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| Tourist Places Near Rishikesh |
While heading towards Narendra Nagar, I came to know that it was the capital of the former state of Tehri. The best part to click there was an attractive place – Kaunjpura – that offers superb views of the Himalayas surrounding it. After spending a couple of hours there, I headed for Neel Kanth Mahadev temple – located at 22 km from Rishikesh and dedicated to Lord Shiva. En-route, I stopped at a dhaba for a quick bite where the dhabawalla told me about the mythology associated with the temple. As the legend goes, Lord Shiva’s throat turned blue on consuming poison produced after Sagar Manthan, Therefore, this place came to be known as Neel Kanth Mahadev.
Inspired by watching a rudraaksh mala around every second neck, I also bought one for myself. Next I headed for Shivpuri in search of some adventure sports. Located around 19 km from Rishikesh, this highly frequented place is the ‘Mecca for river-rafting enthusiasts’. Places like Sweet Sixteen, Marine Drive, Three Blind Mice, Cross Fire, Roller Coaster and Golf Course at Shivpuri offer rafting currents ranging from Grade 1 to 4. This way, it is an ideal town for amateurs as well as professional rafters. Since morning to afternoon, I enjoyed the best of river-rafting of my life. Being very tired, i spend the left day at leisure at a cottage there.
Next morning, while getting back to Rishikesh, I paid a short visit to Kunjapuri Mata Mandir that has excellent sunrise and sunset points. This way, my trip while enjoying the spectacular views of majestic Ganga was awe-inspiring. Rishikesh and the entire nearby region draw sadhus, yoga enthusiasts, celebrities, classical musicians and adventure buffs from all over the globe.
