Milestone 1 - Rishikesh

Bags packed.  Alright, bags and baggage. Overpacked.  Mum and I embarked upon our trip to the mighty mountains. We had made all the requisite bookings (travel and transport) for our trip, however one week was too short a notice for thorough research on our half-month long trip, so we decided to just go with the flow.

Our first stop – Delhi; note to readers – do not under-estimate the size of the city/the traffic/distances to be covered. After having a very close shave, we finally boarded our train to Haridwar and secretly thanked our stars for the harmless inefficiencies of the Indian railways!

We then proceeded on an hour long drive, through highways, forests and bustling markets to finally reach our destination – Rishikesh. What could be better than a full bodied bellow of a welcome by the ganges, herself?

The morning brought with it coffee, hot puris and a stunning view! Rishikesh had already managed to surprise me and it was just the beginning. The government guesthouse we were staying in, offered us a panoramic view of the city, which was perfect for a shutterbug like me!

After enjoying a relaxed morning, we ventured out across the Ram Jhula to the ghats in anticipation of what the city had to offer. Fortunately, it didn’t disappoint. Rishikesh brought forth a montage of beautiful people, landscapes, colours and moods along with an effortless air of calm amidst the chaotic bustle of people, prayers and the much revered, cattle.

Strike a pose

 While in Rishikesh, you can’t help but indulge in people-watching. It was hard to miss the Shiva-look-alikes, herds of tourist groups easily spotted by their travel-agent sponsored leopard-printed sarongs/scrafs, forigeners with dread-locks and psychadelic t-shirts. It felt like we were witness to one big fancy dress party in which we were the minority, who didn’t get the memo!

The other thing that stood out - everyone walked with purpose; and some chose me, as theirs. 

More than once, we were stopped and asked “photo you?”, assuming they wanted a picture of me, I walked on. They persisted. Till I finally realised that they wanted me to take pictures of them!

It was quite amusing to see them adorn their best angry-young-man face with the typical one-hand-on-hip and the other holding onto things that give the shot, erm, intensity? I soon got used to people walking into my frame and patiently waiting for a “click”.

Evening Aarti

With the afternoon well-spent, exploring unassuming restaurants and sampling the street food, we headed towards the evening aarti to ‘Parmarth Niketan Ashram’. It was hard to miss the ashram as it was crowned by a dramatic statue of a horse drawn chariot and was the only one with a steadily swelling crowd.

We arrived to a gathering of over a hundred people and immediately noticed that the banks of the Ganges had suddenly been engulfed in saffron hues; adorned by priests, disciples and tourists alike. The experience was surreal. Sitting on the steps of the ashram, in the midst of strangers and incense,
feeling at home. There were Bhajans as well as some suprisingly upbeat devotional songs being sung against the backdrop of a large meditating Shiva statue.

This was followed by the floating of arati bowls, said to be sacred offerings to the ganges. The river was soon spotted with little flames, that had been set afloat with earnest prayers only to be consumed by rapid currents.

Rishikesh, is a land that thrives on tourism, hence it is no surprise that the city offers an array of activities to satiate the palates of experience hungry tourists;

-  For spiritual seekers -  there are a number of ashrams that offer to teach yoga and meditation.

-    For adventure sports enthusiasts -  Rishikesh boasts of world class white water rafting, rock climbing, kayaking and trekking experiences , however, ensure that you plan your trip during the season (March to June), to make the most of it!
-   For appreciators of history/mythology- There are a number of temples and ashrams one can visit.

Personally, Rishikesh has etched itself as a collage of aspiring actors, flirtatious swamijis, mesmerising, incense-filled aartis, bustling markets, leopard printed scarves, saffron engulfed banks and piping hot chai. However, it is its in-your-face yet mysterious quality that has quite suitably earned itself the title of - ‘Gateway to the Himalayas’.

Traveller Tips:

-        Do not compromise on a room with air-conditioning especially if you        
a. Are a spoilt Bangalorean or

      b. Plan your trip during/around summer.

-        Most of the government guesthouses like the restaurants
in Rishikesh offer only vegetarian food.

-        Keep change handy – you’ll save a lot of time.

-        Share-auto’s  are the most easily available form of transport.  They’re comfortable and safe. However, for long distances or travel to remote parts of the city, I recommend booking a cab through the guesthouse 

      itself.

-        Find out about the timings of the evening aarti in advance and get there earlier to find yourself a good spot.

-        Wear comfortable footwear that can be removed easily,
as the city is best seen on foot and all ashrams along the
ghats require you to remove your footwear.