The best Place to visit
Experiencing an Ashram in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.
In hindsight, it seems only fitting that the final stop on my Indian journey (this time at least) was Rishikesh.
I’ve come to realise that part of what draws me back to India is that it is a country full of – and place for – seekers. If India is the land of seekers, Rishikesh is the beating heart and soul of India. Rishikesh is also the Yoga capital of the world.
I mean there’s even a train running between Haridwar (gateway to Rishikesh) and Delhi called the Yoga Express. I don’t recommend you take it though: it takes 4 hours longer than the Shatabdi express trains to plough the same route.
 can be a daunting task. To start with the term “Rishikesh” is usually applied somewhat loosely.
What visitors mean by “Rishikesh” is the area of Laxman Jhula and Tapovan, a few miles north of Rishikesh town itself. Two bridges span the vibrantly emerald Ganges that runs between the cliffs here: the Laxman Jhula Bridge and the Ram Jhula Bridge.
Friends of friends took me to early yoga each morning which set me up for the day and gave me more energy than I had felt in months. (If in doubt… yoga. Really…). One evening I attended the Ganga Aarti (evening Hindu prayer ceremonies) at Parmeth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh. This is the largest and best known Ashram in the area – set on the banks of the holy river. It accommodates up to 2,000 people at any one time. The Ganga Aarti were beautiful if somewhat marred by the many visitors who it seemed had come predominantly to take photos as opposed to soak up the atmosphere and appreciate the rituals.