GET YOUR PEACE ON IN RISHIKESH!

For me Rishikesh has always meant two things: The Beatles & Peace! And what a great combination it is. Which is why I return to Rishikesh time & again to be rejuvenated.If you have never been to Rishikesh, it’s a humble hill-station in Uttarakhand, India. To reach there, one can easily drive from Delhi. The drive will take around 6-7 hours; however the route is beautiful so it makes for a great road trip. Another way to reach is by train to Haridwar & then an hour drive to Rishikesh. It’s best to visit here from October- February, as in summers it gets hotThe Beatles AshramIf you’re a fan of The Beatles, Rishikesh must be on your Bucket-list. The iconic band lived here for quite a while at Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s Ashram to gain spirituality. It’s rumoured that they even wrote their album Whitehere.Here’s a glorious picture on my way to the Ashram, I must say this sign made me jump with joy.Though the Ashram is in ruins now, one can see why they chose this place; in the midst of the forest, the only sound is of The Ganges flowing by. There are many different cave type architectures here, where The Beatles used to meditateDuring my recent visit to Rishikesh, I even found a Beatles Café. It was near the Laxman Jhula, with a glorious view of the Ganges. The menu had their items named after The Bealtes songs. Needless to say, its quite popular with foreigner tourists.The market & the beautiful eveningsThere’s lots to explore in the town as well, there’s a market where you will find anything under the sun; from food items to interesting book stores, street food, restaurants, even a cow or two passing by.Though it is a little crowded in the evenings, there’s a peace in the chaos. As if its perfectly orchestrated. One always feels safe here, apart from the monkeys crawling here and there who might snatch items from your hand.Another great part of Rishikesh are the amazing prayers that happen every evening. I can bet you have never seen Indian prayers like the one in Rishikesh. It’s done by Parmath Niketan Ashram, where they sing many hymns & prayers as you sit by the river & watch the sun colour the Ganges in various hues of pink & orange. It’s absolutely magicalIf you want to have a delicious meal after this, you can sneak into the many German bakeries that have propped up in Rishikesh. It’s an absolute delight!Yoge & Where to StayThe Rishikesh visit is not complete without some Yoga sessions. Usually the resorts have Yoga rooms & in-house Yoga instructors.There are two resorts where we stay at when we visit Rishikesh; Divine Resort & The Rainforest House.For a more authentic experience & to experience Rishikesh truly, I would recommend The Rainforest House. We stayed here once & fell in love with the place. The clean & spacious rooms, a small waterfall flowing right by the room, a great place to do Yoga which transforms into a cozy bonfire place by the evening; this hotel has everything.It’s owned by a great couple who take care of all your needs, if you’re looking for some peace; this is the place to be. Here’s are picture to help you out: