Rishikesh: A spiritual Center

From Mossoori we drive just under three hours to Rishikesh, one of the most spiritual cities in India. The city lies directly on the holy river Ganges and is home to many temples and ashrams.

We reach our hotel, Aloha on the Ganges in the afternoon. Quickly we treat ourselves to a massage before we enjoy a beer (brought by ourselves) on our terrace overlooking the river. Afterwards we go to the hotel's own restaurant for dinner. The hotel is pure vegetarian - even without egg - and alcohol-free. In Germany, this would hardly be conceivable. The food tastes good, but we have to enjoy it more or less in the dark, lights at the restaurant terrace are a bit sparse 😅.

The next morning we set off on foot and want to explore a few temples and ashram and have ordered our driver only for 4 pm. After a few meters walk on the main street, which especially mom and dad do not like, we reach a quieter side street. Mom buys a hat, Martin a water and we visit a small temple.

When we arrive at the pedestrian bridge over the Ganges we realize with regret that it is not open yet due to ongoign construction. Unfortunately, there are no tuktuks here either and so we wonder how we can follow our plan now.
Fortunately, we quickly find a cab company that takes us for a pile of money to the Beatles Ashram. This one inspires us very much.

We stroll through the shady grounds between the dilapidated and overgrown buildings of the Beatles Ashram and discover beautiful art on the walls. The meditation spheres, in which one could retreat, look a bit futuristic. Unfortunately, we only have an hour to spend here, we would have liked to discover a bit more.

We return quickly to the hotel as we have to change for the rafting. At 1:00 pm it starts. My mom is quickly cheated a few years younger because there is an age limit for the tour.

Then it starts, we drive 12 kilometers upstream by car before we get into the big rubber boat. It is very hot, close to 40 degrees and the ground under our feet almost burns us. In the boat itself it is a bit cooler and right at the beginning the first rapids await us, which drench us properly.

After that we are allowed to jump into the Ganges. The water comes directly from the mountains and is really cold. We let ourselves drift a bit with our life jackets before we are hoisted back into the boat and plunge into the next rapid. Rafting on the Isar is for childfen against this - here are really big waves and we fall partly 1.5 meters deep from one wave into the next. And so the trip alternates with rapids and swimming fun until we dock after 3 hours just before our hotel.

Dipping three times in the Ganges frees Hindus from their previous sins, I was told. Therefore, the Ganges is an important destination in the life of every believer. I am surprised that we are allowed to raft in the holy river. Well. In any case, we have been plunged into the water while rafting often enough and should be freed from our sins.

Returning at the hotel, we quickly change and warm up again - the cold water of the Ganges has already cooled us down properly.

Next we head back into town, our destination is the Parmarth Temple to witness the evening Aarti - a prayer ritual on the Ganges.

We are dropped off opposite to the temple and make our way across a small footbridge to the other side of the river. The bridge, we share not only with an incredible number of people but also with scooters and cows, which also want to change the bank.

On the other side it takes a bit until we have found the right temple. When we arrive the monks have already started to chant. After 30 minutes, candles and offerings are lit and sent down the Ganges with prayers. A really beautiful ritual that we can witness here.

We end the evening at the Pink Café, which serves both meat and alcohol 😅. If the evil of the next days begins here?

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