Rishikesh, also spelt as Hrishikesh, is a city near
Dehradun
Dehradun () is the capital and the most populous city of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and is governed by the Dehradun Municipal Corporation, with the Uttarakhand Legislative As ...
in
Dehradun district of the
Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
state
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand ( , or ; , ), also known as Uttaranchal ( ; the official name until 2007), is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the "Devbhumi" (literally 'Land of the Gods') due to its religious significance and ...
. It is situated on the right bank of the
Ganges
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
River and is a pilgrimage town for
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
s, with ancient sages and saints meditating here in search of higher knowledge.
There are numerous temples and ashrams built along the banks of the river.
It is known as the "''Gateway to the
Garhwal Himalaya
The Garhwal Himalayas are mountain ranges located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
Geology
This range is also a part of Himalaya Sivalik Hills, the outer most hills of the Himalaya located in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Major peaks ...
s''" and "''Yoga Capital of the World''".
The city has hosted the annual "International Yoga Festival" on the first week of March since 1999. Rishikesh is a vegetarian-only and alcohol-free city.
The
Tehri Dam
With a height of 260.5 m (855 ft) Tehri Dam is the tallest dam in India and List of tallest dams, 12th tallest dam in the world. With a total planned installed capacity of 2400 MW, it's the biggest Hydroelectric power plant in India. It is a mult ...
is just away and
Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi, meaning Kashi of the north, is a town located in Uttarkashi district in Uttarakhand, India. Uttarkashi town is headquarters of the district. Uttarkashi is also known as Somya Kashi. Uttarkashi is a religious place for spiritual and ...
, a popular yoga destination, is uphill on the way to
Gangotri
Gangotri is a town and a ''Nagar Panchayat'' (municipality) in Uttarkashi district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is 99 km from Uttarkashi, the main district headquarter. It is a Hindu pilgrim town on the banks of the river Bhagirathi ...
. Rishikesh is the starting point for travelling to the four
Chota Char Dham
The Chota Char Dham (literally translated as 'the small four abodes/seats', meaning 'the small circuit of four abodes/seats'), is an important Hindu pilgrimage circuit in Uttarakhand, in the Indian Himalayas. Located in the Garhwal region ...
pilgrimage places:
Badrinath
Badrinath is a town and nagar panchayat in Chamoli district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. A Hindu holy place, it is one of the four sites in India's Char Dham Hindu pilgrimage, pilgrimage and is also part of India's Chota Char Dham pilgr ...
,
Kedarnath
Kedarnath is a town and Nagar Panchayat in Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand, India, known primarily for the Kedarnath Temple. It is approximately 86 kilometres from Rudraprayag, the district headquarter. Kedarnath is the most remote of the ...
, Gangotri, and
Yamunotri
Yamunotri, also Jamnotri, is the source of the Yamuna River and the seat of the Goddess Yamuna in Hinduism. It is situated at an altitude of in the Garhwal Himalayas and located approximately North of Uttarkashi, the headquarters of the Uttark ...
. It's also a starting point for the Himalayan tourist destinations such as
Harsil
Harsil, the Himalayan paradise, is a village, tourist hill station and army area located on the banks of the Bhagirathi River, on the way to Gangotri, a Hindu pilgrimage site in Uttarkashi district of the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
Situated ...
,
Chopta
Chopta is a small region of meadows and evergreen forest area, a part of Kedarnath wildlife sanctuary located in Uttarakhand state, India and a base for trekking to Tungnath, the third temple of Panch Kedar which lies away. Located at a dista ...
,
Auli and famous summer and winter trekking destinations like
Dodital
Dodital is a freshwater lake in uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and ...
,
Dayara Bugyal
Dayara Bugyal is a Bugyal (Himalayan Alpine Meadow) in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. Dayara Bugyal is a popular Trekking and Camping Destination. The Bugyal has an average elevation of 3639m and is around 40 km from Uttarkashi. Daya ...
,
Kedarkantha
Kedarkantha (Hindi: केदारकंठ) is a mountain peak of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, India. Its elevation is . Kedarkantha is located within Govind Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarkashi district
Uttarkashi District is a district of ...
,
Har Ki Dun
Har Ki Doon or Har Ki Dun is a cradle-shaped hanging valley in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand, India. The region is surrounded with green Bugyals (High Altitude Meadows). It is surrounded by snow-covered peaks and alpine vegetation. It is ...
for camping and grandeur Himalayan panoramic views.
