Rishikesh(Uttrakhand)
The holy city of Rishikesh, located at the foot of the Himalayas, holds a deep and cultural place for Hindus. Sacred rivers and mountains set the stage for yoga and hiking, and rafting is perfect here. The Beatles got in touch with their Eastern spirituality here, writing many songs during 1968 in the ashram area.
The History of Rishikesh
“Rishikesh” Uttarakhand is located in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand state.
It is surrounded by Rishikesh Garhwal at a height of 409m above sea level and surrounded by the Himalayan mountains and the Shivalik range.
The Himalayas and the natural beauty make the Ganges flow from this religious place to Rishikesh. The peaceful atmosphere of Rishikesh is home to many famous ashrams. Every year, in the ashrams of Rishikesh, a large number of pilgrims come for meditation and peace of mind.
Major tourist attractions of Rishikesh, Vashishtha cave, Lakshman Jhula and Nilkanth temple etc. Rishikesh has two words, “Rishik” and “Ash”. “Rishak” means “appear” and “ash” means “god or guru”. After freedom, Rishikesh is spilled to Saint Hedu City.
In the 1960s, “Ates” came to Rishikesh to study yoga. Since then, the city has called itself the “yoga capital of the world”, Rishikesh is said to be the gateway to Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.
Activities To Do In Rishikesh
Bungee Jump: Take a Leap of Faith
Fuel for the adrenaline junkie as it can be called, bungee jumping is another fun thing to do in Rishikesh in June with your friends. Feel your heart racing as you defy gravity as you throw yourself in mid-air more than 80 meters above the ground. Places to try: Jumping Heights, Mohanchatti
Best time: January to July 15 and September 20 to January
Weight requirement: 35-110 kg
Timings: 9:30 am to 3:30 pm.
Special feature: Rishikesh has the highest bungee jumping platform in India.
Average cost: INR 4,000
Ganga Aarti at Triveni Ghat
Rishikesh has two sides, one is exciting and the other is calm. To get in touch with the other side of this country, visit the Ganga Aarti in Rishikesh and experience the inspiring Hindu customs and traditions. Indulge your senses in the quiet and peaceful side of this sensual city as soon as the sun sets on the ghat lit by thousands of fragrant incense lamps. This is one of the best things to do in Rishikesh.
Rishikesh Ganga aarti Timings: 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Movement: floats like a fish
Letting yourself into the water is always a relaxing experience. Exploring Rishikesh is easy and fun! You don’t have to be a seasoned hiker or need any training to start the sport, making it one of the fun things to do in Uttarakhand.
Lakshman Jhula
Lakshman Jhula is a famous suspension bridge over the Ganges that connects two villages, Tapovan in Tehri Garhwal district and Jonk in Pauri Garhwal district. Located in the city of Rishikesh in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, the bridge is made entirely of steel, is 450 meters long and sits 70 feet above the river.
Unfortunately it has been closed completely for safety and security reasons. A new glass bridge is expected to be constructed near Lakshman Jhula. However, it is used by pedestrians but bicycles are prohibited.
Lakshman Jhula is well known to tourists as it is believed that Lord Lakshman, the brother of Lord Rama, crossed the Ganges at this very site. The bridge was completed in 1929, and now the Lakshman Jhula serves as a bridge across the river, along with the ancient route to the holy shrines of Badrinath and Kedarnath.
Big temples and famous markets have grown up in the surrounding area, and the whole area is now famous in all of Rishikesh. Important places around Lakshman Jhula include Terah Manzil Temple, Lakshman Temple and Ram Jhula and the entire area resounds with the mesmerizing mantras and shlokas of the temple.
Camping
The scenic beauty of the Himalayas, the clear waters of the Ganges and the enchanting beauty of the surrounding forests make Rishikesh a perfect place for sports activities like camping and rafting. The hill country offers you a world class camping experience with many camping and rafting activities available in the area
Rishikesh City waterfall hike
Although most of the Rishikesh travel activities and attractions on this list include paid tours, the tours are still a great free option. They are better if it is wet. Rishikesh is located in the foothills of the Himalayas. Because of this unique rocky terrain, you will find a large limestone waterfall and a nearby mountain range.
The mountain jumps over the Ganges near Rishikesh
The slopes of the Ganges have beautiful mountain ranges. You’ll often see crowds of people clambering over the sharp rocks and cliffs into the calm waters of the Ganges.
There are many good spots from a small slope of 3 meters to a jump of more than 15 meters. If you are inexperienced, I recommend hiring a guide to show you the ropes. I couldn’t find any tour in Rishikesh that only included mountain climbing. However, if you book the rafting tour recommended above or the camping trip (below), both include mountain jumping.
Rishikesh is Also Know As Yoga Capital of the World
Rishikesh is very popular among yoga practitioners. Although there is no evidence, Hindus generally believe that yoga originated in Rishikesh around 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. Some scholars have traced the origin of yoga to the Harappan region, but again, this is not confirmed. However, there is evidence of a large number of Hindu saints meditating in Rishikesh throughout history.
However, it was not until the end of the 19th century that Devi Dayalji Maharaj established the first Yoga Ashram – Phool Chatti Ashram in Rishikesh. Then Swami Sivanand founded the Sivanand Ashram in 1932 and the Divine Life Society in 1936. Later the most famous ashram in Rishikesh (Parmarth Niketan) appeared when Swami Sukhdevanand and Swami Bhajananand began to meditate and lived near the Ganges. However, the ashram that put Rishikesh on the world yoga map is Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s Chaurasi Kutiya, which was established in 1961. Two other famous yoga centers are: Patanjali International Yoga Foundation and Yoga Niketan Ashram.
