Rishikesh, known as the 'gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas', is a significant pilgrimage town in Uttarakhand, India, recognized for its yoga heritage and rich historical background. The city has gained popularity due to its temples, yoga festivals, and cultural significance, while also facing environmental challenges relating to pollution and development. Additionally, it serves as a starting point for important pilgrimages and is home to notable sites like Lakshman Jhula and Ram Jhula bridges.

1. My Visit to Rishikesh,
Uttarakhand, India

2. History of Hrishikesh
 Rishikesh has been known as Hrishikesh. I came to
know from the guide that it is regulated by Rishikesh
Municipal Corporation from October 2017.This is the
tehsil under Dehradun district from Uttarakhand. It
is great to know that it is at the base of the Himalaya
in the northern part of India. Another name of
Rishikesh is the "Gateway to the Garhwal
Himalayas”. It has been recognized as theYoga
Capital of theWorld. It is about 25 km far away from
Haridwar. It is 43 km from Dehradun. As per census
of 2011, the population of Rishikesh is 102,138.
Therefore, it is seventh populated city in
Uttarakhand.This is a town of pilgrimage and it is
quite holy for the Hindus.

3. Reputation of Rishikesh
 Mahesh Sharma is the union tourism minister
who announced in September 2015that
Haridwar and Rishikesh will be honored with
a title "twin national heritage cities".This city
is known for the following:
 1.Non-vegetarian food
 2. Alcohol is prohibited.

4. Mythology of Rishikesh
 Annual InternationalYoga Festival is held in
Rishikesh on March first week from 1989.
 Rishikesh will be regarded as the legend
"Kedarkhand". According to the legends, Rama
had made penance for killing Ravan who is the
Lanka king and he was an asura king along with
Lakshmana. Lakshmana was the younger
brother and they had crossed the Ganga.There
were two jute ropes at a particular point where
Lakshman Jhula is present right now. In Skanda
Purana, 'Kedarkhand' has been mentioned.

5. Interesting History of
Rishikesh
 There is Indrakund in this location.The bridge is
made of jute-rope and it has been replaced with
suspension bridge of 248-foot length having
iron-rope in 1889.The floods of 1924 had
washed in 1927.Then a strong bridge was
formed under United Provinces Public Works
Department.Tehri has been connected with Jonk
with the bridge which areTapovan districts in
Pauri Garhwal. Ram Jhula is a suspension
bridge created in 1986 at Sivananda Nagar.

6. Opinion of Gazeteer of
Dehradun
 The Gazeteer of Dehra Dun talks about
Rishikesh where the ICS office of HGWalton
tells that it is a village on right bank of Ganga.
There is fast development of the place with
the development of new bridge above Song
river.There has been realignment of pilgrim
road starting from Raiwala ending in
Rishikesh.

7. Temples of Rishikesh
 The Ganges flows through the city named Rishikesh.
The river comes out of Shivalik Hills from the
Himalaya and then it flows into the northern Indian
plains.There are a number of temples in Rishikesh
and I have visited them and they are as follows:
 Shatrughna Mandir
 Bharat Mandir (avatar of LordVishnu)
 Lakshman Mandir
 Adi Shankaracharya had established them.
ShatrughnaTemple has been located in Ram Jhula.
In Lakshman Jhula, you get Lakshman Mandir.

8. Opportunities of Rishikesh
for Travellers
 There are records of history showing travelers
stay at Rishikesh prior to going to high
mountains for pilgrimage. Rishikesh has
become tourist town. In 2000, the
InternationalYoga Festival have popularized
Rishikesh to the tourists.The goods are
commercialized in the form of "local and
religious handicrafts".There are "provision
stores, hotels cafes, meditation and yoga"
along with rafting.

9. Origin of Ganga
 The ganges has been flowing 249 km in the
valley of Himalay which is narrow. It then
moves towards Haridwar. Other than the
Gangetic pollution, the Rishikesh waters
have not been affected.
 The distance ofTehri Dam has been 86 km
towards Gangotri.

10. Climate of Rishikesh
 The climate has been humid subtropical.The
maximum temperature has been 40 degrees
CelsiusThe minimum temperature on
average has been 7 degrees Celsius.The July
is the wettest month and the rainfall 444mm
(highest). November is regarded as driest
month.
 The rainfall has been 10mm.