In September 2015, the Indian Minister of Tourism
Mahesh Sharma
Dr. Mahesh Sharma is an Indian politician belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party and currently serving as a Member of Parliament in the 17th Lok Sabha from Gautam Buddh Nagar seat. He was elected in the 2014 Indian general election from Gaut ...
announced that Rishikesh and Haridwar would be the first "twin national heritage cities".As of 2021, Rishikesh has a total population of 322,825 with the tehsil including the city and its 93 surrounding villages.
The city is governed by
Rishikesh Municipal Corporation
The Rishikesh Municipal Corporation is the civic body that governs the city of Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, India.
Structure
This corporation consists of 40 wards and is headed by a mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking o ...
and
tehsil
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
.
Etymology
IAST
The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that emerged during ...
: "" () is a name derived from
Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
, composed of ''hṛṣīka'' meaning 'senses' and ''īśa'' meaning 'lord' for a combined meaning as 'Lord of the Senses'.
[ The name commemorates an apparition of Vishnu to Raibhya Rishi, as a result of his ]tapasya
Tapas (Sanskrit: तपस्) is a variety of austere spiritual meditation practices in Indian religions. In Jainism, it means asceticism (austerities, body mortification); in Buddhism, it denotes spiritual practices including meditation and se ...
(austerities), as Lord Hrishikesha. In the Skanda Purana
The ''Skanda Purana'' (IAST: Skanda Purāṇa) is the largest ''Puranas#Mahapuranas, Mukyapurana'', a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts. The text contains over 81,000 verses, and is of Kaumaram, Kaumara literature, titled after Kartikeya ...
, this area is known as Kubjāmraka (), as Lord Vishnu appeared under a mango tree.
History
Rishikesh was part of the legendary "Kedarkhand" mentioned in the Skanda Purana. Legends state that Lord Rama
Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bein ...
did penance here for killing Ravana
Ravana (; , , ) is a rakshasa king of the island of Lanka, and the chief antagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' and its adaptations.
In the ''Ramayana'', Ravana is described to be the eldest son of sage Vishrava and rakshasi Kaikesi. He a ...
, the asura
Asuras (Sanskrit: असुर) are a class of beings in Indian religions, Indic religions. They are described as power-seeking clans related to the more benevolent Deva (Hinduism), Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhism, Buddhi ...
king of Lanka
Lanka (, ) is the name given in Hindu epics to the island fortress capital of the legendary asura king Ravana in the epics of the ''Ramayana'' and the ''Mahabharata''. The fortress was situated on a plateau between three mountain peaks known ...
. Lakshmana
Lakshmana ( sa, लक्ष्मण, lit=the fortunate one, translit=Lakṣmaṇa), also spelled as Laxmana, is the younger brother of Rama and his loyalist in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He bears the epithets of Saumitra () and Ramanuja (). ...
, Rama's younger brother, crossed the Ganges
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
using two jute ropes at the point where the present Lakshman Jhula
Lakshman Jhula is a suspension bridge across the river Ganges.
Geography
It is located north-east of the city of Rishikesh in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The bridge connects the villages of Tapovan to Jonk. Tapovan is in Tehri Garhwal ...
() suspension bridge stands today. The 248-foot long iron-rope suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck (bridge), deck is hung below suspension wire rope, cables on vertical suspenders. The first modern examples of this type of bridge were built in the early 1800s. Simple suspension bridg ...
built in 1889 was washed away by flooding in 1924. In 1927, it was replaced by the current, stronger bridge built by the United Provinces Public Works Department, connecting the Tapovan, Tehri and Jonk, Pauri Garhwal districts. Anoted suspension bridge named Ram Jhula
Ram Jhula ( hi, राम झूला) is an iron suspension bridge across the river Ganges, located north-east from the town Rishikesh in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The bridge connects the Sivananda Nagar area of Muni Ki Reti in Tehri ...
was built in 1986 at the nearby Sivananda Nagar. The Skanda Purana
The ''Skanda Purana'' (IAST: Skanda Purāṇa) is the largest ''Puranas#Mahapuranas, Mukyapurana'', a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts. The text contains over 81,000 verses, and is of Kaumaram, Kaumara literature, titled after Kartikeya ...
also mentions the site as "Indrakund" where Indra underwent a holy bath to remove a curse.
