Haridwar Ganga Aarti

Ganga Aarti is a religious prayer that takes place at the bank of the sacred river Ganga at the Har Ki Pauri ghat in Haridwar. Bringing in tourists and devotees from all over the world, it is a ritual of light and sound where the priests perform prayers with bowls of fire and the ringing of the temple bells. Visitors float "diyas" (small candles) and flowers, surrounded by the chanting of the mantras and the reflection of the lights off the surface of the flowing river, which is said to be blessed by the Goddess Ganga.
Har Ki Pauri is a famous ghat of Ganga in Haridwar. This is the place where the grand Ganga Aarti is performed in the presence of thousands of people. This is a place where it is believed that Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva visited the Brahmakund. ‘Har‘ means ‘Lord Shiva‘, ‘Ki‘ means ‘of‘ and ‘Pauri’ means ‘steps.’ Hari Ki Pauri means the steps of Shiva. This is the place from where Ganga enters to mountains from plains.

Places to Visit in Haridwar

Haridwar is an ancient city and important Hindu pilgrimage site in North India's Uttarakhand state, where the River Ganges exits the Himalayan foothills. The largest of several sacred ghats (bathing steps), Har Ki Pauri hosts a nightly Ganga Aarti (river-worshipping ceremony) in which tiny flickering lamps are floated off the steps. Worshipers fill the city during major festivals including the annual Kanwar Mela.