Travel

Brief History of Rishikesh

The centre of religion and spirituality, loaded with the beautiful nature all around, Rishikesh is truly a unique destination. Located in the foothills of the Shivalik range on the bank of river Ganga under the serene sky in Northern India, the place is calming and soothing.

Known as the Yoga Capital of The World and Abode of the Gods, it is filled with various stories and legends that strike the beauty of miracles and beliefs. Enriched with beautiful history, knowing about Rishikesh is truly one mesmerizing and enchanting experience. So, if you are looking for a place loaded with nature, beautiful villages, calmness, and peace, Rishikesh is the destination of pure bliss.

So, let us explore and take a peek into the beautiful history of Rishikesh.

The Brief History of Rishikesh and Famous Stories of Lord

Rishikesh is a town in Uttarakhand’s Dehradun district. It boasts a beautiful view of the jungle and the soothing hills. It is also the meeting point of the Ganges and the Chandrabhaga rivers. This is also renowned as the Char Dham pilgrimage centre.

Many yogis, rishis, sages, and sannyasis were drawn to Rishikesh in ancient times and continue to be drawn to this serene environment to practice yoga. Rishikesh has long been recognized as an abode of sages or sage’s haven. Rishikesh is a sacred town with several Ashrams and is well-known for yoga all over the world. Also, there are a lot of luxury hotels in Rishikesh.

A beautiful city with so many mesmerizing places to explore and visit. The three main stories are linked to the Rishikesh. The stories are:

Kedarkhand: Story Of Lord Ram

Rishikesh is a part of the renowned ‘Kedarkhand’ region. Legend has it that Lord Rama performed penance here to defeat Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. His younger brother, Lakshmana, crossed the Ganges using a jute rope bridge at a location near where the current ‘Lakshman Jhula’ bridge exists today.

Skanda Purana: Story Of Lord Vishnu

According to the Skanda Purana, the location is Kubjamrak because Lord Vishnu appeared to Raibhya Rishi under a mango tree. Raibhya Rishi chose the location for his extended penance. Lord Vishnu was pleased with his deed and showed himself to the sage as “Hrishikesh.” The term is a mash-up of the words hrishik and esh. Hrishik is the word for senses, while esh is the word for deity or lord. It translates as “god of the senses”.

Nilkanth Mahadev: Story Of Lord Shiva

According to mythology, Lord Shiva drank poison (Halahal) acquired during sea churning (Samudra Manthan) together with Nectar (Amrit). Nilkanth Mahadev Temple is the name of the location.

Moving ahead, the history of Rishikesh moved in the hands of various kings and queens. The first ruler of the area was Kunind. Later it was ruled by Shak kings and Naga Kings. As time passed, the Britishers ruled the country with the onset of the East India Company. And then today, Rishikesh is under the Uttarakhand State.

Final Words

A place that is the jewel of India and one with a history so beautiful, It offers peace and calmness like no other place. While there are various stories from where the name Rishikesh is derived, one thing that is sure about this place is that it is truly the place where people come to seek peace and explore themselves.

Shubham Sharma

Shubham Sharma is a SEO Expert in Delhi with many years of experience in the digital marketing field. He often writes guest posts for Trending News Viral & you can also read their informative blog for more.

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