Some experiences

So it’s been a few days since my last posting and a lot has happened since then. To begin with, I went to Haridwar, which is supposed to be one of the holiest places according to the Hindus. It was holy in certain spots, such as the ashram that I went to and meditated in (Keshabananda’s Haridwar ashram to be exact), but it was also very materialistic. I went to the aarti in the evening when I was there and I found it to be everything but spiritual. There were people asking for donations everywhere and also many little children selling these plastic mats to sit on. The poverty was very visible. I would say that the highlight of that aarti was when it ended.
The following day we travelled to Rishikesh. Rishikesh was quite nice. First we ended up at the Dayananda ashram to speak with one of the Swami’s about a performance one of the members of the group I’m travelling with was having that night. His name was Hamsananda and you could tell he loved being a Swami and was full of joy. It was a nice little stop. After that I visited a palm reader and got my palm read. It was an interesting experience. Then on my way back from the palm reader I was crossing a bridge and got attacked by a monkey. It shrieked a little and then hit my on the head. I guess that’s what I get for walking too close to it. (Ok, I’m going to take a little break from my story to tell you to keep reading because the next parts or the blog are the best part).
Then, I decided to go to another aarti, except this time it was in Rishikesh. This one was much nicer. For the aarti they had a kirtan led by young boy bramacharis. They all sang bhajans and many of them were quite into it. Our guide was a Hindu himself and got us front row seats for the aarti. In order to get to these seats though we had to walk to the front steps of the ghat where the aarti was taking place and walk along this step that was covered with around 2-3 inches of water from the Ganga. It was awesome. If you are ever in Rishikesh be sure to see the aarti.
We departed Rishikesh early the next morning to head for Badrinath. Although we did not make it all the way there yet, we did havce quite the beautiful drive. The road we took followed the Ganga and other rivers the whole way. It was picturesque. I can’t adequately describe the beauty found in this northern area of India. Let’s just say that it can make your heart sing in awe of the natural world around it. Also, while we were on the road we chanted a bit with a travel harmonium that one of my companions has. That was nice as well. However, I still have to say that the real thrill was seeing everything around me. The trees, the river, the mountains, everything was amazing. This road to Badrinath is another must see in India.
Well I think this post is long enough so I’m going to end it here. I’ll be sure to write another one after I finish my trip to Badrinath. For all those who are reading, I hope you all stay in bliss. Max out.