Haridwar
Haridwar
Mayapuri | |
---|---|
Clockwise from top: Evening view of UTC+5:30 (IST) | |
PIN | 249401 |
Telephone code | +91-1334 |
Vehicle registration | UK-08 |
Sex ratio | 1.18[2] ♂/♀ |
Website | haridwar |
Haridwar (/hʌrɪˈdwɑːr/; ⓘ; Old name Mayapuri[3]) is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. With a population of 228,832 in 2011, it is the second-largest city in the state and the largest in the district.[4]
The city is situated on the right bank of the
According to Puranic legend, Haridwar, along with
Haridwar presents a kaleidoscope of Indian culture and development. In sacred writings, it has been differently specified as Kapilsthan, Gangadwar and Mayapuri. It is additionally a passage for the Chota Char Dham (the four principal pilgrim destinations in Uttarakhand).
Etymology
The modern name of the town has two spellings: Haridwar and Hardwar. Each of these names has its own connotation.
In Sanskrit, the liturgical language of Hinduism, Hari means "Vishnu", while dvāra means "gateway". So, Haridwar translates to "The Gateway to Vishnu". It earns this name because it is typically the place where pilgrim's start their journey to visit a prominent temple of Vishnu – Badrinath.
Similarly, Hara could also mean "Shiva".[7] Hence, Hardwar could stand for "Gateway to Shiva". Hardwar is also a typical place to start a pilgrim's journey in order to reach Mount Kailash, Kedarnath, the northernmost Jyotirlinga and one of the sites of the smaller Char Dham pilgrimage circuit – all important places for worship for Hindus.
According to legend, it was in Haridwar that goddess
In the annotations to her poetical illustration Hurdwar, a Place of Hindoo Pilgrimage,
History
In the scriptures, Haridwar has been variously mentioned as Kapilasthana, Gangadvāra[11] and Mayapuri. It is also an entry point to the Char Dham (the four main centres of pilgrimage in Uttarakhand viz, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri).
"O
(that is near to it), as sacred."
In the
Sage Kapila is said to have an ashram here giving it, its ancient name, Kapila or Kapilasthana.[15]
The legendary king,
Haridwar came under the rule of the
Haridwar came under the rule of the Delhi Sultanate in 1206.
The city also fell to the Central Asian conqueror Timur Lang (1336–1405) on 13 January 1399.[23]
During his visit to Haridwar, first Sikh Guru,
In the 16th century, the city came under the rule of the
During the Mughal period, there was mint for Akbar's copper coinage at Haridwar. It is said that Raja
Being one of the oldest living cities, Haridwar finds its mention in the ancient Hindu scriptures as it weaves through the life and time stretching from the period of the
One of the two major dams on the river Ganges, the Bhimgoda, is situated here. Built-in the 1840s, it diverts the waters of the Ganges to the Upper Ganges Canal, which irrigated the surrounding lands. Though this caused severe deterioration to the Ganges water flow, and is a major cause for the decay of the Ganges as an inland waterway, which till the 18th century was used heavily by the ships of the
'Haridwar Union Municipality' was constituted in 1868, which included the then villages of Mayapur and
In 1901, it had a population of 25,597 and was a part of the Roorkee tehsil, in Saharanpur district of the United Province,[20] and remained so till the creation of Uttar Pradesh in 1947.[31]
Haridwar has been an abode of the weary in body, mind, and spirit. It has also been a centre of attraction for learning various arts, science, and culture. The city has a long-standing position as a great source of
Geography and climate
The Ganges emerges from the mountains to touch the plains. The water in the river Ganges is mostly clear and generally cold, except in the monsoon, during which soil from the upper regions flows down into it.
The river Ganges flows in a series of channels separated from each other called aits, most of which are well wooded. Other minor seasonal streams are Ranipur Rao, Pathri Rao, Ravi Rao, Harnaui Rao, Begham Nadi etc.
Haridwar district, covering an area of about 2,360 km2 (910 sq mi), is in the southwestern part of Uttarakhand state of India.
