind, albeit in the drive. They often wave their hands and smile in greeting.

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Rudraprayag (altitude 900 m.).

From Devaprayag to Rudraprayag - 67 km and almost 2 hours walk. The city is located at the confluence of the Alakananda and Mandakini rivers and is one of the five sacred places of the confluence of the Alakananda river. They say one of the city's temples was built over 10,000 years ago. With hotels, unlike Devaprayag, it is quite normal here - there are plenty to choose from. Not right for you "luxury", but quite normal, for one night.
In the morning we walked to the bus station, took a jeep and drove on to Sonprayag.

Sonprayag (altitude 1800 meters.)

The city of pilgrims.

Place of registration and obtaining permits. Everything is near. A separate window for foreigners (far right). They take pictures, issue a "Tourist Pilgrim Registration & Tracking Access card", do not measure the pressure. Literally 3 meters to the right of the issue window, there is a police door, where you also need to register, and outside, on the corner of the building, there is a charging socket.
You can also take a jeep to Gaurikund (4.5 km) - the price is 20 INR. Directly opposite the permit issuing point, there is a nice cafe that serves a wonderful thai, the addition of tortillas, rice and spices, as in most places in India, is free. Price 60 INR, tea 10 INR.

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The name of the city comes from one of the names of Shiva's wife - Gauri, also known as Parvati and the word "kunda" - the source. Indeed, here, closer to the river, there are several hot springs in which the pilgrims bathe. From the Puranas (ancient Indian texts) it is known that it was in Gaurikund that Parvati spent more than 100 years in austerity, before ascending to Kedarnath and becoming the wife of Shiva.
100 years? If you turn to the Bible (chapter 5), you can read the following:
“All the days of Adam's life were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died….
All the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died .... "and so on.
It is clear that time then flowed differently.
Launch pad. A town that hung in the Middle Ages. There is no transport here, only mules and people. Electricity is rarely turned on here, so it is rather difficult to charge equipment and phones, if only from a working generator. The hotels are not very comfortable. It's cool at night (it was +8). The cleanliness of the bedding is a big question. The food is also not great, but there is tea and cakes. Better to bring something with you. Dried fruits and nuts are perhaps the best option, especially on the trek to Kedarnath. The entire state of Uttarakhand is vegetarian. In our hotel, located closer to the start of the track, the light was not turned on, they just gave out a candle. And before dark, we wandered through the narrow streets, dodging mules, looked into one of the local edalens and watched everyday life, from the height of the second floor, our loggia.

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The rise was scheduled for 4 am. We all slept badly. Maybe the height affected, maybe the accumulated fatigue, maybe all night long mules passing by, clattering their hooves on the cobblestones, like real drummers on their percussion instruments, but most likely all this together.
In the morning, going out into the impenetrable darkness and lifting my skull head, I sat down slightly and just gasped!
Along the gorge, overhead, in the direction of Kedarnath, stretched the stellar tomb of the crystal clear Milky Way ....
The density and richness of the latter was so deep that the only, faintly reflecting what he saw, the comparison that came to my long-cracked cuckoo was a comparison with the clear waters of a deep and full-flowing river, in which myriads of glowing plankton, goldfish and something else sparkled. and someone unknown and mysterious, but undoubtedly living and intelligent beings and creatures. And all this is framed by the dark silhouettes of majestic mountains along the gorge ...
This truly divine panorama instantly ripped off, carried away and cleansed my Ego, dissolving in itself worldly desires, worries and worries.
And by itself, the realization of the Ganges River, as a truly Heavenly River, flowing to Earth in these magical places, from strands of Shiva's hair (as the Puranas say), was just as natural as the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere of our planet, which we did not notice, but vital ...
How long I stood looking into the bottomless ocean, I do not know. But when the semblance of my consciousness, floundering in the myriad of stars, nebulae and black holes, flew back into my attic, I, looking back, saw my companions, and not only them, just like me, standing and with blissful faces, looking at this endless, multi-colored, mesmerizing and undoubtedly living universal kaleidoscope….
Fabulous, magical, mind-blowing, amazing ..., all these and other epithets of our vocabulary, very faded and weakly reflect what we saw. And this is understandable, because not only our eyes are opening here.
Because our consciousness is exposed here, and behind it is the subconsciousness and the Soul. And already they, with an unconscious and unknown gaze, gaze at some of their parallel and multidimensional worlds, inaccessible to a simple human gaze, but as real and natural as morning dew on meadow grass, like the Sun, blue sky and clouds, on a summer day and like the moon in the night sky….
And I’m still lying on the bottom shelf of the Haridwar-Delhi train, looking out the window at the Indians sitting along the road with the aim of laying an egg, and I don’t find an answer to the simple question: “Where and why are you, an unreasonable creature going?” After all, you only recently flew, rode, climbed to Kedarnath, only now - that was literally at the threshold of the Heavenly Home, where physically, due to lack of oxygen, of course, it is harder, but mentally ... so much easier and more blissful that there are simply no words ….
No answer. And what else do you want from a creature, and even an unreasonable one….

