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tvdas · 4 years

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“Meeting the Beatles in India” has filmmaker Paul Saltzman recounting the week he spent hanging with the Beatles under the tutelage of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi during their famous sojourn to the ashram in 1968. Saltzman has a tale to tell in having been nearly the only non-entourage member along for the enlightenment alongside the Beatles during that legendary spiritual/media event. By virtue of the camera in his backpack, he also ended up being a house photographer, though he forgot about the wealth of stills in his basement for several decades, maybe offering proof that there’s such a thing as too much meditation.

It’s all good reason enough for Saltzman to turn the camera on himself and a few choice expert witnesses here, even if none of the anecdotes or insights are especially profound. As a documentarian, he’s not so interested in exploring the cultural ripple effect of the Beatles’ mid-’60s mysticism as he is in offering recollections of what cool ommm-buds-men the Beatles were, all in the service of drawing us into what’s ultimately a good-natured advert for transcendental meditation.

Morgan Freeman is the ostensible narrator, but the real bulk of the voiceover (and eventual on-camera presence) belongs to Saltzman, a former Canadian broadcaster who genially speaks in slow, measured tones. In 1968, he was a broken-hearted kid who heard an inner voice telling him not to sweat the material world, so he went to India, and ended up being just about the only student on hand for the Maharishi’s instruction, outside of the Apple corps. His convert’s enthusiasm and lack of Beatles worship soon made him a welcome guest at the Beatles’ table, and the recipient of a private sitar concert by George, and a photo-snapping witness as John and Paul sat on a porch in their white outfits and worked out the chorus of “Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da,” which had no other words at the time.

Saltzman has conversations with a few guest stars, including another TM evangelist, David Lynch, who served as an executive producer and is mostly on hand to preach the joys of inner peace in a way completely unbefitting one of the great horror directors of all time. The foremost record-keeper of Beatles history, Mark Lewisohn, accompanies Saltzman on a nostalgic trip back to India. There will probably be no moment of greater bemused interest to hardcore Beatles fans (and befuddlement to everyone else) than the exchange in which Saltzman says he was told the group members wrote 42 songs during their time in India and Lewisohn gently affirms it was really only 30. The filmmaker meets up again with a fellow traveler from the ’68 trip, Pattie Boyd, Harrison’s ex-wife, who is particularly delighted when he tells her he’s tracked down the real “Bungalow Bill,” Richard Cooke III, who was there with his mother, Nancy Cooke de Herrera, a publicist for Maharishi at the time. Maharishi had assigned Nancy to look after the Beatles during the course. The real-life hunter, who ticked off Lennon by bragging about just having killed a tiger — thus inspiring one of the more acidic songs on the White Album, declares that he never picked up a gun again after that trip and subsequently became a conservationist.

Little tidbits like that keep interest going, and who doesn’t want to be reminded that Lennon had a way with one-liners, or that Harrison and McCartney could be mensches? (Ringo Starr doesn’t come up for discussion much, and if you either hoped or feared that fellow ashram attendant and major TM advocate Mike Love would be reminisced about, rest assured he is not.) When it comes to exploring the real benefits of TM, the talk gets vague, as discussions of mysticism will.

The Maharishi is portrayed only in a positive light, although there’s a passing reference to the nasty song Lennon wrote about him immediately after the sojourn, “Sexy Sadie,” before Saltzman fleetingly addresses the still hot-button topic of why some of the group members fell out with the guru, which had to do with the Maharishi allegedly making moves on women in the compound. The apologia offered by Saltzman and Lewisohn is that a peripheral figure in the Beatles’ entourage, “Magic Alex,” spread false stories, though the figure in question told a very different accounting of the fallout (and sued the New York Times over a description similar to the one offered here) before he died in 2017.

