Rishikesh

On the last day we stopped by the city of Rishikesh, tucked beside the Ganges and at the base of the foothills of the Himalayas. Its traditionally a center for yoga teaching and also a big western college hang out. This is where the Beatles stayed while in India, and also where they apparently wrote most of the White Album.

All in all, it didn't seem that different than other parts of urban India, though there definately seemed to be more cows and holy men. Also yoga studios all over the place. The cows wander around the streets and get fed by the shop owners. I wasn't certain if its an obligation of Indian tradition to feed a cow when it approaches your door; I saw a shop keeper feed a cow once, then when it clearly wanted more she pushed it away and went back inside.

The yoga studios all seem full of western tourists in varying stages of indian dress and dreadlocks. We didn't go into any, but we passed by quite a few. I don't know where Indians go for yoga, but this doesn't seem to be it.

The holy men pretty much sit on street corners and read texts, or hang out. Occationally you'll see one walking in the crowd, in what looks like a holy trance. Strangely enough, they're never so enrapt in their prayers that they fail to step around the omnipresent cow patties.