Leaving L.E.: Rishikesh: fast and slow, loud and calm

After a 9 hour train ride with many stops I arrived in Rishikesh - the yoga capital of India. I walked to the main road where I took an autorickshaw to the Tapovan neighborhood (near Laxman Jhula) and checked-in to Divine Lakshmi Ganga Hotel and rested for a couple of hours.

In the train - 3C

In the afternoon I checked out the neighborhood and wanted to cross the suspension bridge - unfortunately Laxman Jhula was closed for reconstruction. Instead I kept on my side of the Ganga and booked river rafting for the next day. Took some convincing not to be looped in with an absolute beginner group. After this was fixed, I walked back through the bazaar to the main road. At VJ’s giardino I sat down for dinner looking out over the Ganga and to Ram Jhula. Food here (bruschetta, pizza, pasta) was fantastic.

Follow the signs to find the Ganga

Walking with the monkeys above

Trayambakeshwar, Om Shiv Pooja bhandar

Dinner view to Ram Jhula from VJ's giardino by the Ganga

The second day in Rishikesh, the river rafting tour picked me up at the hotel and we drove upstream to the starting point. On the way, we passed by the towers for bungee jumping, the great swing and other adrenaline junky favorites. Our rafting guide gave a security briefing: 90% Hindi, 10% English. Thanks for the Iceland experience, I remembered the main commands: forward, backward, stop, down.

Ready for the rafting

I was the only foreigner in the boat and off we went through the first rapids. After the speedy and biggest rapids and some swimming beside the raft, we arrived at the midway point where some further people joined us. Downstream we came across some more but less difficult rapids and got another swimming session in.

survived the first rapids

End point for our tour

Soon after, we arrived at the pick up point where we waited a long time till our car came. Lots of other rafts arrived and left while we waited. There was also a funeral taking place - the body wrapped in white clothes was placed on top of a funeral pyre by the Ganga and soon the last rites were performed and the fire was lighted.

Back in the hotel I got the Patra Potli massage I booked and rested afterwards.

Spa

After a late lunch I walked down to Ram Jhula and crossed the suspension bridge. On the other side I explored the ashrams, temples and the river bank.

Ram Jula

One of the many active ashrams in Rishikesh - Parmarth Niketan Ashram is close to Ram Jhula and the Ganga and therefore attracts a lot of people.

Parmarth Niketan Ashram

Ashram schedule

On Saturday morning, I joined a two hour yoga class in Tapovan with yoga teacher Mitrathanks to Zahara who shared the info with me after our dinner the evening before. Despite haven't done any yoga for some time, I could follow the class without problems.

Yoga class

Look for the boards to find a yoga class

The rest of the day, I spent souvenir shopping and in the afternoon headed towards the Beatles Ashram aka Chaurasi Kutia. The ashram was founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in the 1960s and in 1968 The Beatles spent two months here to learn about Transcendental Meditation. They wrote a lot of songs in this period - many of them making it to the "White Album".

The Beatles & Maharishi image in the Satsang Hall

Abandoned after the 1970s, the meditation caves, living quarters, bungalows and other structures were prone to the forces of the jungle which took over the place. In 2015, the place opened as a tourist sight and attracts a lot of Beatles devotees.