When we talk about the holy cities of India, then the name of Rishikesh is taken into it. Rishikesh is a religious city and famous tourist destination located in the Dehradun district of Uttarakhand state. In ancient times, sages and sages did meditation, yoga, and prayer here. The river Ganga flows through the city of Rishikesh and it is famous for its various temples and yoga ashrams. Surrounded by holy temples, ghats, serene ashrams, and evergreen forests, this serene city has something for everyone. Rishikesh is also one of the few places in India where visitors can enjoy adventure activities. Today in this episode we are going to tell you about the major sightseeing places of Rishikesh which you must explore. Let's know about them...

Triveni Ghat
Triveni Ghat, situated on the banks of the holy river Ganges, is the largest ghat in Rishikesh. Every evening 'Maha Aarti' takes place at Triveni Ghat. Triveni Ghat plays an important role in Hindu mythology and is also mentioned in the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. The ghat is considered holy and if Hindu mythology is to be believed, it is said that taking a dip in the holy waters of the Ganges near the ghat washes away all your sins. You can also sit here for some time and watch the fish swimming in the water and also feed them.

Kaudiyala
Kaudiyala is a famous tourist destination in Rishikesh. Situated on the river Ganges, this area is surrounded by dense hilly forests. This place is also the abode of many wild species of flora and fauna. Which can be seen during the tourist trip. If you are fond of adventure activities then you can enjoy whitewater rafting.

Neelkanth Mahadev Temple
This is a very ancient and famous temple of Lord Shiva, which is 32 km from Rishikesh. It is situated on top of a mountain, whose height is 1330 m. This temple is surrounded by three valleys, Manikoot, Bramhakoot, and Vishnukoot. This religious place is formed by the confluence of two evergreen rivers Pankaja and Madhumati.

Laxman Jhula
Laxman Jhula is a famous hanging bridge over the river Ganga, which connects Tapovan in the Tehri Garhwal district and Jonk in the Pauri Garhwal district. Laxman Jhula is located at a distance of 5 kilometers to the northeast of Rishikesh city. The entire bridge is made of iron and it is 450 feet long and situated at a height of 70 feet above the river Ganges. Laxman Jhula is very famous among the tourists in the tourist places of Rishikesh. Lord Lakshmana, the younger brother of Lord Rama, is believed to have crossed the river Ganga at this place, where the bridge is now built for tourists to see. Laxman Jhula was built in 1929.

Parmarth Niketan
The Parmarth Niketan Ashram, situated on the banks of the river Ganges, was built by Swami Sukdevanand in 1942. The main purpose of building this ashram was to provide Vedic knowledge and study of Vedas along with traditional knowledge to the poor, needy, and orphan children. Near the Parmarth Niketan Ashram, a huge statue of Lord Shiva has been installed in the middle of the river Ganga, which has also been made to have a close view, so that the devotees can go near Lord Shiva and see him. The way aarti is performed at Har Ki Pauri Ghat in Haridwar at the time of sunset, in the same way, Ganga ji's aarti is also performed in Parmarth Niketan Ashram.

Ram jhula
Ram Jhula is a bridge built on a major landmark of Rishikesh. It is at a distance of 3 kilometers from the sand of the place. There is a bridge built over the river Ganga. This bridge is bigger than Laxman Jhula and connects Swarg Ashram and Vishwa Anand Ashram. This bridge was constructed in 1983. Please tell that there is an ancient temple of Laxman ji on the banks of this bridge. This bridge is built between Swarg Ashram and Sivananda Ashram, hence it is also called Sivananda Jhula. Ram Jhula is located near Laxman Jhula. When people walk on Ram Jhula, it is seen swinging.

Neer Garh Waterfall
Neergarh Falls is a beautiful narrow stream of cool water that flows over a rocky terrain amidst a dense green forest. To reach the waterfall, one has to trek for about a kilometer through the jungle and descend a cliff. Also, you can come across a rich variety of flora and fauna while roaming around this place. Coming to this place, you will also get to see some breathtaking views of the surrounding valley.

Vashishtha cave
Vashishtha cave is at a distance of 16 km from Rishikesh. This place is considered to be very prominent for meditation, it is situated among the sycamore trees. There is also a Shivling considered sacred by Hindus near the cave. Vashishtha cave where the sages achieved perfection. Coming down from the high hills and going to the banks of the Ganges, this cave is very natural and thousands of years old. The temperature of the cave remains respectable no matter how hot it is, the cave is not affected by the weather. Sage Vashishtha discovered it. Sadhus and saints still consider it a very holy place. It is believed that the dhuni located at the mouth of this cave was fired thousands of years ago by sage Vashishtha. This cave was named after him as Vashisht cave. Vashishtha cave is not only holy but even today it is a perfect place for meditation.