Har ki Paudi (Har Ki Pauri)

Location : The Har ki Paudi is a ghat on Ganga in Haridwar, Uttarakhand.

Famous For : Har ki Paudi is famous as a place where lord Vishnu came to earth

The Har ki Paudi ghat in Haridwar can be compared to Dasashwamedh Ghat of Varanasi. On the banks of Ganga, the ghat is site for the famous Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. Pilgrims come here to take a holy dip in Ganges.

The Har ki Paudi ghat is a sacred place for Hindus. The ghat is equivalent to the Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi, in religious terms. Har ki Paudi means Steps (Paudi) of Shiva (Har). It is believed that Shiva and Vishnu have visited the ghat in the vedic era. The ghat is said to have a large footprint, supposed to be that of Vishnu. Legends have it that Brahma had performed a Yagna (Prayers) at the banks of Ganga, on Har ki Paudi. Later Shiva visited the place and found it suitable to release Ganga on the plains. The sacred ghat was constructed by King Vikramaditya in the memory of his brother Bhartrihari.

A major pilgrimage attraction in Haridwar, the holy city of Uttarakhand is Har Ki Pauri. On the banks of Ganga, Har Ki Pauri has come to symbolise and become a major landmark of the city. Every evening thousands of locals, pilgrims and tourists gather on its banks to perform, watch and admire the evening arti, the praise sung in respect of they holiest of all rivers, River Ganga.

Legend

The history of this ghat dates back to the time of King Vikramaditya,(in 1st century B.C.). it is said that he built it here in the memory of his brother, Bhatrihari who had come to meditate here on the bank of Ganga. Legend has it that the place is considered so sacred because this is the place where lord Vishnu first came to earth.

The Ghat

Every day, Har Ki Pauri ghat witnesses hundreds taking a dip in water of Ganga here. The place is so famous and considered so auspicious ghat no one wants to miss in it on his trip to Haridwar, infact no pilgrim leaves Haridwar without paying a visit t the Ghat. Literally meaning, the Har means Lord Vishnu and paudi meaning steps. The place has a large footprint of lord Vishnu here and hence it came to be known as Har Ki Paudi.

Har Ki Paudi Photo

The Ganga Aarti

This is the most amazing spectacle on can see on his tour to Uttarakhand As the evening turns into night, thousands gather on both the banks of the holiest of all rivers, river Ganga to sing its praises. The priest hold large fire bowls in their hands, the gongs in the temples at the Ghat start ringing and the chants flowing out of lips fill the air. What follows is even more soul touching. People float earthen diyas, with burning flickers and flowers in them as a symbol of hope and wishes in then warer and the water instantly shines golden within the flames.