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Haridwar is situated at the base of the Shivalik hills, where the Ganga,
comes down from the mighty Himalayas meets the plains. Haridwar, literally
is 'The gateway to the Gods'. "This place is very beautiful", at one sight
one will say so and fall in love with the scenic beauty of the blend of
height and plains. A Gateway to the four pilgrimage of Uttarakhand,
Haridwar is also known as Gangadwar, Tapovan and Mayapuri. In its long
history back to pre-historic time, the Haridwar got it name from the
rishis. According to the mythology it is known as Kapilsthan. legend goes
that the suryavnshi Prince Bhagirath performed penance here to salvage the
souls of his ancestors who had perished due to the curse of the sage
Kapila. The penance was answered and the river Ganga trickled forth from
Lord Shiva's locks and its bountiful waters revived the sixty thousand
sons of King Sagara. Mythologically, drops of nectar churned out from the
primordial ocean fell at the four sites of the Kumbh mela including
Haridwar. The kumbha mela, happening once every 12 years and the Ardha
Kumbha Mela (Coming once every six years) are big draws. One of the oldest
living cities, Hairdwar has been in people's mind from the period of
Buddha to the British advent and now even is the 21st century. Besides
being a religious place, it has served as the center for learning arts,
science and culture.
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