Situated by the side of the divine Ganges, Haridwar is popular for temples and Ghats where tourists take a bath to demolish sins made by them and thereby reaching salvation. Haridwar is considered as the sacred town in the state of Uttarakhand on the banks of the river Ganga. The place is blessed by the holy trinity of gods: Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. If you have already planned for the Haridwar tour then you must know some of the best places to visit in Haridwar. Here we go:

• Mansa Devi Temple

This temple is devoted to the companion of Nag King Vasuki, and Goddess Manasa. This is the place where devotees make wishes and it is believed to accomplish. It is also one of the Siddhapeeths atop Shivalik Hills. This temple forms a triangle with Chandi Devi and Maya Devi temples. It is one of the most sacred places to visit in Haridwar that attract devotees in huge number.

• Chilla Wildlife Sanctuary

Chilla wildlife sanctuary is the animal home where you get to see small cats, tigers, elephants, and bears apart from various birds. This place is mostly loved by the children. They come with their parents and enjoy seeing the animals playing all around. It widens across 249 sq km east of Ganges. After Mussoorie, it is the probably second best place in Uttarakhand where natural beauty can be seen at its all glory. Haridwar tourism is known for its several natural tourist attractions and Chilla wildlife sanctuary is one of them.

• Ganga Aarti

Like Prayagraj, Ganga Aarti is a ritual held on the bank of blessed river Ganga at the Har-ki-Pauri ghat in Haridwar. It is catching the attention of travelers and devotees from all around the globe. It is the custom of light and audio where in fact the priests perform prayers with open fire and ring the bells. Tourists float candlelights and flowers bounded by the chanting of the mantras and the representation of the lighting off the surface of the flowing river.

You must be wondering about the pre-ceremony of Ganga Aarti. So a statue of the Ganga is carried from a small, nearby temple, in “palkhi” followed by singing and dancing done by pundits and worshippers to a place near the river. The statue is also prayed when travelers have taken their blessings. Thereafter the pundits begin the ceremony by chanting with offerings such as milk, honey, curd etc. There is a setup of loudspeakers so that the chants might be reached all around the banks. With the end of all offering, pundits start singing the Ganga Lahari which is Sanskrit poem. Then a promise is made by both the travelers and Pandits by raising both hands altogether. After chanting “Har Har Gange, Jai Ma Gange” for some time, they take a rest and pundits receive some donations. Finally, Ganga Aarti is started.

You can have your best time at Ganga in the mornings and evenings for the Aarti. You better choose evenings as to enjoy lights from the fire bowl and candles.

• Har Ki Pauri

It is one of the holiest Ghats in Haridwar. Thousands of devotees visit Har Ki Pauri aiming to take the blessing of Holy Ganga by offering prayers. It is where River Ganga flowing through the Himalayas touches the plain surprisingly. Overflowing tranquillity and quiet constantly, it is the night time at Har Ki Pauri that is most admired by its guests.

Har Ki Puri is popular for the festival of Kumbh Mela. It gathers thousands of people and it is celebrated here once within twelve years and Ardh Kumbh Mela is celebrated every six years. A celebration of Vaisakhi, made by a large number of people, is an immense gather celebration that happens in April consistently.

Har Ki Puri is named after Steps to Lord Shiva. With the large footprints on a stone wall belongs to Lord Vishnu, this place is believed to be visited by Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu in Vedic times you can have your best time to visit Har Ki Pauri in the summer month from March to June. Travelers avoid visiting here in the winter as it gets too cold here.

You can visit here by taxi, bus or auto-rickshaws from your hotels. If you go to visit Har Ki Puri, don’t miss the evening aarti, which is supposed to be the most enchanting time of the day. It is one of the highly recommended places to visit from Haridwar that you must add in your itinerary.

• Chandi Devi Temple

Temple is placed on the top of Neel Parvat on the eastern summit of Shivalik hills. It is devoted to Chandi Devi. The king of Kashmir had established this temple in 1929. Being a famous pilgrimage, it attracts followers from all over the globe. Travelers prefer this temple because of trekking experience.

It was built in 1929 by the king of Kashmir Suchat Singh, but it was believed that the already present statue of Chandi Devi was there since the 8th century. The temple accumulates an immense number of the lover’s in the celebration season. The acclaimed festivals celebrated here are chandi chaudas, Navratra and the Kumbh Mela. The temple offers an awesome outlook of Haridwar, and guests lean toward trekking to get to the best to the sanctuary. The view from the link truck is invigorating.

If you are one who is interested in trekking then it is your cup of tea. In fact, it is one of the most loved trekking destinations in Uttarakhand. You can see here travelers walking uphill to the temple. For the other group of people, cable cart is additionally accessible. The outlook of Haridwar from the temple is beautiful. The Temple design is obsolete and grand. It is also a well know pilgrimage point in India. It is one of the most famous places to visit in Haridwar and Rishikesh.

• Vaishno Devi Temple

It is a duplicate version of the Vaishno Devi temple in Kashmir. This temple is formed by tunnels and caves, which prompt the inner sanctum containing the hallowed place of Goddess Vaishno Devi. It is one of the ideal places to visit in near Haridwar where tourists gather in huge number.

• Maya Devi Temple

Established in the 11th Century, it is considered as a place of worship of the Goddess Maya. Being one of the most established Hindu temples in India this place is visited by massive people every now and then. People who believe in Adhisthatri better called as deity Shakti mostly visit this temple.

Maya Devi Temple is located at Birla Ghat in Haridwar and it is one of the top Haridwar places to visit. It outlines one of the 52 Shaktipeeths and in addition the trusted vertex of the 3 Siddhapeeths. Believer of the Goddess visits in huge numbers during Navratri and Kumbh Mela to take the blessing.

Temple is always preferred by the devotees. It is also one of the most ancient temples in India. It is considered as a hallowed place to the Goddess Maya who is believed to be a three-headed, four-equipped incarnation of the Goddess Shakti. Earlier the place was popular as Mayapuri. There are symbols of the Goddesses Maya, Kali and Kamakhya inside the temple. It is one of the temples which form the Siddhapeeth along with Chandi Devi and Mansa Devi temples.

If you go inside the temple, you will see three idols the Maya Devi in the center, Goddess Kali on the left and Goddess Kamakhya on the right. It also safeguards two other Goddesses. Both are supposed to be forms of the Goddess Shakti. Moreover, you can find here a metal idol of Chamunda and a sub-shrine to the Sheetala Devi. It is believed that if you pray with full devotion, the Goddess fulfills the wishes.

• Bara Bazar

It is one of the best nearby places to visit in Haridwar which is also recognized as a shopping hub for pilgrimage. It includes several shops where a pilgrim can buy wooden items and handicrafts. It is a lively market that is popular selling religious paraphernalia, ornamental items, and decorative items. While shopping at Bara Bazar you are open with several options such as Rudraksha seeds, churan, and digestive powders.

What’s next waiting for you?

Haridwar tourist places are recognized for their unique touch and you can feel some extraordinary vibes here. If you searching for places to visit in near Haridwar and Rushikesh then check out our other traveling guides to get all the information.