Awesome Rishikesh

Namaste and welcome to explore rishikesh blog.


About This blog

The blog has been created to help those who are planning to visit Rishikesh, India and looking for information on accommodation in an Aashram there.

About Rishikesh

Rishikesh is a beautiful small city in the state of Uttrakhand, India. It is surrounded by Shivalik range of hills of himalayas from three side and is the place where Holy Ganga comes down from Himalaya. River flows though middle of Rishikesh dividing it into two parts. One part comes under the Tihri District and other one comes under Pauri District. Main city of Rishikesh falls under the Tihri District part. All comercial establishments of Rishikesh are basically in this part be it markets, restaurants, hotels, petrol pumps, railway station, bus station, Tours & Travel Operators etc. However, some famous /charitable places like Trivani Ghat, one of the famous Ghats of Ganag in Rishikesh, "Muni ke Reti" and few Dharamshalas are also on main city side. The Other part of Rishikesh which falls under Pauri District is called "SWARGAASHRAM". This side of Rishikesh mainly consists of Aashrams, Meditation & Yoga Centers, Temples, Ghats, Charitable Hospital, small market etc.The two sides of Rishikesh are connected by two hanging bridges over Ganga called "LAKSHMAN JHULA" & "RAM JHULA". 

Sight Scene in Rishikesh 

Some of the famous places /sight scenes in Rishikesh are as follows:

• Triveni Ghat
• Bharat mandir
• Rishi Kund
• Lakshman Jhula
• Ram Jhula
• Neelkanth Mahadev
• Tera Manzil Temple
•  Lakshman Temple
• Vashishta gufa
• Kanjapuri devi temple
• Kaudiyala (For Camping & rafting)
  

The list is not exhaustive. There are many good websites which provide detailed information on Rishikesh Sight Scenes, Places to visit, Things to do, Where to dine etc.  One such website is Government of Uttrakhand official website http://www.gmvnl.com/. With little google search you can find plenty of information on Rishikesh, We are not replicating the same here. Photos of some of the above mentioned places are available at following link:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vanprastha-Ashram-RISHIKESH/583098438375889?rf=197237060407611 

Accommodations in Swargaashram side:

In Swargaashram there is mainly one narrow road, one side of which is Ganga and Ghats and other side are Aashrams, temples Meditation & Yoga Centres. Allmost all ashrams provide accommodation. However, there are very few aasharams like Parmarth Niketan, Vanprasth Aasharam and Geeta Bhawan where you can book accommodation in advance over phone or via email. In rest of the ashrams there is no advance booking facility. They do not even provide phone number for accommodation inquiry. One has to walkin to the aashram and check availability of accommodation. If rooms are available aashrams generally do provide accommodation to visitors. Room rents range from free to Rs. 2000/= per day AC cottage. Aashrams charge room rents as donations to aashrams. All aashrams have Rules & Regulations and are almost similar to the one as listed on Parmarth Niketan website (http://www.parmarth.com/ta_guidelines.php). Guests are expected to abide by their Rules & Regulations. It is highly recommended to check all rules and regulation of aashram while selecting an aashram for stay and abide by them during the stay at aashram. Contact details of some of the famous aashrams in swargaashram are as follows:

1. Geeta Bhawan
1. Website : http://www.gitapress.org/gita_bhawan.htm
2. Phone: +91-135-2430122, 2432792
3. email: Not Available
4. Number of Rooms: Approx 1000 spanning over five complexes in swargashram
5. Room Types: Ordinary Rooms with common Bathroom, Ordinary Rooms with attached bathroom
6. Room Rent: Nil. However, donations are accepted. Visitors may offer donations at their will.  
7. Canteen : Yes
8. Advance booking: Yes (Over Phone).   
2. Parmarth Niketan
1.  Website : http://www.parmarth.com
2. Phone: +91-135-2434301, 2434302
3. email: reservations@parmarth.com
4. Room Types: Ranging from Ordinary Room, Air Coolered double bedded with attached bathroom, AC Room double bedded with attached bathroom.
5. Room Rent:  Range from Rs 300 to 1200 depending upon room. Room Rents are charged as minimum donation to aashram 
6. Canteen: Yes
7. Advance booking: Yes (via email)
8. Programs: Morning Prayer, YogaClass, Evening Ganga Aarti etc.
   
   
9. Special Mention: Evening Ganga Aarti & General Yoga Classes 

                                     

                                               

1. Vanprasth Aashram 
1. Website: Not Available. This aashram is owned and operated by BABA KALI           KAMLIWALA Trust:  having Head Office at 4, B.B.D. Bagh-East, (Stephin House) Room No 7, 1 Talla Kolkata-700001. Ph: (033)-32006701, Fax: (033) 30280795. 
2. Phone:+91-135-2430811
3. Room Type: Ranging From Ordinary rooms to Two/Four Bedded Non-AC, Two/Four Bedded AC and cottages.
4. Room Rent: Charged as minimum donation to aashram. It ranges from Rs. 100 to Rs. 2000 depending upon Room/Cottage.
5. Advance booking: Yes. Booking for April-May-June & October months is done by Head Office on above mentioned phone number at Kolkata. For rest of the months booking is done by Vanprasth Aashram Rishikesh. Keep in mind that in Vanprasth Aashram Accomodation is booked for minimum three days. It means even you stay for one day you will be charged for three days.  
6. Canteen: Yes. In our opinion it is one of the best canteen in the area. In fact we stayed in some other Aashram but had lunch and dinner in this canteen.To ensure that you get meal, book your token by 1100 hrs for Lunch and 1800 hrs for dinner. 
7. Special Mention:
1. As compared to other aashrams in the area, it is newly built. Infrastructure and Ambience is very good. 
   
