Statues of Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Buddha being sold at a shop in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.

Rishikesh is a small town and a municipal board in Dehradun district in the northern state of Uttarakhand in India. Scenically located where the Holy Ganges River comes down from the Himalayas.

Rishikesh catapulted to Western fame when the Beatles dropped by for a visit to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Ashram. Rishikesh is associated with Lord Rama and Laxman.

The town of Rishikesh lies in the foothills of the Himalayas of the Garhwal region. It is the gateway to the upper Garhwal region and the starting point for the Char Dham pilgrimage (Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath) and an ideal destination not only for pilgrims but also for the people who are interested in adventure, meditation, yoga and other aspects of Hinduism.

Rishikesh, also known as the “Place of Sagas” is a spiritual town situated 24 kms upstream from Haridwar, at the confluence of the Chandrabhaga and Ganga and surrounded by scenic beauty of the hills on three sides. The whole place is considered to be sacred as it is believed that meditation at this place leads to attainment of salvation. There are many temples-some ancient, some new along the river Ganges. The River side is dotted by the ashrams of Sadhus and Sages. Rishikesh represents the site where Vishnu vanquished the demon Madhu.

Rishikesh is a vegetarian city by law, as well as an alcohol-free city. Rishikesh has also banned use of plastics bags by shopkeepers and vendors.

Source : http://www.rishikeshtourism.in/

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