Rishikesh is a city and a municipal board in
Dehradun districtDehradun is a district of Uttarakhand state in northern India. The district headquarters is Dehradun, which has also served as the provisional capital of Uttaranchal since its founding in 2000, and may well become the permanent capital. The district has 6 Thasils, 6 community development blocks,...
in the
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
n
stateIndia is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.- States and territories :...
of
UttarakhandUttarakhand , is a state located in the northern part of India. It was carved out of Himalayan and adjoining districts of Uttar Pradesh on 9 November 2000, becoming the 27th state of the Republic of India...
. It is holy city for Hindus and a famous centre of pilgrimage.
It is also known as the gateway to the
HimalayasThe Himalaya Range or Himalayas for short , meaning "abode of snow", is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
and is located around 25
kilometreThe kilometre , symbol km is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousand metres and is therefore exactly equal to the distance travelled by light in free space in of a second....
s away from another holy city,
HaridwarHaridwar ) is a holy city and municipal board in the Haridwar District of Uttarakhand, India. In Hindi, Haridwar stands for Dwar of Hari or Gateway to God, 'Hari' meaning god and 'dwar' meaning gate...
. Hrishikesh is the starting point for traveling to the sites that form the
Char DhamThe Chota Char Dham is the most important Hindu pilgrimage circuit in the Indian Himalayas. Located in the Garhwal section of the state of Uttarakhand , the circuit consists of four sites—Yamunotri , Gangotri , Kedarnath , and Badrinath...
pilgrimage —
BadrinathBadrinath is a Hindu holy town and a nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the most important of the four sites in India's Char Dham pilgrimage.-Geography:...
,
KedarnathKedarnath is a Hindu holy town located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is a nagar panchayat in Rudraprayag district. The most remote of the four Char Dham sites, Kedarnath is located in the Himalayas, about 3584m above sea level near the head of river Mandakini, and is flanked by...
,
GangotriGangotri is a town and a Nagar Panchayat in Uttarkashi district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is a Hindu pilgrim town on the banks of the river Bhagirathi...
, and
YamunotriYamunotri, the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the Goddess Yamuna, is one of the four sites in India's Chota Char Dham pilgrimage. The actual source of Yamuna River lies in the Yamunotri Glacier at a height 6,387 mtrs., near Banderpooch peaks in the Mussoorie range of Lower Himalayas, in...
.
History
"" is a name of Vishnu that means 'lord of the senses'. Hrishikesh is a holy city for
HindusHinduism is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is often referred to as ', a Sanskrit phrase meaning "the eternal law", by its adherents. Generic "types" of Hinduism that attempt to accommodate a variety of complex views span folk and Vedic Hinduism to bhakti tradition, as...
located in the foothills of the Himalaya in northern India. The place gets its name after Lord
VishnuVishnu , , is the Supreme God in Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God...
who appeared to 'Raibhya Rishi' , as a result of his tapasya (austerities), as Lord Hrishikesh . In
Skanda PuranaSkanda Purana, one of the major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu religious text, is the largest Purana and is devoted mainly to the life and deed of Kartikeya , a son of Shiva and Parvati. It also contains a number of legends about Shiva, and the holy places associated with him...
, this area is known as 'Kubjamrak' as Lord Vishnu appeared, under a mango tree .
Historically, Rishikesh, has been a part of the legendary 'Kedarkhand' (the present day
GarhwalGarhwal or Gurwal is a region and administrative division of Uttarakhand state, India, lying in the Himalayas. It is bounded on the north by Tibet, on the east by Kumaon region, on the south by Uttar Pradesh state, and on the west by Himachal Pradesh state. It includes the districts of Chamoli,...
), the abode of
ShivaShiva , also known as Rudra is a major Hindu god and one aspect of Trimurti. In the Shaiva tradition of Hinduism, Shiva is seen as the Supreme God...
. Legends state that Lord Rama did penance here for killing
RavanaRavana is a character in Hindu and Srilankan history, a powerful legendary king who ruled in Ancient Lanka and is the primary antagonist in the Ramayan epic....
, the demon king of
LankaLanka is the name given in Hindu mythology to the island fortress capital of the legendary king Ravana in the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, and is the ancient name for present day Sri Lanka. The fortress was situated in a plateau between three mountain peaks known as the Trikuta Mountains...
; and Lakshmana, his younger brother, crossed the river Ganga, at a point, where the present '
Lakshman JhulaLakshman Jhula is an iron suspension bridge situated in Rishikesh in Indian state of Uttarakhand . It is made over river Ganges to cross the river and is landmark of Rishikesh....
