Haridwar is a city and municipal corporation in the Haridwar district of Uttarakhand, India. With a population of 228,832 in 2011, it is the second-largest city in the state and the largest in the district.
The city is situated on the right bank of the Ganges river, at the foothills of the Shivalik ranges. Haridwar is regarded as a holy place for Hindus, hosting important religious events and serving as a gateway to several prominent places of worship. Most significant of the events is the Kumbha Mela, which is celebrated every 12 years in Haridwar. During the Haridwar Kumbh Mela, millions of pilgrims, devotees, and tourists congregate in Haridwar to perform ritualistic bathing on the banks of the Ganges to wash away their sins to attain moksha.
According to Puranic legend, Haridwar, along with Ujjain, Nashik and Prayagraj, is one of four sites where drops of amrita, the elixir of immortality, accidentally spilled over from a kumbha while being carried by the celestial bird Garuda during the samudra manthan, or churning of the ocean of milk. Brahma Kund, the spot where the amrita fell, is located at Har ki Pauri and is considered to be the most sacred ghat of Haridwar.