Haridwar is one of the 5 holiest cities in India.  It is located close to where the Ganga (Ganges) leaves the Himalayas, and is also the city where Reuben worked for an IT company for several years when he lived in India. Visiting Haridwar for Reuben is like visiting his second home! We spent a week in Haridwar, and our main activity was visiting with friends.  We were welcomed into the homes of some of Reuben’s former workmates and had a wonderful time catching up with them and their lives.

 

 

 

 

 

We also did a few more touristy things – we took a gondola up the hill to visit Mansa Devi temple, we visited Haar Ki Puri  (pictured above), where thousands of pilgrims come and bathe in the river, and we visited Prem Naghar ashram and Sati kuhn, the place where the custom of Sati is said to have begun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also did some life tasks – bought new glasses from Reuben’s favourite optometrist, bought new clothes, had a haircut – it’s helpful when you find a place while travelling where you know your way around! Haridwar has changed a lot since Reuben lived there – it now has a huge new mall (although a lot of shops are still empty) with a McDonalds and a surprisingly frightening haunted house!  I have put a couple of photos from our honeymoon at the bottom, when we went to more of the temples and ashrams and to Haar Ki Puri at night for the Aati ceremony (which we didn’t do this time).