Haridwar: Har ki Pauri, the Temples and the Ghats

Haridwar is where the Ganga leaves the Himalaya and reaches the plain, which is what makes it one of the seven holiest cities in Hinduism and one of the four that host the Kumbh. Families come for Har ki Pauri, the evening aarti, the two hill temples, and for ancestral rites at the river. Ours are on the Asthi Visarjan in Haridwar page.

What the name means, and why the place matters

Haridwar reads as the gate to Hari, Vishnu; Hardwar as the gate to Hara, Shiva. Both are used, and the ambiguity is old. The city is where the river changes character, from a mountain torrent to the wide slow water that crosses northern India, and that transition is the root of its standing.

Tradition holds that a drop of amrit fell here during the churning of the ocean, which is why Haridwar is one of the four Kumbh cities alongside Prayagraj, Nashik and Ujjain.

Har ki Pauri

The principal ghat, and the spot held to bear Vishnu’s footprint. The Brahma Kund here is where the amrit is said to have fallen, and it is the focus of the Kumbh bathing. It is where most ritual bathing happens and where the evening aarti is performed.

The Ganga aarti

Every evening at dusk, lamps are offered to the river from the steps at Har ki Pauri while the bells sound and leaf-boats of flowers are set on the water. It lasts about half an hour. Arrive an hour early for a place on the steps. Our Ganga aarti guide covers the timings through the year.

Ancestral rites at Haridwar

Haridwar is a pitru tirtha, one of the places where rites for the departed are performed. Asthi Visarjan, Pind Daan, Shradh and Tarpan are all conducted here, at Har ki Pauri and at Kankhal downstream.

Haridwar also keeps the pandit records, the genealogical registers held by families of purohits going back generations. A family that knows roughly when an earlier generation came can often find their entry, with the gotra and village written down at the time. It is one of the few places in India where that record survives in usable form.

The temples

• Mansa Devi. On Bilwa Parvat, reached by ropeway or a climb of about twenty minutes. The goddess who grants wishes; devotees tie threads at the temple and return to untie them.
• Chandi Devi. On Neel Parvat across the river, also by ropeway. Established by Adi Shankaracharya according to tradition.
• Maya Devi. One of the Shakti Peethas, and among the oldest temples standing in the city.
• Daksheswara Mahadev. At Kankhal, on the site associated with Daksha’s yajna and Sati’s self-immolation. We cover Kankhal separately in our Kankhal ghat guide.

Mansa Devi and Chandi Devi together are usually called a half-day, and the ropeways make them manageable for families travelling with elders.

Beyond the main ghat

• Sapt Rishi Ashram and Sapt Sarovar. About five kilometres upstream, where the Ganga is said to have split into seven streams so as not to disturb the seven sages. Quiet, and a good contrast to Har ki Pauri.
• Shanti Kunj. A large ashram and centre of learning on the Rishikesh road, open to visitors.
• Bhimgoda Tank. Associated with Bhima, said to have struck the ground with his knee to bring water.
• Rishikesh. Twenty kilometres upstream, and most families combine the two.

When to come

October to March is comfortable. May and June are hot, and July and August bring the monsoon and the Kanwar Mela, when the city takes enormous crowds on foot. Our note on the best time to visit Haridwar goes month by month.

Common questions

Is Haridwar the same as Rishikesh?

No. They are twenty kilometres apart. Haridwar is the pilgrimage city at the plain; Rishikesh sits upstream and is associated with yoga and the Himalayan routes.

How many days are enough?

Two for Har ki Pauri, the aarti and the hill temples. Three with Kankhal and Rishikesh, or if your family is performing rites.

Can ancestral rites be performed here rather than Gaya?

Yes. Haridwar is a recognised pitru tirtha and the rites are complete as performed here. Families who want the Gaya rite specifically travel there, and some do both over time.

Arranging a visit

Tell us what your family needs and when you can travel, and we will confirm the pandit, the ghat and the total before anything is paid. Packages are on our Asthi Visarjan in Haridwar page.