Haridwar

Haridwar is one of the seven sacred cities of Hinduism, situated where the Ganges emerges from the Shivalik hills onto the Gangetic plain. The Har Ki Pauri ghat is the focal point of the city, where the evening Ganga Aarti draws large congregations of worshippers and the rushing green river is lit by floating oil lamps at dusk. The town is a departure point for the Char Dham pilgrimage routes into Uttarakhand and hosts the Kumbh Mela every twelve years.