History of Rishikesh
Rishikesh is a sanctified town for Hindus in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India. The place obtains its name after Lord Vishnu who emerged here, after Raibhya Rishi’s tapasya, as Lord Rishikesh. In the Skanda Purana, this region is recognized as Kubjamrak as Lord Vishnu emerged here beneath a mango tree. The mythologies state that Lord Rama made reparation at this point for killing Ravana, the fiend king of Lanka; and Lakshmana, his younger brother, annoyed the river Ganga, where the present Lakshman Jhula overpass is situated at the moment. This hanging bridge uses a jute cable viaduct.
The Kedar Khand of Skanda Purana also states the presence of Indrakund at this end. The jute-rope viaduct restored by an iron rope suspension bridge in 1889 and after it rinsed away in the 1924 torrents, it restored by a stronger present-day bridge. There is a motivating legend about this place. Even today, the western bank of the bridge has a Lakshmana temple, and transversely it has a temple devoted to Lord Rama. Also close by is a holy place devoted to another brother of Rama, Bharata.