' (लक्ष्मण झूला) bridge stands today, using a jute rope bridge. The 'Kedar Khand' of
Skanda PuranaSkanda Purana, one of the major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu religious text, is the largest Purana and is devoted mainly to the life and deed of Kartikeya , a son of Shiva and Parvati. It also contains a number of legends about Shiva, and the holy places associated with him...
, also mentions the existence of Indrakund at this very point. The jute-rope bridge was replaced by iron-rope
suspension bridgeA simple suspension bridge is an early type of bridge that is supported entirely from anchors at either end, and has no towers or piers. However, it may have saddles...
in 1889, and after it was washed away in the 1924 floods, it was replaced by a stronger present bridge. There is an interesting story about this place. Lord Rama did his meditation and other ritual on this bank and the flowing water of the river Ganga was disturbing him so out of rage Laxman shot an arrow in the river. From then onwards the river here surprisingly is very quiet; at night you will pass over the bridge without even knowing that a river is flowing below. Even today, the western bank of the bridge has a
LakshmanaLakshmana ; Javanese language: Lesmono) was the brother and close companion of Rama, and himself a hero in the famous epic Ramayana. Within a number of Hindu traditions Lakshmana is considered to be an avatara, in a secondary form to Rama's main appearance...
temple, and across it lies a temple dedicated to Lord
RamaRama or Ramachandra is the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a legendary king of Ayodhya in ancient India...
; also present near by is a temple of his other brother,
BharataIn the Hindu epic Ramayana, Bharata was the second brother of the main protagonist Lord Rama, and the son of Dasaratha and Kaikeyi. Dasaratha was the Emperor of Ayodhya and belonged to the Suryavansha or Solar Dynasty. It is said that after Rama, he was the symbol of dharma and idealism...
, which also finds mention in the 'Kedar Khand' .
Ramjhula - bridge over the Ganga was made by the Indian government this is not a historical or belongs to any Purana or other Religious book its official name at the time of inauguration was Sivananda bridge.
The
sacredHoliness, or sanctity, is in general the state of being holy or sacred...
riverA river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing toward an ocean, a lake, a sea or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water...
GangaThe Ganges is one of the major rivers of the Indian subcontinent, flowing east through the Gangetic Plain of northern India into Bangladesh. The river rises in the western Himalayas in the Uttarakhand state of India, and drains into the Sunderbans delta in the Bay of Bengal...
flows through Hrishikesh. In fact, it is here that the river leaves the
ShivalikThe Sivalik Hills or Shiwalik Range, also known as the Sivalik mountains and sometimes called Churia or Chure Hills or Outer Himalaya are the southernmost and geologically youngest east-west mountain chain of the Himalayan System. The Sivalik Hills crest at 900 to 1,200 meters and have many...
mountains in the
HimalayasThe Himalaya Range or Himalayas for short , meaning "abode of snow", is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
and flows out into the plains of northern India. Several
templeA Hindu temple or Mandir is a place of worship for followers of Hinduism. It can be a separate structure or a part of a building. A picture of most temples is the presence of murtis of the Hindu deity to whom the temple is dedicated. They are usually dedicated to one primary deity, called the...
s, ancient as well as new, can be found along the banks of the Ganges in Hrishikesh. The city attracts thousands of
pilgrimA pilgrim is one who undertakes a pilgrimage, literally 'far afield'. This is traditionally a visit to a place of some religious or historic significance; often a considerable distance is traveled...
s and tourists each year, from within India, as well as from other countries. Hrishikesh, sometimes nicknamed "the world capital of Yoga", has numerous
yogaYoga refers to traditional physical and mental disciplines originating in India. The word is associated with meditative practices in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. In Hinduism, it also refers to one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy, and to the goal toward which that school directs...
centres that also attract tourists. It is believed that
meditationMeditation is used here as a broad term for practices done by a sole practitioner without much, if any, external aide, often for the purpose of self-transformation...
in Hrishikesh brings one closer to attainment of
mokshaIn Indian religions, Moksha or Mukti , literally "release" , is the liberation from samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth or reincarnation and all of the suffering and limitation of worldly existence after realization of God...
, as does a dip in the holy river that flows through it. It is also becoming a popular spot for white water rafting enthusiasts, both from India and abroad, as it offers medium to rough rapids in the course of river Ganges.
