The Great River 'Ganges' Of India: At 'Rishikesh' & 'Haridwar'

River 'Ganges' (pronounced 'Ganga') is the cradle of many Indian mythologies, so deep in psyche that it is regarded as the most sacred river, part of many rituals of lives of scores of Indians, since time unknown to memory.
From it's Himalayan abode as it enters in the plains of Northern India, it touches:


# Rishikesh (pic 1 & 2):Located in the foothills of Himalayas in Northern India, known as the Gateway to the Himalayas, 25 kilometers north of another holy city Haridwar.
The sacred river Ganges flows through Rishikesh. It is here that the river leaves the Shivalik mountains in the Himalayas & flows out into the plains of northern part.


# Haridwar (pic 3 & 4): It is an important piligrimage city of India. The river Ganges, after flowing 253 kilometers (157 miles) from it's source at 'Gaumukh' at the edge of the 'Gangotri Glacier' enters the India-Gangetic Plains of North India for the first time at Haridwar.

Hill Call

©Anjani Kumar Tripathi/Indian Railways/Ambikapur

Pilkha mountain Ambikapur/Google view

Pilkha mountain Ambikapur/Google view

I got posted to a new place and the first day while driving to my work place on a cold December morning, I was just hemmed in the thought of my lost surroundings and friends.

Suddenly on my right window, I saw an image of misty mountain taking shape gradually. For a while, I saw it was a chain of two or three.....

For a second I felt if I was not alone.

Since then we have grown a link with each other. Every morning they are on my right side, as if assuring me; and evenings when I am back from office, they are on left, as if saying, never mind..never be tired..we are together.

When I plan my journey, they are the first to greet me on the railway station, and when I am back....they cast a heavenly shadow and I feel if I am riding on a toy-train of my childhood.

Note:

Last two pictures of the described place were obtained with the help of 'Google Map'.