''The Gazeteer of Dehradun'', written by Indian Civil Service
The Indian Civil Service (ICS), officially known as the Imperial Civil Service, was the higher civil service of the British Empire in India during British rule in the period between 1858 and 1947.
Its members ruled over more than 300 million ...
officer HG Walton, describes the site as "beautifully situated on the right bank of the Ganges, on a high cliff overlooking the river. The place is developing very rapidly, especially since the construction of the new bridge over the Song river, the realignment of the pilgrim road from Raiwala to Rishikesh."
The Ganges
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
, one of the most sacred rivers to Hindus
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
, flows through Rishikesh in its course from the Shivalik Hills
The Sivalik Hills, also known as the Shivalik Hills and Churia Hills, are a mountain range of the outer Himalayas that stretches over about from the Indus River eastwards close to the Brahmaputra River, spanning the northern parts of the Indi ...
of the Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
to the plains of northern India with temples built along the banks Shatrughna Mandir, Bharat Mandir, and Lakshman Mandir are the ancient temples established by Adi Shankaracharya
Adi Shankara ("first Shankara," to distinguish him from other Shankaras)(8th cent. CE), also called Adi Shankaracharya ( sa, आदि शङ्कर, आदि शङ्कराचार्य, Ādi Śaṅkarācāryaḥ, lit=First Shanka ...
. Shatrughna Temple is near the Ram Jhula suspension bridge, while Lakshman Mandir is situated near Lakshman Jhula suspension bridge.
The historical records mention that some pilgrims used to stay at Rishikesh, either seeking the site itself or using it as a resting place before moving onwards to the Himalayas. In the transition to a modern tourist town, local markets have evolved from commercializing goods such as local and religious handicrafts to a service-oriented tourist industry with provision stores, cafes, hotels, sites for rafting, and centers for yoga and meditation.
Geography
Rishikesh is at . It has an average elevation of . The town is located in the Tehri Garhwal
Tehri Garhwal is a district in the hill state of Uttarakhand, India. Its administrative headquarters is at New Tehri. The district has a population of 618, 931 (2011 census), a 2.35% increase over the previous decade. It is the 7th ranked dist ...
region of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand.
After flowing 249 km (155.343 mi) through narrow Himalayan valleys, the Ganges emerges at Rishikesh before debouching onto the Gangetic Plain
The Indo-Gangetic Plain, also known as the North Indian River Plain, is a fertile plain encompassing northern regions of the Indian subcontinent, including most of northern and eastern India, around half of Pakistan, virtually all of Bangla ...
at the pilgrimage town of Haridwar
Haridwar (; ) is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. With a population of 228,832 in 2011, it is the second-largest city in the state and the largest in the district.
The city is situated on the righ ...
. Despite the pollution of the Ganges
Pollution of the Ganges, the largest river in India, poses significant threats to human health and the larger environment. The river, which is severely polluted with human waste and industrial contaminants, provides water to about 40% of In ...
, the water in Rishikesh is relatively unaffected, as the major polluting points are down river in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...
.
According to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system, its climate is humid subtropical
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
(Cwa). The average maximum temperature is 40°C (104°F). The average minimum temperature is 7°C. The wettest month is July with highest rainfall of 444 mm. The driest month is November with rainfall of 10 mm. Months of May, June, July and August has the highest UV index of 12 and January and December have the lowest UV index of 4.
Civic Administration
The Rishikesh Municipal Corporation has administered the city's 40 wards since the 2018 incorporation of the urban local body. Each ward had between 2,300-3,000 residents during the 2018 assessment. Rishikesh belongs to the Haridwar Lok Sabha constituency. The first and the current mayor of the corporation is Anita Mamgain. The current Municipal Commissioner, commonly known as Nagar Aayukt locally, is Narendra Singh.
Demographics
As per provisional data of 2011 census, Rishikesh had a population of 102,138, out of which males were 54,466 (53%) and females were 47,672 (47%). The literacy rate was 86.86% compared to the national average of 74.04%.
Tourism
In the 2021-2022 fiscal year, Rishikesh had the highest revenue per hotel room among Indian tourist leisure destinations with an average of ₹10,042 per night.
Yoga Capital of the World
In February 1968, the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
visited 's ashram in Rishikesh, attracted by his Transcendental Meditation
Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a form of silent mantra meditation advocated by the Transcendental Meditation movement. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi created the technique in India in the mid-1950s. Advocates of TM claim that the technique promotes a ...
