Mansa Devi Temple, also known as Bilwa Tirth is one of the Panch Tirth (Five Pilgrimages) is within Haridwar. It is a Tourist attraction in Haridwar which is a Hindu temple dedicated to Mansa Devi, goddess of Snake. The temple is located at the top of Biswas Parvat on the Shivalik Hills which is a part of the southernmost range of Himalaya. Visitors can reach the temple either by 3km steep trek or by cable car which is also known as Mansa Devi Udankhatola. The temple has two statues of Mansa Devi - one with three mouths and five arms and another with eight arms.Location - HaridwarTiming - The temple remains open from 7 am to 7 pm with a lunch closing from 12 pm to 2 pm. Cable car services can be availed from as early as 6:30 am to 5 pm (April-October) and from 8:30 am to 5 pm during the other months.Best Time to Visit- May to September in summer and December & January in winterEntry Fee - Temple has no entry fee but the ropeway to the temple is chargeable at Rs.100 per person.
One of the Tourist places in Haridwar is Har ki Pauri which basically means footsteps of the Lord. It is the holy ghat where river Ganges touches the plains after winding its ways through the Himalayan ranges. Visitors flock along this pious ghat around dawn to take a holy dip. during the Ganga Aarati. It is mesmerising to watch the whole ghat getting illuminated by the shimmering lights of the three-tiered lamps of fire in the hands of the priests . Additionally, devotees float thousands of diyas on the surface of the water giving the river Ganges an ethereal aura of beauty. A prime attraction during the day time is a footprint imprinted on a wall which is believed to belong to Lord Vishnu.Location - harkipodi, near Krishna Dham, KharkhariTiming - Open at all timesBest Time to Visit - Can be visited every month of the year although summer can be hot during day time.
Rajaji National Park is both a national park as well as a tiger reserve which ranks high amongst the Places to see in Haridwar. The park was created by the amalgamation of 3 sanctuaries- Rajaji, Motichur and Chilla. The park is located in the Shivalik range of Himalayas and spreads over 820kms. The park is famous for its 600 elephants, 250 leopards, and 11 tigers along with other animals, who have been kept in the natural forest environment. It has now become the second tiger reserve of Uttarakhand after Corbet.Location -Ansari Road, Mohand Range, DehradunTiming- 6 am to 9 am & 3 pm to 6 pm. Visitors booking a full day safari can wait at the rest house inside the forest.Best Time to Visit - Park remains open from 15th November to 15th June. Park is closed during the monsoon season. Entry Fee - Rs. 150 per head for 3 hours visit. Gypse rate for 3 hrs safari trip is Rs. 2100 and vehicle entry is Rs.250 per vehicle with Indians and Rs. 500 per vehicle with foreigners. The guide cost is Rs. 600 for general guide and Rs.1000-1500 for experience in wildlife.History of Rajaji National ParkThe Rajaji National Park initially started as three separate national parks in Uttarakhand. The pre-existing natural abundance of the area, along with its thriving community of wildlife, flora and fauna and its idyllic weather served as the perfect premise for the establishment of these national parks. In 1964, a stretch of the Dehradun Forest spanning 90 square kilometres was declared as the Motichur wildlife sanctuary. The Rajaji Wildlife sanctuary had existed since 1948 and the Chilla sanctuary since 1977 in Shivalik and Lansdowne respectively.In 1983, these three parks were combined to form the Rajaji National Park as it stands today, which covers an area of over 820 square kilometres. In April 2015, Rajaji National Park received the status of a tiger reserve, making it the second reserve for tigers in Uttarakhand. It remains one of the most picturesque and well-maintained national parks in the country. The government decided to name the park after one of the most renowned freedom fighters of the country- C. Rajagopalachari, who was known as Rajaji. After playing a pivotal role in fighting for India’s independence, he was also the last Governor-General of post-independence India. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna for his services to the nation.
