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Rishikesh History

Pre-20th-Century History

The town got its name when Raibhya Rishi performed tapasya (austerities) here. Lord Hrishikesh (another name for Lord Vishnu) came before him and granted him darshan. Rishikesh also represents the site where Lord Vishnu vanquished the demon Madhu. The place is known as the Tapo Bhumi or the place for meditation of the Gods. Rishikesh is at the meeting point of the Ganges and Chandrabhaga Rivers. It has been said that Bharata, the brother of Lord Rama, did severe penance here. A temple of Bharata was constructed at this site, and the town of Rishikesh grew up around it.

Every year many people come here in the ashrams to meditate and gain peace of mind. The place is also very famous with foreigners who come to India in search of spiritual quest. Rishikesh is the place where most pilgrims begin their Char Dham pilgrimage of going to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri. In the 1960s, the place came into limelight as the place where the pop group Beatles met their guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Modern History

Recent History