. The Beatles composed numerous songs during their time at the ashram, many of which appear on the band's self-titled double album, also known as the "White Album". Western fans arrived seeking similar experiences, resulting in new yoga and meditation centers that fueled Rishikesh's nickname as the "Yoga Capital of the World".[ Many of these Westerners have undergone ]training
Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or Physical fitness, fitness that relate to specific practicality, useful Competence (human resources), competencies. Training has specific goals of improving on ...
to become certified yoga gurus.
The city's Sivananda Nagar houses the Sivananda Ashram
Sivananda Saraswati (or Swami Sivananda; 8 September 1887 – 14 July 1963) was a yoga guru, a Hindu spiritual teacher, and a proponent of Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He stu ...
and Divine Life Society
The Divine Life Society (DLS) is a Hindu spiritual organisation and an ashram, founded by Swami Sivananda Saraswati in 1936, at Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh, India. Today it has branches around the world, the headquarters being situated in Rishikes ...
, founded by Swami Sivananda
Sivananda Saraswati (or Swami Sivananda; 8 September 1887 – 14 July 1963) was a yoga guru, a Hindu spiritual teacher, and a proponent of Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He stu ...
. The Ram Jhula
Ram Jhula ( hi, राम झूला) is an iron suspension bridge across the river Ganges, located north-east from the town Rishikesh in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The bridge connects the Sivananda Nagar area of Muni Ki Reti in Tehri ...
and Lakshman Jhula
Lakshman Jhula is a suspension bridge across the river Ganges.
Geography
It is located north-east of the city of Rishikesh in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The bridge connects the villages of Tapovan to Jonk. Tapovan is in Tehri Garhwal ...
suspension bridges are accompanied by temples with additional ashrams near Swargashram along the eastern riverbank. Neelkanth Mahadev Temple
Neelkanth Mahadev Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Nilkanth, an aspect of Lord Shiva. The temple is about 32 km from Rishikesh in the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, India. The temple architecture is very much influenced by ...
is located in the forest, from Rishikesh, while Vashishtha Guha, a cave used by the sage Vashishtha
Vasishtha ( sa, वसिष्ठ, IAST: ') is one of the oldest and most revered Vedic rishis or sages, and one of the Saptarishis (seven great Rishis). Vashistha is credited as the chief author of Mandala 7 of the ''Rigveda''. Vashishtha a ...
, is north of the area.
Ganga Aarti at Triveni Ghat
The Ganga Aarti
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
(also known as Maha Aarthi) is performed at dusk at the Triveni Ghat
Triveni Ghat is a ghat situated in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. It is the biggest and most famous ghat in Rishikesh at the banks of Ganges
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as ...
. This popular Hindu religious ritual involves playing music and providing religious offerings to a fire.
Lakshman Jhula
In 1939, the British completed construction on a 137m (450ft) long iron suspension bridge on Ganges River at the spot where Lakshman (Rama’s brother) crossed the Ganges on a jute rope.
Rafting
Rishikesh offers many rafting options along the Ganges
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
from Grades I-IV.
Bungee Jumping
Rishikesh has India's highest bungee jumping at 83m over a rocky cliff, which has been experienced by over 100,000 tourists.
Flying Fox
The longest flying fox
''Pteropus'' (suborder Yinpterochiroptera) is a genus of megabats which are among the largest bats in the world. They are commonly known as fruit bats or flying foxes, among other colloquial names.
They live in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Aust ...
(also known as a zipline) in Asia is in Rishikesh with a length of 1km and speeds of 140km per hour.
Riverside Camps
According to environmental activists, "These camps are not only in violation of Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, but also the Environment (Protection) Act 1986, as well as the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974, as it is leading to pollution of Ganga by discharging effluent, throwing of solid waste directly and adversely affecting the ecological integrity of the river system."
Environmental activists allege that these camps, which are established as temporary sites, do not have adequate sewage and sanitation facilities, disturb the habitat of wild animals, and "affect the peace, tranquility, and serenity of the forest area. ..At the campsites, the camp owners permit employees and the visitors to have food and alcohol. They leave empty bottles, cans, unconsumed food and waste including bones and filth in and around the campsite."
