Rishikesh or Hrishikesh is a municipal corporation and tehsil of the Dehradun district of the Indian state Uttarakhand. It is situated on the right bank of the Ganges river and is a pilgrimage town for Hindus associated with famous sages and yogis. There are numerous temples and ashrams built along the banks of the river. Nicknamed the "Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas", Rishikesh is a vegetarian-only and alcohol-free city. The city has hosted the International Yoga Festival annually on the first week of March since 1999, giving it the nickname of Yoga Capital of the World.
Rishikesh is the starting point for travelling to the four Char Dham pilgrimage places: Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. It is also a starting point for Himalayan tourist destinations such as Harsil, Chopta, Auli, as well as summer and winter trekking destinations like Dodital, Dayara Bugyal, Kedarkantha and Har Ki Dun.
In September 2015, Indian Minister of Tourism Mahesh Sharma announced that Rishikesh and Haridwar would be the first "twin national heritage cities". As of 2021, Rishikesh has a total population of 322,825 including the city and its 93 surrounding villages.
The city is governed by Rishikesh Municipal Corporation and tehsil.
Etymology IAST: "" () is a name derived from Vishnu, composed of hṛṣīka meaning 'senses' and īśa meaning 'lord' for a combined meaning as 'Lord of the Senses'. The name commemorates an apparition of Vishnu to Raibhya Rishi,Glossary of terms in Hinduism#R as a result of his tapasya (austerities), as Hrishikesha. In the Skanda Purana, this area is known as Kubjāmraka (), as Vishnu appeared under a mango tree.
History Rishikesh was part of the legendary "Kedarkhand" mentioned in the Skanda Purana. Legends state that Rama did penance here for killing Ravana, the asura king of Lanka. Lakshmana, Rama's younger brother, crossed the Ganges using two jute ropes at the point where the present Lakshman Jhula () suspension bridge stands today. The 248-foot long iron-rope suspension bridge built in 1889 was washed away by flooding in 1924. In 1927, it was replaced by another, stronger bridge built by the United Provinces Public Works Department, connecting the Tapovan, Tehri, and Jonk, Pauri Garhwal districts. Lakshman Jhula collapsed again in 2020. And a much stronger, second in the whole of India, a glass bridge, is being built across the river.
A noted suspension bridge named Ram Jhula was built in 1986 at the nearby Sivananda Nagar.
The Skanda Purana also mentions the site as "Indrakund" where Indra underwent a holy bath to remove a curse.
The Ganges, one of the most sacred rivers to Hindus, flows through Rishikesh in its course from the Shivalik Hills of the Himalayas to the plains of northern India with temples built along the banks Shatrughna Mandir, Bharat Mandir, and Lakshman Mandir are the ancient temples established by Adi Shankaracharya. Shatrughna Temple is near the Ram Jhula suspension bridge, while Lakshman Mandir is situated near the Lakshman Jhula suspension bridge.
The historical records mention that some pilgrims used to stay at Rishikesh, either seeking the site itself or using it as a resting place before moving onwards to the Himalayas.
The Gazetteer of Dehradun, written by Indian Civil Service officer HG Walton, describes the site as "beautifully situated on the right bank of the Ganges, on a high cliff overlooking the river. The place is developing very rapidly, especially since the construction of the new bridge over the Song River, the realignment of the pilgrim road from Raiwala to Rishikesh."
Geography
Rishikesh is at . It has an average elevation of . The town is located in the Tehri Garhwal region of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand.
After flowing 249 km (155.343 mi) through narrow Himalayan valleys, the Ganges emerges at Rishikesh before debouching onto the Gangetic Plain at the pilgrimage town of Haridwar. Despite the pollution of the Ganges, the water in Rishikesh is relatively unaffected, as the major polluting points are down river in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh.
According to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system, its climate is humid subtropical (Cwa). The average maximum temperature is 40 °C (104 °F). The average minimum temperature is 7 °C. The wettest month is July with the highest rainfall of 444 mm. The driest month is November with rainfall of 10 mm. Months of May, June, July, and August have the highest UV index of 12, and January and December have the lowest UV index of 4.
Rishikesh has been ranked as the city with a population under 300,000 with the 31st cleanest air in India under the National Clean Air Programme.
Civic administration The Rishikesh Municipal Corporation has administered the city's 40 wards since the 2018 incorporation of the urban local body. Each ward had between 2,300 and 3,000 residents during the 2018 assessment. Rishikesh belongs to the Haridwar Lok Sabha constituency. The first an mayor of the corporation is Anita Mamgain and the current mayor is Sambhu Paswan. The current Municipal Commissioner, commonly known as Nagar Aayukt locally, is Narendra Singh.
Demographics
As per provisional data of 2011 census, Rishikesh had a population of 102,138, out of which males were 54,466 (53%) and females were 47,672 (47%). The literacy rate was 86.86% compared to the national average of 74.04%.
