Rishikesh, Pilgrimage city in Dehradun district, India
Rishikesh is a city in Dehradun district on the banks of the Ganges River in northern India's Uttarakhand state. The city spreads across both sides of the river, where temples, ashrams, and bridges fit into the rocky foothills landscape.
Hindu sages established meditation centers here over the centuries, making the place a destination for spiritual seekers. The city gained worldwide attention in the 20th century when Western visitors began coming to study yoga and meditation.
Rishikesh requires all residents and visitors to follow a vegetarian diet and prohibits alcohol entirely, reflecting its role as a center for Hindu practice. Temples and ashrams shape the daily rhythm, and prayers and chanting echo through the streets from morning until evening.
Most ashrams and temple rituals begin early in the morning, so visitors should wake up early for the full experience. Comfortable shoes and clothing that covers shoulders and knees make it easier to enter all religious sites and walk longer distances along the river.
Rishikesh hosts a bungee jumping platform at 83 meters, the tallest in all of India. A zipline stretching one kilometer across the landscape is considered the longest in all of Asia.
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