Concept Note:This is a Yoga travel diary and being a yoga teacher, I wish to experience & learn different forms of yoga practised throughout India. This is how the seeds for this Yoga travel journal were born. The modus operandi is very simple: escape to a nearby place on weekends and try to find a good yoga teacher from whom I could learn some new form.
I have been in Yoga schools which have both foreigners and Indians and have discovered how little yoga schools and teachers have been explored. Through this blog I would like to make these teachers and places available to people those who are new to yoga and also to those who have been regular practitioners of it.
The intent is to communicate that how Yoga is not only about 1 hour of the Asana class but also what we do for the remaining 23hrs. Keeping this in mind, the blog has a flow which is based on the 4 pillars of yoga.
Achar:
Achar stands for the routine, a routine wherein you are ready to roll out the mat wherever you are and complete your practise to keep body and mind fit.
Ahar:
As they say: as the food, so the mind & as the mind, so the man. This section of the blog is about the food we eat and would introduce in small bits the Yogi’s diet sattvic food which helps maintain the balance between the mind and body.
Vihar:
Yoga is not only about the body but even more so about the mind. The mind constantly needs new things to rejuvenate itself. Travelling, recreation and hobbies do the needful in this regard. Our blogs endeavour is to serve as a window for the kind of rejuvenation we need.
Vichar:
Achar stands for the routine, a routine wherein you are ready to roll out the mat wherever you are and complete your practise to keep body and mind fit.
Ahar:
As they say: as the food, so the mind & as the mind, so the man. This section of the blog is about the food we eat and would introduce in small bits the Yogi’s diet sattvic food which helps maintain the balance between the mind and body.
Vihar:
Yoga is not only about the body but even more so about the mind. The mind constantly needs new things to rejuvenate itself. Travelling, recreation and hobbies do the needful in this regard. Our blogs endeavour is to serve as a window for the kind of rejuvenation we need.
Vichar:
The fourth pillar which provides a completion for the above is Vichar. Within it is ensconced the power of positive thinking and it is on these thoughts that we will dwell on. The ultimate aim is to open the new thought for common man that yoga is a way of life.
Rishikesh: The land where the sacred water of the Ganges meets the spirit of the soul.
Base Camp: Chandigarh
Living in a city like Chandigarh means that one is always on the lookout for making quick getaways, the location of the town being such. As with all journeys, this was another one planned on the spur of the moment. Rishikesh was one place I had associated with Hindu mysticism, Ganges and the charms of unknown land. The very sound of its name gave one a feel that one was going to feel something mysterious and esoteric. This meant that a trip needed to be planned, and urgently so, as the internal clock of curiosity had been ticking for some time now. All that needed to be done was pack my stuff and two of best friends, and thus we were off to the journey we had been thinking about for long.
The next challenge that lay before us was to reach Rishikesh and do so in the cheapest possible manner (for cash is something we are forever short on). The plan to hire taxis was shelved as we just did not have the personal to afford one. It takes about Rs4000 for the journey by taxi, from Chandigarh to Rishikesh if one hires an Innova. The option of travelling by bus was promptly rejected as we need to want to reach all tossed up side to side (and at times top to bottom as well). The final settlement was to go till Ambala by bus and then take a train from there. Ambala Cantt. offers a lot of train options and one can suitably pick any of the choices available. The bus journey to Ambala was fairly uneventful and cost us a bare minimum of Rs. 84 for an ensemble of three. And thus we landed at our first check point, the city of Ambala.
Checkpoint 1: Ambala
Ambala is a town, located at a distance of about 40 kms from Chandigarh. Ambala is the typical Indian small town which is not exactly small. For the first time visitor, one would be surprised at the look of one of the oldest towns in North India, given that was granted the status of a district about 160 years back. The ramshackle appearance and the busybody nature that characterize any such town in India are the visible characteristics of this town. Ours was just a fleeting visit to this the town (like the many others we have made to this city en route to other cities), which just consisted of hopping from the bus stand to the Ambala Cantt. Railway station, which is situated bang opposite to it.
