By- Shrabasti Anindita Mallik

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 hot

The Beatles Ashram

If 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 meditate During 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. There’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 magical. If 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!