Within the crucible of nature, Rishikesh is one place where human mankind has thrived for centuries.
A visitor will be exposed to beautiful greenery clad hills, undulating valleys, dense forests, adventure sports like river rafting, and trekking.
Gorgeous landscape
the forests along the Ganges River canal
The weary mind can all too, be rejuvenated by exploring the meditation centers, along with a stint at yoga; “Rishikesh” being the yoga capital of the world.
We parked our car, camped along the Ganges River and absorbed the quietness.
Enough to make you feel younger 😊❤️
the Rishikesh countryside
The sound of gentle lapping of the river and occasional temple bells calms the ruffled minds.
Rishikesh temples
With the daybreak, we drove to a few of the ancient pilgrimage sites that dot the mountainous terrain.
We homed in on three of the most popular temples. They were old and have made significant spiritual impact over the rolling years.
Be my guest! Come along as we explore them as fast as we could.
Neelkanth Shiva temple
Nestled in the hills of Nar Narayan, the temple is built in Dravidian style architecture style and is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
It is 32 km away from the main hub. The legend says, Shiva drank the poison during ‘Samudramanthan’ and became blue. Tons of devotees visit the shrine to pay respects.
and offer Lord Shiva at Neelkanth temple
Parking is a major challenge, as you have to hunt for a spot along the mountainous road.
Dravidian style temple
The south Indian architecture is prominent, with the Gopura or the shikhara resembled the Pandya (Tamil) style temple.
Ram Kand Mool fruit is Century plant. Also called Wood-apple
Motifs and Murals were carved on these towers portraying devas and asuras.
Quite unique 😇
Neelkanth entrance
Winding and descending road led us to the temple entrance.
A steep flight of steps took us deeper within the hills into the temple.
singular architecture at Rishikesh
the story of the temple at Neelkanth, Rishikesh
After spending an hour or so, we drove towards Laxman Jhula to visit the Gaurd Chatti temple.
Garud Chatti temple
beneath the bird, walking between its legs, to reach the shrine
in Rishikesh. Lord Vishnu sits on top
We drove about 17 kms, down south to visit the temple of Garud Chatti.
Let’s briefly touch upon Garuda.
The myth holds that Garuda is a divine bird and happens to be the vehicle for Lord Vishnu.
It symbolizes strength, power, and courage 🦁
at Garud Chatti, Rishikesh
It is said, that in the famous story of Garuda and the Amrita, the divine bird battled demons to reclaim the divine nectar and emerged as a hero.
Goa Beach, Rishikesh
We were slightly taken aback when we heard from the locals that there’s a beach called Goa at Rishikesh. Beach in Himalayas?
We set off to explore 🌍
Well, after a perilous foot descent along the shrubs and forests, we reached the beach.
We then discovered that the beach on the banks of the Ganges River looked a lot like the mounds of sands on sea beaches.
Hence the name 🌟
Ganges Riverbank at Rishikesh
Sahaj Samadhi Dhyana Yoga center
As we made our way back, a unique temple-like structure attracted our attention.
It was the center for Sahaj Samadhi Dhyana Yoga. The organization preaches the power of meditation to enhance the art of living.
They claim it brings peace of mind, improves the mental clarity, helps unlock intuitive skills and all these leading to great physical and mental health.
Goodbye, Rishikesh
We finally wrap up our Rishikesh tour and make 180 degrees turn and step on the gas as we climb and descent the hills. Within an hour we were on the flat lands that brough back to the concrete jungle.
Hope you enjoyed our drive across the 6 parts of our Rishikesh travel 😍
Inference
- You can visit innumerable temples in this region
- You can hire scooters and cars to move around
| Distance from Rishikesh to Neelkanth temple, Rishikesh | 32 kms |
| Location of Garuda Chatti | Bang opposite the Laxman Jhula Police check post |
| Time | Preferably early morning or late afternoon before sundown as the forest road closes to the traffic |
| Parking | Limited fixed parking facilities. Always Park near the temple shop from where you buy your puja items. They take care of your car |
| Where to stay | Best option is to stay at Rishikesh in case you do not get to stay at the temple adjoining places |
| Places to visit | Triveni Ghat, Beatles Ashram, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram, Neer Garh waterfall, Tera Manzil temple, Parmarth Niketan, Neelkanth Mahadev temple, Rajaji National Park, Shivpuri |
| Pocket pinch | Spending Rs.1200 to Rs. 2000, you can get good accommodation at Rishikesh |
My Rishikesh experience series
| Part 1 – Images of Ganges River, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India | https://wp.me/pbXnOA-2WI |
| Part 2 – River rafting, Rishikesh – Navigating the dangerous waters | https://wp.me/pbXnOA-2Wf |
| Part 3 – Pictures of Ganga Aarti, Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India | https://wp.me/pbXnOA-2Xv |
| Part 4 – Experience the Beatles Connection at Chaurasi Kutiya, Rishikesh India | https://wp.me/pbXnOA-2Yp |
| Part 5 – Magnificent Chilla Dam, and Rajaji Tiger Reserve, Rishikesh | https://wp.me/pbXnOA-30y |
SPITFIRE GAUTAM 