Malviya Dwip & Clock Tower
Haridwar, Uttarakhand · riverfront
- Days OpenOpen daily
- Entry FeeFree Entry
Malviya Dwip is the small, boat-shaped island that sits mid-stream in the Ganga Canal directly facing Har Ki Pauri, the most sacred bathing ghat in Haridwar. The island is named in honour of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the educationist and founder of Banaras Hindu University, and it functions as a kind of natural amphitheatre for the ghat's ritual life: pilgrims gather on its steps and open terraces, bathe from its riverside stairs, and — most famously — turn toward the far bank each evening to watch the Ganga Aarti unfold in a wall of lamplight and sound. Because it stands slightly apart from the densely packed main ghat, the island offers one of the clearest, least-jostled sightlines onto the aarti, which is why photographers and first-time visitors so often gravitate here.
Where to Eat Nearby
- ✦Mohan Ji Puri Wale (near Bara Bazaar / Har Ki Pauri) — long-standing pure-vegetarian spot reported for aloo-puri, kachori and jalebi; confirm the current outlet locally.
- ✦Long-standing pure-vegetarian thali houses and bhojanalayas along Upper Road — North Indian thalis, chole-bhature and simple meals; names and locations shift, so verify on arrival.
- ✦Mathura Wale Pedewale and other sweet counters in Bara Bazaar — pure-vegetarian pedas, rabri and mithai for pilgrims.
- ✦Juice and chaat stalls around the ghat approach — pure-vegetarian by the city's custom; choose busy, freshly cooked counters.
About
Malviya Dwip is the small, boat-shaped island that sits mid-stream in the Ganga Canal directly facing Har Ki Pauri, the most sacred bathing ghat in Haridwar.
- The island is named in honour of Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the educationist and founder of Banaras Hindu University, and it functions as a kind of natural amphitheatre for the ghat's ritual life: pilgrims gather on its steps and open terraces, bathe from its riverside stairs, and — most famously — turn toward the far bank each evening to watch the Ganga Aarti unfold in a wall of lamplight and sound.
- Because it stands slightly apart from the densely packed main ghat, the island offers one of the clearest, least-jostled sightlines onto the aarti, which is why photographers and first-time visitors so often gravitate here.
- Crowning the island is Haridwar's landmark Clock Tower, popularly called the Ghanta Ghar or the Birla Tower.
- Completed in 1938 and funded by the industrialist Birla family, the freestanding tower rises roughly 20 metres (about 66 feet) as a square, turret-like shaft with a clock face on each of its four sides — Roman numerals marking the hours and simple dots marking the minutes.
- Visible from across the ghats, it has become a defining silhouette of Har Ki Pauri, appearing in countless images of the riverfront and serving as an easy orientation point in the crowded pilgrim quarter.
- The island is reached from the ghat side by footbridges spanning the canal, and it grows extremely busy in the hour before the evening aarti (generally around sunset) and again at dawn, when the morning aarti and ritual bathing draw the faithful.
- During the Kumbh and Ardh Kumbh melas the surrounding ghats swell to enormous crowds, and the island becomes a key vantage and gathering space.
- There is no entry ticket; the space is a public riverfront that is part of the living devotional landscape of the city.
- Haridwar is a strictly vegetarian and alcohol-free pilgrimage city, so eating around Malviya Dwip is straightforward and entirely meat-free.
- The lanes fanning out from Har Ki Pauri — Bara Bazaar and the Upper Road stretch — are lined with pure-vegetarian sweet shops, chaat counters and thali houses serving kachori-sabzi, aloo puri, jalebi and the famous local Mathura pedas and rabri.
- Visitors should treat the island respectfully as an active religious space: dress modestly, keep footwear off the bathing steps, avoid littering or wading where rituals are underway, and be mindful of strong currents in the canal.
Timings & Entry Fee
Verified: August 2026
Location & How to Reach
Address
Malviya Dwip, mid-river island facing Har Ki Pauri, Ganga Canal, Haridwar, Haridwar, Uttarakhand, 249401
How to Reach: In the heart of Har Ki Pauri, reached by the footbridges over the Ganga Canal. From Haridwar Junction railway station it is about 2 km — a cycle-rickshaw or auto-rickshaw costs roughly ₹40–70 (10–15 minutes), and many pilgrims simply walk. Vehicles are kept well back from the ghat, so the final approach is always on foot through Bara Bazaar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Malviya Dwip in Haridwar?
Malviya Dwip is the small, boat-shaped island in the Ganga Canal directly facing Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar's holiest bathing ghat. Named after Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, it serves as a natural viewing terrace where pilgrims gather to bathe and to watch the evening Ganga Aarti, and it is crowned by the landmark Clock Tower.
When was the Haridwar Clock Tower built and how tall is it?
The Clock Tower — locally called the Ghanta Ghar or Birla Tower — was completed in 1938 with funding from the Birla family. It stands roughly 20 metres (about 66 feet) high as a square, four-sided tower with a clock face on each side, using Roman numerals for the hours.
Is there an entry fee to visit Malviya Dwip and the Clock Tower?
No. Malviya Dwip is an open, public riverfront that is part of the living Har Ki Pauri ghat complex, so there is no entry ticket. You reach it on foot across the footbridges over the canal.
What is the best time to visit for the Ganga Aarti?
Arrive at least 30–45 minutes before sunset to find a spot for the evening Ganga Aarti, generally held around 6:00–7:00 PM (it shifts with the season). A dawn visit for the morning aarti, reported around 5:30–6:30 AM, is quieter and equally moving. Confirm exact timings locally.
Where can I eat vegetarian food near Malviya Dwip?
Haridwar is a strictly vegetarian and alcohol-free city, so everything around Har Ki Pauri is meat-free. The Bara Bazaar and Upper Road lanes have pure-vegetarian sweet shops, chaat counters and thali houses serving kachori-sabzi, aloo puri, jalebi, pedas and rabri. Choose busy, freshly cooked stalls.
How do I reach Malviya Dwip from Haridwar railway station?
It is about 2 km from Haridwar Junction. A cycle-rickshaw or auto-rickshaw costs roughly ₹40–70 and takes 10–15 minutes, though many pilgrims simply walk. Vehicles stop short of the ghat, so the last stretch through Bara Bazaar is always on foot.