My first thought is about Ganga. When I think Haridwar, the first visual in my mind is this beautiful blue river flowing through an urban sprawl. Dharamshalas, hotels, ashrams, local houses and ancient temples jam-packed on both sides of its bank. Thankfully, now with Government effort, there are spacious ghat areas with a few changing rooms and such for the pilgrims, to facilitate their sacred dip!
While I might ponder on the ecological impact of so much urbanization on the river banks, the other aspect is that these hotels and ashrams allow us to stay very close to this wonderful river. We can wake up to its sound and fall asleep with her presence still lingering in our mind. Immersion is not only about the dip; it is about living in proximity to the sacred waters, letting them seep into our practice and our being.
Har ki Pauri Aarti
One of the biggest attractions in this town is the Har Ki Pauri aarti. I had expected it to be crowded beyond measure, but to my surprise, it was not. Without tickets, without waiting for hours, we could still find a decent place to sit. Of course, now a days, there is always someone sitting ahead of us who raises their mobile phone to record the entire event. And inevitably, our view is a little blocked. So, we can watch partly through their mobile screen and partly directly ahead of us.
In this way, I got to see the Har ki Pauri aarti quite clearly from the opposite bank. Before and after the aarti, the designated, official caretakers do encourage people to donate. But, we are all so used to this level of commercialization, so it is ok!
Along with Ganga, there is a LOT more that Haridwar Offers
Now a days, in the spiritual circles, it is said that these spaces of Haridwar and Rishikesh are too commercial; the genuine spiritual babas and sadhus have moved away. Maybe compared to the way things were decades earlier, this is true. However, I must strongly assert that it is very much possible to have a deeply spiritual pilgirmage in these spaces even today.
If you are able to curate your experience and not run around with a checklist of places to touch. If you are able to take the time, to plan and have immersive experiences – there is no reason, this can’t be a powerful spiritual experience.
Maa Ganga, is anyway noteworthy; after her waters have been polluted, made to flow through dams and what not – a simple dip still becomes miraculous for many, many people. Beyond that, Haridwar is still home to truly ancient temple spaces, powerful samadhis and serene ashrams which a sadhaka can use to deepen their sadhana.
My Haridwar Travel Pack, for a Deeper Spiritual Experience
This is a mini-pack, priced lower than my usual offerings, so that more seekers can benefit from it. It’s concise yet powerful, giving you everything you need to make your Haridwar yatra meaningful.
It contains the following Sacred Spaces,
- 2 powerful Samadhi spaces
- 5 ancient Devi spots
- 1 Bhairava & Dattatreya Temple
Additional details,
- Few more places to visit (if time permits)
- Few suggestions for stay, food, transport
Highlight: details on how you can structure your sadhana routine to make the best of the kshetra.
To get this pack, comment below or send email namaste@inspirituality.in or whatsapp message +91-90427 41385
