Rishikesh, the 'place of sages' is a celebrated spiritual town on the bank of Ganga and is surrounded by shivvalik range of the Himalayas on three sides. It is believed that when Raibhya Rishi did hard penances, God appeared by the name of " Hrishikesh " and this area hencefirth came to be known as Rishikesh.

It is the starting point for the Char Dham Pilgrimage of the Hindus in which pilgrims go to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath to seek spiritual salvation. On the way to the Garhwal Himalayas and the Sikh shrine at Hemkund Sahib one passes Rishikesh.

Rishikesh is an ideal destination not only for pilgrims but also for those who want to delve deeper into meditation, Yoga and other aspects of Hinduism. For the adventurous, Rishikesh is the place for starting their trekking expeditions and excursions towards the Himalayan peaks. The International Yoga week, which attracts praticipation from all across the world, is held here every year from 2nd to 7th Feb on the bank of Ganga river.

General Information
Area: 11.20 sq. km.
Altitude: 356 mtrs above sea level
Season: Throughout the year.
Language: Hindi, Garhwali & English
Clothing: Summer - Cotton & Winter - Woolen

Bharat Mandir :
The Bharat Mandir is the oldest temple in Rishikesh, near the Triveni Ghat. This temple is dedicated to Bharat, the younger brother of Lord Ram.

Kailash Niketan Temple :
This is the main temple at Laxman Jhool and one can see the sculptures of all Gods and Goddesses in this thirteen storey mansion.

Satya Narayan Temple :
The idol of Lord Satyanarayan has been enshrined inside the temple located enroute to Rishikesh, 10 kms. away from Hardwar. The visitors use this place as a station to halt for a casual worship.

Shatrughan Temple :
This is an ancient temple dedicated to Shatrughan, Lord Ram's brother and is situated 5 kms. away from Rishikesh.

Neelkanth Mahadev :
The Neelkanth Temple is situated on top of a hill across the Ganga. According to mythodology, after the Sagar Manthan Lord Shiva drank all the effluent venom here, which turned his throat blue, hence the name Neelkanth.

Source :- Uttarakhand Tourism Department

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