Haridwar is a city in Uttarakhand state in India. Haridwar is the place where after flowing through 250 kms from its origin Gaumukh (Gangotri Glacier), river Ganges enters in plain areas i.e. enter north India .

Haridwar- Place of Pilgrimage :-

It is the place where people not only from India but also from all over the world come to visit the pilgrimage and also for taking a holy dip into the holy river Ganges. Haridwar is an ancient city & it is one of the most revered cities in India. The diverse nature of Hindu religion in Haridwar has attracted foreign tourists from all over the world. This is the place where foreigners are forever fascinated because at Haridwar they can personally familiarize with various Hindu rituals, India's complex culture and the ancient civilization.

Haridwar is the place from which river Ganges come out from the mountains & enters the plain. Abundant green forests and crystal like clear water of river Ganges & background of mountains all contribute in enhancing the charming beauty of this holy city. In the evening the beauty of Ghats is eye-catching, when Ghats hundreds of diyas (lamps) and marigold flowers float and light up the river Ganges. . "Agar apne paap dhone hai to Haridwar mein Gangaji ki dubki lagao" (If you want to purify yourselves take a holy dip in the water of river Ganges at Haridwar. All your sins will be purified). This is most common thing which you can hear about Haridwar all over India. For wildlife tour you can enjoy Rajaji National Park which is just 10 kms from Haridwar. Those who are wild life and adventure lovers this is the perfect destination

The word Haridwar is a union of two words Hari & Dwar :-

Hari means god & Dwar means gate. And so Haridwar means gateway to the god. India is famous for the Chardham yatra and this yatra is to the four holy temples Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath & Badrinath located on the hills, the yatra is known as Chardham yatra and these temples are famous as Chardham. Haridwar is gateway to chardham yatra. So if you want to visit chardham then you have to visit Haridwar first. As per Shaivites Haridwar is Har Dwar i: e Gateway to Lord Shiva (Kedarnath Temple) and as per Vaishnavites it is HariDwar i: e Gateway to Lord Vishnu (Badrinath Temple). As per our mythology Haridwar is blessed by the existence of all three chief Gods of Hindus Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar. This is the reason which makes Haridwar as the Gateway to God.

Where is Haridwar Located :-

Located in the foothills of the shivalik range in Garhwal Himalayas Haridwar is an ancient pilgrimage spot. It is the place which welcomes river Ganga to the plain areas. Haridwar in actual sense means innumerable temples, gurgling of river Ganges, enchanting sounds of Vedic hymns, groups of monks in saffron clothes and the divine holiness.

Haridwar, the Centre for learning different arts & culture :-

Haridwar has not only religious importance but is also a centre for learning different arts & culture. Like Rishikesh Haridwar is also huge source of Ayurvedic medicines & herbal remedies. In Haridwar you can see “Gurukula” till now which is an Indian tradition of teaching. Since 1902 Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalay is providing unique teaching in Gurukul.

For researchers Haridwar is always a place of interest because it is one of the oldest living cities in India. It is the place which has numerous temples with interesting legacies. It is at Haridwar only that Maa Ganga after carrying the purity of heaven from the kamandal of Lord Brahma, washing the feet of Lord Vishnu and flowing through the sahastrara of Lord Shiva came on this earth and made Haridwar a divine flow area.

From several years Maa Ganga has been doing the duty of absorbing the heat and negativities of this earth.

Geographical division of Haridwar :-

Gegraphically Haridwar is divided in several small areas such as Mayapur, Jwalapur, Ranipur, Har Ki Pauri, Devpura, Motichur, Bhupatwala, Haipur Kalan, Shivalik Nagar, Haipur Kalan and Brhampuri. Not only this, Haridwar is the place where Kumbh Mela occurs after rotation of every twelve years and ArdhKumbh after every six years.