From Haridwar, we drove to Rishikesh, about 25 kilometers away, in the foothills of the Himalayas. We parked our car on one side of the Ganga, did some sightseeing, crossed the famous Lakshman Jhoola and went over to the other side for more sightseeing, attended the Aarti at Parmarth Ashram, and came back via the Ram Jhoola, a new bridge running parallel to the Lakshman Jhoola.
 |
| Lakshman Jhoola |
 |
| Lakshman Jhoola |
 |
| Seen from the Lakshman Jhoola |
 |
| Lakshman Jhoola seen from a boat |
 |
| Seen from a boat |
Some images from the streets of Rishikesh:
The aarti at Parmarth Ashram is something you MUST experience at least once in your life. A big group of children and their teachers sing bhajans, and everyone watching is welcome to join in. At the end of all the singing, the aarti begins, and the aarti plates are handed around - everyone can take a turn.
Since Rishikesh is lovely for adventure sports, yoga, ayurveda and such, it makes sense to stay in a hotel there, and visit Haridwar, instead of doing the reverse like we did.
Both Haridwar and Rishikesh are lovely in their own ways, but I personally loved Haridwar much more, because everything about it is so old and quaint, and wherever you go, and whatever you do, you feel a very strong sense of history. I think I might have felt the same about Rishikesh if it wasn't as touristy as it is.
