RISHIKESH
The main public ghat and Rishikesh's largest evening aarti — arrive 30 min early for a riverside spot. Keep bags zipped and phones in front pockets; it's the most crowded single gathering point in town at dusk.
Triveni Ghat takes its name from the mythical confluence ('tri-veni') of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati rivers believed to meet at this spot, and it is referenced in both the Ramayana and Mahabharata. According to legend, Lord Rama came here to bathe and atone for 'Brahmahatya,' the sin of killing the Brahmin-born demon king Ravana, after the events of the Ramayana. It is also said Lord Krishna performed penance here to cleanse himself of the sins of the Kurukshetra war after being fatally wounded by the hunter Jara nearby. Today it remains Rishikesh's largest and most important ghat for ritual bathing and the daily evening Ganga Aarti.
