Tun Ellappa (Yard Worker)

The name "Haridwar" literally translates to "Gateway to Hari" (Vishnu), while its ancient name, "Mayapur," means "Gateway to Shiva." This duality highlights its profound spiritual location. It is one of the four sites where drops of amrita (the nectar of immortality) are believed to have fallen from the pitcher carried by the celestial bird Garuda during the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean), as per Hindu scriptures. This event is commemorated every 12 years with the Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings on Earth, for which Haridwar is one of the four host cities. Therefore, its location is not just a point on a map but is defined by its sacred geography within Hindu cosmology. It is the point where the divine descended to earth.