Haridwar is situated at a height of 314 m (1,030 ft) from the sea level, between
Climate
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (May 2010) |
Temperatures:
- Summers: 25 to 44 °C (77 to 111 °F)
- Winters: −1 to 24 °C (30 to 75 °F)[33]
Climate data for Haridwar | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 20 (68) |
22 (72) |
27 (81) |
33 (91) |
36 (97) |
34 (93) |
31 (88) |
30 (86) |
30 (86) |
29 (84) |
26 (79) |
22 (72) |
28 (83) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 7 (45) |
9 (48) |
13 (55) |
18 (64) |
21 (70) |
23 (73) |
23 (73) |
23 (73) |
21 (70) |
17 (63) |
11 (52) |
8 (46) |
16 (61) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 72 (2.8) |
76 (3.0) |
78 (3.1) |
55 (2.2) |
113 (4.4) |
296 (11.7) |
599 (23.6) |
568 (22.4) |
301 (11.9) |
102 (4.0) |
23 (0.9) |
91 (3.6) |
2,374 (93.6) |
Source: Sunmap |
Cityscape
Hindu genealogy registers at Haridwar
For centuries when Hindu ancestors visited the holy town of Haridwar for any purpose which may have been for pilgrimage purposes or/and for cremation of their dead or for immersion of ashes and bones of their kin after cremation into the waters of the holy Ganges as required by Hindu religious custom, it has been a custom to go to the Pandit who is in charge of one's family register and update the family's family tree with details of marriages, births, and deaths from ones extended joint family.
Demographics
As of 2011[update] India census, Haridwar district has population of 1,890,422 (2011). In 2001, the population was 1,447,187.[35]
Haridwar city has a 310,562 population (2011). Males constitute 54% of the population and females, 46%. Haridwar has an average literacy rate of 70%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 75%, and female literacy is 64%. In Haridwar, 12% of the population is under six years of age.
Religious sites
"Haridvāre Kuśāvarte Bilvake Nīla parvate
snatvā Kanakhale tīrth punarjanma na vidyate"
In
Har Ki Pauri
This Ghat was constructed by King
Chandi Devi Temple
The temple is dedicated to Goddess Chandi, who sits atop the 'Neel Parvat' on the eastern bank of the river Ganges. It was constructed in 1929 CE by the king of Kashmir, Suchat Singh. Skanda Purana mentions a legend, in which Chanda-Munda, the Army Chief of a local Demon Kings Shumbha and Nishumbha were killed by goddess Chandi here, after which the place got the name, Chandi Devi. It is believed that the main statue was established by the Adi Shankaracharya in the 8th century CE. The temple is a 3 km (1.9 mi) trek from Chandighat and can also be reached through a ropeway.
Mansa Devi Temple
The temple of Goddess Mansa Devi is situated at the top of the Bilva Parvat, literally means 'Goddess fulfilling desires'. Mansa is a tourist destination, Especially because of the mountain cable cars which offer city views.[citation needed] The main temple houses two idols of the Goddess, one with three mouths and five arms, while the other one has eight arms.
Maya Devi Temple
Haridwar was previously known as Mayapuri which is because of the Goddess Maya Devi. Dating to the 11th century CE, this ancient temple of Maya Devi, the Adhishthatri Devi (Patron Goddess) of Haridwar, is considered one of the Siddhapithas and is said to be the place where the heart and navel of Goddess
Makarvahini Temple
Located close to the Birla Ghat, near Laltarao Pul is a temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga.[38] This temple was established by Jayandra Saraswati, Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti, a few decades ago.[39] The temple, built in South-Indian style, has a traditional custom of decorating the goddess with vegetables and dry fruits, giving her the title of Shakumbhari on Ashtami Pooja, the eighth day of Navratri.[38]
Kankhal
The ancient temple of
Sati Kund, another historical heritage is situated in the Kankhal. Legend has it that Sati immolated herself in this kund.
Bharat Mata Mandir
Bharat Mata Mandir is a multi-storey temple dedicated to Bharat Mata (Mother India). Bharat Mata Mandir was inaugurated on 15 May 1983 by Indira Gandhi on the banks of the river Ganges. It is situated adjacent to the Samanvaya Ashram, and stands eight stories tall to a height of 180 feet (55 m). Each floor depicts an era in the Indian history, from the days of Ramayana[dubious ] until India's independence.
On the first floor is the statue of Bharat Mata. The second floor, Shur Mandir, is dedicated to the well-renowned heroes of India. The third floor Matri Mandir is dedicated to the achievements of India's revered women, such as
The temple was built under the former Shankaracharya Maha-Mandleshwar Swami Satyamitranand Giri Maharaj. Since the inception of the Swami Satyamitranand foundation in 1998, several other branches have been opened, namely in Renukut, Jabalpur, Jodhpur, Indore, and Ahmedabad. It is presently under The Junapeethadheesh, Acharya Shree Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj.
Piran Kaliyar
Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar
At a distance of 3.5 km (2.2 mi) from Haridwar Junction Railway Station, Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar is a bird-watching point situated at the Bhimgoda Barrage of Haridwar and has rich flora and fauna.[citation needed] The Bhimgoda Barrage is on the Ganges River near Har-Ki-Pauri Ghat. The barrage was originally built to aid irrigation but it also generates hydro-electric power and controls floods. The area behind the barrage is known as Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar. The place is popular among bird-loving tourists.[citation needed] The place is known for Siberian Cranes that can be spotted during the winter months at Laljiwala. In addition, the place is also a natural habitat of different species of migratory birds. Not only avid bird watchers, but the spot also welcomes a number of nature lovers and trekkers.[citation needed] Also, the spot of Neel Dhara Pakshi Vihar is visited by trekkers as it is situated close to many trekking routes in Haridwar. Visitors can also see the Shivalik Hills from the bird watching point and enjoy the sight of the snow-covered mountains which makes it to the top list of tourist attractions in Haridwar.[citation needed]
Other temples and ashrams
Dudhadhari Barfani Temple, part of the ashram of Dudhadhari Barfani Baba, was constructed from shining white marble and honours Rama-Sita and Hanumana.[citation needed]Sureshvari Devi Temple, a temple dedicated to the goddess Sureshwari, is situated in the middle of Rajaji National Park, and thus is only accessible with permission from forest rangers. Pawan Dham is a modern temple made entirely of glass pieces, which is now a tourist destination.
One of the most sacred temples in Haridwar is Tirupati Balaji Mandir. The temple, which is built in the Dravidian architectural style, is located 4.5 km (2.8 mi) away from Har Ki Pauri. It is a major pilgrimage centre of Haridwar in Uttarakhand. The image of the temple deity represents both Vishnu and Shiva ( Vishnu is considered as the preserver whereas Shiva is considered as the destroyer in Hindu religion).
Sapt Rishi Ashram at Sapt Sarovar, near the bank of the Ganga, is a meditation and yoga centre. The Ashram, established in 1943 by Guru Goswami Dutt, provides lodging, meals and free education for poor kids. Sapt Rishi Ashram, as its name would suggest, was the place where seven sages, namely Kashyapa, Vashisht, Atri, Vishwamitra, Jamadagi, Bharadwaja and Gautam, meditated. As per the mythological records, when all the sages were meditating, they were disturbed by the gushing sound of river Ganges. Annoyed and irritated due to sound, all seven of them were trapped in the flow of the river. Later, Ganges River splits into seven water streams so there is less noise. Those seven river streams are now known as Sapt Sarovar, and the point where the seven sages meditated is called as Saptrishi Ashram.
In the Harihar Ashram, Kankhal, the Parad Shivalinga (Mercury Shivalinga) weighing about 150 kg and a
The Shri Chintamani Parshwnath Jain Shwetambar Mandir was built in 1990 by Jain saint Shri Padam Sagar Suri. This temple is built by Jaisalmer stone in Jain architectural style. Moolnayak of this temple is a black coloured idol of Chintamani Parshwnath Bhagwan in Padmasan posture. Idols of Shri Parshv Yaksha and Mata Padmawati on both sides of the main idol. There is also an idol of Rishabhanatha made up of white marble. There is small temple of Shri Ghantakaran Mahavir Ji and charan-paduka's (foot imprints) near this temple. The temple also has a dharmshala for accommodation of around 1000 pilgrims at a time.[41][42][43]
The
Seven holy places (Sapta Puri)
"Ayodhyā Mathurā Māyā Kāśī Kāñcī Avantikā
Purī Dvārāvatī caiva saptaitā mokṣadāyikāḥ" – Garuḍa Purāṇa I XVI .14
Ayodhya, Mathura, Haridwar, Kasi, Kanchi, Avantika and Dwaraka are the seven holy places.[44]
Note the use of the puranic name 'Maya' for Haridwar. As also the inter-change usage of Puri and Dwaraka.
The Garuḍa Purāṇa enumerates seven cities as the giver of Moksha. Haridwar is said to be one of the seven most holy
Educational institutions
Acharyakulam
Situated in Haridwar-Delhi highway, it is the part of Patanjali group. ‘Acharyakulam’ was inaugurated on 26 April 2013. This is a residential institution.
Gurukula Kangri University
Situated in
Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyalaya
Uttarakhand Sanskrit University
Set up by the Government of Uttarakhand, the university is dedicated to studies of ancient Sanskrit scriptures and books. It also has a curriculum covering ancient Hindu rituals, culture, and tradition, and boasts of a building inspired by ancient Hindu architecture style.
