Remnants of a grand legacy

The pictures taken by photographer Paul Saltzman of The Beatles in Rishikesh, while they spent three months at the Maharishi Yogi Ashram in 1968, are some of my favourite photographs of the fab four. I've always found the easy languor and freedom of spirit portrayed in those pictures very attractive. I particularly like a picture of Lennon and McCartney dressed in kurtas and chappals, composing together sitting on a doorstep. I had always wanted to stand on the same spot where the band once stood and gave transcendental meditation a shot. I wanted to visit the ashram where they wrote many of the songs that appeared on the band's later albums, especially the White Album. Maybe I'd spot a stray piece of paper with some lyrics scribbled on it that had miraculously survived the ravages of time, just as their music has. The Beatles Ashram, as it is better known, is hard to find these days. It is tucked away inside the Rajaji National Park in Rishikesh, Uttrakhand. During a recent visit, I was determined to trace it down and pay my respects. You have to cross the Ganga and walk about 4 km past various ashrams and cowsheds, till you come across a signboard that points to the Beatles Ashram. Soon you reach a shady alcove, besides which the river flows peacefully, its waters glistening in the sun. The ashram itself is in a state of ruin. There is only one guard who keeps watch from one of the balconies on the first floor. The architecture of the ashram is simple and elegant, and reminds me of a haveli. The peeling arches, the broken stairs and the crumbling jaali doors seem frozen in time. I stand there transfixed, turning back time as I walk into musty rooms that smell of decay, wondering whose private enclosure I am trespassing. It's unfortunate that this musical monument has not been restored by anyone and is falling apart every day. I'd recommend every visitor to Rishikesh to go to the ashram. If you are a Beatle maniac, then put this right on top of your must-visit list!

The above article appeared in HT Travel on 17/07/2010. To see online link click here.

Glass Onion

The Beatles Ashram or more appropriately, the Maharishi Yogi Ashram in Rishikesh is located at a tranquil end of the city, a way that takes you through temples, ashrams, everything sellers, quaint cafes with foreigners dressed in crisp kurtas, chappals and rudraksh malas. At the end of the road, we spotted a yogi teaching a foreign lady the correct posture for an asana under a giant old tree. The river Ganga flowed on by, with its water glistening in the sun. We wandered on, till we reached a dead-end and dipped our feet in the cold river and felt the overhead sun beating down. Lazy after the walk, we napped. We walked back and spotted the Ashram's ruins. It felt like a shrine, a broken down haveli.... haunted with the spirits...of music...tangible structures too hold many things intangible.

I hope the Indian Government, which has taken control of the structure, restores it, and makes it open to all Beatles fans and visitors alike.