Kedarnath (height 3660 m.).

From Gaurikund - 16 km. You can walk - from 5 hours. It is possible on mules - 3.5 - 4 hours.
We've chosen mules. One way price without bargaining 1500 INR. Each mule is led by an accompanying driver. In principle, it is normal, although the Popenhagen quickly becomes numb from habit, and the saddle will secretly paint it with simple letters, in the form of bruises. The trail is wide, paved with stone paving stones and mostly harmless. Landscapes, replacing each other, resemble Nepalese. And this is natural - we are at the foot of the Himalayas, only from the southern side.

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It is very beautiful, atmospheric and fun in some places, especially when the riders are trying to get off / climb from / on a mule on their own, at the stop at the Edalny. There are no problems with drinking - having a snack and with toilets. There are quite enough of them here.
The trail is full of atmosphere, friendship, goodwill and mutual support. People often greet each other, smile, with interest, but unobtrusively glancing at the pale-faced tourists. Apart from us, we met only one European, and even then in Sonprayang. The news that we are from Russia was clearly ahead of us, surprising the guests and owners of shops and stations, marking their faces with smiles, and our souls with warmth and pride for the Motherland. As you climb, natural belts replace each other, constantly replenishing impressions with new landscapes with lush vegetation, waterfalls and sheer cliffs. Somewhere starting from an altitude of 3000 meters, after the bridge over the Mandakini River, a sharp rise in altitude begins, the quality of the trail decreases noticeably, in some places it becomes dangerous when riding mules. On foot it is quite surmountable, although much more difficult.

The endless stream of pilgrims amazes with its composition and equipment. Here you have children and old people and sadhus. Most of them wear slippers on their bare feet, often without warm clothes, but in Kedarnath it is -30C. We were lucky - it was sunny, although when approaching the temple, clouds descended from the mountains and blocked the magnificent panorama of the Himalayan six thousand meters, at the foot of which Kedarnath is located.

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Haridwar

(Haridwar / Mayapuri, 214 km northeast of Delhi, 54 km south of Dehradun)

Telephone Code (STD) - 1334

Haridwar (literally "Gate of the God Vishnu") is one of the seven sacred cities of India. Here the Ganges River begins a long journey across the plains of North India to the Bay of Bengal. The ghat Har-ki-Pauri (literally "God's Threshold") marks the exact place where the river leaves the mountains.

Uttaranchal State Department of Tourism Office

(Uttaranchal Tourism Office)

Rahi Motel, Station Road,

tel. 22 86 86,

mon-Sat 10.00–17.00, 2nd Sat each month

GMVN Corporation Office

(GMVN Tourist Office)

opposite Latta Rao Bridge, Upper Road, Haridwar,

tel. 22 42 40,

mon-Sat 10.00-17.00.

How to get there

Airplane

The nearest airport is Jolly Grant in Dehradun

(45 km, 1 hour, taxi - Rs 600–800).

Flights to Delhi.