We made a few enquiries so as to which train would deliver us to Rishikesh. There were no direct trains available at 9 am in the morning but we got suggestions from people that we should hop on to a passenger train and try to make it to Rishikesh by changing trains at Haridwar. We took a gamble and bought the general class ticket, unknowing of what was to follow. But we were happy of course; all we had spent was a bare minimum of Rs. 120 and we were on our way. The first passenger train that turned up was a scare. It was bursting at the seams, with the crowds almost spilling out of it. Worse than that, the platform itself presents a scene which is mindboggling. Like the local stations of Bombay, the platform fills up just before the train is to arrive and when it does arrive, there is almost a slugfest to get on the train and one even to get off the train. We let one pass and we let another pass. At last the fear of getting onto such a train had to be overcome and we finally set foot on one, the Jan Seva express. The first task of getting in was accomplished, the second one of bargaining a place to sit or rather finding a place to fit yourself in had begun. After all the jostling for space, we were able to position ourselves on the topmost plank of the general compartment, with our shoes placed on the top of fans attached to the ceiling. The journey had truly begun.
Checkpoint 2: Laksar
Travelling in summer, by a general compartment, can be bit of a problem, especially if you are used to cool environs. Though a little challenged by the weather, somehow we fell into the pattern of the journey. Every stoppage at a small station meant a few people getting off and a lot more entering. The jostling for space continued unabated but those like us, settled into our little niche, continued to stay where we were. In a way, a journey like this carried a certain romanticism which could not be felt in any other way. I certainly had no memory of travelling like this in North India. Having lived in Bombay for a long time, I thought I would be used to this slam-bang context for seats and space, yet somehow the scenes in this part of the country are a little different. In Bombay, you find a sense of inevitable calm mixed in the atmosphere, for everybody knows that the next local would soon arrive. Here in North India, that calm is just not visible, to the contrary you feel an urgency that if you miss this train, there will not be another.
The ebb and flow of the journey continued and so we flowed with it. Somewhere in the midst of this we realised that this train will actually not go to Haridwar and we would have to get off at Laksar, a station at a distance of 27 kms from Haridwar. Whilst we were at the Laksar station, we saw another train that was set to leave for Haridwar. Well, we switched on it to without caring much for tickets and thus hitched the last 27 kms of our ride to Haridwar.
Checkpoint 3: Haridwar
Haridwar is the land of rishis and munis. One is dominated by the saffron that one is surrounded by. We reached this saffron sea city at about lunch time and the only thing we could think of was food. We had lunch at a south Indian deli nearby and satisfied our hunger pangs. Haridwar really did not figure in our plans, though the Maha Kumbh was in progress then, we choose to give it a skip.
Well, the next lap of experience was just waiting to happen to us. A cheap and novel way get to Rishkesh from Haridwar is the tempo. And following the pattern of our journey, this only cost us another Rs. 15 per person.
Ground Zero: Rishikesh
And thus at last, a journey we had calculate
d would take about 4 hours was completed in about 7 hours. I guess you cannot have the best of both worlds; we saved on the money but not really on the time. But the feeling of having reached there at last finally eclipsed all that we had endured in the morning.
Rishikesh as a town is a quaint one, located at the foothills of the Himalayas. The essence of the town lies in the mingling of the known with the unknown, in an almost seamless transition. It is this setting that draws millions of tourists annually to Rishikesh and makes it almost a Mecca for those seeking a spiritual solace. Add to this the natural beauty of the place, which it inherently derives by virtue of being located on the banks of the Ganges, and you get a perfect combination of leisure and meditation.
It is in this setting where an individual has the chance to experience the bliss offered by Yoga, which is a combination of practical science and philosophy. The setting of the town is such that it seems the whole surrounding is conspiring to provide you with ideal experience. Yoga blends in seamlessly with such a background and this acted as an intrinsic pull for me, which drew to me to this ancient city where the past meets the present.
Achar: The Yoga Class
One of the important aspects about Rishikesh is that you have an amazing array of options to choose from. The number of Yoga teachers and sources available in the city is mind boggling, with each and every form of Yoga being practised in this town.
Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘YUJ’, meaning union, that is the union of body mind and soul. Yoga existed in the cultural history of India from time immemorial. It’s one of the six systems of Indian philosophy. It is a system recognised as a practical system of physical, mental, moral and spiritual culture. Yoga is not only about keeping the body healthy but more importantly it deals with the human mind, its emotions and fluctuations and showing the way how they can be controlled and complete mastery over human mind can be achieved ultimately.
If we have a look around ourselves, we realize that the Modern world is obsessed with science and technology. Talking in those terms, yoga happens to be the science and technology of inner well being.
Our awareness of our bodies and mind is not as sharply developed as it is about the instruments and equipments we use in our daily lives. For example, we emphasize on the visible means of knowing the speed of our car, yet the rate of our heartbeats is something that escapes our attention. We don’t devote much time to our body mannerism, such as how we sit or stand, how we breathe, how our heart beats & how our mind functions.
