I am going to be going to Agra in December to see the Taj and I wanted to go to the Ghanges to see the cermonies and bathing etc. Varanasi is a bit out of the way and it will take us some time to get there. An alternative is to go to Haridwar which is only a couple of hours outside of Delhi.
I was just wondering which one would be better to go to to see the ceremonies, bathing and prayers?
Any suggestions would be welcome?
Thanks,
Astrid
Reply to this Hello Astrid 😊
I was in Haridwar last January. The advantage of going there over some other places is that it is near the source of the river, so the water looks clear and clean. Also, I saw no tourists there, so it is probably more authentic than Varanasi. I dont know if that is because it was winter, or because it just does not get as many tourists as the other towns on the Ganges.
Here are some photos we took of the Ganges in Haridwar.
And here is 'Big Ben' a restaruant where we had New Years Eve dinner. I recommend it if you go to Haridwar.
It has huge windows, which give great views of the street life outside, while you get served great food in very comfortable surroundings.
And dont forget the chai shops that serve handmade Indian sweets in Haridwar. Delicious!
Mel
Reply to this From your perspective, Haridwar should do the trick. Just so you know, the drive to Haridwar from Delhi will take at least 7 hours. The traffic is bad. I was in Haridwar last month (enroute to Badrinath & Kedarnath). My blog should be up later in October.
Reply to this What about on the train, Prakesh? I cant remember how long it took. I think it was just a few hours.
Reply to this Express train take 5 hours. If given a choice, I would take that.
Reply to this Thanks Prakesh 😊
I am looking forward to seeing your blog about Haridwar. Photos too, I hope?
Reply to this Hi Mel,
Sure. My blog will take you from Delhi to Haridwar (210 kms); Haridwar to Joshimath (275 kms); Joshimath to Govindghat (20 kms); then a trek of 14 kms from Govindghat to Ghangria; then a trek of 6 kms from Ghangria to Valley of Flowers; trek back to Govindghat and then to Badrinath (24 kms); Badrinath to Rudraprayag (160 kms); Rudraprayag to Guptakashi (40 kms); Guptkashi to Gaurikund (34 kms); then a trek of 14 kms to Kedarnath; trek back to Gaurikund and onwards to Rudraprayag; Rudraprayag to Haridwar and finally from Haridwar to Delhi airport. As in all my blogs, there will be plenty of pictures.
Prakash
Reply to this Hi Mell and Prakesh,
Thank you so much for your advice and thanks for the lovely photos Mel.
Will I still be able to see the holy ceremonies (cremations, offerings and daily bathing) in Haridwar? I know it will be winter there in December, how cold does it get there and do people still bathe in the cold weather?
Would there be more activity in Varanasi?
Thanks,
Astrid
Reply to this Gassi,
Irrespective of the season, you will get to see sons performing the last rituals at Har Ki Pauri, on the Banks of the Ganges in Haridwar. You won't see cremations there. Cremations usually happen in the town where the person dies. The ashes are then taken to Haridwar to be immersed in the Ganges. Cremations can be seen in every Indian town. No big deal. Offerings and bathing are a daily thing. Whilst there, be witness to Ganga Aarti that happens at sunset at Har Ki Pauri. Thousands of devotees will be witness to the evening prayers that are conducted by the various temple priests (there are 21 temple on the banks) with big oil lamps. You may also want to go about 20 kms up from Haridwar to Rishikesh. Lot of action there too. Varanasi has no different action save for the beautiful ghats on the banks. I am likely to be in Varanasi in the 3rd week of October.
Prakash
Reply to this Will I still be able to see the holy ceremonies (cremations, offerings and daily bathing) in Haridwar?
I saw people bathing and praying, despite the cold. I didnt see any cremations there.
It will be cold enough to need a sweater in December.
Reply to this Sounds like a blog which will inspire me about where to go Prakash, next time I fly into Delhi. Appart from the trekking part that is. I am not keen on trekking.
When your blog is ready, would you mind posting a link to it on this thread, so I dont miss it. 😊
Reply to this I know it will be winter there in December,.
I forgot to mention, there can be very heavy fog in wintertime in this part of India. It can cause train and plane delays. Sometimes trains can be delayed up to 10 hours. We got lucky with the trains, but our flight out of Delhi was delayed 12 hours.
Reply to this That's right. Planes get delayed. Trains usually don't unless the tracks are clogged with water which happens only in the monsoons. I think, Astrid would be good with roads & trains.
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