Haridwar: Har Ki Pauri, Where all the spiritual activities take place

Har ki Pauri is famous for the Ganga aarti ghat & one of the most sacred Ghats in Haridwar situated in Haridwar, Uttrakhand.

This revered place is the major landmark of the holy city of Haridwar. Literally, the meaning of { Har Ki Pauri }

"Hari" means "God"

"Ki" means "Of"

"Pauri" means "Steps"

Sloka to chant while taking bath (स्नान Mantra):

गंगा च यमुने चैव गोदावरी सरस्वती | नर्मदे सिंधु कावेरी जलेस्मिन संनिधिम कुरु ||

Gange cha Yamune chaiva Godavari Saraswati | Narmade Sindhu Kaveri jalesmin sannidhim kuru ||

which means,

O rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu, and Kaveri, please enrich the water I am bathing with, with your presence.

Ganga Aarti Ritual

HAR-KI-PAURI:

It is widely believed that the two mighty Gods of the Hindu Pantheon Lord Shiva & Lord Vishnu visited the Brahmakund in Har Ki Pauri during the Vedic period.

History :

The origins of Haridwar are not easy to determine since the city is almost as old as time & dates back to even PreVedic times. However, many suggest that it was established in its current form by King Vikramaditya. King Vikramaditya is said to have built it in the 1st century BC in the memory of his brother, Bharthari used to come for meditating here on the bank of the Ganges. An area within this place, where the evening Ganga Aarti takes places and which is considered as most sacred is known as Brahma Kund (ब्रह्म कुण्ड).

It is considered to be the spot where the Drops of Amrit fell over from the sky while being carried in a pitcher by the celestial bird, Garuda after the Samudra Manthan.

The place is considered very auspicious. Over the years the ghats had undergone major renovation as the crowds increased in the wake of Kumbh Melas. Various temples have come upon the steps, most built-in late 19th century.

Main Attraction - Evening Aarti :

Ganga aarti means worship of Ganga.

Every Evening monk and many people around the world came to participate in Aarti, lots of people only came to visit this place for Ganga aarti Only.

This ghats is an incredible sight to witness at twilight when thousand of Diyas { lamps } are let into the river and float gently down the waters in a number of amounts. The priests performing Aarti accompanied by the monk of the temple, bells and the clapping of people makes the most mesmerizing experience ever.

Day to Day, Har Ki Pauri ghat witnesses hundreds of people taking a dip in the water of the Ganges.

Aarti Time:

Everyday 06:00 pm - 07:00 pm in the Evening ( it can be changed so better to confirm before you visit )

Location:

Har Ki Podi, near Krishna Dham, Kharkhari, Haridwar, Uttarakhand. How To Reach Har ki Pauri ghat? :

Har ki Pauri is located at the center of Haridwar city on the banks of river Ganga. One can reach easily Har ki Pauri by cycle-rickshaw or auto-rickshaw from the Haridwar bus stand. The nearest railway station to reach Har ki Pauri is Haridwar railway station (3 km) and the airport at Jolly Grant Airport.

By Bus: easy to connect Haridwar's towns and cities by bus service about 6.5 km ( 16 min).

By Train: easy to connect by Rail and the Station is about 1.2 km away from Har-Ki-Pauri. Local Transport: There are cycle-rickshaw or auto-rickshaw or three-wheelers are available to take to Har-Ki-Pauri.

By Air: Or simply you can fly to Dehradun airport ( Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun which is 40 km away ), from where you can book a cab or private car to reach Haridwar.

Opening Timing OR Right Season:

Open all the Time Best Time To Visit:

Can be visited anytime and any month but I guess summer is too hot to visit there as Haridwar's weather In the months of summer the temperature in Haridwar varies from 35°C to 45°C.

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS:

1. Mansa Devi Temple

2. Maya Devi Temple

3. Chandi Devi Temple

4. Sapt Sarovar

5. Sapt Rishi Ashram

6. Daksh Mahadev Temple

7. Bharat Mata Temple

8. Chilla Range

9. Shantikunj
   

REFERENCE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haridwar