Rishikesh
Rishikesh the abode (dhaam) of the saints (sadhu). Rishikesh is located in Uttarakhand, India, which is also considered the yoga capital of the world. It is a very sacred (pavitra) place of Hindu religion which is famous among tourists and travelers.
It is said that Lord ram also came here at Rishikesh to do penance (tapasya) after defeating Raavan. And the magnificentRaghunath Temple is the witness of this.
The 10 top places in Rishikesh that you must visit are :
1. Shiv Murti.
Parmarth Niketan is the place from where you can see the magnificent Shiv Murti. In this Murti, you will find Lord Shiv sitting and meditating in which eyes of Lord Shiv are closed. This sculpture is situated in the middle of River Ganga. This sculpture is almost 14ft high. And it is very famous amongst the tourists.
2. Neelkanth Mahadev Temple.
Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is a very magnificent temple which is situated at Manikoot Mountain (parvat) near Rishikesh. According to ancient books, Rishikesh is that place where Lord Shiv drunk poison (vish) during ocean churning (Samudra manthan) and after drinking that poison his throat turned blue. Hence this place is called Neelkanth Mahadev Temple. This temple is surrounded by 3 mountains namely Manikoot, Bharahmakoot and Vishnukoot. Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is at least 32 km away from Rishikesh.
3. Neelgarh Waterfalls.
Neelgarh Waterfalls is a 25ft high waterfall which is made from combining 3 waterfalls. And it is a must to witness the beauty of Neelgarh Waterfalls.
You might have to do trekking on foot for 15 minutes to reach Neelgarh Waterfalls in which you will cross 2 bridges from where water keeps flowing non-stop. This entire journey will be incomparable to any other journey. You will have to travel a distance of 8.5kms from Rishikesh bus stop to reach Neelgarh Waterfalls. You can cover this distance via private taxi or local cab out there. The best time to visit Neelgarh Waterfalls is after the monsoon between October and September. Because only then you will be able to see the beautiful waterfalls. Entry to Neelgarh Waterfalls is free, you can go there without giving any entry fees.
4. Beatles Ashram.
Beatles Ashram is also famous by the name of Chaurasi Kuttiya. It is a very famous tourist spot in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. Beatles Ashram is situated on the eastern banks of River Ganga which is opposite to Muni ki Reti area. This Ashram was a training center for the students of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. This Ashram got international recognition when in 1968 an English rock band, The Beatles came here for meditation.
It is believed that the period of time they spent here was their most productive period of time And here they wrote their most famous songs. Beatles Ashram was handed over to the Forestry Department in 1990 after which this place became famous by the name of Beatles Ashram. And in December 2015, it was opened for people and after that, this place has become a very famous tourist spot for the fan base of The Beatles.The timings to visit Beatles Ashram is from 10am to 4pm and there are no entry fees to come here. It is free of cost.
5. Trimbakeshwar Temple.
Trimbakeshwar Temple, Rishikesh which is also popular by the name of 13 floored temple. Trimbakeshwar means three-eyed Lord who according to Hindu Mythology is Lord Shiva. The view of the River Ganga from Trimbakeshwar Temple is unprecedented (abhootpurva). And you can also see Laxman Jhula from this temple. The staircase of the Trimbakeshwar temple goes 13 floor upwards towards Lord Trimbakeshwar. And the locals believe that this temple was built by Adi Shankaracharya between the 8th and 9th centuries.
6. Bharat Mandir.
Bharat Temple (Mandir) is situated at the center of Rishikesh and it won’t take you long to reach here. This temple is 2kms away from the railway station and 1kms away from the bus stop. After rigorous penance of Rabhyarishi and Somrishi, Lord Vishnu got impressed and appeared before them.
Along with that Lord Vishnu said that in Kalyug this temple will be established here by the name of Bharat Mandir. Bharat Mandir has 250 years old Vatt Vriksh, Peepal (Banyan tree), and Bail Patra (vine leaf) tree which according to Hindu Mythology is a witness of the presence of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva. That’s why this place is very amongst the devotees and tourists. It can take you approximately 1 hour to visit Bharat Mandir. You will also find a museum in this temple which is a must to visit. There are no fees to visit Bharat Mandir. And it is believed to be very auspicious coming here on Vasant Panchami and Mahashivratri.
7. Aarti of Triveni Ghat.
Ganga Aarti is a very old ritual of Rishikesh which is being carried on for a long time. This Aarti takes place at Triveni Ghat. And because Triveni Ghat is a very famous ghat that’s why it’s always overcrowded during Aarti.
This ghat was built by Peshwa Balaji Baajirao in 1748. And Peshwa Balaji Baajirao was the first person to do Ganga Aarti here. It is believed that if you are there during the Aarti then all your sins are forgiven. Aarti timings of Triveni Ghat is from 6pm-7pm and there are no fees to attend this aarti. There are many other good places to visit near Triveni Ghat like Bharat Mandir, Geeta Temple, and Laxmi Narayan Temple.
8. Rishi Kund.
Rishi Kund is situated in Rishikesh near Triveni Ghat, at Raghunath Mandir. It is believed that this Kund was built by Kubj Rishi (saint). Before the penance of Kubj Rishi, this place used to be a Havan Kund. That’s why the shape of this Kund is like a havan Kund. And after getting impressed by Kubj Rishi (saint) Goddess Yamuna came to this Kund. And to date, no one could find out how the water of Goddess Yamuna came here.
According to Hindu Beliefs, when Lord Ram defeated Raavan then Lord Ram did penance here to wash out the crime of killing a Brahman. That’s why whenever you will go to Rishi Kund, you will see the sculptures of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita there. It is believed that Rishi Kund is approximately 400-500 years old. That’s why this place is very famous amongst the tourists. There are no entry fees to go to Rishi Kund.
9. Chotiwala Restaurant.
Chotiwala Restaurant is near Ram Jhula. And this restaurant was built in 1958. Since then, the successors of that family are running this restaurant. And that’s why the taste of this place is the same for the past 50 years. There is no branch of Chotiwala. You can eat the food of Chotiwala only in Rishikesh and Haridwar.
When Chotiwala Restaurant opened in Rishikesh then the owners of this place thought of doing the branding of this place in a different way. For that purpose, they made a man with a pony (choti) sit outside of their restaurant who has big wide eyes and a very long pony. This mascot lured (lubhaya) visitors a lot. And since then, this restaurant is famous by the name of Chotiwala Restaurant. The timings of this restaurant are from 7:30am to 11pm.
10. Laxman Jhula.
Laxman Jhula is the most famous tourist spot of Rishikesh. This was made by Britishers for their comfort. Laxman Jhula is nearly 90 years old. In 1923, when the British government felt the need of this Jhula then the foundation of this Jhula was placed. And due to the rapid flow of the River Ganga, its foundation was wiped out 2 times and in 1930, this bridge was finally built. Laxman Jhula is approximately 450m long and it is believed that the younger brother of Lord Ram, Lord Laxman made this bridge out of jute and did penance here. That’s why this bridge is known as Laxman Jhula.
Along with Laxman Jhula, Ram Jhula is also very famous here which is 750 feet long and it was also built-in 1993. Laxman Jhula remains open 24/7. And there are no fees to come here.