The waters that “Meeting the Beatles in India” wades through on the way to celebrating spiritual enlightenment don’t run much deeper than the famously wide Ganges, as the nature and results of TM-induced contentment remain something we still have to take the filmmaker’s word for, and the bigger picture of how the Beatles’ Eastern tilt affected Western civilization remains a topic for a teller who maybe wasn’t so close to his subject. Even so, there’s some fan value here, all spiritual quests aside, in seeing how accepting the individual Beatles could be of someone they could have taken as an interloper in their lofty midst. Maybe that’s the revelation, then: Sweet, the Beatles. COMMENT: Ken Chawkin: I saw the film tonight and enjoyed it. I stayed online for the Q&A that followed with director Paul Saltzman and surprise guest Richard “Rikki” Cooke III, aka, Bungalow Bill. One of the questions asked was why the Beatles left the ashram, and did it have something to do with Maharishi supposedly making a pass at one of the female course participants. That story was a fabrication created by a jealous Magic Alex to draw John Lennon out of there. But Cooke had another explanation, and it had nothing to do with Alex, although he said Alex stirred up a lot of trouble while he was there.

I had also read about this explanation in a book years ago. The Beatles had told Maharishi of their desire to make a documentary film about him and his message of TM to help create world peace. Maharishi was amenable, and they were excited to do it. Unfortunately, Charlie Lutes, the leader of the TM movement at that time, had already signed a deal with Four Star Productions, and they had dispatched a film crew to Rishikesh, India. Cooke said when the Beatles found out, they were disappointed, upset, and decided to leave. Rikki said he saw them walk out the north gate at the same time the film crew were coming in through the south gate. He said it was an unfortunate misunderstanding.

I had also heard that when John and George had gone to speak with Maharishi beforehand, most thought it was to ask about his making a pass at a girl. But the real reason may have been to verify the rumor of a Four Star film crew coming to make a documentary; if so, they would not want to be involved with it in any way, and would be leaving. With both John and George gone we may never know for sure, although it seems more plausible. Of course, John would write Sexy Sadie in retaliation. He had originally used Maharishi’s name, but George convinced him to change it to Sexy Sadie. Years later, George would visit Maharishi, with the help of Deepak Chopra, to apologize for John’s behavior at that time. Maharishi said he was not upset with John, regardless of what he had said, and that he loved them. Deepak had told Maharishi that when The Beatles had played on the Ed Sullivan Show, there were no crimes committed in America. When Maharishi heard that, he called them angels, and said he could never be mad at them. Chopra said that George broke down, and was emotionally relieved with that karmic burden now off his heart. In separate interviews, both Paul and George said there was no truth to those accusations about Maharishi, which they felt were unfortunate.

‘Meeting the Beatles in India’ Review: A Fellow Seeker’s Documentary Blends Fab-Four Lore and Gentle TM Proselytism Running time: 82 min.

Here’s an announcement about the film from the national TM Office of Communications with a message from the director. Here are a few film reviews: Cryptic Rock, NYS Music. Paul Saltzman’s website: https://thebeatlesinindia.com, and trailer.

Production: (Documentary) A Gathr Films release of a Sunrise Films Limited production. Producer: Paul Saltzman. Executive producers: Pen Densham, Walter Dilts, Lon Hall, David Lynch, Tom Schlesinger, Devani Saltzman, Stephen Whitehead.

Crew: Director, writer: Paul Saltzman. Camera: Stephen Chandler Whitehead. Editor: Amanda Kirpaul. Music: Russell Walker, Craig Pruess.

With: Paul Saltzman, Mark Lewisohn, Pattie Boyd, Jenny Boyd, Lewis Lapham, Laurence Rosenthal. Narrator: Morgan Freeman.

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the-beatles-ashram-rishikesh · 2 years

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Beatles Bungalow @ The Beatles Ashram Rishikesh - Chaurasi Kutiya - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram India

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe2XUB9dBu4

#beatlesashram #chaurasikutiya #rishikesh #maharishimaheshyogiashram #beatlesashramrishikesh #beatlesashramindia

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eat-travel-live-repeat · 4 years

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Uttarakhand Tourism saw a sharp rise in popularity the last couple of years. This northern state in India is a cornucopia of many hill stations and tourist attractions. There is so much to do and so much to see as Uttarakhand is blessed with natural beauty – jungles, rivers, snow-clad mountains and an inherent sense of divinity. The state is also called “Devbhumi” (“The Land of the Gods”) as it is home to many highly revered shrines like Badrinath, Kedarnath and so many others. And then there is offbeat Uttarakhand that we keep exploring whenever we can find an opportunity.

