09/03/2024
Rishikesh was part of the legendary "Kedarkhand" mentioned in the Skanda Purana.[16]Ā Legends state thatĀ RamaĀ did penance here for killingĀ Ravana, theĀ asuraĀ king ofĀ Lanka.Ā Lakshmana, Rama's younger brother, crossed theĀ GangesĀ using two jute ropes at the point where the presentĀ Lakshman JhulaĀ (ą¤²ą¤ą„ą¤·ą„ą¤®ą¤£ ą¤ą„ला) suspension bridge stands today. Lakshman Jhula also collapsed in 2020. And a much stronger, 2nd in the whole of India, a glass bridge, is being built across the river.Ā [17]Ā The 248-foot long iron-ropeĀ suspension bridgeĀ built in 1889 was washed away by flooding in 1924. In 1927, it was replaced by the current, stronger bridge built by the United Provinces Public Works Department, connecting the Tapovan, Tehri, and Jonk, Pauri Garhwal districts. A noted suspension bridge namedĀ Ram JhulaĀ was built in 1986 at the nearby Sivananda Nagar. TheĀ Skanda PuranaĀ also mentions the site as "Indrakund" where Indra underwent a holy bath to remove a curse.[citation needed]
The Gazeteer of Dehradun, written byĀ Indian Civil ServiceĀ officer HG Walton, describes the site as "beautifully situated on the right bank of the Ganges, on a high cliff overlooking the river. The place is developing very rapidly, especially since the construction of the new bridge over the Song River, the realignment of the pilgrim road from Raiwala to Rishikesh."[18]
TheĀ Ganges, one of the most sacred rivers toĀ Hindus, flows through Rishikesh in its course from theĀ Shivalik HillsĀ of theĀ HimalayasĀ to the plains of northern India with temples built along the banks[3]Ā Shatrughna Mandir, Bharat Mandir, and Lakshman Mandir are the ancient temples established byĀ Adi Shankaracharya. Shatrughna Temple is near the Ram Jhula suspension bridge, while Lakshman Mandir is situated near the Lakshman Jhula suspension bridge.
The historical records mention that someĀ pilgrimsĀ used to stay at Rishikesh, either seeking the site itself or using it as a resting place before moving onwards to the Himalayas.[18]Ā In the transition to a modern tourist town, local markets have evolved from commercializing goods such as local and religious handicrafts to a service-oriented tourist industry with provision stores, cafes, hotels, site