Chinmaya Degree College
Situated in
HEC PG College
It was established in the year 2002. HEC College provides Undergraduate, Postgraduate, PG diploma courses. The courses are in the field of commerce, Management, Science, Lib. Science and Arts and it is affiliated to HNB Garhwal University, Sri Nagar, Garhwal, and Sri Dev Suman Uttarakhand University, Badshahithol, Tehri Garhwal.
Sheel Institute
Situated in
Other colleges
There are two State Ayurvedic College & Hospital in Haridwar, one is Rishikul State Ayurvedic College (has PG level courses) and the other is Gurukul Ayurvedic College.
Other schools
- Delhi Public School, Haridwar
- Kendriya Vidyalaya, B.H.E.L. Haridwar
- DAV Central Public School, Jagjeetpur
- Achievers Home Public School, Jagjeetpur
- Children Foundation Academy, Haridwar
- Shivedale School, Jagjeetpur
Important areas within the city
Bahadrabad – 7 km (4.3 mi) It is located on the Haridwar–Delhi National Highway at a distance of 7 km (4.3 mi) from Haridwar. Close by, in village Pathri, lies the Bhimgoda Barrage built on the Upper Ganges Canal in 1955. It also has a block development office responsible for many developed villages (e.g. Khedli, Kisanpur Rohalki, Atmalpur Bongla, Sitapur, Alipur, Salempur).
SIDCUL – 5 km (3.1 mi) A massive industrial area, spread over 2,034 acres (823 ha), developed by
Jwalapur An old part of the city, Jwalapur is the financial and industrial capital of the city, and now an important trading and shopping centre for the locals. The town dates back to 1700 CE. This town was called Mohammed Pura and ruled by a local Muslim ruler. In the early 1600s the family of Sisodias from Mewar, descendants of Rana Pratap, fleeing from the Mughal invasion, came to settle on the outskirts of Haridwar. The families lived quietly for almost a generation to avoid detection. Local people renamed their surname to Mehta. It is firmly believed that in early 1700 the Mehtas dislodged the Muslim ruler and renamed the town as Jwalapur. This family subsequently settled in Jwalapur itself and intermarried with the local population.
Cheela Dam A good picnic spot with a dam and a man-made lake nearby. Elephants and other wild animals may be spotted.
Transport
Haridwar is headquarters of Haridwar district and it has good connectivity with the other towns of the district and the state.
Road
Rail
The
Air
The nearest domestic airport is
Industry
Haridwar is rapidly developing as an important industrial township of Uttarakhand since the state government agency, SIIDCUL established in 2002, set up the Integrated Industrial Estate in a district attracting many important industrial houses which are setting up manufacturing facilities in the area. According to list of allottee provided by SIIDCUL, the industrial estate is home to over 650 companies currently.[47]
Haridwar has an industrial area situated at the bypass road, comprising mainly ancillary units to PSU, BHEL, which was established here in 1964 and currently employs over 8000 people.
Notable people
- Pilot Baba
- Hans Ji Maharaj
- Vijay Singh Gujjar
- Satpal Maharaj
- Prem Rawat
- Urvashi Rautela
- Charles Orman
- Ernest Burdett
- Rishabh Pant
- Narender Pal Singh
- Beatrice Harrison
- Louisa Durrell
- John Duncan Grant
- Usha Verma
- Vijay Bose
- Naresh Bedi
- Raza Ali Abidi
- Krishna Chandra Sharma
- Unwan Chishti
- Shriya Saran
- Kunwar Pranav Singh
- Ram Dayal Singh
In Art and Literature
Besides Hurdwar, a Place of Hindoo Pilgrimage referred to above, an engraving of a painting entitled Hurdwar, The Gate of Hari or Vishnou. by William Purser with a poetical illustration by Letitia Elizabeth Landon was published in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1838.[48]
See also
References
- ^ Hardwar Population Census 2011
- ^ a b "haridwar City Population Census of India, 2011". Office of the Registrar General, India. 2 March 2002. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
- ^ "History | District Haridwar, Government of Uttarakhand | India". Retrieved 11 March 2023.
- ^ "District Census Handbook, Hardwar" (PDF). censusindia.gov.in. 29 January 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "District Census Handbook, Hardwar". Census of India 2011: 5–7. 29 January 2011.
- ^ "इस पौराणिक कथा से जानिए क्यों लगता है कुंभ का मेला? – mobile". punjabkesari. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ a b About Haridwar sahajaharidwar.
- ^ Gopal, Madan (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.). India through the ages. Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p. 178.
- ISBN 9781503601673.
- ^ Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1831). "poetical illustration". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1832. Fisher, Son & Co.Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1831). "picture". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1832. Fisher, Son & Co.
- ^ Places of peace and power sacred sites.
