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Rishikesh
ऋषिकेश
The Yoga Capital of the World on the banks of the Ganga
Era
A pilgrimage town for centuries; world-famous since the 1960s
Built by
Sages and ashrams; the Beatles' 1968 visit
Location
Uttarakhand, at the foot of the Himalaya
Type
Spiritual Sites
“The city where the Ganga leaves the mountains — and seekers begin their journey.”
— A tribute to Rishikesh
The Story
Rishikesh sits at the exact point where the Ganga leaves the mountains and begins its long journey across Bhārat. For centuries it has been a gateway for pilgrims on the Char Dham yatra to the Himalayan shrines — and a town of sages and ashrams beside the holy river.
In 1968, the Beatles spent weeks at the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram in Rishikesh and wrote dozens of songs there. Their visit put this small Himalayan town on the world map, and today Rishikesh is the undisputed Yoga Capital of the World, drawing seekers from every continent.
Its landmarks hang across the Ganga: the suspension bridges of Lakshman Jhula and Ram Jhula, the evening Ganga Aarti at Triveni Ghat where lamps float down the river, and the white-water rapids upstream that make it equally famous as Bhārat's adventure capital.
Core Ideas
Where the Ganga Begins
The river's first stop on the plains after the Himalaya.
Yoga Capital
Hundreds of ashrams and yoga schools teaching the world.
The Beatles, 1968
Their stay put Rishikesh on the world's spiritual map.
Jhula Bridges
Lakshman Jhula and Ram Jhula swinging over the Ganga.
Aarti & Rapids
Evening lamps on the river — and rafting by day.
Why it matters today
Rishikesh is where ancient yoga meets the modern world — a town of saffron and white-water, ashrams and adventure. It is the world's classroom for the art of inner peace.