Rishikesh is a city of Dehradun district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Now it becomming a world destination of Yoga, mean "Yoga Capital of World
Rishikesh, literally:Hair (kesh) of the sage" (rishi), is a holy city for Hindus located in the foothills of the Himalaya in northern India. Legend states that Lord Rama did penance here for killing Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. It is also known as the gateway to the Himalayas and is located about 25 kilometers away from another holy city,
The sacred river Ganga flows through Rishikesh. In fact, it is here that the river leaves the Shivalik mountains Himalayas, and flows out into the plains of northern India. Several temples, ancient as well as new, can be found along the banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh. It is believed that meditation in Rishikesh brings one closer to attainment of moksha, as does a dip in the holy river that flows through it. It is also becoming a popular spot for white water rafting enthusiasts, both from India and abroad, as it offers medium to rough rapids in the course of river Ganges.
Rishikesh is home to the 120 year old Kailas Ashram Brahmavidyapeetham, an institution dedicated to preserve and promote the traditional Vedantic Studies. Prominent personalities such as Swami Vivekananda, Swami Ramatirtha and Swami Shivananda have studied in this institution.
Places worth visiting::
Triveni Ghat
A bathing Ghat which resounds with the 'Arti' performed every evening to river Ganga.
Laxman Jhoola
A suspension bridge across river Ganga, on the old route to the shrines of Badrinath and Kedarnath is worth visiting spot.
Shivanand Jhoola
Also known as Ram Jhoola, the bridge runs across the river near Swarg Ashram.
Temples
Some premier temples in Rishikesh are Raghunath Temple, Pushkar Temple, Venkateshwar Temple, Chandra Mauleshwaran Temple, Shatrughan Temple, Bharat Mandir and Lakshman Temple.
Ashrams and Yoga Centres
Some of the main Ashrams are Mahesh Yogi Ashram, Shankaracharya Nagar, Shivanand Ashram, Muni Ki Reti, Swarg Ashram, Gita Bhawan, Ved Niketan and Yoga Study Centre.
By Air
The nearest airport from Rishikesh is Jolly Grant airport on route to Dehradun, 18 kilometres from here. Indian airlines connect Dehradun to Delhi, some chartered planes also operate from here.
By Rail
Rishikesh is well connected with other major cities through railways. There are trains for Delhi, Kolkatta, Lucknow, Varanasi, Dehradun, Haridwar and other cities.
By Road
To commute within Rishikesh there are tongas, taxis and rickshaws available. Whereas from other cities and states buses are operated by state transport corporations and private operators are available for Rishikesh.
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