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 Haridwar
being
a place of intense religious significance.
Haridwar also hosts several religious festivals throughout the
year; popular among them are the Kavad Mela, Somvati Amavasya
Mela, Ganga Dashara, Gughal Mela, in which around 20-25
lacs (2-2.5 million) people take part.
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 A
Very Rare Painting of Kumbh Mela - 1840
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Apart from this, there is the Kumbh Mela which takes
place once in every twelve years, when the planet Jupiter
(Brihaspati) comes into the sign Aquarius (Kumbha). First written
evidence of the Kumbha Mela can be found in the accounts of
Chinese traveller, Huan Tsang or Xuanzang (602 - 664 A.D.) who
visited India in 629 AD. According to The Imperial Gazetteer
of India, an outbreak of cholera occurred at the 1892 Mela at
Haridwar, which lead to the rapid improvement of mela arrangement
by the authorities and the formation of 'Haridwar Improvement
Society', and in 1903 about 400,000 people attended the fair.
A stampede took place near Har-ki-Pauri, during the Kumbh Mela
in 1980s, in which 600 people were killed and scores injured.
The 1998 Maha Kumbh Mela saw over 80 million pilgrims visiting
this city, to take a dip in the holy river, the Ganges.
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FAIR,
FESTIVAL AND MAHOTSAV OF HARIDWAR
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Haridwar
is one place where fairs are being organized with full
enthusiasm round the year, such as Somwati Amavasya,
Kartik Poornima, Shravan Poornima, Ganga Dussehra and
other important bathing dates of Hindu calendar. The
Kanwad mela during the month of Shravana is very popular
among masses in which lacs of devotees of Lord Shiva
come to Haridwar to take holy water of river Ganga.
Apart from these, Kumbh mela and Ardh Kumbh mela at
the interval of 12 and 6 years respectively do not need
any introduction. District administration had
also organised 'Haridwar Mahotsava', a 3-4 day cultural
festival on the bank of river Ganga and 'Ayurveda Mahotsava'.
Besides this 'Urs' is organized annually at the holy
dargah of Piran Kaliyar in which people of all sects
participate and pray for their well being. Following
table shows month wise festivals/fairs arranged in this
district and approximate no. of visitors to them.
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Month |
Occasion |
Approx. no. of Tourists |
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January |
Makar Sakranti |
2 to 2.5
lacs |
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Feb-March |
Maha Shivratri |
2 lacs |
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March-April |
RamNavmi |
3 to 4 lacs |
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April |
Baisakhi |
8 to 10
lacs |
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May |
Buddha Poornima |
3 lacs |
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May |
Ganga Saptami |
2 lacs |
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June |
Ganga Dussehra |
8 to 10
lacs |
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July-August |
Kanwar Mela |
25 to 30
lacs |
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July |
Somwati
Amavasya |
20 to 25
lacs |
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August |
Janmashtmi |
1 lac |
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October |
Durga Puja |
3 lacs |
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November |
Kartik Poornima |
7 to 8 lacs |
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Every Month
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Ekadashis |
2 lacs |
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Poornimas |
2 lacs |
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Amavasyas |
2 lacs |
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Whenever
occurs |
Surya Grahans |
4 to 5 lacs |
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Chandra
Grahans |
4 lacs |
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Rishikesh
Tourism
