The lush green surrounding, the hills, the waters of River Ganga, and the sound of temple bells only add to the charm of this place which attracts Yoga and wellness enthusiasts from around the world. Here’s Your guide to yoga in Rishikesh.
Place is charged with spiritual energy
Sages and saints have been coming here since ancient times, to meditate and in search of higher knowledge. Situated in the state of Uttarakhand, 24 km upstream from Haridwar, at the confluence of the Chandrabhaga and Ganga, Rishikesh has long been a spiritual centre.
As per Hindu mythology, Sage Raibhya Rishi did severe penance here and as a reward, Lord Vishnu appeared in front to him in the form of Hrishikesh. Hence the name ‘Hrishik’, which means senses and ‘esh’, which means God or master.
The town is the gateway to the upper Garhwal region and is the starting point for pilgrim routes to the four dhams of Uttarakhand-Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. The entire region is considered to be sacred as it is believed that meditation at this place along with a dip in the holy river takes one closer to attain salvation.
BEATLES wrote 48 songs here
Just like the Beatles (band) are credited for taking the sitar to the western world (because of their close association with sitar maestro Pandit Ravishankar), the Beatles are also credited for introducing Rishikesh to the world. The band came to rishikesh in the 60s to attend transcendental meditation at the ashram of Maharshi Mahesh Yogi. The Beatles were so enamoured by the serene beauty of Rishikesh that they even penned a song – Happy Rishikesh – as an ode to the city.At some point in the 60s, the ashram of Maharshi Mahesh Yogi (where the Beatles stayed) was one of the coolest places on earth.
The Beatles wrote 48 songs during their stay here at the ashram.
Yoga Capital of the World
It is not surprising that the holy city is brimming with yoga schools – from those that teach pure yoga to those who mix yoga with new-age healing techniques like aroma therapy, crystal healing, Thai massages and wellness music. In fact, if you are a yoga buff, Rishikesh is the place to be.
Over the years, it has established itself as the yoga capital of the world.
Serious yoga students come from the US, Europe, China, Australia, to learn asanas and kriyas that will help them lead a healthy life. Some come to meet yogis and some also come to become yoga instructors; many come for the festival so that can dive in deep and learn from the best.
Various disciplines of yoga and their variants – Kundalini Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bharat Yoga, Deep Yoga, Shintoh Yoga and Somatics Yoga – are taught by expert masters here during the various event/festival.
The best part is that most events are held at a time when the weather in Rishikesh is pleasant.
Home to the International Yoga Festival (IYF)
As yoga gained world-wide recognition for offering effective cure to modern-day ailments, more and more people began to visit Rishikesh in their quest to lead a quality life.
Recognising the need (and scope) for promoting yoga and wellness further, Rishikesh-based Parmarth Niketan, the biggest ashram in Rishikesh, has been hosting the annual International Yoga Festival (IYF) with an objective of keeping the foundation of authentic origin of yoga intact.
The festival today attracts thousands of people from across the globe.
“Yoga is not just union of our heads to our knees or our hands to the floor; it provides opportunities for union of the body, heart, mind and soul. This festival is also a union of all the ‘types’ of yoga, to reunite yoga by bringing all the different styles together and ultimately showing the participants that there is only one yoga. The uniqueness of our festival is the ‘spiritual touch’ – by the River Ganga and the Himalayas, the land of the ancient rishis and origin of the knowledge of yoga, darshan of so many Indian spiritual masters, and a feeling of coming home to the source of Divine Truth and Awakening,” Parmarth Niketan founder Swami Chidanand Saraswati.
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