+ Rishikesh Tehsil (Rural+Urban) Mother-tongue of population, according to the 2011 Indian Census. Rank Mother Tongue Speakers Percentage of total population 1 Hindi 134,203 51.56% 2 Garhwali 90,008 34.58% 3 Punjabi 10,021 3.85% 4 Bhojpuri 7,296 2.80% 5 Nepali 6,819 2.62% 6 Bengali 3,554 1.37% 7 Urdu 2,028 0.78% 8 Kumaoni 1,722 0.66% Others 4,582 1.76% Total 260,233 100%
Culture
Cuisine The cuisine of Rishikesh is all-vegetarian. Since 1956, the sale of meat, fish, and eggs has been banned in Rishikesh. In 2004, the Supreme Court upheld the ban on eggs. Traditional food in Rishkesh is Garhwali cuisine with common dishes including daal, gahat, and phaanu. Lentils, legumes, millet, barley, buckwheat, and vegetables are the primary ingredients. Only select spices are used. Mustard oil is the common cooking oil. Restaurant thali and street vendors selling samosas and chaat are common.
Environment and ecology
Biodiversity and protected areas Rishikesh is situated at the foot of the Shivalik Range and serves as a significant ecological buffer zone. Large parts of the city's periphery border Rajaji National Park, a designated tiger reserve and a major habitat for the Asian elephant. The surrounding mixed deciduous forests are rich in medicinal plants and provide a habitat for diverse avian species, making the region a prominent center for eco-tourism and birdwatching. Sanjay Jheel, a freshwater lake in the Ganga Nagar area, is a natural freshwater lake and the primary hydrological source of the Rambha River (also known as the Kala Pani). Situated within the Barkot Forest Range of the Eastern Doon Forest Division. The jheel creates a critical groundwater recharge zone and a riparian habitat for diverse avian species.
Ecological Projects Rishikesh has seen many sanitation infrastructure projects under the Namami Gange Mission. To mitigate the direct discharge of municipal sewage into the Ganges, the city operates several facilities, including a 26 MLD (Million Litres per Day) Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Lakkad Ghat and a 7.5 MLD plant at Muni ki Reti. These facilities utilize Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) and Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) technologies to achieve higher purity standards than conventional methods. However, the efficacy of these systems remains inconsistent due to the high proportion of mixed waste and legacy waste in the urban area, which often overwhelms the treatment capacity during peak tourist seasons.
Complementing these physical interventions is the "Uttarakhand Anti Littering and Anti Spitting Act 2016," which provides a legal framework for the Municipal Corporation to impose fines ranging from ₹200 to ₹5,000. Despite these measures, enforcement has faced challenges with public cooperation and the management of "garbage-vulnerable points" across the city.
Water pollution The Ganges River, which emerges from the Himalayas at Rishikesh, faces significant pollution issues. Despite being relatively unaffected by pollution at its source, the river shows high levels of contamination in the urban stretches of Rishikesh and Haridwar. A study by Doon University found "very high presence of pollutants" in these areas, including anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical compounds.
Air quality Rishikesh also faces significant air quality challenges despite its spiritual and natural significance. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) regularly monitors the city's ambient air quality through the National Air Quality Management Programme (NAMP). The primary pollutant of concern is Particulate Matter (PM10), which consistently exceeded prescribed national standards from 2012 to 2017, while sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide levels remained within limits. Major sources of air pollution for Rishikesh include road dust, vehicular emissions, domestic fuel burning, open waste burning, and construction activities. Rishikesh has implemented several mitigation measures. As of 2018, the city had 3,098 diesel-driven commercial vehicles over 15 years old, with plans to ban such vehicles and increase the number of pollution emission checking centers from 10 to 30. Other efforts include increased surveillance of vehicle pollution levels, implementation of the "Uttarakhand Anti Littering and Anti Spitting Act 2016", and fines for burning municipal waste. Despite these initiatives, Rishikesh continues to struggle with bringing PM10 levels within prescribed limits, indicating the need for more stringent air pollution control strategies.
Waste management The rapid growth in tourism has strained Rishikesh's waste management systems. Inadequate waste disposal and lack of proper recycling facilities have led to the accumulation of non-biodegradable waste in and around the city. There is a big landfill/trenching ground that is situated in the middle of the city in Govindnagar. This landfill site has been a source of environmental concern for various reasons. As per an estimate from 2021, the city generates approximately 1,800 metric tonnes of waste monthly, including 700 tonnes of wet waste, 500 tonnes of dry waste, and 600 tonnes of mixed waste. The high proportion of mixed waste has been causing difficulties in ensuring proper waste segregation at the source. The landfill's central location poses environmental and health risks, potentially contributing to soil and groundwater pollution, as well as attracting disease-carrying pests. Studies in nearby areas have revealed elevated levels of heavy metals in groundwater, making it unsuitable for drinking. The accumulation of legacy waste is a significant issue, prompting the installation of a legacy waste treatment plant at the Govindnagar trenching ground in recent years. While efforts are being made to improve waste management, the landfill's central location remains a major environmental and public health concern for Rishikesh, a city renowned for its spiritual and touristic appeal.
Tourism In the 2021–2022 fiscal year, Rishikesh had the highest revenue per hotel room among Indian tourist leisure destinations with an average of ₹10,042 per night. Only four tourist places in India attract more foreign tourists than Rishikesh. The town is one of the favorites of Israeli tourists, who often come here after completing their mandatory IDF service. dmtn1.com
Yoga "capital"