Haridwar: Ganges, Temples and Pilgrimage Traditions

Haridwar offers several ways to shape a trip: the Ganges, religious sites and Rajaji National Park, which also extends across Haridwar district. When choosing a hotel, consider which aspects are important to your stay. Are you mainly interested in pilgrimage sites and their traditions, or would you also like to include the protected landscape in your travel plans? The following places and transport connections will help guide your search for hotels in Haridwar.

Har ki Pauri and the temples of Haridwar

Har ki Pauri is a ghat on the banks of the Ganges in Haridwar. It is attributed to King Vikramaditya, who is said to have built it. This brings together a clearly identified spot by the river and a historical tradition that makes Har ki Pauri an important landmark for the city.

The temples can also be distinguished by their dedications and locations. Chandi Devi Temple is dedicated to the goddess Chandi and is located on Neel Parvat. Mansa Devi Temple is dedicated to the goddess Mansa Devi and lies on Bilwa Parvat. Maya Devi Temple is known as a Shaktipeeth. These different associations offer a concrete introduction to Haridwar’s religious history without combining the sites into a single destination.

Pilgrimage traditions and recurring festivals

Haridwar is one of four locations where the Kumbh Mela takes place every twelve years and the Ardh Kumbh every six years. The Kanwar Yatra is different: it is an annual pilgrimage by Shiva devotees to Hindu pilgrimage sites in Haridwar. These cycles are therefore not interchangeable when planning your trip. If a festival is a deciding factor for your travel dates, check the current dates before booking.

Nearby, Piran Kaliyar is a regional destination south of Haridwar, on the edge of Roorkee. This religious site is regarded as an example of unity between Hindu and Muslim religious communities. The Urs festival is celebrated every year at the Dargah there: it begins with the first sighting of the moon and continues until the sixteenth day of the Islamic month of Rabīʿ al-awwal. The pilgrimage traditions in the region therefore differ in their occasions and timing.

Rajaji National Park and Sureshwari Devi Temple

Rajaji National Park extends across the districts of Haridwar, Dehradun and Pauri. It was designated a protected area under the name Shivalik Elephant Reserve and is a habitat for elephants, tigers and leopards. This gives it a distinct connection to the landscape alongside Haridwar’s religious sites.

The old Sureshwari Devi Temple lies in the forested area of the national park. It is dedicated to the goddess Durga and is located in Ranipur, on the outskirts of Haridwar. Those interested in this temple can consider its location and dedication separately from the two temples on Neel Parvat and Bilwa Parvat; each of these details describes a different place.

Getting there and finding a hotel

Haridwar can be reached by road from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and other parts of Uttarakhand. Haridwar railway station has direct connections to major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Indore, Jaipur and Ahmedabad. If you plan to travel by train, check the timetable for your travel dates.

When choosing a hotel, you can first decide what you want to focus on: religious sites and pilgrimage traditions, Har ki Pauri on the Ganges, or the connection to Rajaji National Park. This will help you plan a trip around your interests; details in each listing will determine the location and amenities of an individual hotel. That way, your search stays focused on Haridwar and what you would like to experience during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Haridwar, Roorkee, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Dehradun, Yusufeli, Almora, Nainital

For the main travel overview: Uttarakhand.