Railway

Haridwar: Delhi, 2 times a day, 5-7 hours; Agra, Mumbai, Ujjaina and Varanasi.

Bus

Haridwar: Delhi, Rishikesh, Deradun.

Car

Dehradun: NH72 motorway to Raiwala, continue on NH58 to Haridwar.

sights

Along with Nashik, Ujjain and the most sacred of all - Prayag (Allahabad), Haridwar is considered one of the holy tirthas, where the Maha Kumbh Mela festival takes place every 12 years. At this time, millions of pilgrims gather here to bathe in the Ganges. The next Kumbh Mela will take place at Haridwar in 2010.

Har-ki-Pauri

Upper Road, in the northeastern part of the city.

Har-ki-Pauri - letters. "Feet of the god Vishnu". To the north of Haridwar, the Ganges is divided by a dam and flows through the city along the Ganga Canal. There is a natural river bed to the east of it. The canal embankment, along which ghats and ashrams are located, creates the atmosphere of a river coast. The main ghats and religious activities are centered around Khar-ki-Pauri. Bridges and passages connect individual islands. Metal chains can be seen in the water and on the slopes, which allow the believers taking a bath to stay in the fast flow of water.

Every day at sunset, the river worship ceremony - Ganga aarti is held, attracting many believers to the islands and bridges of Khar-ki-Pauri.

Maha Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years on Khar-ki-Pauri. Ardh Mela is held every 6 years, also attracting crowds of pilgrims.

Chandi Devi shrine

(Chandi Devi Mandir, 3 km south of Khar-ki-Pauri, on Mount Neel Parvat, left bank of the Ganges)

daily 5.00–20.00.

Ascent by Udan Khatola funicular - Rs 70, Rs 144, including bus ticket to visit the Mansa Devi sanctuary Nov. - March 9.00-17.30, Apr - Oct. 8.30-19.30.

This sanctuary of the goddess Durga (Chandi - literally "Ferocious") is located on the top of a mountain, to which a three-kilometer path leads.

Mansa Devi shrine

(Mansa Devi Mandir, 1 km north of Khar-ki-Pauri, on Bhilkeshvar mountain, right bank of the Ganges)

daily 5.00–20.00.

Ascent on the Udan Khatola funicular, Rs 31 - one way, Rs 48 - round trip,

nov. - March 8.00–18.00,

apr - Oct. 7.00–20.00.

Attention! Photography is prohibited in the sanctuary.

A steep 1.5-kilometer climb leads to the top of the mountain, where this sanctuary of the goddess Durga is located. A beautiful view of the river opens from here. The supreme deity of the sanctuary is the three-headed Mansa Devi.

Haridwar - a city in northern India, located at the foot of the Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand. In Haridwar there is something to see and where to go, the city is rich in both architectural and spiritual sights. It is considered sacred by the Hindus. The main deity of the city is the Ganges. Massive baths - ghats are never empty, it is always crowded here.

The central ghat - Harki Pauri - is a bright and colorful sight. It is interesting to wander here during the day, but it is especially attractive in the evening, as it hosts a colorful ceremony of worshiping the Ganges - Aarti. But about her a little later. Other main attractions of Haridwar are two temples located on the high hills opposite each other - Mansa Devi (temple of the Goddess of Mind) and Chanda Devi (temple of Mother Durga).

Both of these temples can be reached using cable cars or on foot. The view from them is wonderful.

There is a large market near the central ghat,

walking along which you can just reach the place where the ascent to the temple of Durga begins. If it's not too hot, I advise you to go up on foot - walk only 20-30 minutes slowly, admiring the opening views of the Ganges. This entrance looks like this .

If you have no strength at all, then use the cable car. The entrance to it is located a little further along the market and looks like this.

In the temple, you can make an offering to the Goddess and make a wish. The attributes required for this are sold next to the entrance.

Near the temple there is a small observation deck where you can also meditate, if you are not afraid of monkeys, which are abundant there.

Mansa Devi Temple is located on the hill opposite. And the wishes made there, they say, are also fulfilled. The way back to the ghat leads again through the market.

