Temples in Haridwar

The two hill goddesses

Mansa Devi stands on Bilwa Parvat, straight above the bazaar. Devotees tie sacred threads to a tree in the compound when they make a wish, and return to untie one when it comes true. Chandi Devi is on Neel Parvat, across the river. The present temple was built in 1929 by Suchat Singh, a king of Kashmir, though its main image is traditionally linked to Adi Shankaracharya. Both hills have cable cars, called Udan Khatola, and a combined ticket covers both. The Mansa Devi car usually starts earlier, so do that hill first.

The river

Har Ki Pauri is a ghat rather than a temple, but it is the holiest spot in the town. Brahmakund, the tank at its heart, is where drops of amrit are said to have fallen, which is why the Kumbh bathing centres on it. Small shrines line the steps, and the Ganga aarti is held here every morning and evening. Maya Devi, one of the town's oldest temples and the goddess of Haridwar's older name Mayapuri, is a short walk away.

Kankhal

Daksheswara Mahadev Temple is about 4 km south of the centre. It marks the place where King Daksha held his sacrifice and his daughter Sati gave up her life, the story behind every Shakti Peetha in India. The present building dates from 1810 and was rebuilt in 1962. It is a busy Shiva temple in Shravan and on Mahashivratri.

A modern temple

Bharat Mata Mandir opened in 1983. Its floors are dedicated to Mother India, to freedom fighters, to women saints and to the gods of the major faiths. It is a museum as much as a temple.

Visiting well

Shoes come off at every shrine, and shoulders and knees should be covered. Photographing the idol in the sanctum is usually not allowed. Mornings are calmer than evenings everywhere except Kankhal, which stays quiet most of the day. In Shravan, the Kanwar Yatra fills every Shiva temple, and on the big Kumbh bathing days the police close the roads into the centre.