Haridwar Yatra ~ The Gateway to Lord Hari
Haridwar Yatra
The Gateway to Lord Hari
The ancient holy town of Haridwar is on the west bank of the Ganges. Haridwar means "The Gateway to Lord Hari." It is also called Gangadwara, because the sacred Ganges enters the plains from here. Haridwar is one of the seven main holy cities (sapta-moksha puri) in India as described in Garuda Purana.
Hari Ki Pauri (literally, "footsteps of Lord Hari.") is the most famous landmark of Haridwar. The footprints of Lord Vishnu are imprinted on a stone underneath the water at this ghat. This is the exact spot where the Ganges River leaves the Himalayas and reaches the plains and is considered a very holy place. Since time immemorial, every evening at sunset, famous Ganga Arati ceremony takes place at Hari-ki-Pauri.
Highly pleasing natural beauty, the sweet chanting of mantras and prayers with sages meditating and reverberating evening Ganga Aarti exudes spiritual vibes and is a lifetime experience to attend!
Haridwar along with Ujjain, Nashik and Prayag is one of four sites where drops of Amrit, the elixir of immortality, spilled over from the pitcher while being carried by the celestial bird Garuda. This is manifested in the Kumbha Mela being celebrated every 3 years in one of the 4 places, and thus every 12 years in Haridwar. Amidst the Kumbha Mela, millions of pilgrims congregate in Haridwar to perform auspicious bathing on the banks of the river Ganges. Also after every 6 years, Ardh Kumbh Mela takes place here.
Ancient place called Kankhal is 4 km from Haridwar. This was the capital of Prajapati Daksha, the father of Sati. Here at the banks of Ganges River is Daksheswar Mahadev Temple. Here Daksha performed the sacrificial Yajna and later Sati self-immolated herself angered by Daksha’s irrational behaviour and harsh criticism towards her husband Lord Siva, as described in Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 4 chapters 2 to 7. Kankhal is also mentioned in Garuda Purana.
Sapta Sarovara is 6 km from Hari Ki Paudi. Here the Ganges splits into seven streams to please the seven Rsis performing austerities there. Place where the Rsis sat in meditation is called Sapt Rishi Ashram. It is a tranquil place and the atmosphere is conducive for spiritual practice. Narada Purana describes the glories of this place.
Dhrtarastra and his wife Gandhari came to Haridwar. As described in Srimad-Bhagavatam canto 1 chapter 13 verses 50-60, following the instructions of compassionate brother Vidura, Dhrtarastra and his wife Gandhari left Hastinapur and came to Haridwar (which is on the southern side of the Himalayas) to a place called Saptasrota [“divided by seven”]. Here on the banks at Saptasrota, Dhrtarastra engaged in performing the Agni-hotra sacrifice and later quit his body by the yogic process.
Haridwar is also called Kapila sthana, because Lord Kapila performed penance here. At Haridwar, Vidura was instructed by Maitreya as described in Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 3 chapter 5. It is also called Mayapuri Kshetra in the Puranas. The Ganges river is fed with icy melting glaciers from the snow peaks of Himalayas. A barrage just north of Haridwar splits the Ganges. The main natural rivulet of the Ganges, called Neel Dhara, flows about a half-km east of Haridwar.
Shukratal is 2-3 hours from Haridwar (72 km) on the banks of Ganges River in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. At this tiny holy town on the banks of River Ganges, Srila Sukadeva Goswami spoke sacred Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana) to Maharaja Pariksit (the grandson of Arjuna and son of Abhimanyu), under a banyan tree 5000 years ago.
Here at Sri Sukadeva Temple, there is a gigantic 5100 year old Banyan tree called Akshaya Vat Vriksha. Under this tree, Sukadeva Goswami, Maharaja Pariksit and 80,000 sages assembled hearing Bhagavatam narration continuously for 7 days. The branches of this Akshaya Vat tree spread far and wide, sprouting through the nearby surroundings. The Sukadeva ashrama is built around the tree.
Under Akshaya tree is a small temple which has the deities of Sukadeva Goswami and Pariksit sitting alongside and their footprints. In the courtyard there is a temple with the exquisitely beautiful deity of Supreme Lord Sri Krishna giving darshan to everyone assembled there after the conclusion of Bhagavatam katha. Uniqueness of this 150 feet towering Akshaya Vat is that it doesn’t shed any of its leaves.
