In the last week of May this year, we spent a week in Rishikesh , a wonderful religious town at the foot of Himalayas. We took the direct flight from Chennai of Indigo Airlines to Dehradun , the nearest airport in the state of Uttarakhand. The flight leaves Chennai at 12 noon and reaches Dehradun at 4 pm after a brief stopover at Lucknow. Taxi ride to Rishikesh takes about 45 minutes and the fare is around Rs 1500 . Dehradun is located at almost equidistant to Missouri, Haridwar and Rishikesh in different directions. Rishikesh can be reached by train also from Delhi via Dehradun.
Rishikesh is town of renowned ashrams. Sivananda Ashram, Paramarth Niketan, Ganga Swargashram, Gita Bhavan ashram are some of the well known ashrams that provide accommodation at very reasoble price to the pilgrims. All these ashrams are situated on the eastern bank of Ganga riverfront and this area is known as Swargashram. Gita Bhuvan has close to 1000 rooms and dormitories for the pilgrims. Paramarth Niketan conducts Ganga Aarathi every evening at 6 pm on the river front joined by hundreds of pilgrims. It is a great sight to watch. Water in the Ganga river is purest in Rishikesh compared to Haridwar .
There used be a famous Trancedental Medidation Centre and ashram of Maharishi Mahesh yogi many years ago where Beatles ( English rap singer group) had once stayed and place was called Beatles ashram. This ashram situated amidst the picturesque Rajaji National Park is in totally dilapidated condition and has become a tourist place for curious visitors.
Rishikesh does not have any notable historic temples , but it is a gateway to Badrinath and Kedarnath , the two holiest abodes of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva and is part of the famous Char Dham yatra for Hindu pilgrims coming from all over the world. The other two Dhams are Gangotri and Yamunotri in Uttarkasi region of the state.
Badrinath is about 250 kms by road up the Himalayas and Kedarnath 290 kms. While taxis and buses go upto Badrinath,which takes about 10 hours from Rishikesh , the road to Kedarnath is more hazardous. The last 16 kms will have to be covered by foot or on ponies or in dholis ! There is a helicopter service to Kedarnath Temple organised by Uttarakhand government , at reasonable cost, but the pick up points are located at far off villages on the hills which may take 4-5 hours to reach the helipad. Booking is done only online . Flights are subject to vagaries of weather .
Because of COVID regulations, there were strict restrictions to travel to Badrinath and spot medical check ups were done on the way. During the first 3 weeks of May, nearly 90 pilgrims ( mostly senior citizens) died on their way to Badrinath or Kedarnath due to breathing problems resulting from low oxygen levels at higher altitude.We decided to restrict our journey only upto Devaprayag, a holy town located about 60 kms and takes 2 hours to reach. At Devaprayag, three rivers Alaknanda from Badrinath , Bhagirathi from Kedarnath and the mystic river Saraswathy merge into one and the river thereafter takes the name ‘Ganga’. It is indeed a great sight to watch. To reach Raghunathji temple at Devaprayag , one has to descend hundreds of steps then cross a joola ( swing) to reach other side where pilgrims take bath and climb dozens of steep steps to reach the temple for offering prayers. I was astonished to see Tamil devotional songs were inscribed on the temple walls.
On our return, we reached Haridwar via Rajaji National Park and visited the hill temple of Maa Chandi Devi. We had to go up only through rope car. Though there were hundreds of pilgrims at the rope car station, the arrangements were so superb, that we did not have to wait for long . We had great darshan of Chandi mataji . There was also a temple for Anjanadevi , mother of Hanumanji in the hill. We left in the morning around 8 am and returned by 8 pm. Taxi fare was Rs 7000 and was worth it. You need a good driver and car to travel on the Himalayan road.
There was no direct return flight from Dehradun to Chennai. The flight was via Bangalore with change of aircraft . While we departed Dehradun at 9 am , we reached Chennai 4 pm. The trip was most satisfying and worth the efforts.
Rishikesh is town of renowned ashrams. Sivananda Ashram, Paramarth Niketan, Ganga Swargashram, Gita Bhavan ashram are some of the well known ashrams that provide accommodation at very reasoble price to the pilgrims. All these ashrams are situated on the eastern bank of Ganga riverfront and this area is known as Swargashram. Gita Bhuvan has close to 1000 rooms and dormitories for the pilgrims. Paramarth Niketan conducts Ganga Aarathi every evening at 6 pm on the river front joined by hundreds of pilgrims. It is a great sight to watch. Water in the Ganga river is purest in Rishikesh compared to Haridwar .
There used be a famous Trancedental Medidation Centre and ashram of Maharishi Mahesh yogi many years ago where Beatles ( English rap singer group) had once stayed and place was called Beatles ashram. This ashram situated amidst the picturesque Rajaji National Park is in totally dilapidated condition and has become a tourist place for curious visitors.
Rishikesh does not have any notable historic temples , but it is a gateway to Badrinath and Kedarnath , the two holiest abodes of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva and is part of the famous Char Dham yatra for Hindu pilgrims coming from all over the world. The other two Dhams are Gangotri and Yamunotri in Uttarkasi region of the state.
Badrinath is about 250 kms by road up the Himalayas and Kedarnath 290 kms. While taxis and buses go upto Badrinath,which takes about 10 hours from Rishikesh , the road to Kedarnath is more hazardous. The last 16 kms will have to be covered by foot or on ponies or in dholis ! There is a helicopter service to Kedarnath Temple organised by Uttarakhand government , at reasonable cost, but the pick up points are located at far off villages on the hills which may take 4-5 hours to reach the helipad. Booking is done only online . Flights are subject to vagaries of weather .
Because of COVID regulations, there were strict restrictions to travel to Badrinath and spot medical check ups were done on the way. During the first 3 weeks of May, nearly 90 pilgrims ( mostly senior citizens) died on their way to Badrinath or Kedarnath due to breathing problems resulting from low oxygen levels at higher altitude.We decided to restrict our journey only upto Devaprayag, a holy town located about 60 kms and takes 2 hours to reach. At Devaprayag, three rivers Alaknanda from Badrinath , Bhagirathi from Kedarnath and the mystic river Saraswathy merge into one and the river thereafter takes the name ‘Ganga’. It is indeed a great sight to watch. To reach Raghunathji temple at Devaprayag , one has to descend hundreds of steps then cross a joola ( swing) to reach other side where pilgrims take bath and climb dozens of steep steps to reach the temple for offering prayers. I was astonished to see Tamil devotional songs were inscribed on the temple walls.
On our return, we reached Haridwar via Rajaji National Park and visited the hill temple of Maa Chandi Devi. We had to go up only through rope car. Though there were hundreds of pilgrims at the rope car station, the arrangements were so superb, that we did not have to wait for long . We had great darshan of Chandi mataji . There was also a temple for Anjanadevi , mother of Hanumanji in the hill. We left in the morning around 8 am and returned by 8 pm. Taxi fare was Rs 7000 and was worth it. You need a good driver and car to travel on the Himalayan road.
There was no direct return flight from Dehradun to Chennai. The flight was via Bangalore with change of aircraft . While we departed Dehradun at 9 am , we reached Chennai 4 pm. The trip was most satisfying and worth the efforts.
