TRAVELMAN INDIA: Travelman visits the place The Beatles studied Transcendental Meditation in India

On the morning of Holi, I took a walk down the road to the Beatles Ashram. That’s what the compound is referred to as now- Even though Donavan also stayed there, they don’t call it the Donavan Ashram because he wasn’t as cool as The Beatles. February was the fiftieth anniversary of their arrival at the ashram to study Transcendental Meditation with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. I’m a big Beatles fan, so I think it’s pretty freaking cool.

The place was abandoned years ago. People continued to visit the ruins because of The Beatles history with it, so they started charging 600 rupees to enter. They also have a tiger sanctuary there. ....I didn’t pay. Sshhhh! Keep that on the down low, just between you and me.

When I arrived at the official entrance, a sign hanging on the gate informed me that it was closed for Holi. Being that it’s just an abandoned complex and easy to enter from various points, and being that it was my last opportunity to visit the Ashram before leaving town, I put on my Travelman cape and got it done.

A dried up river bed ran alongside where it was supposed to be a few hundred yards beyond the gate. I walked up the rocky path wondering if the river flowed fifty years ago. When I thought I was near the back of the complex I cut through some woods for a few hundred feet and came upon a crumbling brick wall. This must be the place!

Indeed, it was. I even happened upon the Beatles living quarters first. It was kismet....

I can only assume that these quarters have been perfectly preserved to just as they were fifty years ago...

Just think, Paul McCartney could have written a song in this very room....

Imagine, John could have taken a dookie in this toilet and stunk up the bathroom right before Ringo was about to take a relaxing bath...

The Beatles quarters were up in the back corner of the complex. I read on Wikipedia that the Mararishi made a bunch of upgrades to just their rooms to make sure they were comfortable... because they were the Beatles!

A view of Rishikesh from the other side of the compound...

The next place I stumbled upon was a creepy meditation complex...

The building was part above, part underground.

Main entrance...

The first of many fantastic murals/graffiti painted on the walls of the buildings (Strangely, the Beatles quarters were clean of any murals or graffiti. I would think people would choose to do most of their paintings where they slept?)

So each chamber was supposed to represent a specific yoga asana? I wonder if they were assigned chambers by the Maharishi every morning.... The Maharishi lines them up and says, “Ok, Paul? You’re Balasana today.”

Paul- “Yes!”

Maharishi- “George, Gomukasana.”

George- “Oh, my sweet lord! My favorite!”

Maharishi- “John, Virabhadrasana.”

John- “I can imagine I’ll be traveling across the universe today, for sure.”

Maharishi- ”...Ringo? Downward Dog.”

Ringo- “Ohhh shucks, I always get downward dog. How ‘bout Bhungasana today? Huh, whatta’ say Yogi?”

Maharishi- “...No. Downward Dog.”

Ringo goes all hang dog, “Ohhh. Stupid transcentdental meditation! I’d rather be in an octopuss’s garden.”

Anyways, I think Downward Dog is the fourth chamber on the left, not sure though....

Not all the chambers had shelves and power...

In the next post I’ll share pics of the gathering hall where they celebrated George’s birthday and sang songs.

P.S. If any Indian authorities are reading this, I’m totally making up the part about sneaking in on Holi. I’m a storyteller, I am. Teller of tall tales not always true. Ahem...

!steemitworldmap 30.1098 lat 78.3122 long .A trip to where the Beatles stayed with the Marahishi in Rishikesh India, d3scr