The playful Ganges debouches from the hills on to the plains at Haridwar. And Rishikesh, as the name implies is the refuge of the rishis (saints). They are two different places, but what ties them together is the sanctity, the religious binding and their deep inroads into Hinduism. At Haridwar it is not about worshipping any idol as such. People throng to the various points across this temple dotted town for paying obeisance to the Mighty Ganges. Late evenings, devotees flock the "ghats" in dozens daily and float offerings of auspicious things like kumkum, flowers, lighted incense stick on little rafts lit up beautifully with lamps - the river looks as if it is a sky lit up with stars, not reflected from those in the sky. And at Rishikesh, you can catch up with the latest trends in yoga. What makes both these places special is the devotion, the sanctity, which just imbibes in you the fact that there is a God...and the God, wants us to be close in touch with nature.

How to Reach
Air
The Jollygrant airport at Deheradun is the nearest airport. It is serviced by regular flights from Delhi.

Rail
There are many trains from all part of the country, mainly from New Delhi which go through both Rishikesh and Haridwar. In addition to trains from other part of the country coming to both the cities, there are regular shuttle services between Haridwar and Rishikesh too.

Road
Buses from Shimla, Varanasi, Dehradun and Delhi ply regularly on the roads between Haridwar and Rishikesh. There are regular buses connecting both the cities too.

Religious Places
? The ghats
Har-Ki Pairi Ghat
Haridwar lives on the banks of the mighty Ganges. The banks are strewn with holy ghats, you can wade through and offer your obeisance to the great river. The ghat most frequented and sanctified according to the myths is the ghat at Har-Ki-Pairi. Legends say that Lord Vishnu, dropped some ?amrit? or heavenly nectar and also left his footprints behind on this ghat. A dip in the Ganges here, people believe will wash away the sins. Plan a trip to the ghats in the evening. Devotees flock together by the dozens and offer a special ?arti? to the gushing Ganges. They put together auspicious items like kumkum (vermillion), sandalwood paste, incense sticks along with lighted lamps on small rafts and float it down the river even as the bells go peeling in the background. The waters, for miles together, are lit up with thousands of flickering lamps before they are carried down the river and merge with the night.

Triveni Ghat
At Rishikesh is vibrant with life both at dawn and dusk. As the sun comes up, thousands of devotees take the ceremonial dip before making the offering to the god. And feed the shoals of fish which is abundant in the river. At sunset, devotees throng the ghat for the serene and peaceful arti, identical to the one at Har -Ki -Pairi in Haridwar. At Triveni Ghat, you can watch the ritual up close, because it is comparatively quieter.

? Temples
Mansa Devi Temple
About a kilometer and half up hills from Haridwar is Mansa Devi Temple. It is dedicated to Goddess Durga. You can either take the cable car to ride up the way or walk it up. You get a beautiful view of the valley and the Ganges snaking away between the foothills.

Chandi Devi Temple
About four kilometers up the Neel hill from Haridwar is the Chandi Devi temple. It is advisable to club it with the trip to Mansa Devi Temple. The climb is much more difficult than the one to Mansa Devi temple and it is advisable to take the cable car. The ride up in the cable car offers a spectacular view of the valley. If you are walking up, be careful about the monkeys. Though they don?t hurt you, but they can take you unawares and even get a bit cheeky and snatch away your bags.

Kankhal Temples
About 3kms away from Haridwar, the temple complex is popular on the tourist itenary. This is one of the four sacred places around Haridwar. It was here that Goddess Sati (Shiva's consort) burned herself in the sacrificial fire after being insulted by her father. And it was here that the lord Shiva, danced away the his sorrow and rage. There are a number of famous temples here including Birbhadreshwar Temple, Daksha Mahadev Temple and Sati Kund.

Gorakhnath Temple
Dedicated to Guru Gorakhnath on the main road leading to Har-ki-Pauri, this imposing temple is one of the most popular in Haridwar.

Bharat Mata Temple is a multi storied temple, which stands out among the other temples in Haridwar. What makes it special is that each floor is dedicated to a different deity. You would be surprised to see elevators moving up and down the seven stories in this temple!

The Bharat Mandir near Triveni Ghat one of the oldest temples in Rishikesh. They say that it was consecrated by Adi Shankaracharya when he visited Rishikesh in the 9th century.

Ghat Temples
There are a number of temples including the Kalika Temple near the river Ganges.

Pavan Dham is a beautiful temple with glass interiors just 3kms away from Har-Ki-Pairi, enroute Rishikesh. It is dedicated to the monkey faced Hindu god Hanuman!

Ashrams
There are a number of 'ashrams'of various schools of Hinduism, which offer solace to the mind, as well as nourishment for the body. Some famous, some traditional, tucked away in this hill town. Some of the most popular one are:-

Shivananda Ashram
Run by the Divine Life Society, it is one of the oldest and most active ashrams in the area. It runs one of the best and biggest charitable hospital in the area too. If you are bitten by the Yoga bug after your visit to Rishikesh, its best to enroll yourself in one of the beginners courses here!

Yoga Study Centre
Dedicated to Hathayoga, this ashram hold yoga classes every morning and evening.

Yoga Niketan
Yoga Niketan has two guest houses in the area and runs yoga classes regularly.

Sant seva Ashram
Organised and run by Maharshi Umesh Yogi, this ashram has huge big rooms which are normally booked in advance. It offers a mixed style of meditation and yoga in keeping with the latest trends!

Swarg Ashram
Once the hub of fusion meditation, this Transcendental Meditation Centre of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is now not very active. But the location makes it still the best place to head out and meditate.

Ved Niketan
Ashram runs yoga and Mediatation classes regularly. The state government has plans to start its First Yoga Academy in India, in the ashram.

Parmarth Niketan
This ashram sticks to the traditional school of meditation and is one of the most frequented.