The name Hrishikesh is loosely applied to an association of five distinct sections encompassing not only the town but also hamlets and settlements on both sides of the river Ganges. These include Hrishikesh itself, the commercial and communication hub; the sprawling suburb
Muni-ki-RetiMuni Ki Reti is a town and a nagar panchayat in Tehri Garhwal district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It lies close to pilgrimage town of Rishikesh, and is most known for a host of ashrams in the area, including the Shri Shivananda Ashram of Swami Sivananda, the founder of Divine Life...
or the "
sandSand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.As the term is used by geologists, sand particles range in diameter from 0.0625 to 2 millimeters. An individual particle in this range size is termed a sand grain...
s of the sages"; Shivananda Nagar the home of Sivananda
AshramTraditionally, an ashram is a religious hermitage. Additionally, today the term ashram often denotes a locus of Indian cultural activity such as yoga, music study or religious instruction, the moral equivalent of a studio or dojo....
and the
Divine Life SocietyThe Divine Life Society is a religious organization and an ashram, founded by Swami Sivananda Saraswati in 1936, at Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh, India...
founded by Swami Sivananda, north of Hrishikesh; the temple section of
Lakshman JhulaLakshman Jhula is an iron suspension bridge situated in Rishikesh in Indian state of Uttarakhand . It is made over river Ganges to cross the river and is landmark of Rishikesh....
, a little further north; and the assorted Ashrams around Swarg Ashram on the east bank. One can reach the famous Neelakanta Maha Deva Temple from here. The Ganga Arati performed at dusk at the Triveni Ghat is popular with visitors. 'Neelkanth Mahadev Temple', situated 12 km from Hrishikesh, amidst forest is also a popular local pilgrimage, along with 'Vasishtha Gufa', (Cave of sage Vasishtha), 21 km up from the town by the Ganges .
Rishikesh is also home to the 120-year old Kailas Ashram Brahmavidyapeetham, an institution dedicated to preserve and promote the traditional Vedantic Studies. Prominent personalities such as
Swami VivekanandaSwami Vivekananda , born Narendranath Dutta is the chief disciple of the 19th century mystic Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and the founder of Ramakrishna Mission...
,
Swami Rama TirthaSwami Rama Tirtha , was an Indian teacher of the Hindu philosophy of Vedanta. He was among the first notable teachers of Hinduism to lecture in the United States, traveling there in 1902. He was preceded by Swami Vivekananda in 1893, and followed by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1920...
and Swami Shivananda have studied in this institution.
In February 1968
The BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music...
visited, the now closed
Maharishi Mahesh YogiMaharishi Mahesh Yogi introduced the Transcendental Meditation technique and related programs and initiatives, including schools and universities with campuses in several countries including India, the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom and China.In approximately 1939, the Maharishi became...
's ashram in Rishikesh ,
John LennonJohn Winston Ono Lennon, MBE was an English rock musician, singer-songwriter, author, and peace activist who gained worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles...
, even recorded a song here, titled, 'The Happy Hrishikesh Song' The Beatles composed nearly 48 songs during their time at the Maharishi's ashram, many of which appear on the
White AlbumThe Beatles is the ninth official British album and the fifteenth American album by The Beatles, a double album released in 1968. It is commonly known as The White Album as it has no graphics or text other than the band's name on its plain white sleeve...
. Several other artists, including
Mike LoveMichael Edward "Mike" Love is an American singer/songwriter with The Beach Boys. He formed the band along with his cousins Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, and their friend Al Jardine.-Role in The Beach Boys:...
of
The Beach BoysThe Beach Boys are an American rock band. Formed in 1961, the group gained popularity for its close vocal harmonies and lyrics reflecting a Southern California youth culture of cars, surfing, and romance...
,
DonovanDonovan , is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist. Emerging from the British folk scene, he developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelia, and world music...
and Gyp Mills, visited the site to contemplate and meditate. More recently, the place has been of interest to celebrities including Hollywood star
Kate WinsletKate Elizabeth Winslet is an English actress and occasional singer. Winslet made her film debut starring in Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures...
. The
Tehri damTehri Dam is the primary dam of the Tehri Development Project, a major hydroelectric project centered near Tehri Town in the state of Uttaranchal state in India...
is just 80 km uphill on the way to
GangotriGangotri is a town and a Nagar Panchayat in Uttarkashi district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is a Hindu pilgrim town on the banks of the river Bhagirathi...
.
Geography
Hrishikesh is located at . It has an average elevation of 532
metreThe metre or meter is the basic unit of length in the International System of Units . Historically, the metre was defined by the French Academy of Sciences as the length between two marks on a platinum-iridium bar, which was designed to represent one ten-millionth of the distance from the Equator...
s (1,745 feet).
Demographics
India
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
, Rishikesh had a population of 59,671. Males constitute 56% of the population and females 44%. Hrishikesh has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 68%. In Hrishikesh, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Adventure Sports
The city has emerged as the Adventure Capital of India. As adventure travelers from all around the world come here to enjoy white water river rafting on the holy Ganges and enjoy other allied activities like Kayaking, body surfing, etc.
http://wildex.in/rishikesh_river_rafting.htm
External links