A travel plan serves you the best when it is unplanned. If you don’t believe it, you can try it anytime you want. It has been amazing every time ever since I tried it for the first time. So, we are talking about Hrishikesh here.
Cmon, say Hello to Hrishikesh – The Gateway to Himalayas.
Hrishikesh isn’t just the Gateway to Himalayas. Instead, it is also one of the good adventure spots in India.
Highlights – The River Ganga, Temples, River Rafting, Mini-cliff Jumping, Fox Jumping, Mini- Rappelling, a few local Waterfalls, a sky full of stars, a little trek in the woods
If cool places in the start of winters give you a kick, Hrishikesh is just the place for you. Here, adventures welcome you with ‘Pooja Thaals’ and ‘Garlands’ at the feet of Himalayas.
The Ganga – The Holy River flows through Hrishikesh on its way to Haridwar. Its flow is undoubtedly a majestic one. The river doesn’t have a proper or permanent color. Instead it changes in accordance with the stones or layer beneath it. It can appear black-ish when on stones and quite green when near the bay of sand. The river has changed its course in Hrishikesh ever since the flood that occurred in 2013. The course that it used to follow previously, hasn’t dried up completely. Instead, it serves a little stream of Ganga near to which are the banks which are a home to a lot of camps. The stream has a comfortable flow in which you can take a good bath. You have done nothing if you have come to Hrishikesh and not taken a dip in the river. Har Har Gange!!
Temples – There is no particular temple in Hrishikesh, that is famous. However, you can find numerous temples of Lord Shiva and Goddess Ganga due to the Mythological belief that the river on Earth, originates from the Hair of the Lord Bholenath. Of course, you’ll get to meet other Gods and Goddesses too. Is anything better than a morning that starts with the clear chirp of birds, first ray of sunshine and chants of Holy Mantras? Har Har Gange!!
River Rafting – River Rafting here is a huge experience if you are a beginner. River Rafting on this stretch of River Ganga is famous all over the world as white water rafting. You get to raft over a stretch of approximately 24 KM which is filled up with a good amount of Rapids. These rapids, as the instructor told me, have the potential to suck a raft or a person and a few have lost their life to it due to carelessness. Precaution is better than the cure. Even with all the instructions and constant ‘chop, chop, chop’, rafting is bound to be a fun experience. In one of the rapids, you can even swim well as it is quite a mild one. If you want to have some fun with the river, this is as gentle as she gets.
Mini-cliff Jumping – Mini – cliff jumping is an experience that you can have right in the middle of River Rafting. The mid – point of the rafting stretch is commonly known as the Maggi Point. You get to climb on a rocky cliff which has a height of about 40 ft., and then jump right into the flowing river. You can feel the wind through each and every strand of your hair when in air, followed by complete silence under water. One of the better experiences that you can have.
Fox Jumping – This is one of those experiences in which you might have your heart in your mouth or probably in your hand. With all the recommended precautions, you jump from a cliff, hung by a rope of highly dense and strong material. This is one adventure sport that can offer you a chance to test your limits. You’ll dive into nothing. It’ll be like hung upside down in the midst of nowhere. Just beauty surrounding you. The only funny disadvantage is that you’ll be viewing it upside down. Each and every molecule of wind that blazes past your body, is a proof that you’re alive.
Mini- rappelling – This is a smaller version of what is known as the actual rappelling. Each and every precaution will be the same as what is ideally supposed to be taken. Method of Rappelling is the same. If you’re scared of height, you need not worry as the ropes used are very strong and if you follow the instructions of the instructor, you’ll manage just fine. Rappelling provides you with a sense of accomplishment. It is a very important feeling. Every rock that you step on to come down the cliff makes you realize the importance of grip and hold.
Local Waterfalls– These are common but beautiful attractions of the town. I enjoyed the following habit of mine. Wherever I’d see a waterfall or some fresh river water accumulated in a large quantity, I’d go and dive into it. The fresh and cool water would freshen anyone up instantly. Every drop of fresh water would tell you your worth and its purity would tell you the extent of being raw and clean.
A clear sky – Something perfect for a Coldplay fan to relate to. Ever heard “A sky full of stars”? This is a sight of a lifetime. Let it be dark and when you sit out for dinner or probably go out for a walk, take a look at the sky. It is majestic, huge, wide and endless. The life that we live nowadays, we can never see so many stars in one single frame of sky. It looks as if hundreds of small twinkling sparkles are embedded on a black endless cloth right above you. Every star that you count is the indication of how close you are to counting them all and how far you are, at the same time.
A Trek in the woods – This trek in the woods has a difficulty level of 3/10. You’ll definitely find a lot of spiders on the way. It’ll be great if you do not disturb them. Most of the species found in these woods are highly venomous. The path can be very slippery. So, it’ll be good if you have some good shoes with a good grip.
Such trips have a lot to offer you. And Hrishikesh too has numerous more things to offer you than what I just mentioned above. It is about how much you can explore. Make a plan for no less than 4 nights and enjoy a life away from what you have in your perfectly air-conditioned workplaces and houses.
Few photographs have been taken from Google. And yeah, I’ll concentrate more on photographs next time. Cheers!