The demand of our external world preoccupies us and our actions, and there is an automatic response to that demand. In such an environ, a better understanding and knowledge of our body and mind is essential.
Yoga is not just what you do in your 1 hr asana class, in fact it has more to do with what you do for rest of the 23 hrs. Being aware of and listening to the demands of one's body, thinking positive thoughts and having a peaceful mind would be a part of yoga. Lying in my bed and being aware of my heartbeat is yoga to me, listening to my body signs, eating and resting accordingly, converting negative thoughts into positive thoughts and actions, being aware of my breath and knowing myself all this is yoga to me.
One of my personal favourite is the class taken by Shri. Surinder Singh. He is quite a surprise, when you meet him for the first time. A typical rugged Punjabi from the heartlands of Punjab, he does not exactly make for a conventional exponent of Yoga but as soon as you take his class, all your doubts would be dispelled.
The best thing about him is his humbleness and down to earth attitude. In him the axiomatic truth, only a good human can be a good yoga teacher, comes true.
He has two batches, one in the morning and one in the afternoon (for the benefit of nocturnal birds). The price is Rs. 150 per class, which is very affordable for a 2hr session. And definitely worth the money.
His style is Hatha yoga, a form which mainly deals with body. Hatha yoga essentially takes you on an inward journey. Our mind always consists of a number of thoughts. The purpose of an asana class is to make you aware of what’s happening within you. You would discover that the thoughts reduce in number and the mind is at rest. Generally, our nervous system does not accept things easily in the system but once it’s done there is no way mind is going to delete it. So the Asana class is one way of silencing your mind and training it towards positive thinking.
The best feature of his class is that his demonstration is very simple and easily understandable, which makes it very easy on the beginners. The same is challenging for advanced students too. The class is a combination of Asanas which makes you experience your different muscles and their strength while you hold the posture according to your individual capacities. Surinder’s way of teaching is incredible wherein the alignment and exact corrections may surprise you.
After the round of rigorous Asanas, you will be treated to a soothing bit of relaxation, wherein the lyrical exhortation of the word “Reeelax” takes all your stress away.
Ahar: the food that goes into the system
Rishikesh: The land where the sacred water of the Ganges meets the spirit of the soul.
Base Camp: Chandigarh Living in a city like Chandigarh means that one is always on the lookout for making quick getaways, the location of the town being such. As with all journeys, this was another one planned on the spur of the moment. Rishikesh was one place I had associated with Hindu mysticism, Ganges and the charms of unknown land. The very sound of its name gave one a feel that one was going to feel something mysterious and esoteric. This meant that a trip needed to be planned, and urgently so, as the internal clock of curiosity had been ticking for some time now. All that needed to be done was pack my stuff and two of best friends, and thus we were off to the journey we had been thinking about for long.
The next challenge that lay before us was to reach Rishikesh and do so in the cheapest possible manner (for cash is something we are forever short on). The plan to hire taxis was shelved as we just did not have the personal to afford one. It takes about Rs4000 for the journey by taxi, from Chandigarh to Rishikesh if one hires an Innova. The option of travelling by bus was promptly rejected as we need to want to reach all tossed up side to side (and at times top to bottom as well). The final settlement was to go till Ambala by bus and then take a train from there. Ambala Cantt. offers a lot of train options and one can suitably pick any of the choices available. The bus journey to Ambala was fairly uneventful and cost us a bare minimum of Rs. 84 for an ensemble of three. And thus we landed at our first check point, the city of Ambala.
Checkpoint 1: Ambala
Ambala is a town, located at a distance of about 40 kms from Chandigarh. Ambala is the typical Indian small town which is not exactly small. For the first time visitor, one would be surprised at the look of one of the oldest towns in North India, given that was granted the status of a district about 160 years back. The ramshackle appearance and the busybody nature that characterize any such town in India are the visible characteristics of this town. Ours was just a fleeting visit to this the town (like the many others we have made to this city en route to other cities), which just consisted of hopping from the bus stand to the Ambala Cantt. Railway station, which is situated bang opposite to it.
