Located in the foothills of the Himalayas along the convergence of Ganga and Chandrabhaga River, Rishikesh is a small town in the Dehradun district, located close to Haridwar in Uttarakhand.
Rishikesh (also called as Hrishikesh) is known for its adventure activities, ancient temples, popular cafes and as the "Yoga Capital of the World".
Gateway to Garhwal Himalayas, Rishikesh is also a pilgrimage town and one of the holiest places for Hindus.
The scenic beauty of Rishikesh is due to its location at the foothills of the lofty Garhwal Himalayas is accentuated by the mighty Ganges cutting right through the city.
The picturesque city looks suspended between the stunning riverside promenades, acres of forests, lush mountains, and clear blue skies lending it a surreal appearance.
Bharat Mandir Rishikesh:
Located in the heart of the city, Bharat Mandir is an ancient temple sacred to Lord Hrishikesh Narayan, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu in Kaliyuga.
The temple sanctum houses a well-crafted idol of Lord Vishnu, which is carved out of a single black stone, known as Saligram.
Legend has it that the idol of the temple was reinstalled in 789 AD on the day of Basant Pamchmi.
Geeta Bhawan Rishikesh:
Geeta Bhawan provides pure vegetarian food, grocery items and Indian sweets, free ferry ride and dispensary.
Other amenities available at Geeta Bhawan include Geeta Press book store, apparel shop and Ayurvedic department, which sell pure herbal products.
Inside the Bhawan, there is a sacred Banyan tree, which was once the place where many saints like Swami Ramtirth, have performed penance.
Himalayan Yoga Gurukul Rishikesh:
Tourist can experience the spiritual power of yoga once they enter the Himalayan Yoga Gurukul, a branch of Nada Yoga School.
Based in the oldest ashram in Rishikesh, Swarg Ashram, Himalayan Yoga Academy provides yoga teacher training courses for yoga practitioners.
Formed by the revered Swami D. R. Parvatikar Maharaj, this one of its kind institute is known for its extensive yoga courses.
Kunjapuri Temple Rishikesh:
Perched at the elevation of 1676 m at Kunjapuri Hill, Kunjapuri Temple is claimed to be the one of the three Siddha Peeths in Tehri district, other two being Surkanda Devi and Chandrabadni.
According to the mythology, when Lord Shiva was carrying the burnt body of Sati, her burned chest fell at the place where the temple is currently located.
The temple is an important stopover point for tourists on a journey to Char Dham yatra. All the buses going towards Gangotri will pass through the Kunjapuri Hill.
Since the temple is 27 km from Rishikesh, one can reach Kunjapuri Hill by car or bus. To reach the main shrine, tourists will have to climb a flight of 3000 stairs.
Neelkanth Mahadev Rishikesh:
Perched at a height of 1330 m, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is the place where Lord Shiva placed a venom (called Halahala), which was originated from the sea (Samudra Manthan), in his neck.
The venom is perhaps the reason behind the blue throat of Lord Shiva, thus giving him the name of Neelkanth.
The sacred shrine is located between the highly impressive Manikoot, Brahmakoot and Vishnukoot Valley, at the confluence of two rivers Madhumati and Pankaja.
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