WOX Travel Contest | Week 16 : Rishikesh: Spirituality and Tourism

Thank you @o1eh for yet another opportunity in the 16th edition of

WOX Travel Contest

Today I will tell my readers about the city of Rishikesh, considered to be the land of sages, the epitome of penance, situated in the hilly plains of Uttarakhand in North India. The meaning of Rishikesh in Sanskrit is 'Lord of the sages'. But I am no expert on Sanskrit so I tried to find another one that says "Crown of the Saints."

However, this place is not far off from my city so I have visited this area a number of times.

Rishikesh is also known as the gateway to Char Dham (Four divine places). The Char Dham are four popular holy shrines on the hills of the Himalayas, the famous Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. Every year thousands of people are attracted to Rishikesh for spiritual relief, and peace, to learn yoga, adventure, and take a dip for salvation.

This area is full of spirituality, peace, natural beauty and religiosity. The city of Rishikesh is one of the most beautiful places to visit in India. Rishikesh is now attracting the attention of spiritual visitors from every part of the world.

People from all over the world come to Rishikesh which is also known as the "World Yoga Capital". The holy river Ganges flowing from the top of the Himalayas passes by the banks of Rishikesh. This beautiful hill town is also the meeting point of the Chandrabhaga and the Ganges Rivers. This confluence at Rishikesh's Triveni Ghat provides amazing views. Triveni Ghat analyzes the extreme beauty of nature.

The city of Rishikesh, full of the purity of the Ganges, is surrounded by high and beautiful mountains. The evening view at Lakshman Jhula in Rishikesh is so grand and unforgettable that you can hardly ever forget this beautiful natural feeling.

Rishikesh is the second religious and spiritual center after Haridwar. This small town is very important for people who believe in Hinduism.

  
Haridwar and Rishikesh are closely inhabited cities, two separate cities. Many times people make the mistake of considering them all as one.

You can imagine the immense beauty of the city of Rishikesh considering that it is situated at the foot of the ancient Himalayan Mountains.

Ancient Mythological Secrets Of Rishikesh - Rishikesh was known by many names in ancient India and the mention of Rishikesh reflects the spiritual level of the old Hindu civilization.

According to the religious stories published in the Puranas, Lord Rama and his younger brother Lakshmana also came here. Later, Laxman crossed the river Ganges with the help of two ropes. Today's Laxman Jhula has been constructed at the same place.

  
One can take a boat from Ram Jhula or walk on the bridge to cross the river. Both sides of the bridge are always crowded with signs for meditation classes and Ayurvedic massages, along with clothes, sacred beads, shawls, precious and semi-precious stones, replicas of deities, astrological gems, Ayurvedic medicines and Vedic texts.

The other side of the bridge is known as the Swarg Ashram area. Many big ashrams like Swarg Ashram, Geeta Bhavan and Parmarth Niketan are here. Temples welcome you with their engraved deities as you cross the river.

Ganga Aarti is organized in the evening at Parmarth Niketan and Triveni Ghat. Hundreds of people come to witness this puja and offer bowls of leaves which are filled with flowers and small oil lamps to the goddess. The tiny twinkling lights of the floating lamps, the river Ganges and the auspicious atmosphere create such a wonderful sight and feel that can attract anyone to join in the prayer, even visitors from outside India who do not know the Vedic scriptures or can't even understand the religious songs.

Parmarth Niketan Ashram is situated in the Swarg Ashram area. The ashram has lots of rooms for devotees and tourists. There are many religious idols inside the ashram. I joined Parmarth Niketan International Yoga Festival in the years 2015 and 2016 but they celebrate Yoga Day every year. This ashram is particularly popular among the tourists that come to attend here from different parts of the world.

  
As I said Rishikesh is famous for yoga all over the world and you can have short sessions or you can stay here for a long time for learning yoga. There are a number of yoga centers here that teach yoga in a unique way that is perhaps the best in the world.

