Day 36: Mesmerized by Rishikesh

I'm absolutely mesmerized by this place and I just have to share about this incredible experience today.

I apologize if it’s too much to write two days in a row, but there’s so much happening within me right now and I’m absolutely mesmerized by this place and I have to share.

There’s such a powerful grounding energy here. I’ve been here two days only and today I walked around in such peace!

This place just sort of pulled me down somehow. I’ve felt so present and calm the whole day today. Truly just enjoyed being alive and meeting people on the streets.

The day started with a powerful and beautiful mantra chanting for 1,5 hours in the shrine early this morning that really just did something with me. Then doing my own yoga to the early rays of sun overlooking the mountains and the mighty Ganga was very special. Such a sacred way to start a day.

My mat in the sun this morning overlooking Ganga and the mountains in the yoga hall of the residential building where all visitors like me are staying.

I really feel at home here already. I feel so safe and well received that I am very relaxed here. As I walked down the street later on, several Indian tourists even asked me for directions! 

The beauty of Rishikesh is just unreal. 

Surrounded by the majestic Himalaya mountains, the wide and forceful Ganga flows with its clean and cleansing turquoise waters, crossed by hanging bridges where humans, monkeys and cows alike make the crossings.

As I walked along the street today, this beautiful temple pulled me in. I walked up a tower to a shrine where I man sat and performed a puja (offering) and blessings for me.

It seems that wherever you go, there’s a ritual, prayer or a ceremony going on. Especially in the early evenings as it is right now as I’m writing this, the beautiful chanting and singing is heard across the entire city, even loudly inside my room. 

It does something to you.

Today I walked down to the side of the ghat (stairs down to the water) where I went yesterday and sat down to meditate in the sunset.

There are two small boys there helping a woman sell these floating flower packages (Ganga aarti) that people buy to make an offering to mother Ganga at the Ghat (she is seen as a goddess here). 

After a while of very calmly saying ”no thank you” and just looking deep into their eyes with love and a big smile without letting go they realized I was not going to buy one today (they can be very persistent), and the most magical thing happened…

The boys turned quite and sat down in front of me practically in my lap and started meditating with me. Then they performed some sort of chanting song while clapping their hands and all the time turning their heads to look back up at me with a cheeky smile and big glimmering eyes. At the same time, a beautiful chanting from a big ashram across the river echoed across, as the last rays of sun descended on our faces. It was such a special moment. I felt like every cell of my body was smiling and my eyes teared up.

Afterwards we talked (as much as their English allowed). Ratman was the oldest, he was 8 and in 3rd grade, while Manish was 7 and in 1st grade. They were living further down the Ganga but come here everyday after school to help sell these offerings.

What a different life to grow up here, literally next to and in this very special river and local goddess, surrounded by all of this. How many different destinies and lives there are in this world…

Me meditating at the edge of the Ghat to the sunset. A stranger took the picture and then sent it to me. The boys were sitting practically in my lap at that very edge.

With this, I want to tell you that I am doing very well at the moment. I am landing more and more in myself, with a growing sense of peace within. This place is incredible, and I feel immensely grateful to be here.

Om Shanti*,

Philip

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*what they finish every prayer with here. It sort of means “eternal peace for all of creation”.