When we talk about the holy cities of India, Rishikesh is also definitely named in it. Rishikesh is a religious city and a famous tourist destination located in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand state. In ancient times, sages and munis meditated, did yoga and prayed here. The Ganges river flows through the city of Rishikesh and it is famous for its various temples and yoga ashrams. Surrounded by holy temples, ghats, quiet ashrams and evergreen forests, this calm 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

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

Kaudiala

Kaudiala is a famous tourist destination in Rishikesh. This area located on the river Ganges is surrounded by dense hilly forests. This place is also the habitat 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, Manikut, Brahmakut and Vishnukut. This religious place is formed by the confluence of two evergreen rivers Pankaja and Madhumati.

Laxman Jhula
Laxman Jhula is a famous hanging bridge built over the Ganges river, which connects Tapovan in Tehri Garhwal district and Jonk in Pauri Garhwal district. Lakshman Jhula is located at a distance of 5 km north-east of Rishikesh city. The entire bridge is made of iron and it is 450 feet long and is located at a height of 70 feet above the Ganges river. Lakshman Jhula is very famous among tourists among the tourist places of Rishikesh. It is believed that Lord Ram's younger brother Lord Lakshman crossed the Ganges at this place, where a bridge has now been built for tourists to see. Lakshman Jhula was built in 1929.

Parmarth Niketan

Parmarth Niketan Ashram, situated on the banks of the Ganges River, was built by Swami Sukdevanand in 1942. The main objective of building this ashram was to provide Vedic knowledge and Vedas along with traditional knowledge to poor, needy and orphan children. A huge statue of Lord Shiva has been installed in the middle of the Ganges River near the Parmarth Niketan Ashram, and paths have also been built to see him up close, so that devotees can go closer to Lord Shiva and see him. Just as aarti is performed at Har Ki Pauri Ghat in Haridwar at sunset, similarly Ganga Ji's aarti is also performed at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram.

Ram Jhula

Ram Jhula is a bridge built on a major landmark of Rishikesh. This place is 3 km away from the sand. There is a bridge over the river Ganges. This bridge is bigger than Laxman Jhula and connects Swarg Ashram and Vishwa Anand Ashram together. This bridge was built in 1983. Let us tell you that there is an ancient temple of Laxman ji on the banks of this bridge. This bridge is built between Swarg Ashram and Shivanand Ashram, so it is also called Shivanand Jhula. Ram Jhula is located near Laxman Jhula. When people walk on Ram Jhula, it appears to be swinging.

Neer Garh Waterfall

Neer Garh Waterfall is a beautiful narrow stream of cold water that flows in a rocky area amidst dense green forest. To reach the waterfall, one has to cover a distance of about one kilometer through the forest and descend from a rock. Apart from this, you can see many rich diversity of flora and fauna while roaming around this place. By coming to this place, you will also get to see some captivating views of the surrounding valley.

Vashisht Cave

Vashishtha cave is 16 kms from Rishikesh. This place is considered very important for meditation and is situated among the fig trees. Near the cave, there is a Shivlinga which is considered holy by Hindus. Vashishtha cave is where the sages attained siddhi. If you go down from the high hills to the banks of Ganga, then you will find this cave which is very natural and thousands of years old. The temperature of the cave remains normal, no matter how hot it is, the weather does not affect the cave. Sage Vashishtha discovered it. Sadhus and saints consider it a very holy place even today. It is believed that the Dhuni situated at the mouth of this cave was started by Sage Vashishtha thousands of years ago. This cave was named Vashishtha cave after him. Vashishtha cave is not only holy but is a proven place for meditation even today.

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