» Rishikesh

Rishikesh is located in the northern part of Uttar Pradesh. It is 238 km northeast of Delhi and 24 km north of Haridwar and spreads on the right banks of the Ganges, at its confluence with the Chandrabhaga stream. It is surrounded by hills on three sides and is perched at an altitude of 356 meters above sea level.

The name Rishikesh 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. These include Rishikesh itself, the commercial and communication hub, the sprawling suburban Muni-ki-Reti or the "sands of the sages".

Shivananda Nagar, north of Rishikesh the temple section of Lakshmanjhula, a little further north; and the assorted ashrams around Swarg Ashram on the east bank. In Rishikesh, the winters last from November to March, when temperatures fall below 0°C. The monsoons are generally experienced in the months of July and August.

History of Rishikesh
Legend has it that the sage Raibhya Rishi did severe penance and, as a reward, God appeared to him in the form of Hrishikesh. Rishikesh also represents the site where Lord Vishnu vanquished the demon Madhu. The place is known as the Tapo Bhumi or the place for meditation of the Gods. Tapovan, on the other bank of the Ganges, houses a temple to Lakshmana. It is believed that Lakshmana, the younger brother of Lord Rama, carried out penances here.

The Neelkanth Mahadev temple is believed to be the site where Lord Shiva had drunk the venom that came out during the churning of the ocean. In the 1960s, the place came into limelight as the place where the pop group Beatles met their guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

» Major Attractions of Rishikesh

Lakshman Jhula : This suspended iron bridge was build in 1939 and has been a major attraction among the tourists. Ram Jhula- The other suspended Iron bridge was recently constructed between Shivanand Ashram and Sawarg Ashram.

Swarga Ashram : One can find numerous temples here. This place has the eating joints and shops where one can do shopping. The beautiful statues in the area mesmerise the visitors.

» Places to stay in Rishikesh

Rishikesh does not have any big hotels in the five star category but there are other hotels which offer comfortable stay. The Ashrams also provide accommodation facility. There are also dharamsalas and guest houses which offer good, inexpensive stay. The Garhwal Vikas Manda Nigam's guest has dormitory as well as single and double rooms for the tourists.

» How to Get there

Air : In the region Air Services are available only upto Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun.

Rail : Rishikesh is connected by rail via Haridwar (24 km) to Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Dehradun and other cities.

Road : Rishikesh is connected by road via Haridwar with Agra, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Kullu, Manali, and Shimla. It is also linked to Mussourie (77 km), Badrinath (301 km), Kedarnath (228 km), Gangotri (258 km), Yamunotri (288 km), Srinagar (105 km), and Joshimath (252 km). We would provide you all India tourist permit vehicles for the local transportations and also for the intercity drives too.

Hotels in Uttaranchal