We made a few enquiries so as to which train would deliver us to Rishikesh. There were no direct trains available at 9 am in the morning but we got suggestions from people that we should hop on to a passenger train and try to make it to Rishikesh by changing trains at Haridwar. We took a gamble and bought the general class ticket, unknowing of what was to follow. But we were happy of course; all we had spent was a bare minimum of Rs. 120 and we were on our way. The first passenger train that turned up was a scare. It was bursting at the seams, with the crowds almost spilling out of it. Worse than that, the platform itself presents a scene which is mindboggling. Like the local stations of Bombay, the platform fills up just before the train is to arrive and when it does arrive, there is almost a slugfest to get on the train and one even to get off the train. We let one pass and we let another pass. At last the fear of getting onto such a train had to be overcome and we finally set foot on one, the Jan Seva express. The first task of getting in was accomplished, the second one of bargaining a place to sit or rather finding a place to fit yourself in had begun. After all the jostling for space, we were able to position ourselves on the topmost plank of the general compartment, with our shoes placed on the top of fans attached to the ceiling. The journey had truly begun.
Checkpoint 2: Laksar
Travelling in summer, by a general compartment, can be bit of a problem, especially if you are used to cool environs. Though a little challenged by the weather, somehow we fell into the pattern of the journey. Every stoppage at a small station meant a few people getting off and a lot more entering. The jostling for space continued unabated but those like us, settled into our little niche, continued to stay where we were. In a way, a journey like this carried a certain romanticism which could not be felt in any other way. I certainly had no memory of travelling like this in North India. Having lived in Bombay for a long time, I thought I would be used to this slam-bang context for seats and space, yet somehow the scenes in this part of the country are a little different. In Bombay, you find a sense of inevitable calm mixed in the atmosphere, for everybody knows that the next local would soon arrive. Here in North India, that calm is just not visible, to the contrary you feel an urgency that if you miss this train, there will not be another.
The ebb and flow of the journey continued and so we flowed with it. Somewhere in the midst of this we realised that this train will actually not go to Haridwar and we would have to get off at Laksar, a station at a distance of 27 kms from Haridwar. Whilst we were at the Laksar station, we saw another train that was set to leave for Haridwar. Well, we switched on it to without caring much for tickets and thus hitched the last 27 kms of our ride to Haridwar.
Checkpoint 3: Haridwar
Haridwar is the land of rishis and munis. One is dominated by the saffron that one is surrounded by. We reached this saffron sea city at about lunch time and the only thing we could think of was food. We had lunch at a south Indian deli nearby and satisfied our hunger pangs. Haridwar really did not figure in our plans, though the Maha Kumbh was in progress then, we choose to give it a skip.
Well, the next lap of experience was just waiting to happen to us. A cheap and novel way get to Rishkesh from Haridwar is the tempo. And following the pattern of our journey, this only cost us another Rs. 15 per person.
Ground Zero: Rishikesh
And thus at last, a journey we had calculate
d would take about 4 hours was completed in about 7 hours. I guess you cannot have the best of both worlds; we saved on the money but not really on the time. But the feeling of having reached there at last finally eclipsed all that we had endured in the morning.Rishikesh as a town is a quaint one, located at the foothills of the Himalayas. The essence of the town lies in the mingling of the known with the unknown, in an almost seamless transition. It is this setting that draws millions of tourists annually to Rishikesh and makes it almost a Mecca for those seeking a spiritual solace. Add to this the natural beauty of the place, which it inherently derives by virtue of being located on the banks of the Ganges, and you get a perfect combination of leisure and meditation.
It is in this setting where an individual has the chance to experience the bliss offered by Yoga, which is a combination of practical science and philosophy. The setting of the town is such that it seems the whole surrounding is conspiring to provide you with ideal experience. Yoga blends in seamlessly with such a background and this acted as an intrinsic pull for me, which drew to me to this ancient city where the past meets the present.
Achar: The Yoga Class
One of the important aspects about Rishikesh is that you have an amazing array of options to choose from. The number of Yoga teachers and sources available in the city is mind boggling, with each and every form of Yoga being practised in this town.
Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘YUJ’, meaning union, that is the union of body mind and soul. Yoga existed in the cultural history of India from time immemorial. It’s one of the six systems of Indian philosophy. It is a system recognised as a practical system of physical, mental, moral and spiritual culture. Yoga is not only about keeping the body healthy but more importantly it deals with the human mind, its emotions and fluctuations and showing the way how they can be controlled and complete mastery over human mind can be achieved ultimately.
If we have a look around ourselves, we realize that the Modern world is obsessed with science and technology. Talking in those terms, yoga happens to be the science and technology of inner well being.
Our awareness of our bodies and mind is not as sharply developed as it is about the instruments and equipments we use in our daily lives. For example, we emphasize on the visible means of knowing the speed of our car, yet the rate of our heartbeats is something that escapes our attention. We don’t devote much time to our body mannerism, such as how we sit or stand, how we breathe, how our heart beats & how our mind functions.
