Day 2 Rishikesh

Day 2 in Rishikesh - a Lonely Planet day           Oct. 28, 2011

Just 2 days in Rishikesh and I'm getting a good feel of this place the Beatles help popularize with their ashram stay in the 60's.  I made it to B.Rudra's yoga class with Alsa this morning.  Afterwards, we went for some delicious lassi up the river bank with one of his indian students and the other European gal. Both Alsa and I needed a nap afterwards, so we headed back to our hotels on High Bank.  The 3 Yog-Ganga ladies arrived in the afternoon, at which time I'd made it to Omkarananda Ganga Sadan, where Usha Devi teaches Iyengar yoga.  I imagine because she's mentioned in Lonely Planet and numerous websites, her classes fill up quickly, packing in 50 students in a studio smaller than Yog-Ganga.  I'm hesitating about taking the Intensive Course here due to all the hype in a sardine packed studio, but pay my 500rupees deposit anyway to be on the waiting list for the next one that starts shortly after my ayurvedic course ends at Yog-Ganga late November.  Besides, this is one of the teachers recommended by Darren Main, my main teacher at Yoga Tree in San Francisco. I am however, beginning to see that Darren may have just mentioned these few ashrams on his website as they are the  "safer bets" than the myriad of others dotting the raging river.  My views and understanding of the yoga world is definitely finding some new grounds

(feeling pensive in the water taxi crossing the Ganges; Ram Jhula bridge in the background with ashrams and temples lining the riverbank.)

After Usha's, I didn't have to go far searching for Madras Cafe, also noted in LonelyPlanet. I'm always a little hesitant of following recommendations of such guidebooks as they are often quite subjective,  limiting and limited to the writer's experience.  In such a tourist haven town, I'm thinking it's actually best to discover your own finds, or from other traveler's feedback.  My hotel is a case in point, Swiss Bhandari Cottage, another Lonely Planet recommendation who absolutely jacks up their prices due to their popularity.  However, one of my fellow yoga students at Yog-Ganga, a frequent visitor to Dehradun and Rishikesh had also suggested this hotel. Plus, my Londoner housemates had stayed here during our 2 day break at Yog-Ganga.  Tonight, I visited a few other hotels on High Bank, all within very short walking distance and will be moving to Green Valley Cottage where the 3 Yog-Ganga gals have put up and coincidentally where Alsa is also staying.  At 300rupees/night, it's 150 less than what I'm paying at Swiss Bhandhari, with three degrees nicer looking rooms.  That's a whopping US$3 in savings.  But, what the hey!  Hopefully, Green Valley will have warm water as the housekeeper promised!

Ah, Madras Cafe turned out just an OK restaurant after all.  I probably should've gone to the one Kathy recommended instead, but was hankering for dosa, which I didn't see on the menu of Flavors.  Incidentally, I'm sitting in Oasis Restaurant, another LonelyPlanet find which adjoins the New Swiss Bhandari Cottage.  The vegetable noodle soup I just slurped up was actually quite tasty!

Earlier this evening, I'd managed to meet up with Alsa at SwargAshram area to witness the Ganga aarti (puja) at Parmath Niketan, the largest ashram in Rishikesh, with a thousand rooms, if you please.  It is quite a spectacle of an event.  And yes, this too, is cited in Lonely Planet!  Rishikesh, feels like Las Vegas, except dotted with ashrams/temples instead of casinos, and contrasted with a holy raging river instead of the arid landscape.   While it was yoga that got me interested in spending a few weeks in India here, I'm not so sure this is quite the best place to actually immerse oneself in yoga.  The thousands of tourist who flock here mostly just want a taste of yoga it seems, while many of the younger crowds are merely looking for a cheap holiday with apparently good hash to be had.  I feel quite fortunate for having gone with my instinct of attending the courses at Yog-Ganga in Dehradun instead.  For the serious practitioner, there's always the Iyengar Institute down south in Pune, and Ashtanga Institute in Mysore... but both come with reservations of exclusivity in style, with difficult and lengthy admission processes.  I'm thinking I shall head home to wherever I call home next sooner than later!

(I believe clicking on the pictures will enlarge them!)


My favorite quote/prayer I've seen, found at Madras Cafe.  I think it will be lovely to say/think this in giving thanks before every meal, like saying grace the way Christians do before meals.