Travel Destination for Meditation: World’s Yoga Capital Rishikesh
Rishikesh: The Yoga Capital of the World
Rishikesh, the beautiful place in Uttarakhand, is the home of Yoga as well as its birthplace. It is now popularly known as the Yoga capital of the world. People visit Rishikesh for adventure activities and for spiritual learning in the lap of nature. It is surrounded by the beauty of natural scenic views. It is surrounded by lush green hills on three sides.
The sacred town is considered to be the perfect place for doing activities like yoga and meditation. Even though the number of tourists is increasing each year, still there are places in Rishikesh where you can find peace of mind. Even people from foreign countries love to visit this place.
Rishikesh: The Yoga and Meditation Retreats
Whenever we talk about Rishikesh, yoga, and meditation come to our minds. You cannot separate yoga from Rishikesh as they both go hand in hand. When you go through the city, you can see so many people, including foreigners, involved in yoga and meditation activities as the peaceful environment makes it a perfect place for yoga and meditation.
Some of the best yoga and meditation retreats in India are located in Rishikesh. There are certain things about Rishikesh that make it the yoga capital of the world:
The best yogis are found in Rishikesh who have devoted their lives to yoga and spiritualism.
This place offers you the perfect peaceful natural environment to chant mantras and practice yoga and meditation.
The calming view of the Ganga River brings you peace of mind.
People all across the world visit this place to have peace, so Rishikesh offers you the opportunity to interact with like-minded people.
There are so many hidden places, like Jhilmil Gufa, in Rishikesh that are full of nature and satisfy your inner spirit.
You can visit various ashrams and can be part of rejuvenation programs running there to give yourself a fresh start.
Every year in March an International Yoga Festival is organized in Rishikesh. This festival goes on for a week. This is the biggest festival for yoga lovers. Several yoga classes and discussions on yoga are held during the festival. India’s leading spiritual leaders impart their knowledge of Yoga and meditation to the participants.
There are several ashrams where you can go for yoga and meditation training. Some of the best are named here:
- The Yoga Rishi, Ashram of Yogi Mumukshu Dev
- Parmarth Niketan
- Sivananda Ashram, founded by Swami Sivananda
- Omkarananda Ganga Sadan
- Yoga Niketan, founded by Swami Yogeshwaranand Paramahansa
Various courses are offered by these ashrams, where you can get enrolled and get the best of yoga and meditation training.
Best Time of the Year to Visit Rishikesh:
The pleasant climate of Rishikesh gives you the opportunity of visiting the place throughout the year. The months between April and June are perfect for water activities, like river rafting. The monsoon times are a bit risky as there are chances of land sliding. So, the best time to visit Rishikesh is from October to March.
How to Reach Rishikesh?
Rishikesh, the yoga capital of the world, is located on the banks of the Ganga River. It is near Haridwar as well as Dehradun. It is easily accessible. You can reach Rishikesh by using any medium of transport.
By Air: The nearest airport to Rishikesh is located in Dehradun and the distance between the airport and Rishikesh is approximately 25 km.
By Rail: There is no direct train to Rishikesh. So, if you are planning to reach Rishikesh via train, then the nearest railway stations will be either Haridwar or Dehradun. From there you can reach Rishikesh by Road.
By Road: The city of Rishikesh has good road connectivity, so you can reach here via bus or via taxi.