Rishikesh (Hrishikesh) is located in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India in the state of Uttarakhand. It is also known as the ‘Yoga Capital of the World’. The river Ganges flows through the town of Rishikesh and it is famous for its various Shrines and Yoga Ashrams.
To Hindus, Ganga is not merely a river, She is goddess**, She is** mother**.**
नमामि गंगे ! तव पादपंकजं सुरसुरैर्वन्दितदिव्यरूपम् ।
भुक्तिं च मुक्तिं च ददासि नित्यम् भावानुसारेण सदा नराणाम् ।।
(अर्थात् हे गंगाजी ! मैं देव व दैत्यों द्वारा पूजित आपके दिव्य पादपद्मों को प्रणाम करता हूँ । आप मनुष्यों को सदा उनके भावानुसार भोग एवं मोक्ष प्रदान करती हैं।)
Places to Visit In Rishikesh:
- Adventure Activities in Rishikesh
- Lakshman Jhula
- Neelkantha Mahadeva Temple
- Geeta Bhawan
- Triveni Ghat
- Rafting in Rishikesh
- Beatles Ashram
- Ram Jhula
Rishikesh, over the years, has become extremely popular as the top spiritual destination in the world, especially after the Beatles association with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi here in the late '60s. As it lies on the holy banks of river Ganga, this place has been a hub of Sadhus (saints) and there are numerous ashrams teaching spirituality, yoga, meditation and Ayurveda. With the tourists coming in, there has been a surge in the number of cafes and restaurants in the town and there a lot of cafes serving English and American food and beverages. However, in the last few years, Rishikesh has also been developed as the hub of Adventure Sports in India as there is a multitude of options including White Water Rafting, Bungee Jumping, Flying Fox, Mountain Biking, etc. here. It also serves as the gateway to many Himalayan treks and is used as a popular camping site. Rishikesh is a must visit for everyone visiting India to truly experience something new.