11. Starting point of chota char
dham
 Rishikesh has been the starting point for
moving towards Chota Char Dham and they
are as follows:
 Badrinath
 Kedarnath
 Gangotri
 Yamunotri

12. The Beatles Visited
Rishikesh
 The amazing fact is that In February
1968, ashram of Maharishi MaheshYogi have
been visited by the Beatles at Rishikesh,They
wanted to learnTranscendental Meditation. A
number of songs have been composed by
that band. It is identified as "White Album".
The western world had shown inclination
towards yoga. On my visit to Rishikesh with
my father and mother, I saw many centers of
yoga along the road.

13. Sivananda Ashram in
Rishikesh
 The city consists of Sivananda Nagar where
Sivananda Ashram is situated. Swami
Sivananda had started Divine Life Society. In
the dusk, there was Ganga Arati inTriveni
Ghat. I visited Neelkanth MahadevTemple in
the forest about 28 km away from Rishikesh.
There has been local pilgrimage where
Vashishtha Guha and in this case, Sage
Vashishtha lived and it is 21 km away from
Ganges.

14. Environmental Pollution at
Rishikesh
 The camps are spoiling the ecosystem and
this is against Forest (Conservation) Act 1980.
It also violates Environment (Protection) Act
1986 and Water (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) Act 1974. It is a matter of concern
that Ganga is getting polluted through
discharge of effluent.The ecological integrity
has been ruined.The waters of the river are
getting impure.

15. Wild Life Conservation of
Rishikesh
 I came to know from the guide that beach
camps were studied in 2008 between
Rishikesh and Kaudiyala.The Govind Ballabh
Pant Himalayan Environment and
Development Institute had sent a team of
experts which include R. K. Maikhuri,Tarun
Budhal and Nihal Farukhi.There has been
standards of wildlife conservation.There is
also waste management and they have been
disregarded.

16. National Green Tribunal and
Rafting Camps in Rishikesh
 "The National GreenTribunal," is a bench
where Justice U. D. Salve is the head.They
have denied permission for rafting camps
working in Rishikesh. Ministry of
Environment and Forests have been
slammed. Government of Uttarakhand have
been reported for filing of replies for that case
and they were directed to file a response.

17. AIIMS Rishikesh and Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare
 I am pleased to know from the guide that
AIIMS Rishikesh had been the top healthcare
institute, which was set up by Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare, Government of
India and they were controlled by Pradhan
Mantri Swasthya SurakshaYojana.The goal is
to rectify the regional imbalances in the level
of tertiary level healthcare in India.

18. Ayush Center in Rishikesh
 On 4th June 2015, the Ayush Centre for the
first time was opened under Department of
Ayurveda,Yoga, and Naturopathy, Unani,
Siddha and Homoeopathy of India. Shripad
Yasso Naik was the minister forYoga and
Traditional Medicine had launched it. He had
emphasized on Ayurveda, which is regarded
as the traditional medical science of India.

19. Amazing Facts about Lakshman
Jhula
 5 kilometres from Rishikesh in Uttarakhand.
 Bridge joinsTehri Garhwal district with Pauri Garhwal district.
 It is a bridge meant for pedestrians.
 The motorbikes are also seen.
 Lakshmana is a Hindu deity who had crossed Ganga on jute ropes and the bridge
has been built.
 It was finished in 1929.
 Created by U.P.P.W.D. from 1927-1929.
 There was old bridge about 284 feet in the length and floods of the October,
1924 had washed it.
 It has been opened again on 11 April 1930.
 The Officials are Chief Engineer - P. H.Tillard, Superintending Engineer - E. H.
Cornelius, Executive Engineer - C. F. Hunter,Assistant Engineers - Jagdish
Prasad, Avadh Narain
and Overseer - Bala Ram.

20. Amazing Facts about Ram Jhula
 This bridge has iron suspension and it is over river Ganga.
 It is 3 km away from Rishikesh in Uttarakhand.
 It connects Sivananda Nagar area atTehri Garhwal district to the
Swargashram at Pauri Garhwal district crossing river from the
western side to the eastern side.
 It has been constructed in 1986.
 I have come across different ashrams of Hindu along with
religious centers set up in two sides of Ganges.
 It has been connecting between Sivananda Ashram at Mun ki reti
with Gita Bhawan along with Parmarth Niketan in Swargashram.
 The bridge has been bigger compared to Lakshman Jhula and it is
2 kilometres above river stream.
 There is a span of 750 feet in the bridge. In terms of meter, it is
230 m.

21. about the author
 Institute of performing art and mind power
development offers keyboard, harmonica,
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 Online classes available
 contact 91–8017517171(pratanu banerjee)
 email : pratanubanerjee9@gmail.com

22. Thank you !