I am probably part of the group of millennials who became religious and spiritual during the pandemic. When circumstances seem hopeless and painful, people often seek comfort. For me, it all started with reading Apprentice to a Himalayan Master: Autobiography of a Yogi By spiritual guide and yogi Shri M. during the COVID-19 lockdown. From there, I never looked back and I started developing an interest in learning more about Hinduism, religion and spirituality.

Once the lockdown was eased, I found myself involved in spiritual and religious tourism, often taking my mother along. And, with this came the big question of staying at properties that would be clean, comfortable, safe and give us a memorable experience. Finding good accommodation can often be a challenge due to the huge number of visitors to religious sites. For me, where I live is an integral part of me Travel Experience—I love discovering a great property.

So, when I decided to escape the pollution of Delhi with my senior citizen parents, we decided to go Haridwar, UttarakhandMother Ganga has a special place in my heart, so I wanted to stay in a hotel that had its own private ghat. Taking a dip in the holy Ganga waters was my top priority, but I did not want to do it at a public ghat. After exploring countless options, I came across Devanadi – The Heritage HotelIt wasn’t very expensive and had great reviews.

This 150 year old mansion has been restored into a unique heritage hotel. It has an interesting history – the mansion was originally the summer home of the Queen of Nepal, and was known as Nepali Kothi. Later, it was run by director and filmmaker Ramanand Sagar before being taken over by the current owners.

As you enter the hotel, a pink-coloured courtyard welcomes you, which retains the charm of traditional kothi houses. We arrived before the official check-in time, so we headed straight to the private jetty – and seeing our first glimpse of it was an understatement. The ghat was clean and safe, thoughtfully designed for guests to take a bath in the river. There is also a small changing room for added convenience.

I paid extra for a river view room, and it was absolutely worth it. Mother Ganga was seen in her full glory. The room and bathroom were spacious and well equipped. Without wasting any time, my parents and I took a dip in the Ganga. Having bathing facilities on the hotel’s private jetty was a boon. We could just quickly go back to our room.

Special mention should be made of the staff – they were consistently helpful, gracious and courteous. The hotel also organizes Ganga Aarti in the morning and evening, which is nothing less than a surreal experience.

The property is conveniently located near Har Ki Pauri, and e-rickshaws are readily available to take you around the city. They charged ₹100 to take us to Har Ki Pauri.

The hotel’s restaurant, Satvik, serves vegetarian food that is fresh, tasty and reasonably priced. We were told they don’t use ajinomoto Or MSG in any of their Chinese dishes. A thoughtful touch.

The most magical time to visit Mother Ganga is early morning, when the first rays of sunlight fall on the river. That moment just moves you – just sitting on the balcony and looking at it, meditating on the sound of the river.

As said, the hotel does not have its own parking facility but there is a common parking area ahead where you can park your vehicle.

Would I stay at Devnadi – The Heritage Hotel again? Yes of course!

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