By the way, you can buy clothes, souvenirs, sacred paraphernalia, Ayurvedic medicines and sweets at the market.

The most delicious thing, in my opinion, is sold near the ghat, around the bend and looks like this.

This is warm boiled milk with sugar. I tried to do it myself, at home - the process is long, but it turned out very little. But then I broke away. Brown, by the way, is also very tasty. Of course, there is no problem with snacks on the market - food is sold everywhere. This is a bright show with fire and colorful music. In the process of this action, hundreds of small "baskets" of flowers with a candle lit inside the river descend into the river.

It seems that the river is glowing. All this is accompanied by chants in honor of the Ganges. A fee is charged to view the ceremony. But that's if you want to sit on the steps of the ghat. And if, walking from the market, go from the right side, then viewing will be completely free for you, although you will stand. To go to the river, you need to take off your shoes. Don't worry about the safety of your slippers. Pay the guard as you see fit, and that's it. When I returned for my shoes, I found that the keeper was holding my slippers almost to my heart. And I was worried! It turned out - in vain.

In Haridwar, of course, there are many other interesting places that can be discovered just by walking the streets of the city, if you have enough time. I have described here only the main ones that you definitely need to visit.

Highlights

There are impressive temples scattered around the city, both ancient and modern, as well as dharamsala (hotels for pilgrims) and ashrams, some of which occupy an area comparable to a small village. Haridwar is very busy during the yatra season (pilgrimage), from May to October. It also hosts the annual religious festival Magh Mela. (Magh Mela).

Haridwara Main Street - Railway Road (Railway Rd)turning into Upper Road (Upper Rd, upper road), runs parallel to the river Ganges (the river itself flows further east)... Generally, only pedicabs are allowed to ride between Laltarao Bridge (Laltarao Bridge) and Bhimgoda Jhula (Bhimgoda Jhula), or, in other words, Bhimgoda Bridge, therefore transport travels along the opposite bank of the river. The streets of Bara Bazar lead south from the Khar-ki-Pairi ghat.

Since this city is sacred, there is only vegetarian food and soft drinks here.

Attractions in Haridwar

Ghat Har-ki-Pairi

Har-ki-Pairi (Har-ki-Pairi; "The Trail of God") - a place where, according to legend, Vishnu dropped a few drops of divine nectar and made his mark. It is sacred to Hindus. Here you can wash away your sins. Pilgrims bathe in the fast streams of the river and donate money to priests and temples.

The ghat is located on the western bank of the Ganges. Every evening hundreds of believers gather for ganga aarti (river worship ceremony)... Government officials in blue uniforms collect donations (and issue receipts), and after sunset, the bells start ringing in a certain rhythm. Lights are lit, baskets of leaves filled with flower petals with a candle in the middle (10 rupees), are lowered into the water, and they float further along the river.

Tourists can mingle with the crowd to take part in ancient religious rituals that are still valid today. They may come up to you and introduce themselves as a servant of the temple, a priest who can help you with your puozhi, asking for 200 rupees or more. If you want to make a donation, give it to a uniformed person or put money in a donation box.

The best time to visit the ghat is in the early morning or before dusk.

Mansa Devi temples

Take the cable car (round trip Rs 48; 7: 00-19: 00 April-October, 8: 30-18: 00 November-March)to get to the crowded Mansa Devi temple at the top of the mountain (wish-fulfilling goddess)... There are stalls along the trail leading to the cable car that sell packages of prasadam (food offering for religious ceremonies)to offer to the goddess on the mountain. You can walk (1.5 km)but remember the monkeys stealing prasadam. Taking pictures in the temple is prohibited.

Many visitors and pilgrims combine this visit with a visit to the Chandi Devi temple (round trip Rs 117; 08: 00-18: 00) on the Nile mountain (Neel Hill), where you need to go by cable car for another 4 km southeast of Haridwar. The temple was built by Raja Suhet Singh (Suchet Singh) from Kashmir in 1929 Pay 165 rupees at Manse Devi and you can ride both cable cars and an air-conditioned bus from temple to temple.

