Haridwar is an amalgamation of two words of Sanskrit or Hindi – Hari & Dwar. Hari means Lord Vishnu or the God, the Almighty and ‘Dwar’ means gate / gateway. So, this city can safely be called as the gateway of God. Haridwar is one of the holiest cities of India where Hindu pilgrims from all parts of the world come to explore its majestic side. It can be called as the temple city as well because of the presence of temples in every nook & corner of the city. The temples here give the feeling of calmness and tranquility. The entire view of Haridwar is quite amazing with lots of learn about the Hindu mythology. Temples are prominent tourist attractions in Haridwar. Some of the most visited and the most famous 10 temples in Haridwar are as follows. Haridwar is located at the foothills of the Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand.

Har ki Pauri Ganga Temple: The most famous temple in Haridwar is Har Ki Pauri Ganga Temple. The meaning of Har ki Pauri is Shiva’s steps. Har ki Pauri is basically the most famous ghat of the Ganga river that flows through Haridwar. Taking a ‘dubki’ or a bath from this ghat in the river is considered the holiest activity. It is believed that it washes away the sins of the devotees. Ganga Aarti done here is the most famous.

Vaishno Devi Temple: The very famous Vaishno Devi temple is the home of three Goddesses which are Goddesses Saraswati, Kaali, and Lakshmi. This is the most interesting temple of the Haridwar city because of its designing and architecture. There are caves inside this temple and is highly inspired from the main Vaishno Devi temple located in Jammu. There are tunnels inside the temple too.

Jain Temple: One of the most favourite temples of the devotees in Haridwar has to be the Jain Temple. The architecture of this temple is beautiful and just like most of the Jain temples in the city. There is always a peaceful and calm atmosphere around this temple. The temple has two floors and has two idols in both the floors. The ground floor has an idol made of white marble of Tirthankar Shri Adinath Bhagwan, and the first floor has one of Shri Chintamani Parshwanath.

Mansa Devi Temple: This temple, as the name says is dedicated to Goddess Mansa Devi who is an avatar of Goddess Shakti or her avatar. According to legend, she was born out of the mind of Lord Shiva. It is strongly believed that whatever devotees wish for in this temple from their heart, always turns true. The literal translation of Mansa is ‘wish’.In fact, one of the most famous rituals at the Mansa Devi Haridwar is tying threads on the branches of the temple tree.

Chandi Devi Temple: Chandi Devi temple is the second Siddh Peeth out of the three and is dedicated to Goddess Chandi Devi. Chandi Devi is an avatar of Goddess Parvati, who took this form to defeat Shumba and Nishumba. It is one of the oldest and most revered temples of the city. The best time to visit this temple is during the Kumbh Mela, Navratri, and also during Chandi Chaudas. The morning Aarti done in this temple is of high significance so one must attend this if possible.

Daksh Mahadev Temple: One of the most prominent temples of the city for Lord Shiva is Daksh Mahadev Temple. It is located in Kankhal village of Haridwar. The aura of this temple during the festival of Maha Shivratri is something else. Most devotees make sure to visit this temple during this festival only. Queen Dhankaur built this temple in 1810 and it is one of the oldest temples of the city. It was rebuilt in 1962.

Bilvkeshwar Mahadev Temple: As the name says it all, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. It is one of the most peaceful temples of the city that is situated in the most tranquil environment. It is believed that it was at this place where the Goddess Parvati came and dedicatedly worshipped to Lord Shiva and asked him to marry her when he finally made the appearance. This is the reason why a lot of devotees visit this place for seeking blessings.

Pawan Dham Temple: The architecture of this temple is something to watch out for. It is a very unique temple. This temple is really famous amongst the devotees for a lot of reasons. The idols of the Gods in this temple are really beautiful and are beautifully dressed and jewelled. A lot of other activities are carried in the vicinity of this temple like yoga, meditation, trekking, etc. This is the reason why a lot of devotees make sure to tick off this temple from their tourist list.

Anjana Devi Temple: Anjana Devi is the mother of Lord Hanuman. This temple is dedicated to her and it is believed that she resides in this temple. This temple is located on the hilltop and reaching this temple includes a lot of scenic sights to behold. It is an experience in itself to reach this temple. It is located in the Pathari forest range and is extremely picturesque. The idol of Anjana Devi is beautifully decorated. The view of the Ganga river from the top is just purely breathtaking. Not a lot of temples are there in the country for Anjana Devi so this one is special.

Gauri Shankar Mahadev Temple: Finally, ending this list with another most famous temple of Haridwar which is Gauri Shankar Mahadev Temple. This temple is admired for the peaceful vibes it gives. Since the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, enough devotees come to visit the temple on Mondays which is considered to be the day of Lord Shiva. Both Shiv Ji’s and Parvati Ji’s puja is done in this temple daily.

Conclusion: Along with these beautiful temples, Haridwar is famous in the whole world for the most epic Kumbh Mela. A large number of the Hindu pilgrims gather here from all over the world on the occasion of Kumbha Mela in Haridwar. This ancient city has enough pilgrimage sites and can keep the devotees and the travelers hooked for a couple of days. The experiences to collect from this beautiful place are endless. Ones holiday in this city is going to be filled with amazing adventures, peaceful sites, and also good food along the way. New Delhi, the national capital of India, is merely 240 km away from Haridwar and connected with National Highway. Uttarakhand’s capital Dehradun is merely 30 km away from Haridwar. Railway connectivity is also superb. So, all kinds of travel modes are available to reach Haridwar by road, train and air. Though best time to visit Haridwar is from October to March, but the pilgrims keep coming in large numbers though out the year. Though there are several readily available Haridwar tour packages but customized Haridwar holiday packages can also be chalked out.