Rishikesh, known as the Yoga capital of the world, is just an hour drive from Dehradun, Uttarakhand. The city falls in two districts, its northern part lies in Dehradun District, while its southern part is in Pauri Garhwal district. Set amidst the backdrop of the Himalaya and on the banks of holy Ganges river, Rishikesh is one of the major hubs for both tourism and pilgrimage. Being an epicenter for Yoga and spirituality, people from around the world visit here to learn Yoga and meditation.
On World Yoga i.e on 21 June, the Uttarakhand Tourism board organizes a yoga festival, attracting multitude of yoga enthusiasts. Saints and sages can often be seen meditating in search of higher knowledge. Being known as the Yoga capital of the world, the city is also regarded as the “Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas”, which gives it a prominent place in both spiritual and geographical terms. The city has an ink link with the Treta Yuga.
According to the legend, after defeating Ravana, Lord Rama along with his brothers, came to Rishikesh to perform penance. It is believed that Laxman crossed the Ganga river with two jute ropes, where the present Lakshman Jhula bridge stands today. As per the Skanda Purana, there was Indra Kund underneath the bridge, where Indra took a holy dip to get rid from a curse. However, this kund is cannot be sighted in the modern century. In 1968, one of the popular English rock bands, The Beatles visited Rishikesh to learn meditation.
For this they visited Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram, which is now renowned as the Beatles Ashram or Chaurasi Kutiya. It is said that, during their stay, they composed various songs for their popular album called the “White Album”. Since then, many western people have arrived in this city to learn meditation and Yoga. Today, the site is a popular destination, frequented by the Beatles fans and others. Since ages, Rishikesh has been the ideal place for sage and yoga practitioners who want to become practitioners in it. However, Rishikesh is not only a spiritual or yoga city but also a popular spot for adventure seekers.
Every year, a multitude of adventure enthusiasts often visit this place, where they can indulge in various adventurous activities; such as River Rafting, Bungee Jumping, Trekking, Rock Climbing, camping and others. It boasts India's highest bungee jumping of 272 ft and features Asia's highest zip line with a length of 1 km which can be covered in a record speed of 140 km per hour. Some of the major attractions that draw various tourists are Laxman Jhula, Ram Jhula, Trayambakeshwar Temple, and Parmarth Niketan.
Additionally, there are some temples built by Adi Shankaracharya along the riverbanks are; Shatrughana mandir, Bharat mandir, and Lakshman Mandir. To accommodate the large influx, there are ample number of Hotels, resorts, and stay homes. Moreover, plenty of cafes are also popular among tourists with their unique theme and menu. The other notable attractions are Neer Waterfall, Shivpuri, Kaudiyala, Triveni Ghat, Bharat Mandir, Narendar Nagar, Swargashram, which attracts tourists most.
The Ganga Aarti or called Maha Arti performed during dusk draws many devotees. If we say, Rishikesh is a perfect blend of spirituality and natural beauty, where one can find themselves then we are not exaggerating. To enjoy the beauty of Rishikesh one can visit this place easily by availing road, rail and air services, with regular bus and taxi services available from cities connecting to it.
