Haridwar
A sacred treasure house

Situated on top of the Neel Parwat, the Chandi Devi Temple is devoted to Goddess Chandi Devi. the most statue was established by Adi Shakaracharya within the 8th century AD, while the temple was constructed by Suchat Singh, the king of Kashmir, in 1929 AD. From Chandighat, one must trek 3 km to succeed in the temple, or take a trolley on the ropeway.
Legend has it that when demon kings Shumbh and Nishumbh had appropriated Lord Indra’s ancient kingdom and had thrown the gods out of the heavens. Chandika Devi, a goddess who was created with the cells from Goddess Parvati’s body, was desired by king Shumbh. When she refused his advances, the kings sent their army chiefs Chanda and Munda to kill Goddess Chandika. However, Chanda and Munda were killed by Kalika Devi, who was born out of Goddess Chandika’s anger. Chandika Devi went on to kill the 2 demon kings also . Tired after this long battle, the goddess is claimed to possess rested on Neel Parwat and therefore the Chandi Devi Temple was inbuilt her honour.

The Daksh Mahadev Temple lies to the south of Kankhal town and is devoted to Lord Shiva. This temple is known as after king Daksh Prajapati, the daddy of Lord Shiva’s wife, Goddess Sati. Legend has it that when the king hosted a holy yajna (a fire ritual) at this site. However, since he didn’t invite Lord Shiva, Goddess Sati felt insulted and immolated herself in his yajna. Out of anger, the ganas (Lord Shiva’s followers) killed king Daksh. Lord Shiva then brought him back to life and put the top of a male goat on him. The king later realised his mistake and repented before the lord, who declared that in the month of Saavan (June-August), he would sleep in Kankhal. The Sati Kund located on the banks of River Ganga is additionally considered sacred and has been mentioned the epic Mahabharata.

One of the holiest ghats of Haridwar, Har-ki-Pauri is visited by thousands of pilgrims per annum . The ghat is that the spot where the River Ganges, after winding its way through the mountains, touches the plains for the primary time. Countless people bathe within the waters of the river to scrub off all their sins, as per Hindu beliefs. There are several temples next to the ghat and one can always hear the soothing chant of mantras and temple bells. the most attraction is that the evening Ganga arti (a fire ritual). One can see the ghat swarmed with priests carrying three-tiered lamps of fireside , and devotees immersed during a spiritual fervour, while the sound of mantras and gongs reverberates through the environment . During the arti, the devotees float lamps within the river, creating a gorgeous scene.
It is said that king Vikramaditya’s brother, Bhartrihari, had meditated on the banks of the holy river Ganga for several years. After his death, the good king built this ghat in his memory. it had been referred to as Hari-ki-Pauri after Bhatrihari. Lord Vishnu’s footprint is claimed to be etched on one among the stones here and it’s believed that Lord Shiva came here during the Vedic period.
Another legend goes that there was once a battle between the gods and demons for nectar (amrit), which was extracted from the manthan (churning) of Sheer Sagar. On seeing the battle, Lord Vishnu took the guise of a gorgeous woman and charmed the demons to urge the nectar for the gods. When the demons need to know the reality , they chased after Lord Vishnu to urge the urn containing the nectar. it’s believed that in the chase, a couple of drops of the nectar fell out of the urn at an area that’s now called Brahma Kund, which lies at Har-ki-Pauri. 

The grand Kumbh Mela is organised on a huge scale every 12 years and sees many people visiting Haridwar (the figure has gone up as high as 10 billion). The Ardh Kumbh, held every six years, is another mega event along an equivalent lines. there’s a stimulating story behind the origin of this popular festival. The gods (devtas) and demons (asuras) were fighting over the pot of nectar (kalasha of amrit) that that they had found during the churning of the primordial sea (Samudra Mathan). Since the demons were more powerful, the gods entrusted the pot of nectar to four devtas – Brahaspati, Surya, Chandra and Shani, who ran away with it to stay it safe. The demons chased after them for 12 days and nights round the earth. During the chase, the gods kept the pot at Haridwar, Prayag, Ujjain and Nashik. Another legend says that a fight ensued between the gods and demons during which the pot tipped over, and therefore the nectar fell at these four places. And today, the Kumbh Mela is held at these four destinations, once every 12 years. It sees the participation of saints, yogis and priests from across India. From the Naga sadhus who don’t wear clothes and smear their bodies with ash, the Urdhwavahurs, who are willing to undergo severe austerities in their pursuit of the Almighty, the Parivajakas who use bells to speak as they need taken a vow of silence, the Shirshasins who stand on their heads to meditate for hours on end to the Kalpvasis, who spend the Kumbh month mediating on the banks of Ganga, bathing in it thrice and performing religious rituals, all are attending at the mela. During the Kumbh, the waters of Ganga are said to be charged with positive healing effects with enhanced electromagnetic radiations of the sun, the moon and Jupiter.

Offering beautiful views of the town of Haridwar, Mansa Devi Temple is situated on the Bilwa Parwat. it’s two impressive statues of Goddess Mansa Devi – one with three mouths and five arms and therefore the other with eight arms. Goddess Mansa is believed to be a sort of Goddess Shakti, who came from the mind of sage Kashyap. This temple is among the 51 shaktipeethas (devotional shrines where the severed body parts of Goddess Sati fell) within the country. There are two other shaktipeethas in Haridwar: Chandi Devi and Maya Devi temples.
One can go via the ropeway during a trolley to the present temple or just trek up Capitol Hill . it’s said that the goddess grants all wishes that are made by tying a thread on the branches of a holy tree within the temple. One must also come to untie the thread once the wish has been fulfilled.

With a firm belief in ancient practices as its backbone, Patanjali Yogpeeth aims to free across the planet from diseases also as medicines. they’re encouraged instead to believe the wisdom of sages and saints including Maharishi Patanjali, Charak and Sushrut. At the institute, practical and functional training in Astang Yog, Raj Yog, Dhyan Yog, Hath Yog, Ashan and Pranayam, among others, is inspired . The aim is to realize peace, healthiness and extreme happiness. There are regular yoga classes organised within the institute also as outside for all and that they also are broadcasted on television. The institute conducts courses in yoga and promotes research on this ancient practice. It also has the aim of spreading awareness – books, international conferences and therefore the like are the tools used for the aim . There are departments of ophthalmology, ENT, dental and surgery, along side a neighborhood for physiotherapy and acupressure within the institute. it’s well-equipped with latest machines and equipment. Accommodation is additionally available for tourists who want to remain over. It also features a modern library, with several manuscripts and literature on yoga, Ayurveda and botany, along side an online surfing centre. Swami Ramdev ji Maharaj and Acharya Balkrishna ji Maharaj founded the Patanjali Yogpeeth (Trust) on February 4, 2005.