Now don't get me wrong, each city we have visited has had its own appeal (and challenges) but I find that cities in India in general are a lot more energy sapping for an old girl like me than say, a European city like Rome or Paris. Everything is just so different that my brain is constantly adjusting and readjusting to sensitise myself to what I am experiencing as everyday normality here. Add to that the heat, the noise and the sheer volume of people in the cities and I think it would be fair to say that for all six of us, time in Rishikesh is just what the doctor ordered. The pace is slower, the air is cooler, there's green to look at and the spiritual vibe is all encompassing.
Rishikesh is known as the pilgrimage town and is of extreme holy significance to the Hindu. Already we have watched as streams of pilgrims cross the swing ridge in foot to visit the amazing temple directly across from our accommodation.
It is also a place where many Sadhu (a holy person who has renounced the worldly life) gather in their distinctive orange clothing, so we will definitely be looking to photograph a few of them tomorrow (for a price). Many old pilgrims also live here, coming to end there days in this holy place. A donation for a photography for them is a given.
Rishikesh is also well known for its yoga schools, and was the place where the Beatles spent timewith a famous Yogi in 1968, which in turn influenced their music for that period (I'm singing my all time favourite Beatles' song as I type... Across the Universe... "Jai Garu deeeeevaa, oommmmmm)***
We took a stroll around the streets across the river after lunch (Rishikesh is meant to be vegan, but doesn't appear strictly so) to orient ourselves to where to capture sunrise photos in the morning.., not necessarily of the sunrise itself, but of the cleansing and other rituals that happen on the banks of the Ganges. Later in the day we are going to walk 2km upstream to watch a traditional aarti ceremony.
Rishikesh is also renowned for its aggressive monkey population. They gather around the bridge area to prey on the Hindu people in particular, who are taking food offerings across to the temple. We saw them in action in the late afternoon as we sat at a cafe of sorts for an afternoon drink. But anyone with food is fair game. Unfortunately before that, one of our party experienced their stealing abilities first hand. Poor Justine had her prized mango stolen as she approached the bridge. It would be fair to say the attack was quite traumatising for her and has us all on high alert. We now know to never walk with any food, and have been advised to keep our heads down and walk purposefully on and around. They actually hang out on our balcony too, and quite a nasty character had to be scared off earlier in the day. Hopefully the monkey business stays well away from us from now on.
In the late afternoon we photographed the temple and its reflection in the river before dinner listening to the chants and ceremonial song from the temple a r ss the water. Refreshing indeed.
Note: I finally tried a masala tea today... It's a regular drink for many of the girls, and I'd stuck to coffee up till now. Verdict? Interesting and may try again 😉
**** fun fact from song facts.com:
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