Information

the Internet

There are several internet cafes on Railway Road next to the train station and down the side streets, but most of them only have one or two terminals. There are more places in these cafes:

• Hillway internet (Jassa Ram Road; 30 rupees per hour; 9: 00-22: 30)
• Internet Zone iWay (Upper Road; 30 rupees per hour; 10: 00-20: 30)

Medical services

Ayurvedic hospital Rishikul (221003; Railway Road) Reputable community medical college and hospital.

Money

Sai Forex (Upper Road; 10: 00-21: 00) Changes cash and traveler's checks, removing 1% commission.

State Bank of India ATM (Railway Road)

mail

Main office (Upper Road; 10: 00-18: 00 Monday-Saturday)

Information for tourists

Tourist Office GMVN (224240; Railway Road; 10: 00-17: 00 Monday-Saturday)

Uttarakhand Tourism Office (265304; Rahi Motel, Railway Road; 10: 00-17: 00 Monday-Saturday)

Transportation in Haridwar

The pedicab will cost Rs 10 for a short trip and Rs 30 for a longer trip, such as from Haridwara railway station to Har-ki-Pairi. If you hire a taxi for three hours to visit local temples and ashrams, it will cost about Rs 700; the cost of a ride on an auto-rickshaw will be 300 rupees.

Road to Haridwar and back

There are many buses and trains running from Haridwar, but plan your train trip in advance during the pilgrimage season (from May to October).

Bus

Private luxury buses and sleeper buses travel to Delhi (lux / Volvo 175/400 rupees), Agra (seated / sleeping 240/295 rupees), Jaipur (375/475 rupees) and Pushkar (Rs 400/500)... They leave from the parking lot at the corner of the GMVN tourist office at the gurdwara (Sikh temple)... You can order a ticket at any travel agency in the city.

Taxi and vikram

The main taxi rank is outside the train station on Railway Road. Destinations include Chilla (Chilla; trip to Rajaji National Park, Rs 510), Rishikesh (Rs 700, 1 hour) and Dera Dun (1000 rupees)but usually the taxi is cheaper. It is possible to hire a private sumo jeep to visit one or two of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites between April and October. One way fare in Gangotri, Yamnotri (Yamnotri) and Badrinath - 6520 rupees each; the cost of a trip to Kedarnath is 5500 rupees; A nine-day tour of all four destinations costs Rs 17,150.

Shared Vikrams travel both ways on Railway Road (10 rupees) and in Rishikesh (30 rupees, 1 hour) from Upper Road to Laltarao Bridge, but for such a trip it is more convenient to use the bus. You can hire transport to visit Lakshman Jhula (Lakshman Jhula) in Rishikesh for 400 rupees.

Trains

There is a train station in Haridwar. Trains run to Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Kolkata, Amritsar and Haldwani.

Haridwar is one of the oldest cities on the planet and one of the most revered pilgrimage sites for Hindus. Literally translated from the Hindi language, the name of the city sounds like “the gate to God” (where “hari” is God, “dvar” is the gate). Haridwar is one of the seven sacred cities of India and is one of the most visited places not only by pilgrims, but also by tourists from all over the world. Outside the country, Haridwar is primarily known for its incredible Hindu pilgrimage gatherings during the Kumbh Mela celebration, which occurs every 12 years. So, for example, in 2007 more than 70 million people gathered for this fantastic event !!! For comparison, the second largest religious gathering in the famous Mecca gathers "only" about three million Muslims. In addition to Haridwar himself, Kumbha Mela is held in three other Indian cities - Prayaga-Allahabad, Nasik and Ujjain.

