Things to do in Uttarakhand

Located atop the Neel Parvat on the Eastern summit of the Sivalik Hills, Chandi Devi Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Chandi Devi in Haridwar. The temple was established by Suchat Singh in 1929. However, Adi Shankaracharya installed the main idol of the goddess in the 8th century at the temple. Also known as Neel Parvat Teerth, the temple is one of the Panch Tirth in Haridwar. The temple is one of the most ancient temples in India. A significant no. of pilgrims visit the temple to get their wishes fulfilled. In all, the temple is a must-visit place for visitors taking a tour to Haridwar.

Established in 1810 by Queen Dhankaur, Daksheswar Mahadev Temple is a Hindu temple in the town of Kankhal. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple is named after King Daksha Prajapati. There is a Das Mahavidya Temple, dedicated to the Mahavidyas near the temple. Devotees offer special puja at the temple during Navratri. The complex also has a temple dedicated to Ganga. Similarly, there is Daksha Ghat on the River Ganges and Nileshwar Mahadev Temple nearby.

Har Ki Pauri located on the banks of the great Ganga River in Haridwar, is one of the most famous and holiest ghats in India. It is also a major religious landmark of Uttarakhand. Literally, the word ?Har? means ?Lord Shiva?, ?Ki? means ?of? and ?Pauri? means ?steps? and hence, the name. It is supposed that this is the place from where River Ganga enters into the Gangetic plain area. It is said that in the 1st century BC, King Vikramaditya built this ghat on the west bank of Ganga and later, in 1938, the ghat was extended and developed by a Zamindar of Agra, Hargyan Singh Katara. Many temples and ancient buildings are located around the ghat, which were mostly developed in the 19th century. Other than Har Ki Pauri ghat, there are several other ghats like Subhash Ghat, Ram Ghat, Vishnu Ghat, and Gau Ghat located beside the Ganga River in Haridwar, equally popular among the tourists and pilgrims. Throughout the year, from far and wide, countless sadhus, sanyasis, priests, and devotees come here for various rituals and to take holy bath in the mighty Ganga to wash away their sins. Last but not the least, the most important tourist attraction is the Ganga Aarti, which takes place in the Brahamakund area of Har Ki Pauri ghat every evening. Millions of tourists and pilgrims gather in both sides of the ghat in the evening to witness the great Ganga Aarti along with the sound of the temple bells.

Dedicated to the goddess Maya, Maya Devi Temple is a Hindu temple in the holy city of Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Sometimes, the temple is called Shakti Peetha because it is believed that the heart and navel of the goddess Sati fell at the location of the temple. The goddess is a three-headed and four-armed deity, who is said to be an incarnation of Shakti. The temple is one of the three Siddh Peethas in Haridwar as pilgrims worship at the temple to get their wishes fulfilled. Dating back to the 11th-century, the temple has an idol of the goddess Maya at the center, Kali on the left, and Kamakhya on the right. The temple also has two other goddesses in the inner shrine.

Pawan Dham is an ancient temple situated at Bhagirathi Nagar, Bhupatwala in Haridwar. It is a non-profit organization, which is a revered site in Hinduism. Run by the Geeta Bhawan Trust Society of Moga, the temple features detailed glasswork, intricate architecture, and beautifully decorated idols of the deities. The major attraction of Pawan Dham is the idol of Lord Krishna preaching the Bhagavad Geeta to Arjun.

Rajaji National Park is a tiger reserve and national park in Uttarakhand. Covering an area of 820 sq. km, the national park is spread across three districts of the state, namely Haridwar, Dehradun, and Pauri Garhwal. Named after C. Rajagopalachari, the park was formed by merging three wildlife sanctuaries of the region. Located between the Shivalik ranges and the Indo-Gangetic plains, the national park comprises of riverine vegetation, deciduous forests, grasslands, scrubland, and pine forests. In addition to the elephant being a major attraction, the park also has tiger, goral, chital, sambar, nilgai, leopard, hyena, jackal, Himalayan black bear, etc. The national park also inhabits more than 315 species of birds.

Situated atop the Bilwa Parvat on the Sivalik Hills, Mansa Devi Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Mansa Devi in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Also called Bilwa Tirth, the temple is one of the Panch Tirth in Haridwar. The temple is an abode of Mansa Devi, a form of Shakti, which is said to have emerged from Lord Shiva’s mind. She is also regarded as the sister of Naga Vasuki. As the term Mansa signifies wish, it is believed that the goddess fulfills all wishes of a devotee. The pilgrims tie threads o the branch of a tree in the temple to get their wishes fulfilled. When the wishes get fulfilled, people come back to untie the threads from the tree. The devotees also offer coconuts, fruits, incense sticks, and garlands to worship the goddess in the temple.