Our travels started with a flight to Delhi via Kiev, followed by a taxi to Rishikesh where we’ve been staying for the past week.
The drive north from Delhi was about 7 hours and gave me my first introduction to driving in India – e.g. 6 lines of traffic despite only 3 lanes, double overtaking on blind corners, use of the horn as a greeting to other drivers. Cows on the road become more of a feature inside towns, where they are unhurried and unmoved by the traffic. No-one beeps at the cows.
Rishikesh is in the foothills of the Himalayas and sits next to the Ganges (Ganga) where the river is fast flowing. We’re staying in the north of the city in an area spanning both banks called Tapovan, and there are usually a few white water rafting trips visible (also faint screams heard) when crossing either of the two bridges. Cows also use the narrow bridges and have right-of-way, as you’d imagine. Monkey troops hang out on the suspension cables.
Rishikesh is a holy place for Hindus; it’s mentioned in religious texts and today has many temples and ashrams. No meat or alcohol for sale. Long a site of meditation it is the “Yoga Capital of the World” according to Wikipedia – certainly it’s packed with yoga schools. Tapovan in particular is very touristy, though per the above you get a mix of both Indian pilgrims, and foreign and Indian yoga students. Aside from traditional yoga classes there are many other related practices available – ayurveda, reiki, astrology.
As a further example of a related practice, Karolina went to a sound healing session yesterday. “A 90-minute session of deep relaxation through the vibration of various instruments: Himalayan singing bowls, didgeridoo, binaural beats, sound of sitar, recordings of nature and many more.” She found it “purifying and calming”.
This week, aside from general pottering about, we went to a wedding of two teachers from the yoga school Karolina attended last year. Most Indian male attendees were in western dress, unlike the male western attendees. Despite hundreds of guests and a large buffet it was over in a few hours, granted this was the second day of celebrations (we think).
At sunset on Gandhi’s birthday (2nd Oct, a national holiday here) we saw a ritual called Ganga aarti at an ashram (Parmanth Niketan) next to the river.
Yesterday we hiked up a series of waterfalls called Neer Garh a few kms up the road from where we’re staying. Had our first picture request (as in to be in a picture with a local). If you keep walking up the trail beyond the 3rd waterfall you’ll eventually reach a small camping retreat. It has a café – lucky as I had run out of water.
Carol and David On Tour 