Yoga & Spiritual trip of Haridwar & Rishikesh

On the first day of the Spiritual and Yoga Tour in India, you will arrive at the Haridwar Railway Station or Dehradun (DED) Airport from where you will be driven to the Rishikesh Hotel. Rishikesh, considered as one of the most well-known devotional and holiest destinations in India, is also known for its unsurpassable natural beauty. Rishikesh is located at the foothills of the Himalayas, surrounded by the Lesser Himalayan Range on three sides and the holy Ganga touches this blessed land as it flows through it. Filled with ethereal beauty, this city is the gateway to the famous ‘Chardham’ of India – Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. Every year, many people seeking salvation, flock to this land known as an ideal place for meditation and spirituality. The serene ambiance of the ashrams is apt for meditation and provides the much-desired peace of mind. Foreigners from across the globe come here in search of peace and spiritual attainment. Yoga is ceremoniously practiced and taught in many of the ashrams situated on the banks of Ganga in Rishikesh. The true essence of spirituality and the magical beauty of this blessed land enamored the famous rock music group Beatles, who paid a visit to their Guru in Rishikesh in 1960.Rishikesh is situated at a high altitude of 1360 meters, which is higher than other holy cities like Haridwar and Varanasi, as a result of which, River Ganga here is cooler and cleaner. This less populated city offers a peaceful and soothing atmosphere. The mighty Ganges gushing from the Himalayas with all her strength, the embankments studded with old and recently built temples and ashrams, and the picturesque mountainous landscape serving as a heavenly beautiful background – altogether, make Rishikesh an enchanting place. The evening will include sightseeing, a refreshing walk to the Rishikesh town, and attending the Aarti Ceremony at Parmarth Niketan. Then you will be back to the hotel and rest for the night.

Early this morning of Spiritual and Yoga Tour in India, you will set out for Kunjapuri with your yoga teacher and relish the packed breakfast on the way. Kunjapuri Temple will be your today’s destination. Kunjapuri is one of the three Siddha Peeths or Shakti Peeths dedicated to Sati, the wife of Lord Shiva, located on top of three different mountains in the divine Himalayan Range of the Tehri Garhwal district. There is a famous mythological tale associated with the holy triangle of this temple – Sati, daughter of Daksha Prajapati, immolated herself in the sacrificial fire and Lord Shiva carried his wife’s dead body towards the Himalayas. The 52 places, where the parts of her dead body fell are known and worshipped as Siddha Peeths and Kunjapuri, Surkanda Devi, and Chandrabadni are three of them. From this spot, located at an altitude of 1645 meters, you will witness a stunning and extensive view of the Himalayas in the North, and towards the South you will notice Rishikesh, Haridwar, and the Doon Valley. The distance from Rishikesh Hotel to Kunjapuri is 32 km. Next program scheduled for the day is practicing yoga in the lap of nature, at the hilltop with the yoga trainer. After breakfast, you will enjoy a long walk through a typical Garhwali village and then return to the hotel. There is another yoga class scheduled in the evening at Hotel’s Yoga Hall. Rest for the night at the hotel.

Make your dawn refreshing with a morning yoga class at the Hotel’s Yoga Hall. On the third of the Spiritual and Yoga Tour in India, your destination will be Vashishta Guha or Cave, about 25 km away from Rishikesh, where you will be driven to after breakfast. This sacred spot is located in the middle of the hills. The calmness of this place is magical. The place is blessed with ethereal silence, other than the endearing sound of the falling of leaves, the chirping of birds, and the babbling of River Ganga flowing to the right of the cave. According to mythology, around 3000 years ago at this place, the great Sage Vashishta did penance. The entire compound comprises of a temple, accommodation facility for the ashram inhabitants, and the huge cave, which is about 20 feet long and 10 feet wide at the entrance but gradually narrows down to a height of about 7 feet. One cannot get any hint of what is inside by looking at the entrance of the cave. You will notice a Shiv-ling with an oil lamp at the extreme end of the cave, which stretches a long way through the mountain. Separated from the rest of the area, this is the innermost part of the cave, where seemingly, sages come down in their astral forms from the remote parts of the Himalayas, to meditate. You will be back to the hotel in the afternoon and attend the evening yoga class at the Hotel’s Yoga Hall. You will stay in the hotel at night.

Today, you will be dropped to the Haridwar Railway Station or DED Airport to catch the train or flight bound for Delhi.