Ashram where the Beatles stayed, reopens in India

The Beatles with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1968 (source: Daily Mail)

Arguably the greatest band in the history, The Beatles, spent their time in India in the 1960s. Their fans have been intrigued and interested in the details of their stay in an ‘ashram’ (a spiritual hermitage or a monastery where Hindu cultural activities such as yoga, music or religious studies are performed).

Luckily, for the Beatles’ fans, the ashram named ‘Mahesh Yogi ashram’ was opened to public on December 8. Located in India’s northern city of Rishikesh, the spiritual complex was home to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who passed on his teachings of ‘Transcendental Meditation’. Yogi attracted large number of people from all over the world and taught them transcendental meditation techniques. Famous celebrities like American surrealist filmmaker David Lynch, comedian Andy Kaufman, actor Clint Eastwood, and many more including the Beatles themselves, practiced meditation techniques, which helped them improve their art.

The ashram was once a hotspot for many years, known to travelers and fans as ‘Beatles ashram’, however its neglected condition for the past two decades turned away many of them. Its re-opening on December 8, which coincided with John Lennon’s 35th death anniversary.

Situated on the outskirts of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand, it is the place where the Beatles wrote 48 songs, sitting on the banks of River Ganges, in a period of only seven weeks. Many of those became part of their ‘White Album’.

In 2012, Canadian artist Pan Trinity Das along with a bunch of travellers, painted the walls with pop art and portraits of The Beatles, apart from other spiritual leaders like the Dalai Lama.

Even over five decades later, the place still remains a popular tourist spot.

For about $2 for locals and $10 for foreigners, the Beatles ashram is the perfect getaway to a nostalgic experience for the rock band’s fans and meditators alike.

Yogis at the Beatles’ ashram (The accidental nomad)