  
On the occasion of famous Hindu religious festivals like Mahashivaratri, Kumbh Mela, Ganga Dussehra, Ganga Snan, etc., millions of devotees come to Rishikesh to take a holy dip and take holy water to their homes. It would be worth mentioning here that water from River Ganges never changes its color or taste even if you keep it for hundreds of years.

Rishikesh is also a major yoga and meditation center. Yoga and meditation are so prevalent in today's time that Rishikesh is also known as the Yoga Capital of the World. Today people from all over the world come here to learn yoga and meditation.

The oldest temple in Rishikesh is the Kanta Temple, which has gone through a lot of refinements and improvements over time. The temple was built in the 12th century.

The magnificence of the temple is amazing and it is situated on the banks of the holy river Ganges. This temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu is also known as Shri Kanteshwar Temple.

Apart from Kanta Temple, there are some other famous ancient temples in Rishikesh, such as Brahmakund Temple, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple etc.

Spirituality of Rishikesh

Rishikesh is situated in the calm and cool climate of the Himalayas and has become an important center of spirituality. Its history is linked to the Vedas and it is a very important place for culture, religion and spirituality.

  
Rishikesh has ancient spiritual sites, such as Kedarnath, Badrinath and Gangotri, considered a part of the three Dhams, Saint Tulsidas's Ashram, Swami Vivekananda's Ashram, Paramahansa Yogananda's Ashram etc. Here you can easily indulge in meditation, pranayama, yoga and other spiritual activities that take place here. By being a part of the religious and spiritual activities that take place here, you will feel a different kind of positive energy within you. That's why Rishikesh has a deep connection with spirituality.

Accommodation in Rishikesh is not free. But you can find many options to stay here. According to different budgets, you can make the best arrangements for your stay here according to your budget.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly option, Rishikesh has a host of hostels, guest houses, charity stays, and homestays to offer. At these places, you can find basic amenities like a clean bed, bathroom, wifi, and food facilities.

If you have no problem with finance, then you can also choose luxury hotels. Here, you can also find more facilities, such as a swimming pool, spa, and restaurant facilities.

You can also use online booking sites for accommodation facilities in Rishikesh. On these travel sites, you will find a variety of options according to your needs and budget.

Rishikesh is famous in many ways, it is a religious place, hill station, and spiritual center, where there are many religious places, spiritual places, and natural beauty places. Here you will find many such places where you can calm and stabilize your mind.

Places to visit-

Trimbakeshwar Temple - This is the most famous Hindu temple in Rishikesh dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Laxman Jhula - It is nearby Jwalapuri temple and is named after him. This swing is made so that people can cross over the river Ganges.

Ram Jhula - This is another bridge that is built like Laxman Jhula on the river Ganges. Ganga Aarti takes place every evening, where devotees attend and perform aarti to worship the river, Ganga.

Parmarth Niketan Ashram - Parmarth Niketan Ashram is the most popular ashram in Rishikesh and here you come for spirituality.

White River Rafting in Rishikesh: This is one of the rarest places in India as the places close to Rishikesh are Brahmpuri, Shivpuri, and Kaudiyala where people come to enjoy rafting. There are three different distances, the shorter rafting from Brahmapuri about 11 km, the middle distance of 18 km from Shivpuri and the longest 25 km from Kaudiyala is one of the most popular tourist activities.

   You will see a number of temporary camps set up near Rishikesh as camping in the forest and on the banks of the river is another popular tourist activity here.

Bungee Jumping: Bungee jumping or bungee jumping is a new addition in Rishikesh. This can be done at Jumpin Heights, which is 15 km from Rishikesh on the Rishikesh-Neelkanth Road. The bungee jump is 83 meters above a natural river. Only a few places in India have the facility for bungee jumping.

Trekking in Rishikesh: There are many treks available near Rishikesh. There are soft, moderate and difficult trek options. Short treks can be made to beautiful villages and waterfalls, and other treks of more than one day according to the time available to you.

ᴬˡˡ ᶦᵐᵃᵍᵉˢ ᵐʸ ᵖʰᵒⁿᵉ ᵒʳ ᶜᵃᵐᵉʳᵃ

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