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Some of the wonderful places in the sacred country of India cannot be overlooked or debated upon. Here is one such place in the foot of the legendary Himalayas, Rishikesh. If you have already been there then you surely know what it is. The backdrop of the shivalik ranges, the sound of the great Ganges,the saffron robed sadhus all around ..... This place gives the feeling of being in utterly a different galaxy.....
Figure 1 : Sunrise at Rishikesh
Rishikesh is about 25 kilometers from the other sacred City of Haridwar. Rishikesh houses if iam not to go wrong the maximum number of Meditation and Yogic retreats.
We were gifted to stay very closeby to the place where the Aarthi is performed in the evening.
Rishikesh was the third stop at our journey towards Badrinath, the earlier ones being Delhi and Haridwar.
A few hours from Delhi, what a complete diversity from the khadi to the saffron.
Few Places to see in and around Rishikesh
1. Lakshman Jhula - This is the bridge used by Lakshmana . It is a hanging bridge. The original one was destroyed and the present one is a manmade hanging bridge in the same place.
2. Neelkanth Mahadev temple -1675 m. This temple is dedicated to NeeIkanth Mahadev (Lord Shiva) which is about 20 kms from Laxman Jhoola. According to mythology, Lord Shiva had consumed the effluent poison produced after Sagar manthan which had turned his throat blue and thus this place came to be known as Neelkanth Mahadev or Shiva with Blue throat. While going upto Neelkanth Mahadev one can have a wide spread view of Himalayan peaks, Bhabar forests and plains below There is also a Suyambu Shivling here.
3. The numerouns temples on the banks of the river
Last but not the least, the magificant Aarthi performed there in the evening.
One more step towards enlightenment....
Figure 2 : Neelkanth Mahadev Temple
Figure 3 : Sanctum Sanctorum of the Neelkanth Mahadev temple
Figure 4 : Monkeys on the way to Neelkanth Mahadev Temple
Figure 5 : Smoking Sadhu, Rishikesh. Haridwar, Rishikesh and the Himalayas are full of Sadhus.
