Best things to do in Rishikesh
From rafting to yoga, these are the best things to do in Rishikesh.
#1 Try some yoga
Rishikesh is India’s yoga capital. There are many reputable ashrams (spiritual centres) welcoming students of yoga with courses of varying cost and duration – from one day to several months.
Guests must be respectful of ashrams’ strict rules governing conduct. Be warned that complaints of theft and harassment in ashrams are surprisingly common. Phool Chatti Ashram, 5km north of Lakshman Jhula, is a peaceful ashram with lush gardens far from the noise of town. They run seven-day yoga and meditation retreats mostly aimed towards beginners and intermediate level.
#2 Get adventurous
Adventure activities have become one of Rishikesh’s top draws, most notably rafting. Numerous river camps on the Ganges above Rishikesh operate from late September to June, with excursions ranging from half-day runs to extended camping/rafting expeditions.
Other adrenaline-fuelled activities include an 83m bungee jump, canyon swing and flying fox at Jumpin Heights’ Jump Zone in Mohanchatti village, 16km from Tapovan.
Most activities of this ilk only run outside the monsoon period (July–Sept). It is worth noting the dramatic rise of unregulated tour and travel operators with no insurance cover. Ask for recommended travel agents at your hotel or at the tourist office.
#3 Take a dip at Triveni Ghat
Most pilgrims passing through Rishikesh en route to the Himalayan shrines of the Char Dham pause for a dip and puja (worship) at Triveni Ghat, at the southern end of Ghat Road, near the centre of town. The river looks especially divine during evening aarti, when diya lights float on the water.
#4 Visit Rishikesh’s oldest temple, Bharat Mandir
Rishikesh’s oldest temple, Bharat Mandir, features a black stone image of the deity Vishnu, believed to have been consecrated by the great ninth-century Hindu revivalist Shankara; the event is commemorated during Basant Panchami, the first day of spring. A sacred trio of entangled trees near the entrance represents the Hindu Trinity.
#5 Explore Swarg Ashram
The dense-knit complex of cafés, shops and ashrams collectively known as Swarg Ashram, opposite Shivananda Ashram, leans back on to the forest-covered hills where caves are still inhabited by sadhus - holy individuals who have given up worldly life.
The most conspicuous of the area’s many ashram-temples is Parmarth Niketan, whose large courtyard is crammed with brightly clad gods and goddesses.
Next door is Gita Bhavan, which runs a free Ayurvedic dispensary; they also sell books, saris and khadi handloom cloth. The river can be crossed at this point either by the Ram Jhula footbridge or the nearby ferry.
#6 Follow in the footsteps of the Beatles
Set on a forested bluff above the river, the abandoned ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi – locally known as Chaurasi Kutiya – is also known as the Beatles’ Ashram, for it was here that the band and its entourage came to learn Transcendental Meditation from the enterprising guru in 1968, and penning over forty songs.
Fringed by Rajaji National Park, the tranquil, ruined site was kept under lock and key by the Forest Department until 2015, and there isn’t much too see except the Beatles Cathedral Gallery, with murals from when it reopened, and curious ovoid meditation huts clad with smooth river pebbles.