2. Meal Provided in their canteen is very good.
3. Baba Kali Kamliwala Panchsyst Kshetra, Rishikesh also runs Four other Dharamshalas in Rishikesh:
• Todi Dharamshala (BABA KALI KAMLIWALA), Near Trivani Ghat, Ph: +91-135-2430177, Mo: 7669315680
• Gaddi Dharamshala (BABA KALI KAMLIWALA), Kshetra Road, Ph: +91-135-2430006, Fax: +91-135-2431216
• New Building Dharamshala (BABA KALI KAMLIWALA), Lakshman Jhula Road, Goal Market. Mo:8006246600
• BABA KALI KAMLI Dharamshala, Lakshman Chowk, Near Lakshman Jhula, Mo: 9412146613 
2. Shri Ved Niketan Dham
1. Website: http://www.vedniketan.org
2. Phone: +91-135-2430279, 2440279 Mo: 9412333804, 9557975541
3. email: vedniketan@gmail.com, omkar.vedniketan@gmail.com
4. Room Type: Double Bedded Room
5. Room Rent: Charged as minimum donation to aashram @300 Rs.
6. Advance Booking: No
7. Special Mention: Free as well as paid Yoga Classe
3. Some more ashrams in swargashram.

               Following ashrams do not book accommodation in advance. One has to walkin to the aashram and check availability of room.

1. Darshan Swargashram, Near Chotiwala, Near Ram Jhula Swargashram
2. Akash Ganga, Near Ram Jhula Swargashram
3. Ganga Niwas Near Ram Jhula Swargashram
4. Lakshmi Narayan, Near Geeta Bhawan 

Accommodation In Dharamshala at Rishikesh City Side:

In this part of Rishikesh there are mainly Dhramshalas rather than ashrams, contact details of some of which are as follows: 

1. Shri Jai Ram Ann Khestra Trust, Triveni Ghat, Rishikesh
1. Phone: +91-135-2430065, 2430021
2. Fax:+91-135-2430065
3. Room Rent: Rs. 400 
2. Omkarananda ganga-Mata mandir Dharamshala, Triveni Ghat, Rishikesh
1. Phone: +91-135-2432660, 2436317
2. Mob:9319950355
3. email:omkara@vsnl.com
4. Room Type: Double bedded
5. Room Rent: Rs 300-500 depending upon room
3. Todi Dharamshala (BABA KALI KAMLIWALA), Near Trivani Ghat, 
1. Ph: +91-135-2430177, 
2. Mo: 7669315680
4. Agarwal Dharamshala, Railway Station Road, Near Trivani Ghat Market. 

More Ashrams In Rishikesh

Details of some more Ashrams in Rishikesh can be found at following link:

• http://goindia.about.com/od/spiritualplaces/tp/Top-10-Rishikesh-Ashrams.htm

Accommodation at GMVN Hotels, A Government of Uttrakhand Tourisum operated hotels

There are Three Hotels Run by GMVN (Garhwal, Mandal Vikas Nigam Ltd) in Rishikesh. Accommodation can be booked from GMVN official website: www.gmvnl.com. Hotels are:

1. Rishilok, Muni ke Reti, Rishikesh
1. It is a Budget hotel of GMVN and is situated 50 mts off the Main Road.  Major Sight Scene Locations are with in 1 to 2 Kilometers from Rishilok One can get plenty of Auto/ Taxis. It has Good Garden and a canteen. Rooms are as per good budget hotel. Details of rooms are available at http://www.gmvnl.com/newgmvn/trh.asp?id=47  
2. Ganga Resort TRH
1. It is a premium Hotel and situated at the bank of Ganga. 
3. Bharat Bhoomi
1. It is located on Haridwar-Rishikesh highway and is little bit far away from famous sight scene locations.
2. Phone: +91-135-2433002
3. Room Details: http://www.gmvnl.com/newgmvn/trh.asp?id=56
4. You may find feedback of the hotel at http://www.fiftyplustravels.com/?p=3192 

Some Good Places to dine

1. Swargashram side:
1. Vanprasth Ashram Canteen (Ahaar Sthal)
2. Geeta Bhawan Misthan Bhandar
3. Chotiwala
2. Main City side

1. Rajasthan Misthan, Near Triveni Ghat Market on the Main road towards Ram Jhula
2. Papu Lassi, Near Triveni Ghat (Only Lassi)
3. Native Taste Restaurant, Kailash Gate, Muni-ke-Reti (opp State bank of India) Ph: 0135-2432396
4. Chotiwala at Ram Jhula Taxi Stand

Some Good Resources for more Information

• GMVNL Website: http://www.gmvnl.com
• eUttaranchal Website: http://www.euttaranchal.com/
• Please Note eUttranchal.com is NOT associated with Uttrakhad Tourism Board or GMVN

Disclaimer:

      All information posted at this blog is is true and correct to the best of the knowledge of the author. All information provided on and taken from this blog is at reader's own risk. They are reading this blog of their own free will. Under no circumstances will author be liable for any loss or damage (including without limitation indirect or consequential loss or damage) or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of or in connection with the use of this blog. Author cannot be held responsible for any offence taken due to translation, interpretation or mistakes in grammar and/or punctuation of this blog’s content. The opinion expressed in the blog are his own without any commercial intent.