Haridwar, Gateway to God for many religious people, is a city in the state of Uttarakhand. With the holy river Ganges entering North India at Haridwar, the city is also well known as Gangadwara. This city is also called as Hardwar by the followers of Lord Shiva (Har), as opposed to Haridwar, popular among the followers of Vishnu (Hari).
Haridwar is considered to be one of the seven holiest places in India according to Hindus. The Kumbhmela is conducted in the city once every 12 years and it attracts millions of pilgrims and devotees from all across India. Tourists from across the world visit Haridwar especially during this time. Apart from its religious importance, Haridwar is also a paradise for people who love nature. It presents a beautiful model of Indian culture and civilization.
Being the largest city in the Haridwar district, its also the headquarters. The city has gradually moved beyond its popularity as a religious destination with its fast developing industrial estate. This has been a great advancement, creating job opportunities for the native people.
Stats and Facts
The population of Haridwar, as per the census report of 2011, stands at 2,25,235. But its urban agglomeration has a population of 3,10,562.
According to the same report, the sex ratio in Haridwar is 874 per 1000 males, which is well below the national average sex ratio of 940 per 1000 males. There is, however, a definite increase in sex ratio from the previous counting that occurred in 2001.
Haridwar has a literacy rate of 84.99% as per the 2011 census. The average literacy of Haridwar district saw an upward trend from 63.75% to 73.43% with respect to the census of 2001.
Ganga is a major river flowing through Haridwar.
Haridwar is vulnerable to earthquakes, landslides, floods and drought. It is also subjected to a lot of man-made disasters such as industrial hazards, fire, stampede, communal riots, accidents, forest fire and terrorist attacks.
Haridwar finds a place in the mythical tale of Samudra Manthan. According to that, this city is one of the 4 places where drops of the elixir of immortality, also called Amrit, were dropped.
The famous Rajaji National Park is in the Haridwar district.
Tourism Industry
Tourism contributes largely to Haridwars economy. People from all over the world visit this place to take a look at authentic Indian culture and traditions.
The Kumbh Mela is a mammoth event conducted once every 12 years. It attracts people from all walks of life, both from the religious and tourism perspective. Additionally, this city is the first stop to visit other sacred places like the Char Dham, which brings in millions of pious people to the city.
The city hosts religious festivals like Kavad Mela, Ganga Dashara, Somvati Amavasya Mela, and Gughal Mela, bringing together around 2 to 2.5 million people.
Haridwar is well known for imparting excellent cultural education. Institutions like the Gurukul Kangri University and the Dev Sanskriti University contribute to the economy of the city in the education sector.
The University of Technical and Industrial Education located nearby, also contributes to the economy.
The rapid development seen in the industrial sector, mainly due to the activities of the State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand (SIDCUL) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), is playing a significant role in contributing highly to the citys economy.
Connectivity
Haridwar is well connected to the surrounding cities by road. The national highway NH-58 between Delhi and Mana Pass passes through Haridwar and connects the city to the surrounding cities like Meerut, Ghaziabad, Roorkee, Badrinath and Muzzafarnagar. Additionally, NH-74 starts from Haridwar and makes it convenient to reach out to places like Kashipur, Nagina, Kichha, Bareilly and Pilibhit.
The Haridwar Railway Station links the city to all the main Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Puri, Bhubaneshwar, Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.
Haridwar can be reached by air domestically, by landing at Jolly Grant Airport. It is in Dehradun and lies at a distance of 35 km. The other international airport nearby is the Indira Gandhi International Airport at New Delhi.
All Localities in Haridwar
LOCALITY,Bhadrabad,BHEL Township,Naya Gaon,Jwalapur,Patanjali Yogpeeth,Har ki Pauri,Suman Nagar,Roorkee road,Jagjitpur,LOCALITY,Salempur,Nazibabad Road,Raiwala,Shivalik Nagar,Shivlok Colony,Kankhal,Ranipur,Bhoopatwala,Karaundi,LOCALITY,Motichur,Shyampur,Vishwakalyan,Laksar,Aneki Hetmapur,Subhash Nagar,Bilkeshwar Colony,Devpura,Haripur,LOCALITY,Kharkhari,Roshanabad,Sitapur,RK Puram Colony,Jamalpur Kalan,Panchayanpur,Roorkee