When the Beatles went to Rishikesh, India, in 1968 to attend a transcendental meditation training session, they brought only their acoustic guitars and open minds, with each member of the Fab Four writing a dozen or so songs and waiting until they returned to the U.K. to share what they had composed. Songs like "Blackbird," "Back in the U.S.S.R." and "Dear Prudence are only a few of the pieces they wrote. So inspired by their serene and meditative surroundings, each member of the band went back to the basics of musical composition and created timeless pieces.
On India tours in Rishikesh, you might not expect to be as enlightened as the Beatles, but you can certainly anticipate having a spiritual experience by watching the yogis and hundreds of meditating residents of the Parmarth Niketan Ashram chanting at dawn.
This city is a pilgrimage destination for thousands of yogis from around the world, who seek out the best instructors and most rewarding journey of their lives. Whether or not you practice the ancient meditative art, you'll be overcome by the energy emanating from people in the streets and ashram retreat centers.
