Rishikesh
is located in the northern part of Uttar Pradesh. It is 238 km
northeast of Delhi and 24 km north of Haridwar and spreads on the right
banks of the Ganges, at its confluence with the Chandrabhaga stream. It is
surrounded by hills on three sides and is perched at an altitude of 356
meters above sea level.
The name Rishikesh is loosely applied to
an association of five distinct sections encompassing not only the town but
also hamlets and settlements on both sides of the river. These include
Rishikesh itself, the commercial and communication hub, the sprawling
suburban Muni-ki-Reti or the "sands of the sages".
Shivananda
Nagar, north of Rishikesh the temple section of Lakshmanjhula, a
little further north; and the assorted ashrams around Swarg Ashram on the
east bank. In Rishikesh, the winters last from November to March, when
temperatures fall below 0°C. The monsoons are generally experienced in
the months of July and August.
History of Rishikesh
Legend has it that the sage Raibhya Rishi did severe penance and, as a
reward, God appeared to him in the form of Hrishikesh. Rishikesh also
represents the site where Lord Vishnu vanquished the demon Madhu. The place
is known as the Tapo Bhumi or the place for meditation of the Gods. Tapovan,
on the other bank of the Ganges, houses a temple to Lakshmana. It is
believed that Lakshmana, the younger brother of Lord Rama, carried out
penances here.
The Neelkanth Mahadev temple is believed to be the
site where Lord Shiva had drunk the venom that came out during the churning
of the ocean. In the 1960s, the place came into limelight as the place where
the pop group Beatles met their guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
