Location:Haridwar is a holy city located in Uttarakhand. Its name stands for "Hari meaning god" and "dwar meaning door". It is regarded as one of the holiest cities of India. In addition to its religious underpinnings, and the Ganges river flowing through it, it is also host to heavy industry like BHEL and education institutions like the nearby Roorkee IIT.
History:According to Hindu mythology, Haridwar is one among the four sites where drops of the elixir of immortality, Amrita, accidentally spilled over from the pitcher, in which it was being carried away by the celestial bird Garuda. These four spots -- Ujjain, Haridwar, Nasik, and Allahabad -- have today become places, where the Kumbha Mela is celebrated once every 3 years in any of these 4 places and after a period of 12 years, the Maha Kumbha Mela is celebrated on the 12th year at Prayag in Allahabad. Millions of pilgrims, devotees, and tourists congregate here from all over the world to celebrate the event. They perform ritualistic bathing on the banks of the river Ganga. The spot where the nectar fell is considered to be the Brahma Kund at Har-ki-Pauri (literally, "footsteps of the Lord," and symbolically the footprints of the Amrita), the most sacred ghat of Haridwar; thousands of devotees and pilgrims flock here during festivals or snan from all over India to take a holy dip. This act is considered to be the equivalent of washing away one's sins to attain Moksha.
It is considered auspicious amongst Hindus to disperse the mortal ashes of a family member who has passed away at Haridwar, which is followed by a prayer session.
History:According to Hindu mythology, Haridwar is one among the four sites where drops of the elixir of immortality, Amrita, accidentally spilled over from the pitcher, in which it was being carried away by the celestial bird Garuda. These four spots -- Ujjain, Haridwar, Nasik, and Allahabad -- have today become places, where the Kumbha Mela is celebrated once every 3 years in any of these 4 places and after a period of 12 years, the Maha Kumbha Mela is celebrated on the 12th year at Prayag in Allahabad. Millions of pilgrims, devotees, and tourists congregate here from all over the world to celebrate the event. They perform ritualistic bathing on the banks of the river Ganga. The spot where the nectar fell is considered to be the Brahma Kund at Har-ki-Pauri (literally, "footsteps of the Lord," and symbolically the footprints of the Amrita), the most sacred ghat of Haridwar; thousands of devotees and pilgrims flock here during festivals or snan from all over India to take a holy dip. This act is considered to be the equivalent of washing away one's sins to attain Moksha.
It is considered auspicious amongst Hindus to disperse the mortal ashes of a family member who has passed away at Haridwar, which is followed by a prayer session.
  I was born and brought up at the Beautiful Coastal Kerala, but I was fascinated by the Mountains of Western Ghats since from my Child hood days. Mountain ranges in Kerala consisting of the highland area of the Western Ghats. N G Nair Kerala Travel Thiruvananthapuram. Kadinamkulam Sri Mahadeva Temple Trivandrum. Attukal Pongala 2010 - Attukal Devi Temple Thiruvananthapuram. |
