A Weekend in Rishikesh

On the banks of the holy river - Ganga

Known to many as the Yoga capital of the world and India’s spiritual hub – Rishikesh is a popular getaway from Delhi. A lot of us go there for rafting on the Ganges, for others, it is a spiritual sojourn. I went there earlier this month for some quiet time after an extremely hectic period at work. Although I had booked an ashram, we were later upgraded to their yoga retreat centre and resort due to some urgent renovation work at the ashram.

Amidst nature at Tapovan Vatika Resort

Situated a few metres from the tempo stand and the main road, Tapovan Vatika Resort is a great place to get in touch with your inner self. It has three large gardens, blooming flowers and is surrounded by fields and mountains. With regular yoga and meditation classes, it can be a great getaway for anyone looking to get in touch with their spiritual side.

My friend and I had taken a book each to read on our trip. In between reading, we went to different eating joints across town in search of good food. Being a religious place, Rishikesh is largely vegetarian and alcohol free (unless you are carrying your own). Here is my list of where to eat while you are there.

Ayur Pak

1.       Ayur Pak – This is a quiet, green homestay away from the city’s hustle and bustle. We had vegan dosas with sambhar and imli chutney, grilled vegetable sandwiches and a chocolate pancake. It was the most fulfilling breakfast I had on my entire trip. Although the flavors were different from what I am used to, it felt wholesome and filling.

Meat Lovers pizza

2.       Bistro Nirvana – Probably the only non vegetarian bistro in Rishikesh, it was a welcome break from all the vegetarian fare. After a long hike to the Beatles ashram on an unusually warm day in March, a cold soft drink and a meat lovers’ pizza was the perfect comfort food.  Surrounded by trees, Bistro Nirvana is a welcome escape from the heat.

3.       Himalayan Kitchen - Rooftop Cafe & Restaurant – We had dinner here on two consecutive nights as the ambience and views were great. The food was not that bad either; do try their ginger tea, tomato soup and pancakes.

4.       Tulsi Café – Located on the main road in Tapovan, it is a cosy café. Food is great but their service was incredibly slow when we were there. A Hawaiian pizza and fresh lime soda took about an hour to arrive. They were quick with the hummus and pita after which we along with other diners had to wait a lot. It is worth a visit but go there if you have a lot of time to kill.

A Weekend in Agra

Wah Taj!

As cliche as it may sound, the above title seemed the most appropriate for this post. After twenty some years of having lived in India, I had never seen the Taj Mahal in person.

Earlier last month, I finally made a trip down to go and see one of the most photographed and talked about wonders of the world. The epitome of love. Mar(b)elous beauty. Her whiteness shone bright in the rays of the rising sun. We braved the soaring June heat to have a tour of the much talked about wonder.

I was awestruck at first. It looked exactly like I had seen it in movies, making me feel like a part of the 35 mm screen. 7 am and it was over flowing with tourists like myself. I managed to click a few shots without people getting in my way. We took a tour ourselves as advised by our friendly taxi guy.What really stood out to me was the empty space marked off for the Black Taj Mahal on the other side of the river Yamuna, where Shah Jehan had wanted to be laid to rest, right across from his lady love - Mumtaz Mahal. Of course, it never was built once his son, Aurangzeb came to power.

I could see quite a few love stories blooming there. Young couples walking hand in hand, taking selfies. Of course, it was tough for us (i.e. me) to resist taking pictures as well. As grand as the Taj Mahal is from the outside, it is equally humble inside. Stark white walls, minimal stone work and small prayer rooms is what you encounter inside.

The beautiful Mughal gardens must be a delight to walk around in, on a cool winter evening. 

Till next time!