The next afternoon was a drive down from the mountains followed by a c. 3h train journey to Haridwar, an ancient city on the banks of the Ganges River and an important Hindu pilgrimage site.
Despite old pictures of people clinging to the roof of trains in India, the reality – as usual – is vastly different. Train travel in India is a very good way to go. It’s safe and easy and overnight trains are fun IMO. The stations are well-signed and easy to use and porters are present in large numbers to carry bags up steps and even find your carriage and seat, lead you to it and drop your bag – or heft it into the overhead racks.
The area around Haridwar is where the Ganges emerges onto the plains at the base of the Himalayan foothills and it has deep Hindu religious significance. There are numerous ashrams (Hindu hermitage or retreat, typically for spiritual instruction and meditation) throughout the area.
The huge Shanti Kunj ashram at Haridwar is essentially a self-contained town, with vast accommodation, teaching rooms for all sorts of things, prayer halls and food halls.
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