Sukadeva ashrama has a number of small shrines and deities, Yajna shala, Sanskrit Vidyalaya and a reading room. Ashrama also has lecture halls called Srimad Bhagavata Bhavan, for holding continuous discourses on the Bhagavata Purana.
Across from the tree in another building there is the Samadhi tomb of Swami Kalyandevji Maharaj, who established this Sukadeva Ashrama. Born in 1876, since 1944 he worked with tireless dedication for several decades to bring forth the glories and significance of Shukratal. He lived for 129 years and passed away on 14 July 2004.
Short walk from Sukadeva Ashrama is a huge Hanuman Ji murti. This is the world’s tallest murti of Hanuman Ji at 75 feet high standing outdoors over the main shrine and was built in 1987. Close-by is the Ganges River and the beautiful Shukratal Ghat.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura visited Shukratal during his preaching tours as quoted in ‘A Ray of Visnu’: “Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati later delivered some lectures in Delhi in the latter part of the year and glorified the Srimad-Bhagavatam at Sukara-tala, the place where Sukadeva Gosvami delivered the Bhagavatam to Maharaja Pariksit five thousand years earlier.”
Prabhupada Srila Sarasvati Thakura: “Srila Sarasvati Thakura also went to Badarinarayana, the site of the first Srimad-Bhagavatam recitation; to Sukara-tala, the site of the second recitation of the Bhagavatam; and to Naimisaranya, the site of the Bhagavatam’s third recitation, and he preached the glories of these places.”
Shukratal is serene, peaceful and has a highly potent spiritually surcharging atmosphere full with the sweetness of bhakti (devotion) for Lord Sri Krishna. It is an incredible place to visit given the significance it holds for the sacred text of Srimad-Bhagavatam!
Places to visit in and around Haridwar:
1. Hari Ki Pauri
2. Kankhal
3. Sati Kund
4. Bhimagoda Kund
5. ISKCON Haridwar
6. Sapta Rsi Ashram
7. Mansa Temple
8. Rishikesh (24 km)
9. Devprayag (90 km)
10. Shukratal - where Srila Sukhadeva Gosvami recited Srimad-Bhagavatam to Maharaja Pariksit (100 km)
11.
Badrinath Dhama (330 km)
Haridwar
is 24 km from another famous holy town of Rishikesh and is 68 km from state
capital Dehradun, which is also the nearest airport that serves regular flights
from Delhi and other parts of India. Haridwar is about 225 km northeast of
Delhi. Haridwar is well connected by rail from throughout India.
1. Hari Ki Pauri
Hari-Ki-Pauri is one of the most sacred Ghats in Haridwar and India. It is visited by devotees in large numbers seeking the blessings of holy Mother Ganges by offering their prayers. This is the place where River Ganges flowing through the Himalayas touches the plain for the first time. Here one can have the darshan of Lord Vishnu’s lotus footprint on a stone.
Constructed by King Vikramaditya in the 1st Century BC, in memory of his brother Bhartrihari, who had come to Haridwar to meditate on the banks of the Ganga, this sacred Ghat is an enchanting sight to behold with a plethora of temples at the river bank and golden hues of floral diyas (ghee lamps) floating in the river.
An area within Hari Ki Pauri, where the evening Ganga Aarti takes place is considered the most sacred and is called Brahma Kund or Hari Pada. The prominence of this place increases extraordinarily during the Kumbha Mela which takes place every 12 years, and the Ardh Kumbh Mela after every 6 years
During the evening Ganga Aarti, a large number of pilgrims gather on both banks of the river to sing Ganga Aarti praises. Pujaries hold large fire bowls in their hands; bells are rung at the temples situated at the ghat and chants are sung by the priests. Pilgrims offer diya (made of ghee lamps, leaves and flowers) into the river Ganges. On some special cases, like on the occurrence of eclipses, the time of the Ganga Aarti is adjusted accordingly.
2. Kankhal
Kankhal is situated 4 km from Hari Ki Paudi. This was the capital of Prajapati Daksha, the father of Sati. Here at the banks of Ganges River is Daksheswar Mahadev Temple. Daksha performed the sacrificial Yajna here and later Sati self-immolated herself angered by his irrational behaviour towards her husband Lord Siva, as described in Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 4 chapters 2 to 7.
