Rishikesh,  a most tranquil and holy township upstream of Hardwar is surrounded by hills and bisected by the rushing Ganga. It is often termed the `Yoga Capital of  the  World'. Back  in  the 1960s, Rishikesh gained fame worldwide as the place where the Beatles came to meditate under the tutelage of their Guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

        It is an excellent place to meditate and study yoga. Rishikesh is also a good starting point for treks to Himalayan pilgrimage centres such as Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri. It is rightly called the gateway to the Himalayan Shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. 
 

Situated 24 kms. upstream of Haridwar, at the confluence of the Chandrabhaga and Ganga, Rishikesh has long been a spiritual centre. It is said that Raibhya Rishi performed severe austerities here and, as a reward, God appeared to him in the form of Hrishikesh, hence the name.

        Rishikesh has numerous ashrams (centres of spiritual study), some of which are internationally  recognized as centers of philosophical studies, yoga and meditation.
 

An International Yoga Week is organized here every year, between the 2nd and 7th of February. For the adventurous, there are opportunities for white water rafting, kayaking and canoeing on the Ganga.

The town of Rishikesh also lies at the foothills of the Garhwal region.  It  is  the  gateway  to  the upper Garhwal region and the starting point for pilgrimages to the four dhams of Uttarakhand - Badrinath,  Kedarnath, Gangotri & Yamunotri.  The Ganga flows through the town and is worshipped here. After this, it descends to the plains at Haridwar. The place is considered  to  be  sacred, as it is  believed that meditation at this place leads to Salvation.

        There are many temples-some ancient, some new, along the River Ganga. The river side is dotted with the ashrams of Sadhus and Sages.

        The road to the north from Rishikesh leads to Narendra Nagar  (named after Maharaja Narendra Shah) and beyond to Tehri. These roads branch off and reach the upper parts of Garhwal. At Rishikesh,  Ganga leaves the mountains and joins the plains for her long journey.  Rishikesh is not only an attraction for pilgrims but it also attracts foreigners who want to know about Hinduism and want to spend some time close to the Lord.

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