The Momma Clan

The town blazed in the hot summer; the leaves wilted, and the birds buried their heads in the cover of the thick foliage or perched on the window sills of abandoned empty houses. The ripples of water in the river gleamed underneath the fireball, and the cemented pathways adjacent to the bank burned hot like a piece of burning charcoal.

It was only after sundown that people opened the doors of their houses and walked out to fetch essentials, vegetables, and groceries, catch on with friends, attend tutorial classes, and walk down to the Ganga ghat to pay reverence to the holy river. The town bustled with people in winter, but summers were grim and weary. The ashrams, hotels, guest houses, and homestays remained less crowded except for the foreign tourists who visited the Devabhoomi to feel the splendor of divinity. Haridwar, the town, served the purpose quite well.

 Its presence in Uttarakhand makes it a chief destination for travelers from across the nation to flock in numbers to feel the tranquil air and dive deep into the nectar of religion, scriptures, and godliness.

Haridwar is synonymous with ‘Har ki Pauri’- a precise spot where river Ganga leaves the abode of mountains and cascades into the plains.

‘Har ki Pauri'(A ghat on the banks of river Ganga) means the feet of lord Vishnu; worshippers and pilgrims gather every year to glimpse the power of the mighty river and touch the divine aura of holiness.

It is a belief that touching and bathing in the holy water washes away the impurities of the soul.

But what about the dirtiness that the water accumulates? The river bifurcates and flows further, gracing the earth with its holiness. But what does it get in return? Garbage and waste settle on its banks, the dirt heaping over time; the district authorities strive hard to clean the premises, outlining the waterways. The people sitting on the steps of the ghat during the ‘Ganga Aarti’ swear in the name of the Goddess to keep the surroundings pure and dirt-free. Still, the pollutants float in the water, changing the color of the water to a tinge of brown.

There are shops selling items for worship, flowers, lamps, incense sticks, and dry sweets. Orange and white canisters hang on ropes or are kept in the corners, filled with the sacred water. People pay the price quoted and buy those canisters; the pure water cleanses their homes. The elderly members of the family religiously sprinkle the nectar on their crowns or touch the holy water. It is a faith that the doors of heaven open for their souls.

 Apart from the holiness that seeps into the atmosphere of Haridwar, it is also famous for the Patanjali Yogpeeth, the cult initiated by Baba Ramdev. The outlets of products of Patanjali, the agricultural university, the meditation center, the research and development wing of Ayurveda, study centers, hospitals, schools, colleges, and dairy farms are the hubs in the town. It is a chief attraction for people; yoga heals, and the products churned from Nature are a remedy for undiagnosed, untraced ailments that people suffer from.  

The age-old cure for stress, anxiety, and depression lies in the serenity that the mind tries to obtain through the practice of yoga and breathing techniques.

Some distance away towards the north, the river chimes in fresh, blue water, and on the bank sits the city, Hrishikesh- where saints and holy men spend ages in the dark caves.

–Nibedita