Finding
Yourself in Rishikesh
We’ve
talked before about the cultural and spiritual significance of the Ganges
River. Now let’s find out more about
Rishikesh, a favoured destination for people with interests ranging from yoga
and meditation to rafting and adventure.
Rishikesh
is one of the names of the god Vishnu and roughly translates into “lord of the
senses”. In the Ramayana, the great epic
saga of ancient India, Lord Rama came to Rishikesh to atone for having killed
the demon king Ravana. Who, by the way,
had kidnapped Sita, Rama’s wife, and attempted to seduce her. Despite having killed the villain, Rama had
to seek the gods’ forgiveness, so off to Rishikesh he went, meditating on his
actions and bathing in the holy waters of the Ganges.
And why did
he choose Rishikesh? Because meditating
there helps bring you closer to moksha
or the liberation from the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Not only is Rishikesh on the banks of the
Ganges River, at the point where it leaves the mountains, it is also the starting
point for pilgrims travelling to Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri. These four sites constitute one of Hinduism's
most spiritual and auspicious pilgrimage circuits and every devout Hindu should visit them at least once.
Lord Rama’s association with Rishikesh
is celebrated by the town in countless ways – for example, the famous Ram Jhula
and Lakshman Jhula Bridges. Lakshman Jhula (see photo) is close to the point
where you leave the river if you raft down to Rishikesh from Himalayan River
Runners’ Ganga Base Camp. These days the bridge is made of solid iron but
legend says that Rama’s younger brother Lakshmana crossed the Ganges on a
flimsy jute rope at this very point.
Lakshman Jhula affords spectacular views
of the river and the huge storied temples of Swarg Niwas and Shri
Trayanbakshawar. If you stop to look and take photos, make sure you are not
carrying any food or the resident monkeys will harass you!
The
Beatles in Rishikesh
Some of us
from a certain generation first heard of Rishikesh in the late 1960s when The
Beatles visited the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. As with everything else The Beatles did,
meditation became all the rage and several other artists and musicians followed
in their footsteps.
The Beatles
composed nearly 48 songs during their stay in Rishikesh – an amazing
achievement considering they were only there for a month or two – and many of
these ended up on their double album “White Album”.
Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi’s ashram is now deserted. Its stone meditation huts, halls and shrines have
been reclaimed by the jungle. But you’ll find many other ashrams,
Ayurvedic centres and yoga retreats in tranquil settings around Rishikesh,
offering classes for tourists as well as for aspiring yoga teachers worldwide.
Whatever
your reasons for visiting Rishikesh, remember that you’ll find only vegetarian
food there and drinking alcohol is frowned upon although not unknown.
Photo: View of Rishikesh across Lakshman Jhula Bridge.
Attributed to Meg and Rahul and obtained from Flickr
Tags: Rishikesh, rafting, Beatles, yoga, meditation, ashram, ashrams,
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Vishnu, Rama, Lakshman Jhula, temples, Swarg Niwas, Shri
Trayanbakshawar, Ganges
River, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Ram Jhula, Ganga