Rishikesh Live

Around 1½ km from the Rishikesh is a bathing spot known as Triveni. It is believed that three mountain streams flow together on this spot making the ghat (bank) more sacred. The Triveni Ghat is the most prominent Ghat in Rishikesh and famous all over. This Triveni bathing ghat owes its name to the fact that it is built on the confluence of the three legendary rivers, Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. This place is considered to be the most important place for religious ceremonies, where most of the pilgrims take their holy dips to free themselves of their sins and wrong-doings.

In the morning, pilgrims come to the ghat for prayers and offer milk and feed the shoals of fish in the crystal clear waters. In the evenings, the Triveni Ghat becomes a sight to behold. As evening descends, casting golden shadows on the river, rows of devotees sit patiently on the steps of the Triveni Ghat. Finally when the sun begins to set, they hold plates of flaming ghee and to the accompaniment of drums, chants, bells and prayers, release tiny oil lamps on flower bedecked leaf boats and allow them to float down the river. This evening aarti is truly magical.

This Ghat is large and clean, and has separate changing rooms for women. Nearby is the Rishikund or sages’s pond. This is said to have been a havan kund where the holy men performed hire rituals in ancient times when the Ganga did not flow nearby. On the request of the sages Yamuna magically appeared in the Kund and have stayed there ever since. There is a Shani Mandir in Rishikund and many other temples situated adjacent to Ganga Rivers.

Location: On Haridwar Road, 200 m from the Chaurahi