According to Hindu scriptures, Haridwar is one among the four sites where drops of the elixir of immortality, Amrit, accidentally spilled over from the pitcher, in which it was being carried away by the celestial bird Garuda, after the Samudra manthan.[4] These four spots – Ujjain, Haridwar, Nasik, and Allahabad – have today become places, where the Kumbha Mela is celebrated once every 3 years in any of these 4 places and after a period of 12 years, the Maha Kumbha Mela is celebrated every 12th year at Prayag in Allahabad. Millions of pilgrims, devotees, and tourists congregate here from all over the world to celebrate the event. They perform ritualistic bathing on the banks of the river Ganga, which is considered to be the equivalent of washing away one's sins to attain Moksha. The spot where the Amrit fell is considered to be the Brahma Kund at Har ki Pauri (literally, "footsteps of the Lord,"), the most sacred ghat of Haridwar.

The Haridwar district came into existence on 28 December, 1988 as part of Saharanpur Divisional Commissionary,[1] On September 24, 1998 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed the 'Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Bill', 1998' [7], eventually the Parliament also passed the Indian Federal Legislation - 'Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2000', and thus on 9 November 2000,[8] Haridwar became part of the newly formed Uttarakhand (then Uttaranchal), the 27th state in the Republic of India.

Today, the city is developing beyond its religious importance, as a major industrial destination of state, with the fast developing Industrial Estate of State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation (SIDCUL),[9] and the close by township of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited in Ranipur, Uttarakhand and its affiliated ancillaries.