"BEACHES ON THE GANGA AT RISHIKESH" Top 5 Page for this destination Rishikesh by lynnehamman

Rishikesh Travel Guide: 93 reviews and 282 photos

Everything was as I imagined it to be.

Sometimes one has a mental picture of a place - and it often is very different in reality. Rishikesh lived up to all my expectations.
It is a small city- can be seen in a day. But one really should spend a few days here- the atmosphere is so serene , and the scenery is breathtaking. The Ganga is crystal clear and blue, and there are beaches. I would never have imagined that. The sand is white and clean,and there are rocks.
We spent hours walking along the banks.
Of course, as we all know, Rishikish is THE city for meditation, yoga and other such spiritual activities. There are Ashrams everywhere.
Downtown Rishikesh is not appealing- dusty and unattractive. The bus & rain stations are situated here.
Upstream, about 2kms away, is the real Rishikesh.This is the travellers area- with the main activities happening here.
There are two bridges crossing the Ganga here- the Ram Jhula and the Lakshman Jhula hanging bridge.. They are supposed to be for pedestrians only, but of course, being India, motor-cycles tear across every few seconds.
The bridges dangle above the crystal clear water, and sway slightly on crossings.
On the one bank there is the huge temple of Swarg Niwas- quite impressive. There were crowds waiting in line to enter as we passed by.
Shops and stalls also line both sides of the river- the areas are quiite hilly, and some of the walks have many steps leading to the bridges.
The scenery around Rishikesh is quite beautiful. The hills are green, and vegetation is lush. One can walk on the beaches, and experience the beauty of the river and the mountains.The air is crispy and devoid of the pollution that permeates in other Indian cities.

Spirituality in Rishikesh

MA GANGA- RISHIKESH

Long time ago, the Beatles put Rishikesh "on the map". It wa 1968, and the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was the flavour of the moment. Meditation was the "in thing" to be doing. The Beatles spent a couple of weeks at his place, The Swarg Ashram. There must have been something in the water- they wrote some of their best songs here, which ended up on "The White Album". George Harrison perfected his use of the Sitar here, and Meditation and Yoga remained a passion for him.
The Maharishi was a disappointment to the rest of the fab four, and they eventually turned away from him. John Lennon denounced him in a song.
But even today, many of the ashrams are filled with foreigners, and they still dress and behave as if it were still the 60's.
The "New Age" movement is strong in Rishikesh, and I guess that if people find spiritual enlightenment in this, its a good thing.
The evening aarti is as moving here as anywhere in India.

Street sign in Rishikesh

There is no alcohol for sale in Rishikesh, and food is strictly vegetarian.

See Local Customs tip

Pros and Cons

Pros:Fresh air, clean river
In a nutshell:Still a Hippy paradise

Last visit to Rishikesh: Jan 2009
Intro Updated Apr 29, 2009
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Reviews (8)

Dry & Vegetarian Local Customs (1)

There is no alchohol for sale in Rishikesh, and the city is strictly vegetarian. The lack of alchohol has obviously not... more travel advice

Support the local community! Shopping (1)

Around Lakshman Jhula Bridge (both sides) there are many shops and stalls.They sell local craft, clothing and shoes.... more travel advice

DEVRAJ COFFEE HOUSE- RISHIKESH - Rishikesh

GOOD VIEW OF RIVER Restaurants (1)

Perched upon the hillside at the one end of the Hanging Bridge, this little coffee shop/restuarant has great views of... more travel advice

THE LAKSHMAN JHULA HANGING BRIDGE Things to Do (4)

Walking across this bridge gives one a great perspective of both sides of the Ganges in Rishikesh. Being a hanging... more travel advice

Transportation (1)
GETTING THERE FROM HARIDWAR

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Comments (27)

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littlesam1 Jan 4, 2011 at 8:16 PM

Great page. India has long fascinated me. I hope to get here one day.
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alza Sep 27, 2010 at 9:31 PM

I read "Inde" by Rainer Krack to try to approach this disconcerting country, might go one day --not ready yet. Thanks fr yr comment on forum today, useful. :)
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Nemorino Feb 5, 2010 at 1:47 PM

Yes, I remember when the Beatles went to India for meditation (and I was reminded of that when I visited the Beatles Museum in Halle) -- but I had forgotten the name of the town, if I ever even knew it. I'm glad Rishikesh lived up to your expectations!
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uglyscot Dec 13, 2009 at 2:19 AM

Did you mean a Train station? Nice page, lynne
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TheWanderingCamel Nov 22, 2009 at 8:49 AM

Looks like a great place to chillout for a while. leyle
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FruitLover Nov 15, 2009 at 1:45 PM

BeautifulynneRishikeshPage! Here I made my white water rafting and started the habit of Ginger Lemon Tea with Honey. recommended. Avi
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Trekki Oct 7, 2009 at 10:28 PM

Oh wow, Beatles have been here, I didn't know that (although I knew that Harrison was practising sitar). I love this beach, especially with the river and the stones. Ah, yes, alcohol is silly compared to much better ways to relax :-)
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JLBG Sep 19, 2009 at 2:15 PM

Beautiful front picture! That looks like an amazing place. You are a real expert on India!
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deecat Sep 11, 2009 at 8:08 AM

Another terrific page about a special place in India...you are my "India" expert. I find your passion and love for the people and the culture just so refreshing. What a super introduction. Thanks for being so enlightening.
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Pawtuxet Aug 7, 2009 at 5:47 AM

What a fascinating place to visit! I think I would enjoy all the yogies... the coffee bar w/ monkeys included for entertainment. I would be the older western lady meditating on a rock. :-)