The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram at Rishikesh is now called the Chaurasi Kutiya Ashram and is a 5 minute drive from the Ram Jhoola . The Beatles first met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in London in 1967 and was attracted to his meditation and teachings.Maharishi Mahesh Yogi invited them to his ashram in Rishikesh for advanced learning.They came at the ashram along with their families, support staff and a few reporters and stayed in the igloo shaped Chaurasi Kutiya (84 cottages).Maharishi started building a massive ashram in 1961 focusing on this type of meditation practice.
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| Cottages For meditating |
It operated until 1980 when he left to continue spreading his teachings around the world.Maharishi Yogi took this land at lease by Forest department and ashram turned in ruin after it was abandoned in 1997. After being ignored for years as It was under Rajaji Range Forest Dept. converted the ashram into an eco -friendly tourism .
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| Entrance Gate |
During the stay Beatles wrote many famous songs which featured in the WHITE ALBUM and ABBEY ROAD .Though I was lucky that I had a guide who is care taker of this Ashram (forest guard ) , he explained how they had Dormitory buildings , their own helipad , their own police station , their own school .What is the best part of this place is it’s unique architecture ( you will find electricity lines , waterlines ) and beautiful graffiti style art , the place is damaged and ruined by people who took away things like electricity boards or scrawled names of their lovers. ‘ Unique Architecture ‘ you must notice : ● Eggs Structure : On the top of the building, you will see egg like structures. There is a metal ladder outside the egg to climb. There is a floor some feet below on the top, where one can stand. When you speak something inside the egg or chant a mantra, it produces very strong acoustics effect. Half of the egg structure from top contains water tanks .
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| Egg Shell Structure |
●Levitation Hall :There is a building near the Dormitory Building, which was known as “levitation hall”. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was famous in the west for his teachings specially “Transcendental Meditation” techniques. Just below the main hall, a large number of small rooms are built, which look like haunting underground caves. These rooms were used for the meditation by the practitioners.
Satsang Hall (Beatles Cathedral ) : In this building, you will see a lot of beautiful paintings on the walls.
The painting of Maharishi Mahesh yogi is on the main platform. On the opposite wall, the painting of spiritual leaders along with Beatles is seen. On other walls, some more creative paintings and messages are written.
● Aim is to ensure that visitors don’t simply come for the Beatles connection, but to learn the magic of nature, meditation and yoga.
●This is also the place where the Beatles, sitting on the banks of river Ganga, wrote 48 songs in just seven weeks.
● During 1980s Indira Gandhi (She was India’s third prime minister from 1966 until 1984 ) too had a visit to this Ashram.
● Their were several controversy due to which Maharishi MaheshYogi was told to leave India during Indira Gandhi’s rule .
● Aim is to ensure that visitors don’t simply come for the Beatles connection, but to learn the magic of nature, meditation and yoga.
●This is also the place where the Beatles, sitting on the banks of river Ganga, wrote 48 songs in just seven weeks.
● During 1980s Indira Gandhi (She was India’s third prime minister from 1966 until 1984 ) too had a visit to this Ashram.
● Their were several controversy due to which Maharishi MaheshYogi was told to leave India during Indira Gandhi’s rule .
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| Top View of Rishikesh from Ashram |
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