Bharat Mandir Rishikesh

Bharat Mandir is among the revered places in Rishikesh where a large number of tourists as well as pilgrims visit. The holy shrine is believed to be very old and is firmly devoted to Lord Hrishikesh Narayan. The presiding deity inside the Bharat temple is Shaligraam which was positioned by a revered Hindu saint Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya in 789 A.D on the day of Basant Panchami.

Owing to this, the same rituals are followed on every Basant Panchami, starting with a holy bath in Mayakund. There is a big celebration organized to bring the idol back to the Bharat Mandir Rishikesh. Therefore, a number of devotees and travelers attend this festival every year.

Bharat Mandir Legend

Legends say that whoever completes the circumambulation of 108 rounds of Lord Hrishikesh Narayan on Akshaya Tritiya barefoot gets all their wishes fulfilled. Moreover, this worship ceremony is believed to be equal to the Badrinath Dham yatra. Mentions of this shrine are found in Hindu epics and scripts like Vishnu Puran, Shrimad Bhagwat, Narsingh Puran, Mahabharat, and Vaman Puran.

Sacred Trees at Bharat Mandir Rishikesh

People also believe that Lord Buddha once visited the Bharat Temple, and Pandavas also stayed here and worshiped Lord Hrishikesh Narayan. The trees Peepal, Bail, and Vait Vriksh in Bharat Mandir are symbolic of Tridev- Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. This is the reason these trees are considered divine. Visitors can also visit the museum developed here, Bharat Mandir Museum, which exhibits a rich display of pottery, sculptures, and bricks.

How to Reach Bharat Mata Mandir Rishikesh

You can either take an auto or a rickshaw to reach the temple. From Rishikesh Railway Station, it is around 2 km and only 19 km from the Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun. Taxis are available from the airport to Rishikesh.