Rishikesh & Yoga Nikatan Ashram

Rishikesh on the Ganges is a beautiful place, framed by the mountains of the Himalayas.
The place is considered as holy as the water of the Ganges, and many Hindus make a pilgrimage here to bathe in the Ganges. It is the capital of yoga and meditation, so much so that the Beatles were in the ashram here in the seventies and the place is very popular with international tourists. My journey was a bit difficult as I only arrived at 2 a.m. due to the enormous delay of the train and was only able to sleep in the hotel for a few hours. It is very cold at night, around 8°. During the day, the thermometer climbs to over 20°C. I arrived at my ashram at midday. It is situated on a hill overlooking the Ganges and far away from the turbulent traffic. It is a place of contemplation and inner peace, of silence, meditation, self-discovery and the pursuit of the triad of body, mind and soul
At dusk, a fascinating ritual begins in the three holy Indian cities of Rishikesh, Haridwar and Varanasi: the Ganga Aarti. No matter what the weather is like, a ritual fire offering is made every evening on the banks of the Ganges; this ritual is called aarti. Usually, a small light (a candle or a so-called diya, a small clay oil lamp) and some flowers are placed on a small boat and sacrificed to Goddess Ganga by placing the small floating boat with the light on the river and letting it float down the current.Read more