Har Ki Pauri is the one of the most sacred Ghats in Haridwar and the only place where all the spiritual activities takes place. The ghat is reckoned to have been built by King Vikramaditya in memory of his brother Brithari in the 1st century BC. Literal meaning of the term 'Har Ki Pauri'- "Har" means "Lord Shiva", Ki" means "of" and "Pauri" means "steps". Priest of the nearby temples says that during the Vedic times, Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu believed to have visited Brahmakund in Har Ki Pauri. The Ghat got its name from the foot imprint of the Lord Vishnu, the imprints of the same are present on one of the stones of the Ghat. In geographical terms, Haridwar is the place where river The Ganges descends from the Gangotri glacier to the Indo-Gangetic plains of North India. Har Ki Pauri remains busy during the Ardh Kumbh Mela, Vaisakhi festival, Kanwar Yatra, and Magh Mela.
Perched on the top of the Neel Parvat, Chandi Devi Temple is an important pilgrimage centre of Haridwar. It is believed that the principal deity of the temple was established by Saint Adi Shankarcharaya in the 8th century. Chandi Devi Temple is four km away from Haridwar and can be reached by trekking uphill or through a cable car. The current structure of the temple was constructed in 1929 by Suchan Singh, who was then the reigning King of Kashmir. Chandi Devi Temple is one of the Siddhpeeth, along with Maya Devi and Mansa Devi. Commonly known as Neel Parvat Teerth, the temple is also one of the Panch Tirth, five pilgrimage sites located in Haridwar. According to legends, the temple is situated at the same place where Chandi, the goddess born from the energies of the male divinities, killed Chand- Mund, and then Shumbha and Nishumbha.
There are certain places in Haridwar, which inspires in admiration and brings tourist one step closer towards the ancient Indian tradition; Shantikunj Ashram is one such place that perfectly fits in this category. On a spiritual tour to Haridwar, don't forget to visit Shantikunj Ashram, a unique academy for religious and social awakening. Situated on the bank of river Ganga, Shantikunj is the headquarters of the All World Gayatri Parivar in India. Set amidst the lush green gardens, Shanti Kunj Ashram provides lodging, meals, and spiritual activities. The ashram was established under the guidance of Rishi Satta of Himalaya, for a fundamental purpose to revive and develop old Rishi traditions. Currently, the temple is managed by the Mrs. Shailbala Pandya daughter of Pt. Shriram Sharma Acharya.
Ganga Aarti is a religious prayer that takes place at the bank of the sacred river Ganga at the Har Ki Pauri ghat in Haridwar. Bringing in tourists and devotees from all over the world, it is a ritual of light and sound where the priests perform prayers with bowls of fire and the ringing of the temple bells. Visitors float "diyas" (small candles) and flowers, surrounded by the chanting of the mantras and the reflection of the lights off the surface of the flowing river, which is said to be blessed by the Goddess Ganga. The Ganga Aarti at Haridwar takes place twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. The starting of the Aarti depends upon the time of the sunrise and sunset in Haridwar. In the summer months from March to October, the morning Aarti commences anytime between 5:00 AM and 6:50 AM, while the evening Aarti starts between 5:30 PM and 7:00 PM.
Rajaji National Park is situated along the hills and foothills of Shiwalik ranges in the Himalayan foothills and represent the Shiwalik eco-system. Combining three sanctuaries, namely Chilla, Motichur and Rajaji - Rajaji National Park is spread over the Pauri Garhwal, Dehradun and Saharanpur districts of Uttarakhand. The Motichur and Rajaji sanctuaries are contiguous, and are separated from the Chilla Sanctuary to the south-east by the Ganges River and the Chilla River. Motichur and Rajaji wildlife sanctuaries lie to the north and south of the Shiwalik Ridge and are dissected by many ravines carrying water which descend from the main ridge, becoming broad pebble/boulder filled streams in the plains. These streams remain dry for most of the year but become raging torrents during the monsoon. The area is covered with diverse forest types ranging from semi-evergreen to deciduous and from mixed broad-leaved to terai grassland and has been classified as Indus-Ganges Monsoon Forest type. Lofty strands of sal dominate in many parts.