I visited Rishikesh in Sawan

For last 2-3 weeks I heard abt rishikesh from one of my friend Amol Sindhe, since then I was imaging for Rishikesh, one day on Tuesday just a thought came in my mind ki chalo hamau Rishikesh ho aye J. I search and found the ticket for Wednesday night. it was kind of JIT thought, so I was really excited abt my this kind of instant decision and trip. I was going in Sawan so it was expected that there must be Kawariya over there, I get down from train at Haridwar, Rishikesh was around 25 km (15 miles) from there, as soon I get down from station I realized that may be modern guys (Living in metro cities) have some lesser devotion, but when you see the crowd over here you will go to know that religion is in the heart of India, tons of guys were there, some came from train, some by car, bike even many who came from cycle or coming on foot from more than 300-400 kms. Below video will show the crowd and this I shooted in the early morning at Haridwar,

Most of the kawariya which I found were of age group of 15-28. The real youth of India. I am pity sure 50% of them were there to have more adventure and lesser devotion..................

From Haridwar I need to walk a bit and cross Ganga river to get some convenyance for Rishikesh. There were shared Tampoo (Vikram (Hey vikku dnt bother its not you it’s a vehicle name J)) which dropped me near Ram Jhula. No doubt that this place was also fully crowded with Kawariya’s. That is why there was no entry from Ram Jhula….Oh my god, that was really pain ….so I need to walk and cross whole Laxman Jhula and then needed to come back to Ram Jhula.

The whole area was a bit sloppy and I have a bag which weigh’s appx 10-15 Kg so it took me more than 2 hours to reach at hotel. The way on which I was travelling was the also the way for NeelKanth so it was natural that I need to go with the Kawariya’s . As soon I reached to hotel I took shower for more than a hours to get rid of pain of that journey. In evening some one told me that Aarti at Parmarth aashram is very good, I thought huh Aarti and me kabi nai J… so I was roaming at Aasham’s Geeta bhawan, Ram ashram etc and spend some time to listen bhajan’s over there. After some time I heard some sweet voice and saw some crowd. So I approached that place. There was gathering of around 200 people and Yagya and bhajan’s were going on. There were aarti prepartion going on (Same aarti i mentioned above).Parmarth aasham people had made a Shiv idol in Ganga,

and in evening they do yagya, aarti and bhajan’s over there. Above image shows a good view. So I got a good place to sit over there adjacent to a Australian guy. I spent almost 2 hours listening bhajans which was sung by a Nepali aacharya of Parmarth aashram Desbandhu, those were really so cool and calm and I wished to spent whole night in that envorioment. Whole area was looking so natural and with that sweet voice, awesome!!!!!.

After aarti I spend some more time on the bank of Ganga river, that was really so peaceful…..

Aarti at Bank of Ganga at Rishikesh

On second and third day baba ji of Parmarth aashram were singing bhajan’s those are also excellent but I do not know but I liked voice of deshbandhu more peacefull then baba ji. So whole 3 days I spend my time with talking with aashram’s person, Gurukul guys running over there, taking Aayuveda & shirodhara massage, and to know more about massage and aayurveda. The trip was really relaxing & i had not tried to visit any temple other than Bhootnath temple and even there could i could not make through the temple as it was at 13^th floor, and I was scared with the stairs after trying togo above 9^th floor. Below pictures shows the stairs and the temple.

Trip was really relaxing and it was a real worth to spend 3 days of my life over there, I had learned a lot over there, got some time to get me out of office, personal worries.
And at the end I taken same convenyance (Vikku.. oh sorry Vikram), because of Kawar driver asked to get down near Bharat mata temple and then another fight starts to reach railway station, it took me more than 2 hours to reach at station, again it was a pain……….. and because it was Sunday and the last days of Kawar yatra so there were huge huge crowd, because of which only pedestrians were allowed to go. I was full of sweat completely tired when I reached to station. But at last the journey was good and relaxing. I should say it was worth to visit Rishikesh.