Exploring the beautiful center of Tourism for tourists And spirituality for hermits – Rishikesh

The quiet environment of Rishikesh is home to many famous ashrams, where every year a large number of pilgrims come to draw attention and meditate for peace of mind. Foreign tourists also come here regularly for the sake of spiritual happiness.
This small hilly town is full of all kinds of attractions. It is a very beautiful center of spirituality for tourists and hermit. Here are all things that a tourist or stroller needs. During my stroll I tried to catch the pulse of the city while strolling.

Lakshman Jhula
This swing connects one side of the river Ganges to the other side, identifying the specific of the city. It was built in 1939. It is said that in order to cross the River Ganga, Lakshman built a jute swing at this place. The swing appears to be moving when you get in the middle. Lakshman and Raghunath Temple are situated near this 450 feet long swing. The beautiful surrounds can be enjoyed by standing on the swing. In Rishikesh on the banks of Ganges sand is very soft after being seated on it, it seems like a mother’s laps. Just sitting here and watching the view gives you the feeling of infinite peace and rise of Ramatav.

Ram Jhula
Ram Jhula is Rishikesh’s main landmark. This place is situated at a distance of 3 kilometers from the Muni Ki Reti. Here an iron bridge has been built over the river Ganga that is bigger than Lakshman Jhula which connects Swarg ashram with Shivanand Ashram. Hence it is also known as Shivanand Jhula.

Triveni Ghat
This is a major Ghat for bathing in Rishikesh where many pilgrims dive in the holy river Ganges in the morning. It is said that at this place there is a confluence of the three major rivers of Hinduism, Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. The view of the evening Aarti is very attractive.

Swarg Ashram
Founded by Swami Vishuddhananda, this ashram is the oldest ashram of Rishikesh. Swami ji was also known as ‘kali kamali wali’. There are many beautiful temples in this place. There are many restaurants where only vegetarian food is served. There are many handicrafts shops around the ashram.

Neelkanth Mahadev Temple
At the height of approximately 5500 feet, the Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is located on the top of the hill of Swarg Ashram. It is said that here Lord Shiva had intake the poison that was discovered from sea churning after which his throats got blue and he was known as Neelkanth. There is a waterfall in the temple premises where devotees bath before the temple visit.

Bharat temple
One of the oldest temple of Rishikesh was built in 12th century, by Adi Guru Shankaracharya. This temple, dedicated to Bharat, the younger brother of Lord Rama, is located in the Old Town near Triveni Ghat. The original form of the temple was damaged during the invasion of Taimur in 1398. However, many important things in the temple have been preserved till date even after that attack. In the inner sanctum of the temple, the statue of Lord Vishnu is carved on a single Shigram stone.

Kailash Niketan Temple
After crossing the Lakshman Jhula is the Kailash Niketan temple. This huge temple, built in 12 segments, is different from other temples of Rishikesh. Idols of all Goddesses are established in this temple.

Vashishtha Cave
From a distance of 22 km from Rishikesh, 3000 years old Vashishtha Cave is situated on the Badrinath-Kedarnath road. At this place, many saints can be seen resting and meditating. It is said that this place was the residence of the priest Vashishtha of Lord Rama and many kings. In the Vashishtha cave, the saints can be seen in meditation mood. Inside the cave there is also a Shivling established.

Geeta Bhawan
Geeta bhawan lies after crossing the Ram Jhula, which was built in 1950 by Shree Jaydayal Goyandkaji. It is famous for its scenic walls. Here the walls are adorned with pictures of Ramayana and Mahabharata making it an attraction. There is also an Ayurvedic Dispensary and a branch of Geetapress Gorakhpur. There are regular actions of discourse and kirtan of the temple. Devotional music can be enjoyed here in the evening. There are hundreds of rooms here for pilgrims to stay.

Locating the place of salvation
Rishikesh is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites in India, situated 25 km north of Haridwar and 43 km south-east of Dehradun. Surrounded by the lower hills of the Himalayas and the natural beauty, flows the Ganga which seems to make this religious place incredible. Rishikesh is considered to be the gateway of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri.

How to reach
To arrive by air there is a Jolly Grant Airport near Dehradun that is 18 kilometers from Rishikesh. Air India, Jet and Spice Jet flights connect it with Delhi.
For those who travel by rail, you must know that Rishikesh is nearest railway station which is 5 km from the city. Rishikesh is connected to the main railway stations of the country.
For those traveling by road, Buses of State Transport Corporation regularly run for Rishikesh from many cities of Delhi and Uttarakhand and Kashmiri Gate have deluxe and private buses for Rishikesh.

Written By :- Sanjaya Shepherd