Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar
The steps of Hari — Haridwar's principal ghat, home of the Brahmakund and the evening Ganga Aarti.
Meaning
Steps of Hari
Hari = Vishnu; pauri = steps
Sacred spot
Brahmakund
The inner bathing area at the heart of the ghat
Daily ritual
Ganga Aarti
Every evening at sunset, year-round
The place
What Har Ki Pauri is
Har Ki Pauri — "the steps of Hari" — is the most important ghat in Haridwar and one of the most famous in India. It sits on the west bank of the Ganga canal channel in the heart of the old city, facing a small island with a clock tower. The name reflects the tradition that a stone in the wall here bears the footprint of Vishnu.
Tradition credits the first ghat here to King Vikramaditya in the 1st century BCE, built in memory of his brother Bhartrihari, who is said to have meditated on this bank. The ghat has been rebuilt and widened several times since, most notably in the 19th and 20th centuries, to cope with the numbers of pilgrims.
Brahmakund
The innermost and most sacred part of Har Ki Pauri is the Brahmakund. In Kumbh tradition, this is the exact place where drops of amrit fell from the pot carried by Garuda after the churning of the ocean — which is why bathing here on an Amrit Snan day is considered so powerful, and why the akhadas' processions converge on this spot.
The layout
The ghat is a long run of stone steps down into the fast canal water, with chains and railings for bathers to hold. Opposite it, the island (reached by footbridges) with its clock tower gives the best view of the whole ghat. Next to the main steps are the Asthi Pravah Ghat, where families immerse ashes, and a row of temples and shrines along the bank. Above the town to the west, the ropeway to the Mansa Devi temple starts close by.
The aarti
Watching the evening Ganga Aarti
When
Every evening around sunset, all year. The exact time shifts through the seasons — earlier in winter, later in summer.
Where to watch
The ghat steps themselves fill first. The island opposite and the footbridges give a wider view of the lamps over the water.
Arrive early
Aim to be in place 45–60 minutes before sunset, longer on weekends, festivals and in a Kumbh year.
Float a diya
Leaf-bowl lamps with flowers are sold on the ghat to float on the river after the aarti.
Worth knowing
Morning aarti too
A shorter aarti is also held in the early morning. It draws a fraction of the evening crowd and is the best time to see Har Ki Pauri calmly.
Around the ghat
What is within walking distance
| Place | Approx. distance | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Asthi Pravah Ghat | Adjoining | Ash immersion ghat |
| Clock tower island | Across the footbridge | Best viewpoint for the aarti |
| Vishnu, Subhash & Gau Ghats | Few minutes' walk | Quieter bathing ghats nearby |
| Kushavarta Ghat | ~1 km | Ghat built by Ahilyabai Holkar; shraddha rites |
| Mansa Devi ropeway | Short walk | Cable car up Bilwa Parvat to Mansa Devi temple |
| Bhimgoda Kund | ~1 km north | Sacred tank linked to Bhima |
See every ghat in our Ghats of Haridwar directory.
Getting there
Reaching Har Ki Pauri
| From | Approx. distance | How |
|---|---|---|
| Haridwar Junction station | ~2–3 km | Auto, e-rickshaw or walk |
| Bus stand | ~2–3 km | Auto, e-rickshaw or walk |
| Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun | ~35 km | Cab |
| Rishikesh | ~25 km | Bus, shared auto or cab |
During the Kumbh
Har Ki Pauri is the focal point of the Haridwar Kumbh. Vehicles are stopped well outside the old city and the approach is on foot along one-way routes. On Amrit Snan days, the Brahmakund is reserved for akhada processions for part of the day; pilgrims bathe at the other ghats until it reopens. Check Kumbh Mela Dates for the calendar.
Keep exploring
Continue exploring
All ghats of Haridwar
The full directory, from Kushavarta to Chandi Ghat.
Haridwar overview
The city and how to reach it.
Triveni Sangam
Prayagraj's equivalent — the confluence.
Questions
Frequently asked
The steps (pauri) of Hari, or Vishnu. Tradition says a stone here bears Vishnu's footprint.
Tradition credits King Vikramaditya, in the 1st century BCE, in memory of his brother Bhartrihari. The ghat has been rebuilt and widened several times since.
The most sacred inner area of Har Ki Pauri, where drops of amrit are said to have fallen — the focal point of Kumbh bathing in Haridwar.
Every evening around sunset, so the time changes through the year. A shorter aarti is also held in the early morning.
On the ghat steps if you arrive early, or from the clock tower island and footbridges opposite for a wider view.
It is on the canal channel of the Ganga, diverted at the Bhimgoda barrage just north of the city. The main stream flows separately to the east.