- ^ Yudhishthira The Mahabharata, translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli (1883 -1896), Book 3: Vana Parva: Tirthayatra Parva: Section XC, p 204.
- ISBN 81-246-0102-X. ignca.nic.in. Vanaparva (The Book of the Forest) is third Parva, book of Mahabharata.
- ^ Lopamudra The Mahabharata, translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli (1883 -1896), Book 3: Vana Parva: Tirthayatra Parva: Section XCVII.
- ^ Stevenson, William; Burn, Richard; Sutherland, James; Hope, Herbert. The Imperial Gazetteer of India V2. Oxford, Clarendon Press. p. 52. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
- ^ "The Descent of the Ganges". indiantemples.com.
- ^ "Haridwar Travel Agent, Haridwar Rishikesh Tour, Haridwar Yatra". hardwar.com.
- ^ Haridwar History Archived 10 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine Haridwar Official website.
- ^ Kumbh Mela Channel 4.
- ^ a b c d Roorkee Town The Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 21, p. 324.
- ^ Digital Library The Imperial Gazetteer of India, Oxford, 1908, Vol.13, p.51.
- ^ public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Hardwar". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 12 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 944. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
- ^ History The Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 2, p. 570.
- ^ Munde, Amarpreet Singh. "Guru Nanak (for Children) – A New Way of Teaching". gurmat.info.
- ^ Life Of Guru Nanak: Chapter IV The Sikh Religion, Volume 1, by Max Arthur Macauliffe (1842–1913), Oxford University Press (1909). page 50-52.
- ^ ISBN 81-7205-311-8. www.globalsikhstudies.net.
- ^ Sacred Places of Pilgrimage Archived 14 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine Ain-e-Akbari, Vol. III, p. 306.
- Abul Fazl 'Allami, Volume I, A´I´N 22. The A´bda´r Kha´nah. P 55. Translated from the original Persian, by Heinrich Blochmannand Colonel Henry Sullivan Jarrett, Asiatic Society of Bengal. Calcutta, 1873–1907. "His Majesty calls this source of life "the water of immortality," and has committed the care of this department to proper persons... Both at home and on travels, he drinks Ganges water."
- ^ Upper Ganges Canal The Imperial Gazetteer of India, 1909, v. 12, p. 138.
- ^ Trade and Communications The Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 21, p. 375.
- ^ History The Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 13, p. 53.
- ^ a b "Five Best Places to Visit in Haridwar". tentaran.com. June 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
- ^ New District Archived 30 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine Haridwar, www.gmvnl.com.
- ^ Hardwar City Population Census 2011 – Uttarakhand
- ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
- ^ "Haridwar". personal.carthage.edu. Archived from the original on 27 January 2007. Retrieved 1 March 2007.
- ^ "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India – Dehradun Plus". The Tribune. Chandigarh.
- ^ a b Pioneer, The. "Veggies adore this goddess on 'Ashtami puja'". The Pioneer. India. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- ^ "यहां सब्जी और फलों से किया जाता है मां का श्रृंगार". News18 India. 22 October 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- Times of India, 13 March 2003.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ haridwarrishikeshtourism.com. "Haridwar Temples, Haridwar Temple Tour, List of Temples in Haridwar". haridwarrishikeshtourism.com.
- ^ "Shri Chintamani Parshwnath Jain Shwetambar Mandir, Haridwar, Uttarkhand". 18 January 2016.
- ISBN 9788120802230– via Google Books.
- ^ Kumbh Mela 1915 The Story of My Experiments with Truth/Part V/Lakshman Jhula.
- ^ Chronology of Mahatma Gandhi's life/India 1916 Wiki Source.
- ^ https://www.siidcul.com/upload/industrialEstate/LOA_IIEHaridwar1442649742.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1837). "poetical illustration". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1838. Fisher, Son & Co.Landon, Letitia Elizabeth (1837). "picture". Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1838. Fisher, Son & Co.
Further reading
- Gateway to the Gods: Haridwar-Rishikesh. Rupinder Khullar, Reeta Khullar. 2004, UBS Publishers. ISBN 81-7476-460-7.
- Hardwar Mela From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan (1879–80), by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky(1831–1891).
- Report, by Archaeological Survey of India, Alexander Cunningham. Published by Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, 1871. Chapt 30: Haridwar or Gangadwara, p. 231–236.
- Chapter XVII: Himalayas, Hardwar. India, Past and Present, by Charles Harcourt Ainslie Forbes-Lindsay. Published by J.C. Winston, 1903. Page 295.
External links
- Haridwar travel guide from Wikivoyage
- Official website of Haridwar district.