Rishikesh - Yoga Capital of the World
Rishikesh is the only destination in the world that is equally popular for pilgrimage, Yoga, and Adventure Sports. It is situated in the foothills of the Shivalik range on the banks of the river Ganga in Northern India. Rishikesh has also become a popular destination for white water rafting and kayaking, attracting tourists from both India and abroad. It is also a center for hiking, backpacking, camping, rock climbing, rappelling, kayaking, and bungee jumping.
Rishikesh Travel Guide
Rishikesh is a small serene town famous for meditation and yoga. It is Gateway to the Himalayas and being on the bank of the river Ganges it is an ideal destination for adventure activities like rafting, trekking, rock climbing, kayaking, etc.
Rishikesh is situated 25 km ahead of Haridwar at an elevation of 356 meters above sea level and consists of three distinct areas known as Rishikesh, Swargashram, and Muni-ki-Reti.
The town of Rishikesh is such strategically located at the Himalayan foothills that it has easy access by road to the entire Himalayan region in India, and is famous to be the ideal starting point for your exploring expedition in the Himalayan region.
Why visit Rishikesh?
Rishikesh known for its holiness has a lot to offer to its visitant as the city has an alter ego which sometimes becomes holy, sometimes adventuresome, sometimes surreal and comely. The travelers can go for temple-hopping to the nearby shrines such as Shri Neelkanth Mahadev, Vashishtha Gufa, or pamper themselves with an exotic Ayurveda treatment.
Either pay a short visit to the several assorted ashrams around Swargashram or relish the timeless beauty of the ancient temples such as Shatrughna Mandir, Bharat Mandir, and Lakshman Mandir that were enshrined by Guru Adi Shankaracharya.
One can stroll around the Sivananda Nagar, the home of Sivananda Ashram, or visit the Divine Life Society established by the great Hindu philosopher, Swami Vivekananda. You can also admire the construction of the two mammoth suspension bridges of Rishikesh, the Ram Jhula, and the Lakshman Jhula that are known for their exquisiteness.
If you are a hardcore Beatles fan, then head to the Beatles Ashram where the fab five attended a session of transcendental meditation. Also, don't miss the blissful Ganga Arti performed on the Triveni Ghat during dusk.
Places to See in Rishikesh
Rishikesh Travel News
01 Nov 2024
Foreign tourists perform aarti at Parmarth Niketan on Diwali
Foreign tourists joined in the festival of Diwali at Parmarth Niketan, a spiritual organisation in Rishikesh. The tourists enthusiastically participated in the traditional aarti ceremony and lit diyas.
30 Oct 2024
From 1 Nov, Vehicles will not be allowed at night on Devprayag Rishikesh Highway
Devprayag Police has taken a big decision to stop the increasing vehicle accidents at night on Rishikesh-Badrinath Highway. It has been decided to ban the movement of vehicles at night on Devprayag Rishikesh Highway from November 1. Only emergency services will be free from this ban.
There will be a ban on the movement of vehicles between Devprayag and Rishikesh from 10 pm to 5 am. If people are planning to travel at night, they should stop at Rishikesh, Srinagar, Devprayag, otherwise they may have to face trouble. This step has been taken for the safety of local people and travelers.
30 Oct 2024
Tourists reached Rishikesh in large numbers to celebrate Deepawali
26 Oct 2024
Actress Mrunal Thakur recently visited Rishikesh and shared glimpses of her trip
20 Oct 2024
Stone Wood Hotels opens new property in Rishikesh
Stone Wood Hotels & Resorts announced the opening of its newest property in Rishikesh, located 8.7 kilometers from Rishikesh Railway Station and 23 kilometers from Jolly Grant Airport, Stone Wood Rishikesh is ideally placed for visitors to explore Rishikesh and the nearby town of Haridwar.
The property features 37 spacious and well-appointed rooms, each designed to provide comfort and relaxation with private balconies, high-speed Wi-Fi, LED TVs, tea/coffee makers, and more.
Activities in Rishikesh
- Pilgrimage: Rishikesh is one of the most revered pilgrimage destinations in Hinduism and attracts large number of devotees and pilgrims who visit this spiritual abode and take a dip in the holy Ganges to cleanse their soul.
- Yoga and Meditation: Rishikesh is considered the ‘Yoga capital of the world ’. Tourists and spiritual seekers from all over the world visit Rishikesh to learn the ancient techniques of yoga and meditation and find inner peace. Every year in March, International Yog Festival is organized in Rishikesh.