In a 2008 study on the beach camps between Kaudiyala and Rishikesh, experts from the Govind Ballabh Pant Himalayan Environment and Development Institute—R. K. Maikhuri, Nihal Farukhi and Tarun Budhal—found that wildlife conservation standards and norms, particularly for waste management, were routinely disregarded.
A bench headed by the National Green Tribunal chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar
Swatanter Kumar is a retired justice of the Supreme Court of India and former chairperson of the National Green Tribunal. He is also former chief justice of Bombay High Court and judge of the Delhi High Court and the Punjab and Haryana High Court ...
on 1 April 2015 heard a plea filed by the non-governmental organisation Social Action for Forest and Environment (SAFE). The National Green Tribunal
The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 is an Act of the Parliament of India which enables the creation of a special tribunal to handle the expeditious disposal of the cases pertaining to environmental issues. It draws inspiration from India's ...
has sought explanations from the Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
and the Government of Uttarakhand
The Government of Uttarakhand also known as the State Government of Uttarakhand, or locally as State Government, is the subnational government of the Indian state of Uttarakhand and its 13 Districts. It consists of an executive branch, led ...
on the "unregulated" operation of rafting camps on the banks of Ganga between Shivpuri and Rishikesh in Uttarakhand. The state government has assured the tribunal that it would not grant permission to any new camp till the next hearing in May.
As the seriousness of issue "The National Green Tribunal," a bench headed by Justice U. D. Salve has rejected permission to rafting camps operating in Rishikesh and slammed the Ministry of Environment and Forests
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is an Indian government ministry. This ministry is headed by Secretary Rank senior most IAS officer. The ministry portfolio is currently held by Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of ...
(MoEF) and the Government of Uttarakhand for not filing their replies in the case and directed them to file their response.
International Yoga Festival (IYF) in March
The International Yoga Festival has been held every year at the Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh since its 1999 founding, bringing tourists each March. The one-week festival involves over 70hrs of yoga lessons.
Healthcare
AIIMS Rishikesh
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh (AIIMS Rishikesh) is a medical college and hospital based in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India. The institute operates autonomously under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Minister for ...
is one of the six healthcare institutes being established by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is an Indian government ministry charged with health policy in India. It is also responsible for all government programs relating to family planning in India.
The Minister of Health and Family Welfare ...
, Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) with the aim of correcting regional imbalances in quality tertiary level healthcare in the country and attaining self-sufficiency in graduate and postgraduate medical education and training.
The first AYUSH
The Ministry of Ayush, a ministry of the Government of India, is responsible for developing education, research and propagation of traditional medicine systems in India. Ayush is a name devised from the names of the alternative healthcare syste ...
(Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) Centre was opened in Rishikesh on 4 June 2015 by Shripad Yasso Naik
Shripad Yesso Naik (born 4 October 1952) is an Indian politician serving as the current Minister of State for Tourism and Ports, Shipping and Waterways of India in office 7 July 2021 (in Second Modi ministry). He was the former Union Minister o ...
, the Minister for Yoga and Traditional Medicine, to sponsor new research in these alternative medicine systems.
Transport
Rail
The Rishikesh
Rishikesh, also spelt as Hrishikesh, is a city near Dehradun in Dehradun district of the Indian state Uttarakhand. It is situated on the right bank of the Ganges River and is a pilgrimage town for Hindus, with ancient sages and saints meditati ...
and the Yog Nagari Rishikesh railway stations offer service to this city, partially through Indian Railways
Indian Railways (IR) is a statutory body under the ownership of Ministry of Railways, Government of India that operates India's national railway system. It manages the fourth largest national railway system in the world by size, with a tot ...
. A new railway line, connecting Rishikesh with Karnaprayag
Karnaprayag is a town and municipal board in the Chamoli District in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Karnaprayag is one of the Panch Prayag (five confluences) of Alaknanda River, situated at the confluence of the Alaknanda and Pindar River.
Dem ...
, is under construction.
Road
Rishikesh is connected with the state capital, Dehradun, which is 12 km from the city. Private and shared taxi services travel between Rishikesh and most major north Indian cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, and Shimla.
Air
The nearest Airports are Dehradun Airport
Dehradun Airport , also known as Jolly Grant Airport, is a domestic airport serving Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand, India, located 25 km south of the city. Commercial operations began on 30 March 2008, after a runway extension to accomm ...
(15 km) and New Delhi International Airport (240 km).
