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Haridwar (Pron:ˈhʌrɪˌdwɑ:) also spelled ''Hardwar'' is an ancient city and municipality in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. The River Ganga, after flowing for from its source at Gaumukh at the edge of the Gangotri Glacier, enters the Indo-Gangetic Plains of North India for the first time at Haridwar, which gave the city its ancient name, Gangadwára. Haridwar is regarded as one of the seven holiest places (Sapta Puri) to Hindus. According to the Samudra manthan,〔 Haridwar along with Ujjain, Nashik and Prayag (Allahabad) is one of four sites where drops of Amrit, the elixir of immortality, accidentally spilled over from the pitcher while being carried by the celestial bird Garuda. This is manifested in the Kumbha Mela being celebrated every 3 years in one of the 4 places, and thus every 12 years in Haridwar. Amidst the Kumbha Mela, millions of pilgrims, devotees, and tourists congregate in Haridwar to perform ritualistic bathing on the banks of the river Ganges to wash away their sins to attain Moksha. ''Brahma Kund'', the spot where the Amrit fell, is located at Har ki Pauri (literally, "footsteps of the Lord") and is considered to be the most sacred ghat of Haridwar. Haridwar is the headquarters and the largest city of the district. Today, the city is developing beyond its religious importance, with the fast developing industrial estate of State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand (SIDCUL), and the close by township of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited in Ranipur, Uttarakhand as well as its affiliated ancillaries. ==Etymology== The name of the town has two spellings: ''Hardwar'' and ''Haridwar''. Each of these names has its own connotation. In Sanskrit, ''Hara'' means "Lord Shiva" and ''Dwara'' means "gate" or "gateway".〔(About Haridwar ) sahajaharidwar.〕 Hence, ''Hardwar'' stands for "Gateway to Lord Shiva". Hardwar has been a typical place to start a pilgrim's journey in order to reach Mount Kailash, the eternal abode of Lord Shiva, Kedarnath, the northernmost Jyotirlinga and one of the sites of the smaller ''Char Dham'' pilgrimage circuit and Gaumukh, the source of River Ganga. ''Har ki Pauri'' or ''footsteps of Lord Shiva'' is considered the most sacred site in Hardwar. On the other hand, ''Hari'' means "Lord Vishnu". So, ''Haridwar'' stands for " The Gateway to Lord Vishnu". In order to reach Badrinath, one of the four ''Char Dhams'', with a temple of Lord Vishnu, Haridwar is a typical place to start a pilgrim's journey. Therefore, the name Haridwar. Haridwar is also known as the home of Devi Sati and the palace of her father Daksha. In ancient times, the town was also referred to as ''Gangadwára'' (गंगाद्वार), the place where the Ganges descends to the plains.〔(Gangadwára, the place where the Ganges descends to the plains ... ) Sacrifice to Daksha (From the Vayu Purana.) The Vishnu Purana, translated by Horace Hayman Wilson, 1840. p. 62, 62:2.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Haridwar」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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