The demand of our external world preoccupies us and our actions, and there is an automatic response to that demand. In such an environ, a better understanding and knowledge of our body and mind is essential.
Yoga is not just what you do in your 1 hr asana class, in fact it has more to do with what you do for rest of the 23 hrs. Being aware of and listening to the demands of one's body, thinking positive thoughts and having a peaceful mind would be a part of yoga. Lying in my bed and being aware of my heartbeat is yoga to me, listening to my body signs, eating and resting accordingly, converting negative thoughts into positive thoughts and actions, being aware of my breath and knowing myself all this is yoga to me.
One of my personal favourite is the class taken by Shri. Surinder Singh. He is quite a surprise, when you meet him for the first time. A typical rugged Punjabi from the heartlands of Punjab, he does not exactly make for a conventional exponent of Yoga but as soon as you take his class, all your doubts would be dispelled.
The best thing about him is his humbleness and down to earth attitude. In him the axiomatic truth, only a good human can be a good yoga teacher, comes true.
He has two batches, one in the morning and one in the afternoon (for the benefit of nocturnal birds). The price is Rs. 150 per class, which is very affordable for a 2hr session. And definitely worth the money.
His style is Hatha yoga, a form which mainly deals with body. Hatha yoga essentially takes you on an inward journey. Our mind always consists of a number of thoughts. The purpose of an asana class is to make you aware of what’s happening within you. You would discover that the thoughts reduce in number and the mind is at rest. Generally, our nervous system does not accept things easily in the system but once it’s done there is no way mind is going to delete it. So the Asana class is one way of silencing your mind and training it towards positive thinking.
The best feature of his class is that his demonstration is very simple and easily understandable, which makes it very easy on the beginners. The same is challenging for advanced students too. The class is a combination of Asanas which makes you experience your different muscles and their strength while you hold the posture according to your individual capacities. Surinder’s way of teaching is incredible wherein the alignment and exact corrections may surprise you.
After the round of rigorous Asanas, you will be treated to a soothing bit of relaxation, wherein the lyrical exhortation of the word “Reeelax” takes all your stress away.
Ahar: the food that goes into the system
Now that you have taken your class, the stomach muscles would obviously be aching for an exercise of their own. The choices on offer are plenty, with one finding almost every possible dish on the different menus (mainly to attract the great number of foreign tourists which make a beeline for the city). You have cafes such as Ganga Cafe and Tip Top Restaurant which offer you cheap and multi-cuisine options, with of course the scenic view of the Ganges as added seasoning. And if you still have not had the fill of your journey, then do go to my personal favourite, the uber-cool Pyramid Cafe. It is situated on a small peak and offers some of the most amazing food combinations in an amazingly refreshing setting. And for the foodie that exists in most of us, we get custom made delicacies such as the 'Chocolate banana samosa' served at 'The Office'.
Vihar: Recreation in Rishikesh
Irrespective of the Yoga routine, which formed the core our trip, Rishikesh offers a host of options to explore for the inquisitive traveller. There are the two Suspension Bridges, the Ram and Laksham Jhoola, which make for perfect walkways across the Ganges. Another must is the majestic 'Shiv Aarti', which takes on the banks of the Ganges. The energy, vibe and passion of the ceremony itself would enthuse with positive energy. For the one who has adventure in his spirit, there are the water sports, with the particular thrill of 'River Rafting' being unmatched.
Vichar:
“Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel the artistry moving through and be silent.- Jalal ad-Din Rumi”
Vihar: Recreation in Rishikesh
Irrespective of the Yoga routine, which formed the core our trip, Rishikesh offers a host of options to explore for the inquisitive traveller. There are the two Suspension Bridges, the Ram and Laksham Jhoola, which make for perfect walkways across the Ganges. Another must is the majestic 'Shiv Aarti', which takes on the banks of the Ganges. The energy, vibe and passion of the ceremony itself would enthuse with positive energy. For the one who has adventure in his spirit, there are the water sports, with the particular thrill of 'River Rafting' being unmatched.
Vichar: “Observe the wonders as they occur around you. Don't claim them. Feel the artistry moving through and be silent.- Jalal ad-Din Rumi”
The above quote perfectly symbolizes what the banks of the Ganges stand for. A simple walk down their length or a period of silent contemplation by their side provides one with a window of peace, which is seldom a part of the the manic city life we live. Sit by the Ganges and let flow all your worries!
Very Very interesting. Now, even I wanna go to Hrishikesh
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