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TIME OUT

Gateway to heaven

Holy dip Spiritualism meets comfort at Haveli Hari Ganga near Har ki Pauri in Hardwar

HAVELI HARI GANGA
Hardwar, Uttarakhand
USP: The only high-end heritage hotel in Hardwar

You can’t be spiritual on an empty stomach. That is something we accept in our collective consciousness when we juxtapose activities like puja (worship) and pet puja (paying homage to the stomach). Maybe that’s why pilgrimage spots these days come equipped with luxury hotels. Take Hardwar. Take its Haveli Hari Ganga. Situated on the bank of the Ganga at Ram Ghat, the little resort, recognised as a heritage site and run by Leisure Hotels, offers both the chance to take a holy dip in the river and to immerse yourself in luxury.

First, the holy dip: The authentic way to do it may be by threading your way through the crowd at Har Ki Pauri — which is about five minutes at a jogging pace from the Haveli — and taking a plunge with hundreds of others at the famous ghats. But if you are a wee bit squeamish, or just like your privacy, the Haveli has its own little Ganga darshan within the premises. Since the building is built right on the river, the water is at a touching distance. We watched it flow by, serene and magnetic. Yes, the Ganga has been polluted and vandalised by a species called humanity, but from this vantage point, it seemed as pure as its heavenly counterpart. Just outside the doorway was the Haveli’s private ghat, about the size of a large balcony, where a railing offered a safe grip from the surging current, and the Haveli’s guests could wash away their sins in relative privacy.

Seeing the Ganga from the luxurious confines of a hotel was one thing. We couldn’t really leave Hardwar without visiting Har Ki Pauri as well. So the next morning found us hurrying towards it before dawn. There, as the wind whipped round us, we got caught up in the current of mass reverence. Doddering old men and women teetered down the steps sideways, stepping gingerly into the water before becoming galvanised, so it seemed, by the touch of the water, and dunking their heads zestfully. Parents carefully laid children’s frocks and shirts aside and fervently dipped the young ones, scrubbing and instructing at the same time.

Both the dawn and dusk artis at Har Ki Pauri are a sight to behold, with innumerable lamps raised in obeisance to the Ganga, the air filled with chiming bells and the same song on everyone’s lips.

Arti over, and mundane thoughts came rushing back, like rivulets over rocky terrain. We sauntered through the delightful market with its galis leading into more galis, and shops stocking everything from plastic buckets to idols for the altar, masala grinders to wooden knickknacks.

One of Hardwar’s specialities, we were told, was puran poli, a fried sweet, delightfully sticky and soft, dripping with ghee and syrup. We even got a basket packed to bring home to the folks in Delhi. Layered with leaves and newspapers, the basket made sure not to leave a telltale sugar trail in its wake.

Back at the Haveli, it was time to relax. Early mornings and physical exercise can be arduous for Delhiites, who need public service appeals to leave the lifts alone and use the stairs instead. The Haveli’s spa was a great option. Beauty care to specific treatment and oil massages that make you feel like royalty are on offer here. The spa is located on the terrace, and once you are done preening, you can take the air with a glass of health juice at the café.

When it was time to leave, the staff summoned cycle rickshaws to take us to the parking lot, a short distance from the Haveli. Back it was to a life of toil and commerce. Back from heaven’s gateway. Back from the lap of luxury at the feet of the Himalayas.

How to get there

Hardwar is accessible by rail and road. Drive from Delhi in about four hours, or take the Shatabdi which takes you to the railhead at Hardwar. There Haveli Hari Ganga’s customised cycle rickshaws will receive you with wet towels and drinking water to refresh you before the five-minute ride to the hotel. Alternatively, take a flight up to Jolly Grant airport (Dehra Dun), from where the car ride to Hardwar is approximately an hour and a quarter.

Tariff

Rs.4000 for a normal room and 5000 for a deluxe room, plus taxes. Room tariffs include breakfast

Things to do

Attend the daily yoga sessions available in the Haveli under the watchful eye of the hotel’s instructor.

Attend the arti at Har Ki Pauri.

Use Hardwar as a stopover en route to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamnotri

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