At the entrance of this Temple is the Yajna Kund where the sacrifice was performed by Daksha. Inside the Temple is the Siva-linga which is the neck portion of Daksha, who was decapitated by Virabhadra, the demon created by Lord Siva to kill Daksha. This Temple is on the beautiful banks of fast flowing Ganges River. In the courtyard is the ancient temple dedicated to Mother Ganges.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 4 chapters 2 to 7 describe, when Sati heard the heavenly denizens flying in the sky and talking about the ceremony to be performed at her father's home, she became anxious. She went to her husband, Lord Siva, and politely expressed her desire to go there with him.
Daksha had not invited Lord Siva and Sati. Previously, Daksha had cursed and criticized Siva harshly. Siva replied to Sati saying that although Daksha was family, one should not go to the home of such a person if he will look at his guest with angry eyes. She would not be honored there, simply due to her connection with him. "Therefore you should not see your father, because he and his followers are envious of me. Because of his envy, he has insulted me with cruel words although I am innocent. If in spite of this instruction you decide to go, neglecting my words, the future will not be good for you. You are most respectable, and when you are insulted by your relatives, this insult will be immediately equal to death."
Sati, however decided to go to attend the ceremony. When she arrived there, she was ignored by everyone except her mother. Enduring insults by her father, Daksha, she became very angry and said to her father: "Lord Siva is the most beloved of all living entities. He has no rival. No one is very dear to him, and no one is his enemy. No one but you could be envious of such a universal being, who is free from all enmity." She described the glories of Siva, and how unfortunate Daksha was to envy such a great soul.
She then sat down and began to meditate on the fiery air within her body. She concentrated on the lotus feet of her husband, Lord Siva, and gave up her body in a blazing fire.
When Lord Siva heard that his wife Sati was now dead due to insults by Daksha, he was extremely angry. He pulled a hair from his head and created fearful demon, Virabhadra. Lord Siva instructed him to kill Daksha and all the soldiers at the sacrifice. At that time there was a dust storm and the atmosphere became very dark. Virabhadra, along with the soldiers of Siva created a great disturbance at the sacrificial arena.
Finally, Virabhadra captured Daksha and with a wooden device beheaded Daksha, and the party of Siva cried out with joy. When the animal's head was fixed on the body of Daksha, he immediately came to the consciousness. At that time, when Daksha saw Lord Siva, his heart, which was polluted by envy, was cleansed.
Daksha wanted to offer prayers to Lord Siva, but as he remembered the ill-fated death of his daughter Sati, his eyes filled with tears, and in bereavement his voice choked up. Afflicted by love and affection, Daksha, awakened to his real senses. With great endeavour, pacifying his mind, and with pure consciousness he offered prayers to Lord Siva.
Having pardoned by Lord Siva, and with the permission of Brahma, Daksha again began the performance of the sacrifice. As soon as Daksha offered the clarified butter with mantras, Lord Narayana appeared seated on the Garuda. When the Lord appeared, all directions were illuminated, diminishing the lustre of Brahma and others present.
3. Sati Kund
4. Bhimagoda Kund
5. ISKCON Haridwar
ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) has a Guesthouse and a Temple in Haridwar. The Guesthouse is walking distance from Bhimagoda Kund. The Temple is about 1 km from there.
The address is:
ISKCON Haridwar Guesthouse,
Ashram, O/S Goshain Gali, Bhimgoda, Haridwar.
ISKCON Haridwar Temple,
Vaikunthdham, Opp. Vedic Mohan Ashram, Bhupatwala, Haridwar.
Sapta Rsi Ashram is 6 km from Hari Ki Paudi. Here the Ganges splits into seven streams to please the seven Rsis performing austerities there. These sages were Kashyapa, Vashisht, Atri, Vishwamitra, Jamadagni, Bharadwaja and Gautam. Seeing them meditate, Ganges distributed her waters into seven streams, so that the roaring sounds of its rushing waters do not disturb their penance. The seven streams are now called Sapta Sarovar and the place where the rsis sat in meditation is called Sapt Rishi Ashram. It is a tranquil place and the atmosphere is conducive for spiritual practice. The Ashram is very clean and well managed.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.5.2-4 also describe that Vidura and Maitreya met here in Haridwar and discussed on the topics of devotional service to Supreme Lord Sri Krishna after he earlier met Uddhava on the bank of the River Yamuna.