Effect on spiritual environment
The tourism sector has brought tourists illegally importing cannabis and alcohol. Incidents like partial nakedness and drug paraphernalia littered along beaches is producing criticism that Rishikesh is losing its spirituality.
The riverside has spiritual and religious significance because it represents the emergence of the Ganges after the confluence of the Bhagirathi
The Bhāgīrathī (Pron: /ˌbʌgɪˈɹɑːθɪ/) is a turbulent Himalayan river in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and one of the two headstreams of the Ganges, the major river of Northern India and the holy river of Hinduism. In the Hindu fa ...
and Alaknanda
The Alaknanda is a Himalayan river in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and one of the two headstreams of the Ganges, the major river of Northern India and the holy river of Hinduism. In hydrology, the Alaknanda is considered the source stream ...
rivers at Devprayag
Devprayag (Deva prayāga) is a town and a nagar panchayat, near New Tehri, New Tehri city in Tehri Garhwal district, Tehri Garhwal District in the state of Uttarakhand, India, and is the final one of the Panch Prayag (five confluences) of Alak ...
in the Garhwal Himalaya
The Garhwal Himalayas are mountain ranges located in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
Geology
This range is also a part of Himalaya Sivalik Hills, the outer most hills of the Himalaya located in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Major peaks ...
s. Saints and yogis have been meditating on the banks of Ganges since antiquity.
Gallery
File:"Tera Manzil Temple Rishikesh 2021.jpg".jpg, Tera Manzil Temple
File:Rish2.jpg, Temple in Rishikesh
File:Ghats by the River Ganga, Rishikesh.jpg, Ghats by the River Ganges
File:Ramjhula - bridge over the Ganga.jpg, Ram Jhula
Ram Jhula ( hi, राम झूला) is an iron suspension bridge across the river Ganges, located north-east from the town Rishikesh in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The bridge connects the Sivananda Nagar area of Muni Ki Reti in Tehri ...
Bridge across the Ganges at Muni Ki Reti
Muni Ki Reti is a town and a municipal council in Tehri Garhwal district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It lies close to the pilgrimage town of Rishikesh and is known for its ashrams, including the Divine Life Society of Sivananda Saraswat ...
, built in the 1980s
File:Hanuman, Rishikesh.jpg, A Hanuman
Hanuman (; sa, हनुमान, ), also called Anjaneya (), is a Hindu god and a divine '' vanara'' companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is an ardent devotee of Rama and on ...
temple in Rishikesh
File:RishikeshVeiws.jpg, Rishikesh Views
File:Laxman Jhula Bridge.jpg, Laxman Jhula bridge
File:View of Rishikesh.jpg, View of Rishikesh
See also
* Parmarth Niketan
Parmarth Niketan is an ashram located in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India.
Overview
Parmarth Niketan is situated in the lap of the lush Himalayas, along the banks of the Ganges. The ashram was founded in 1942 by Pujya Swami Shukdevanandji Maharaj ...
* Lakshman Jhula
Lakshman Jhula is a suspension bridge across the river Ganges.
Geography
It is located north-east of the city of Rishikesh in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The bridge connects the villages of Tapovan to Jonk. Tapovan is in Tehri Garhwal ...
* Ram Jhula
Ram Jhula ( hi, राम झूला) is an iron suspension bridge across the river Ganges, located north-east from the town Rishikesh in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. The bridge connects the Sivananda Nagar area of Muni Ki Reti in Tehri ...
* Muni Ki Reti
Muni Ki Reti is a town and a municipal council in Tehri Garhwal district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It lies close to the pilgrimage town of Rishikesh and is known for its ashrams, including the Divine Life Society of Sivananda Saraswat ...
* Dhanraj Giri
Dhanraj Giri (1811–1901) was the abbot of Kailash Ashram, an ashram, which he established in 1880 at Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh. It was one of the first large ashrams to be established in Rishikesh, prior to which it was mostly as a place f ...
References
External links
{{Uttarakhand
Hindu holy cities
Hindu pilgrimage sites in India
Cities and towns in Dehradun district
Tourism in Uttarakhand
Vegetarian towns in India
Religious tourism
Religious tourism in India
Holy cities
Yoga
Rafting
Whitewater sports
Bungee jumping sites
Bungee jumping
Adventure tourism in India
Types of tourism
Yoga as exercise
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Yoga training and certification
Ganges