Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar

Har Ki Pauri ('the steps of the Lord') is the principal ghat of Haridwar — the gateway to the holy Garhwal Char Dham circuit and one of the four sites of the Kumbh Mela cycle. The ghat is the place where the Ganga river leaves the mountains and enters the plains, and is consequently considered one of the holiest spots on the river's 2,500-km journey. The footprint of Vishnu is said to be imprinted on the upper bank — hence 'Hari ki Pauri'. The daily Ganga Aarti at sunset (around 18:30 in summer, 17:45 in winter) is the ghat's headline ritual — priests with massive multi-tier brass lamps perform the aarti from a platform on Brahma Kund (the central pool), accompanied by mantras, conches, and bells. Hundreds of leaf-boats with marigold petals and ghee lamps are released into the river at the close. The Kumbh Mela held at Haridwar (every 12 years; last 2021) draws an estimated 30+ million pilgrims over the course of the festival — among the largest gatherings ever recorded.