Information of Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar, Uttarakhand

Har Ki Pauri is a great holy embankment for the Hindus built on the banks of River Ganges in holy city of Haridwar. It is an ancient Ghats or Embankment having its records since in the Vedic Era. This is associated with Lord Shiva and Vishnu as its primary gods. This Ghats is with full of small and medium temples for various rituals and ceremonies. From this Ghats only the River Ganges takes the down streams towards the Indian sub continental plains. This is also a pilgrim place and a tourist place since many foreigners come here to see its various ceremonies conducted in the evening times daily. It is beautifully located at Har Ki Pauri Ghats, Haridwar Districts of Uttarakhand State in India.

Har Ki Pauri Religious Significance

Har Ki Pauri is the topmost Ghats built in the Himalayas before it entering to the plain lands of India. It is a famous holy Ghats like the Varanasi in Uttrapradesh. Rivers are always related with the Hinduism and River Ganges is also the primary river of such type which gives life to many. Taking a dip from this Ghats is believed to clear all your sins of live are what belief in Hinduism. The daily Ganga Arthi or the fire lamps tribute to the Goddess of river Ganges takes place daily since the ancient times. Praying along with the descending sun and along with this deeparthi is considered very sacred. This is witnessed by thousand of peoples standing on both the side of river banks. Har Ki Pauri literally means the gods steps towards the rivers. Here Har denotes Lord Shiva and Pauri means the Steps drowning towards the river water from its banks.

Festival at Har Ki Pauri

The Hama Kumbh is the annual festival celebrated here. This festival is witnessed by many Hindus from all over the world. This festival days Ganga Arthi is performed by special lamps which are bigger and looks beautiful when lit than the conventional lamps. Many Hindus take bath in this river on this occasion. It is also a perfect time to see all those sages coming from the Himalayas and from rest of the sub continent. This Khumba Mela time, this Ghats is visited by more than 1 lakhs peoples each day. During these festival days the Goddess Gana is believed to come down from the heaven to bless its devotees. The Mahashivarathri is also celebrated here grandly.

Har Ki Pauri Mythology & History

Har Ki Pauri has many legends behind its creation. The Vedic texts say that the Lord Shiva and Vishnu once used to meditate here and took a dip in this river water. The Hindu fame ambrosia developed by the Hindu gods and the devils were carried out in a pot with a Garuda (vulture) to the Himalayas for Lord Shiva. It was spilled over these river banks. That's why the Har Ki Pauri Ghats is built. The India history records it since the 1st century BC that Bharthari who was the brother of King Vikramaditya, used to meditate here. This Ghats is built by him for honoring him.

Har Ki Pauri Architectural Significance

Since ancient times the presence of this Ghats is recorded. This is a beautiful stone block steps built from the banks in such a way that it touches the lower portions of this river. It is built on the both sides of the river banks of the Ganges. It is situated at an altitude of 314 meters above the mean sea level. Its total area occupying the river banks is around 12.3 square kilometer. One can see many scattered small and medium temples built in the Hindu Nagar style. These are majorly seen with painted in red and white as the holy color of the Hindus in a temple. There are various Ghats's built to perform various rituals. Asthi Pravah Ghats, Ganga Arthi Ghats and a separate bathing place for the Pilgrims. The Ghats is entirely seen open with steps and with few palaces with beautiful porches. Recent renovation to its temples and Ghats's were made by the Hargyan Singh Katara in 1938 who was a renowned feudal from Agra. On the River Banks there is a huge idol of Lord Shiva is built in a standing position seen with holding his weapon the trident. There is also an ancient foot step mark on a stone; it is believed to be of the Lord Vishnu, when he comes to meditate here.

This holy temple is popular not just from architectural point of view, but from mythological and from religious point of view, it is quite known and is visited by huge number of devotees, who come here to offer prayer and seek blessing for peaceful and joyful life.