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Trips Here's Why We Are Craving To Take A Road Trip From Delhi To Haridwar
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Here's Why We Are Craving To Take A Road Trip From Delhi To Haridwar

Setting out on an early morning road trip from Delhi to Haridwar is perhaps one of the best ways to break out of the COVID-19 lockdown monotony.

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By: charu chowdhary Published: Aug 24, 2020 07:00 AM IST

Here's Why We Are Craving To Take A Road Trip From Delhi To Haridwar

Known to be a holy pilgrimage centre of Hinduism, Haridwar as a city, has much more to offer than just temple trails. It’s a place with a soul and bustling energy that is palpable to every traveller. Setting out on an early morning road trip from Delhi to Haridwar is perhaps one of the best ways to break out of the COVID-19 slump. By Charu Chowdhary

Pit Stops Along The Way

A road trip from Delhi to Haridwar takes about five hours if one starts early. That way there is no traffic or need for pit stops. But if you like to take it slow and interject the road trip with refreshment breaks, this route provides a lot of great options for that too.

The best and the only highway route to undertake while embarking on a road trip from Delhi to Haridwar is the Upper Ganga Canal Road and NH 334. You will pass a few sleepy towns of Uttar Pradesh to reach your dreamy destination in Uttarakhand in the foothills of Himalayas. This is what the route will look like: Delhi — Muradnagar — Modinagar — Sardhana — Khatauli — Muzaffarnagar — Roorkee — Haridwar.

 

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Some of these places have interesting temple architecture that you can explore. Some notable ones are Chhota Haridwar in Muradnagar, Ashtapad Jain Temple in Meerut, and Ganesh Dham in Muzaffarnagar.

Also, some of the best places to stop and eat on this route are:

  • Bikanervala, Modinagar: A popular chain that offers a delectable and endless array of breakfast, savoury and confectionery items.
  • Jain Shikanji, Meerut: Famous for their Indian-style, masala lemonade.
  • Cheetal Grand, Muzaffarnagar: Known for their huge indoor as well as outdoor seating area and a nice, comprehensive Indian menu.

 

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Har Ki Pauri

A trip to Haridwar is practically incomplete without a visit to the iconic Har Ki Pauri. According to Indian mythology, this ghat is known as the ‘Footstep of God’. It is believed that Lord Vishnu dropped the divine nectar and left behind a footprint here. In pre-COVID-19 times, hundreds of devotees would gather around the ghats for evening prayers, or Ganga aarti, and release flickering lamps into the fast-flowing river as offerings. However, only time will tell when carefree travellers can assemble there in hordes again. Till then, we recommend you visit the embankment only if there aren’t too many people there, or only if there’s proper social-distancing being practised with the help of police officials or other authorities.

Some More Ghats

While Har Ki Pauri is one of the main ghats of Haridwar, the city also houses some offbeat ones. You could spend some time at Gau Ghat, Santosh Ghat, Vishnu Ghat, Kushavarta Ghat or even Birla Ghat for some tranquillity. They’re all sacred spots in their own rights and offer a soothing environment for those looking to spend some moments in solitude. 

Myriads Of Temples

Haridwar has the reputation of being one of the holiest Hindu cities. You can take the opportunity to explore its many temple architectures; savouring little details, now that they would relatively be less crowded. We highly recommend Chandi Devi Temple, which was built by Raja Suchet Singh of Kashmir in 1929. It sits on a hilltop southeast of Haridwar. You could, additionally, combine a visit there with a cable car trip to the hilltop temple of Mansa Devi, dedicated to the wish-fulfilling goddess. You can also visit Daksheshwar Mahadev Temple for its beautiful architecture as well as the spiritual centre of Shantikunj Gayatri Parivar. 

 

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Walk Down The Winding Markets

Haridwar is a small city with many winding lanes. You could take this opportunity to walk down Moti Bazaar or Bara Bazaar, where shops offer all kinds of vegetarian fare and knick-knacks. The parathas, chhole-bhature, and lassi are some dishes that we highly recommend. You can buy some colourful bangles, sandalwood powders, and other handicrafts at Upper Road, Ranipur Mor or Jwalapur.

Connect With Nature

For a little adventure, we recommend driving outside the town and exploring the wilderness of the Himalayan plains at the Rajaji National Park. It is one of the biggest and most popular wildlife sanctuaries in the area with a diverse ecosystem. You could either opt for a wildlife safari or just drive around in a jeep. Another option for you, if you want to particularly take a walk around at night, is the enchanting Swami Vivekananda Park. It can be identified from a distance, courtesy of the majestic statue of Lord Shiva peeping from the middle of the park. It’s a must-visit spot especially for those who enjoy a nice, peaceful walk amidst nature.

 

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Duration of the trip: 5 hours (236 km) approx.

Best time to visit: October to February 

Where to stay: Devnadi – The Heritage Hotel, Amatra by the Ganges, The Haveli Hari Ganga by Leisure Hotels

Where to eat: Dosa Plaza, Big Ben Restaurant, Pandit Ji Poori Wale

Related: #TnlRoadTrips: 5 Lesser-Explored Culinary Road Trips From Kolkata

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