LOCATION AND BRIEF HISTORY
The center of the administrative district of the same name, the city of Haridwar, is located on the very bank of the Ganges River in the foothills of the Himalayas in the north of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Just 24 km from Haridwar, there is another city known among all yoga lovers - Rishikesh.
The history of the founding of Haridwar, which is one of the oldest cities on the planet, is closely connected with legends and epics.
Haridwar is located in the place where the channel of the sacred river Ganges descends from the Himalayan peaks to the vastness of the Indo-Gangetic plain. According to ancient Indian legends, in this place the Gods lowered the Ganges from heaven to earth in order to slightly open the gates to the world of eternity for all mortals. The very same celebration of Kumkhi Mel is associated with another ancient legend, which tells about the battle of the gods with demons for a jug with the nectar of immortality. During the battle, the jug bent down and four drops of this magic liquid were spilled on the ground - Haridwar is one of these sacred places. Hindus firmly believe that at a certain moment, calculated according to the stellar calendar, the waters of the Ganges are filled with the nectar of immortality, which can not only give good health, get rid of all earthly sins, but also acquire moksha - that is, free from the incessant cycle of reincarnation. The process of bathing in the waters of the Ganges during the three-month celebration of Kumbhi Mela is performed by tens of millions of Indians, ascetics and hermits.

ATTRACTIONS, EXCURSIONS AND ENTERTAINMENT IN HARIDWAR
Even if you could not get to the celebration of the impressive religious festival of Kumbh Mela, a visit to Haridwar promises to be very informative and interesting. Despite the fact that, of course, the main attraction of Haridwar is the sacred Ganga and its many ghats (Har-ki-Peiri ghat is the most sacred of them), in the city and its environs tourists are invited to visit many temples, ashrams, mosques and others ancient buildings.
The most famous temples of Haridwar are Chanda Devi and Mansa Devi, which are located at the very top of the hill. You can get to these unique architectural monuments only by cable car. From the observation decks of the temples, tourists can admire the breathtaking delightful landscapes of the city and the surrounding area. Near the temples there is one of the oldest Vedic universities on the planet - Gurukul Kangri, as well as the Anjani Temple, dedicated to the mother of the monkey king. One of the most ancient buildings of Haridwar is the Mayadevi Temple (XI century), which serves as the abode for three revered Hindu deities: Kamakhya, Maya and Kali. Another cult pilgrimage center for Hindus, which we recommend to visit for tourists in Haridwar, is the Shanti Kunj Temple, inside which there are twenty-four images of Gayatri. While walking around the city, tourists will come across dozens of ashrams, colorfully painted with scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
Shoppers will be able to visit many colorful markets and bazaars in Haridwar, souvenir shops and shops, where a huge variety of exotic goods, arts and crafts, pearls, gold and silver jewelry are presented.
Guests of the city will be able to admire the wealth of fauna and natural beauty in the Rajaji National Park, which is located just 10 km from the city. During your tour of the park, you will meet Indian elephants, leopards, tigers, wild boars, deer and many other rare animals.

USEFUL INFORMATION AND TIPS FOR TOURISTS IN HARIDWAR
Haridwar is a sacred city that annually receives millions of believers from all over the world, and tourists should be aware of some of the peculiarities and rules that exist in the city. In Haridwar cafes and restaurants, the cuisine is exclusively vegetarian, and the use of strong alcoholic beverages is also prohibited here. Despite the absence of meat dishes, you can have a tasty and satisfying lunch with exotic dishes of South Indian and Chinese cuisine in numerous restaurants of the city: "Bestek", "Hoshyar Puri", "Chotivala" and others. And one of the restaurants - "Nepal Ashram" even distributes daily free lunches to all arriving pilgrims (at 17.00).
The city has a huge number of hotels and hotels of various levels of comfort, but despite this, if you are planning a trip to Haridwar during the Kumbh Mela, you need to take care of booking accommodation long before arrival. Also, during the celebration in connection with the incredible influx of tourists and pilgrims, it is necessary to observe certain precautions that will help to avoid the risk of becoming victims of fraudsters or being in a spontaneous crush. The most vulnerable spots are narrow bridges and crossings.

How to get there
Haridwar is one of the largest tourist centers in India, which has excellent railway and road interchange connecting the city with Delhi (215 km), Agra (385 km), Dehradun (52 km) and other major cities in India. Jolly Grant Airport is 41 kilometers away and has regular domestic flights.
The average bus fare from Delhi to Haridwar is 150 rupees.