Rishikesh
| Rishikesh, a most
tranquil place in northern Uttar Pradesh, surrounded by hills and bisected
by the wide and sluggish Ganges, is often claimed as the `Yoga Capital
of the World'. Back in the 1960s Rishikesh gained instant fame as the site
where The Beatles came to stay with their guru, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
It is an excellent place to meditate and study yoga. Rishikesh is also
a good starting |
 |
| point
for treks to Himalayan pilgrimage centres such as Badrinath, Kedarnath
, Gangotri, Yamnotri.It is rightly called the gateway to the Himalayan
Shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. |
 |
Situated 24 km upstream
from Haridwar, at the confluence of the Chandrabhaga and Ganga, Rishikesh
has long been a spiritual centre. It
is said that the sage Raibhya Rishi did severe penance here and
as a reward, God appeared
to him in the form of Hrishikesh, hence the
name. Rishikesh has numerous ashrams, some of which are internationally
recognized as centers of philosophical studies, yoga and meditation. |
An international yoga
week is organized here every year by U.P. Tourism between 2nd and 7th of
February. For the adventurous, there are opportunities for white water
rafting on the Ganga.
The climate here is continental type
but its location in the foot hills gives it a pleasant weather throughout
the year. One can visit Rishikesh any time of the year.
| The town of
Rishikesh lies in the foothills of the Garhwal region. It is the gateway
to the upper Garhwal region and the starting point for pilgrim routes to
the four dhams of Uttarakhand -- Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.
The Ganga flows through the town and is worshipped here. After this it
descends to the plains at Haridwar.The whole place is considered to be
sacred as it is believed that meditation at this place leads to attainment
of salvation. There are many temples-some ancient, some new along the river
Ganges. The River side is dotted by the ashrams of Sadhus and sages. |
 |
The road to the north from Rishikesh
leads to Narendra Nagar(named after Maharaja Narendra Shah) and beyond
to Tehri. These roads branch off and reach the upper parts of Garhwal.
At Rishikesh, Ganga leaves the mountains and joins the plains for her long
journey. Rishikesh is not only an attraction for pilgrims but it also attracts
foreigners who want to know about Hinduism, who want to spend some time
close to the Lord.
YOGA
ASHRAMS
-
(1) Sudden Enlightenment
Cozy Corner (Swamy Shyam Paramhansa) Tel:
435952
SHOPPING:
Being a pilgrimage place, the glamour of big shop bargains are absent but
Rishikesh offers you handicraft items made of Shells, beads and pearls.
Sarees, Kurtas, sheets and rugs can be purchased from here. You can buy
these items from the Government approved shop Sudha Chandan Mahal
( House of Rudraksha, Precious stones,etc).
|
Area
: 11.20 sq.km.
Altitude
: 356 meters.
Temperature
(deg C): Summer- Max.44.4, Min.29;
Winter- Max.32.2, Min.18.3.
Clothing
: Summer- Cotton & tropical; Winter- Heavy woollen.
Languages Spoken
: Garwali, Hindi, Punjabi, English.
Best Season
: Throughout the Year. |
TRANSPORT
AND COMMUNICATION
-
Air : The nearest
airport is Dehradun (Jolly Grant), 16 kms from Rishikesh. Indian Airlines
operates from Delhi to Dehradun (Jolly Grant).
-
Rail: Rishikesh
is connected by rail via Haridwar (24 kms), to Howrah, Bombay, Delhi, Lucknow,
Varanasi, Dehradun and other cities.
-
Road: By road
Rishikesh to Haridwar 24 kms, Dehradun 47 kms, Mussoorie 77 kms, Badrinath
301 kms (Son Prayag), Kedarnath 228 kms, Gangotri 258 kms, Yamunotri 288
kms (Hanuman Chatti), Srinagar 105 kms, Joshimath 252 kms.
-
Bus Services:
Rishikesh is connected by bus with Agra, Chandigarh, New Delhi, Jaipur,Pushkar,Dehradun,Haridwar,
etc.
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NEAR BY CITIE(S):
| Delhi- 238 Kms |
Uttrakashi- 154 kms |
| Dehradoon- 42 kms |
Kedarnath- 228 kms |
| Haridwar- 25 kms |
Mussoorie- 77 kms |
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|
About
Rishikesh 