7. Mansa Temple
8. Shukratal
Shukratal is 2-3 hours from Haridwar (72 km) in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh. Here at Sri Sukadeva Temple, there is a gigantic 5100 year old Banyan tree, Akshaya Vat Vriksha, underneath where Sukadeva Goswami, Maharaja Pariksit and 80,000 sages sat for seven days continuously hearing Bhagavatam narration. The branches of this Akshaya Vat tree spread far and wide, sprouting through the nearby surroundings. The Sukadeva ashrama is built around the tree.
Under Akshaya tree is a small temple which has the deities of Sukadeva Goswami and Pariksit sitting alongside and their footprints. In the courtyard there is a temple with the exquisitely beautiful deity of Supreme Lord Sri Krishna giving darshan to Sukadeva Goswami, Pariksit and all the assembled sages after the conclusion of Bhagavatam katha. This tree is considered a living representation of the great sage Sukadeva by the locals. Uniqueness of this 150 feet towering Akshaya Vat is that it doesn’t shed any of its leaves.
Sukadeva ashrama has a number of small shrines and deities, Yajna shala, Sanskrit Vidyalaya and a reading room. Ashrama also has lecture halls called Srimad Bhagavata Bhavan, for holding continuous discourses on the Bhagavata Purana. Many pilgrims come here from all over India to participate and stay the overnight at the ashrama. At 12 noon, Prasadam with locally prepared delicacies is served in a hall on the ground-floor of the ashrama near the Akshaya tree.
Across from the tree in another building there is the Samadhi tomb of Swami Kalyandevji Maharaj, who established this Sukadeva Ashrama. Born in 1876, since 1944 he worked with tireless dedication for several decades to bring forth the glories and significance of Shukratal. He lived for 129 years and passed away on 14 July 2004.
Short walk from Sukadeva Ashrama is a huge Hanuman Ji murti at a nearby temple. This is the world’s tallest murti of Hanuman Ji at 75 feet high standing outdoors over the main shrine and was built in 1987. Outside of this temple are shrines for Lord Rama, Sri Sri Radha-Krishna and Sudarshan Chakra.
Close-by is the Ganges River and a beautiful Shukratal Ghat. Flow of Ganges here is calmer compared to the swift and powerful flow at Rishikesh and Haridwar. Many pilgrims take holy bath here. There are a number of temples and ashrams in Shukratal and the atmosphere is devotional.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura visited Shukratal during his preaching tours as quoted in ‘A Ray of Visnu’: “Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati later delivered some lectures in Delhi in the latter part of the year and glorified the Srimad-Bhagavatam at Sukara-tala, the place where Sukadeva Gosvami delivered the Bhagavatam to Maharaja Pariksit five thousand years earlier.”
Prabhupada Srila Sarasvati Thakura: “Srila Sarasvati Thakura also went to Badarinarayana, the site of the first Srimad-Bhagavatam recitation; to Sukara-tala, the site of the second recitation of the Bhagavatam; and to Naimisaranya, the site of the Bhagavatam’s third recitation, and he preached the glories of these places.”
Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana) is the literary incarnation of Lord Sri Krishna. It is as brilliant as the sun, and is meant for the ultimate good of all people. It is the spotless literature for understanding the Supreme Lord, and that the ultimate goal of life for all human beings is to attain the stage of prema, or love of God. Srimad-Bhagavatam consists of 12 Cantos. Thus, the different Cantos of the Srimad-Bhagavatam are compared to different parts of Krishna's body.
It is compiled by Srila Vyasadeva, the empowered plenary portion incarnation of Lord Krishna. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purana. By a careful reading, one will know the Supreme Lord perfectly well, so much so that the reader will be sufficiently educated to defend himself from the onslaught of atheists. Over and above this, the reader will be able to convert others to accept Supreme Lord as a concrete principle!
How to reach Haridwar:
Haridwar is 24 km from another famous holy town of Rishikesh and is 68 km from state capital Dehradun, which is also the nearest airport that serves regular flights from Delhi and other parts of India. Haridwar is about 225 km northeast of Delhi. Haridwar is well connected by rail from throughout India.
Useful Resources:
Glories of Haridwar and Ganges (HH Bhakti Rasamrita Swami Maharaj’s lecture - Himalayan Yatra 2012):
Glories of Mother Ganga:
Mother Ganga Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLdcbUvbi-A
Rishikesh Yatra: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=99291
Devprayag Yatra: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=97913
MVT Guesthouse Rishikesh: https://mvtindia.com/rishikesh/
Holy Pilgrimages: www.Holy-Pilgrimages.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HolyPilgrimages
Holy Dham: www.HolyDham.com
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare |
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare ||
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