- Rafting: Rafting in Rishikesh is popular all over the country and the turbulent waves of river Ganges makes it a popular adventure activity at Rishikesh. Adventure seekers flock at Rishikesh in large numbers post-monsoon to enjoy the thrill of rafting. Book your rafting tour here.
- Adventure Sports: Apart from rafting, there are many adventure activities that will appeal to the adventure seekers. Some activities tourists can try at Rishikesh are bungee jumping, Flying Fox, Cliff Jumping, Body Surfing, kayaking, mountain biking, rock climbing, rappelling, and zip lining.
Staying in Rishikesh
Accommodation is not a problem at Rishikesh as the place is flooded with numerous guesthouses, hotels and resorts. Also, being a religious place, there are many ashrams and dharamshalas in Rishikesh where one can stay.
Rishikesh Food Guide
Due to the high influx of tourists and pilgrims to Rishikesh respectively, there are plenty of restaurants and roadside food stalls mushroomed at Rishikesh where chiefly Indian vegetarian food is served along with Punjabi and Garhwali dishes. Being a revered place of religious importance, non-vegetarian food and alcohol is strictly prohibited in Rishikesh.
Mythology about Rishikesh
Widely known as one of the holiest towns of India, Rishikesh is associated with several legends and mythological tales. The first one states that a sage by the name of Raibhya Rishi performed a strict penance on the banks of river Ganga. Impressed by his utmost devotion, Lord Vishnu appeared in front of him as 'Hrishikesh' meaning ‘Lord of the Senses’ in Sanskrit. Therefore, the place became popular by the name of Hrishikesh, another name for Lord Vishnu and was later re-named as Rishikesh. The 'Kedar Khand' of Skanda Purana, also mentions the existence of Indrakund at this very point.
While the other legend states that Lord Rama indulged in deep meditation here for annihilating Ravana and it was here that Lakshmana, the younger brother of Rama crossed the mighty river using a jute rope bridge. However, the original bridge was later replaced by an iron rope suspension bridge in 1889 and a similar bridge called Ram Jhula was made in 1986. Also, there are several ancient temples in Rishikesh that were enshrined by Adi Shankaracharya.
There are several ancient temples and ashrams in Rishikesh which are associated with our mythological and historical background. A dip in the holy water of Ganges flowing from the river beaches of Rishikesh is capable of washing all the sins of a person.
Rishikesh Yoga and Meditation Destination
Thousand of years ago saint came to this place in order to attain peace and spirituality. As their study and practice flourished here, Rishikesh soon established itself as the birthplace of the Ayurveda, Yoga, Meditation, Spirituality and Spa Therapies, and it became famous world-over as a perfect place to study, learn and practice the Ayurveda, Yoga, Meditation, Spiritually and Spa Therapies. 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.
Rishikesh at a Glance
Rishikesh is a city, a municipal council and a tehsil in the Dehradun district of Uttarakhand. It is the seventh most populous city of Uttarakhand and the largest municipal council of Uttarakhand. Rishikesh is the starting point for travelling to the Char Dham Yatra sites namely Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.
People in Rishikesh
The locals of Rishikesh are found to be mostly peaceful with friendly demeanor, speak local language, with good Hindi and some workable English.
Tourist Map of Rishikesh
Map for representation purpose only - not to scale.
Ask a Question about Rishikesh
Rishikesh Questions
Rajender Singh
05 Sep 2024
Q. Is rafting open in Rishikesh?
A. Rafting is likely to resume from 15 Sep. Please visit us again for the latest update
eUttaranchal , 05 Sep 2024
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Shikha Bharadwaj
23 Aug 2024
Q. Which is the oldest temple in Rishikesh?
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Prema Shetty
21 Aug 2024
Q. What is the old name of Rishikesh?
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Rishikesh Weather
Check out the Rishikesh weather report for December
Rishikesh Weather in December
The minimun and maximum temperature in December in Rishikesh is 7°C and 20°C respectively. The weather is generally pleasant and clear in December and you would feel chilling cold throughout the day. Heavy Woolen clothes are recommended for Rishikesh in December.
What is Rishikesh famous for?
Rishikesh is famous among tourist as Yoga, Pilgrimage, Rafting, Kayaking, Adventure Tourism, Temples, Ashrams, Weekend Getaway.
Rishikesh is recommended destination for Corporates, Couples, Family and Kids, Foreigners, Groups, Solo.
Rishikesh is popular destination for following activities/ interests - Adventure, Biking, Camping, Char Dham Route, Christmas and New Year, Hiking, Kayaking, Leisure, Pilgrimage, Rafting, Religious, Shopping, Temples, Weekend Getaway, Yoga and Meditation.
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