Lest we forget the 19 th Century 's Great and Devout Donor For Haridwar Pilgrims .When I was young , I remember reading an old inscription ( near enclosed Zenana Ghats ) at the upstream end of Har ki Pauri , Haridwar.The inscription was about when in 19 th century authorities imposed a Pilgrim tax of One Anna on every pilgrim visiting the Holy city of Haridwar .This greatly upset a devout wealthy Hindu business man of that time. He vowed to undertake the responsibility on himself of paying the Pilgrim tax of all pilgrims and for all times to come .So , he paid a sum of Rs. One Lakh ( a princely sum then ) in return for a promise that never again would any tax be imposed on the Pilgrims visiting Haridwar.It seems the ever voracious tax collecting authorities ( not sparing even pilgrims and disregarding the solemn promise given to the great Donor ) deliberately first, shifted the inscription plate to a secluded place away from public gaze and then may have removed it altogether
