Rishikesh also spelled Hrishikesh, Rushikesh, or Hrushikesh, is a city and a municipal board in Dehradun district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is holy city for Hindus and a famous centre of pilgrimage. It is also known as the gateway to the Himalayas and is located around 25 kilometres away from another holy city, Haridwar. Rishikesh is the starting point for traveling to the sites that form the Char Dham pilgrimage — Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. Legends state that Lord Rama did penance here for killing Ravana, the demon king of Lanka; and Lakshmana, his younger brother, crossed the river Ganga, at a point, where the present 'Lakshman Jhula' bridge stands today, using a jute rope bridge.
The Ganga Arati performed at dusk at the Triveni Ghat is popular with visitors. In February 1968, The Beatles visited the now-closed Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram in Rishikesh.[7] John Lennon even recorded a song here, titled, 'The Happy Rishikesh Song'. The Beatles composed nearly 48 songs during their time at the Maharishi's ashram, many of which appear on the White Album. Several other artists, including Mike Love of The Beach Boys, Donovan and Gyp Mills, visited the site to contemplate and meditate. More recently, the place has been visited by Hollywood star Kate Winslet. Rishikesh is a popular place for rafting, with rapids rated class 2 and class 3. It is also a center for hiking and backpacking.
