Overview
Rishikesh is a city in the Dehradun district of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Situated in the foothills of the Himalayas on the banks of the Ganges, it is widely regarded as a major Hindu pilgrimage centre and is often described as the "Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas" and the "Yoga Capital of the World". The city lies a short distance upstream from Haridwar, where the Ganges enters the plains.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Uttarakhand |
| District | Dehradun |
| Region | Garhwal |
| River | Ganges |
| Languages | Hindi, Garhwali, Sanskrit |
| Known for | Hindu pilgrimage, yoga, ashrams, river rafting |
Geography
Rishikesh is located where the Ganges leaves the Shivalik range of the Himalayas and begins its course towards the Indo-Gangetic plain. The city sits at an elevation of roughly 370 metres above sea level. It lies approximately 25 km north of Haridwar and around 45 km south-east of Dehradun, the state capital. The surrounding terrain is forested and hilly, marking the southern edge of the Garhwal Himalayan zone, with Rajaji National Park extending nearby.
Etymology and religious significance
The name Rishikesh is derived from a Sanskrit epithet of Vishnu, meaning "lord of the senses". According to local tradition, the sage Raibhya Rishi performed austerities here, and the deity appeared before him as Hrishikesh. The city is mentioned in connection with episodes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata and is one of the principal sites associated with the upper course of the sacred Ganges.
Pilgrims traditionally pass through Rishikesh on the Char Dham yatra to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. The town is dotted with temples and ashrams, including the Bharat Mandir, Trayambakeshwar Temple, Neelkanth Mahadev Temple in the surrounding hills, and the Tera Manzil temple complex.
Landmarks
- Lakshman Jhula – an iron suspension footbridge across the Ganges, long associated with the legend of Lakshmana crossing the river. The original bridge was closed to traffic in 2019 owing to structural concerns.
- Ram Jhula – a larger suspension bridge connecting Sivananda Ashram at Muni Ki Reti with Swarg Ashram on the opposite bank.
- Triveni Ghat – the principal bathing ghat in the city, the venue of the daily Ganga Aarti.
- Swarg Ashram and Parmarth Niketan – major ashram complexes on the eastern bank.
- Beatles Ashram – the former Maharishi Mahesh Yogi ashram at Chaurasi Kutia, now part of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve area.
Yoga and ashrams
Rishikesh is a long-established centre of yoga, Vedanta and meditation. Sivananda Saraswati founded the Divine Life Society here in 1936, and the city is home to the Sivananda Ashram, Parmarth Niketan, Omkarananda Ashram and several teaching institutions.
International attention grew significantly in February 1968, when the English rock band The Beatles visited the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi to study Transcendental Meditation. The visit influenced a substantial portion of the songs later released on The White Album. Since 1999, the city has hosted the annual International Yoga Festival, organised by Parmarth Niketan in collaboration with the Uttarakhand government.
Adventure tourism
From the 1990s onwards, Rishikesh has developed as a hub for adventure tourism on the upper Ganges. White-water rafting, kayaking, bungee jumping and trekking are widely offered, with rafting stretches running between Kaudiyala, Shivpuri, Brahmpuri and Rishikesh town.
Civic administration
Rishikesh is administered by the Rishikesh Municipal Corporation (Nagar Nigam Rishikesh). It forms part of the Tehri Garhwal parliamentary constituency and the Rishikesh Vidhan Sabha constituency in the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh (AIIMS Rishikesh), established in 2012, is among the principal public institutions in the city.
Transport
Rishikesh is connected by National Highway 7 (formerly NH 58) to Haridwar and Delhi to the south and to Dehradun and the Garhwal hill districts to the north. The Rishikesh railway station is a terminal on the broad-gauge line from Haridwar; the Rishikesh–Karnaprayag railway line, under construction by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, is intended to extend rail connectivity into the upper Garhwal region. Yog Nagari Rishikesh railway station, inaugurated in 2019, serves as the new terminus for the line. The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport at Dehradun, around 20 km away.
Related topics
References
- Wikidata entity Q502141.
- Government of Uttarakhand, Department of Tourism publications.
- Census of India, town directory entries for Rishikesh.