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Fast Facts
How to get thereHaridwar is easily accessible both by rail and by road. The temple town is a five hour drive from New Delhi by car. Several buses a day connect Delhi with Haridwar. The Bombay-Dehra Dun Express departs from Bombay Central at 2220 hours daily and reaches New Delhi at 0605 hours. It departs from New Delhi at 0625 hours and reaches Haridwar at 1435 hours two days later. In the reverse direction the Dehra Dun Bombay Express departs from Haridwar daily at 1350 hours and reaches New Delhi at 2155 hours. It departs from New Delhi at 2210 hours and reaches Bombay at 0445 hours two days later. The Ujjain-Dehra Dun Express departs from New Delhi at 1205 hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays and reaches Haridwar at 1650 hours. In the reverse direction the Dehra Dun-Ujjain Express departs from Haridwar Wednesdays and Saturdays at 0735 hours and reaches New Delhi at 1255 hours For the Kumbh Mela the Indian Railways has organised 12 special trains from New Delhi, Varanasi, Allahabad, Lucknow, Amritsar, Jammu Tawi and Bathinda on April 12 and 13 for Haridwar.
Where to stay
Since hotels are often very full during the Kumbh mela it may be more feasible to stay at Rishikesh or Dehra Dun. Where to eatOnly vegetarian food and non-alcoholic drinks are available in Haridwar.The town, especially the Hari-ki-Pairi ghat area, is dotted with bhojanalayas offering vegetarian thalis. The Chotiwala Bhojanalaya is famous for its thalis; only problem is there are a dozen such named restaurants all offering interesting thalis. The dahi bara, chaat, ragda pattice and pani puri available at the Chaat Galli next to Bank of Baroda, near Hari-ki-Pairi and at the carts on the main road are very tasty and hygienic. What to seeThe ghats, especially the Hari-ki-Pairi ghat and their fascinating range of ceremonies are must see. It is interesting to visit the ghats at different times of the day -- dawn, mid-day, dusk -- and see the different types of activities that go on the banks of the Ganga. The evening Ganga aarti at sunset should not be missed.A cable ride to the Mansa Devi temple, a shrine to the triple headed Shakti, perched on a hill is a great excursion. The view of the temples, the Ganga and the town is breathtaking. This temple apparently receives 100,000 visitors a day during the Kumbh season. During the Mela the tickets for the cable are discounted; Rs 20 a piece. Chanda Devi temple is also accessible by cable car and is another interesting side trip. The sadhu tents are located all over town. It is quite possible to walk in and sit down and chat with the sadhus. Kankal, a few kilometres from the centre of town is the address of a number of important ashrams, including the Anandamoyee Ma Ashram. Many of them entertain visitors. The nearby Shri Dakheshwar temple is worth a short visit. The bazaars of Haridwar offer interesting items at great prices. Marble statues, sandstone carvings, brass ornaments, silver jewellery, silk, saffron cotton, woollens and pickles. Don't to forget to collect some Ganga jal.
Bathing Dates
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