It can take a whole book to write about what are the best things to do in Uttarakhand. But that is for another day. Here is our humble attempt to create an Uttarakhand guide about what all can you do in 7 days, through this 7 Day Uttarakhand Travel Itinerary and Guide. We have tried to include destinations that you can reach within 6-7 hours of journey from each other.

How to reach Uttarakhand

The best way to reach Uttarakhand from any part of the world is by starting from Delhi. Delhi is very well-connected with Uttarakhand via road, rail and air. Though there are 5 airports in Uttarakhand, you may or may not get a direct flight. Once you are in Delhi, you can opt for road transport like a rented cab, bus or a self driven car. From our experience, Uttarakhand road trips are most convenient to reach some of the offbeat places.

The Best of Uttarakhand in One Week

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Day 1 – Delhi to Haridwar

Haridwar is famous for River Ganges. It is a temple town in Uttarakhand and is famous for its Ganga Aarti that is performed every morning and evening. One can cover the 200 kms odd strech from Delhi to Haridwar within 5 hours and the road condition is good. The stretch is full of eating options like dhabas, hotels and cafes. The good part is Haridwar is in the Himalayan foothills so one can expect decent weather.

Things to do in Haridwar include Ganga Aarti especially in the evening. It’s a spectacle like no other. Thousands of devotees gather around the river banks to offer prayers to Goddess Ganga. Priests with lamps in their hands chant mantras and the atmosphere looks blissful. There are myriad temples in Haridwar each with a different story. You can also visit Rishikesh from Haridwar which is barely 45 minutes drive and there are some famous temples and ashram in Rishikesh. The famous Beatles Ashram is also in Rishikesh. One can opt for hourly meditation and spa sessions in Rishikesh as well. This zone is also the most popular water rafting zone in North India.

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Day 2 – Haridwar to Mussoorie

Haridwar to Mussoorie is around 85kms and is not more than a 3 hours drive. Mussoorie is also called the “Queen of Hills” and hence from Day 2 your trip is going to be mostly on high terrain. Mussoorie is immensely popular with tourists because of many reasons. For one, Mussoorie has great weather throughout the year. Further, it has access to all sorts of hotel options from basic to luxury, from family friendly places to hostels and dormitories. Thirdly, this place has fantastic connectivity to other locations in Uttarakhand.

Things to do in Mussoorie include pottering down the famous Mall Road, trekking to Char Dukan, St Paul’s Church and early morning walk to camel’s back point. While trekking, do look out for antique and cobbler shops that make handmade shoes on order. A visit to hill resort Rockby’s Manor and savouring cheese omelette at Lovely Omelette Shop are also highly recommended. You may shop for souvenirs from the Mall Road of Mussoorie. It is full of gift options for all tastes and budgets.

Day 3 – Mussoorie to Chakrata

You will drive 100kms and reach Chakrata in a span of 3 hours from Mussoorie and see a completely different side of Uttarakhand here. While Mussoorie is extremely touristy, Chakrata is quite the opposite. It is an offbeat place and you may not see many tourists here. But it is breathtakingly beautiful and has retained its tranquillity. Chakrata is less explored but there are also many things one can do here in addition to soaking in the natural beauty. The most popular activity here is to visit Tiger Falls. These falls create sounds of roaring tigers when water drops from top of the hill to the pond at the bottom. It is a perfect picnic spot and you can frolic in the water. Apart from the waterfalls one can also visit Mahsu Temple and Budher Caves.

For adventure lovers there are arrangements for water rappelling at Kimona Falls.

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Day 4 – Chakrata to Lansdowne

Start the day early and within 6-7 hours of driving from Chakrata, covering around 250 kms, you will reach Lansdowne, a sleepy hill station in Uttarakhand. Lansdowne is essentially a Cantonment Town, and is home to the eilte Garhwal Rifles of the Indian Army and hence you can expect peace, cleanliness and order. It is one of our most favorite places in Uttarakhand, no wonder we have visited it many times.

Things to do in Lansdowne include visiting Bulla Taal, a manmade lake which almost looks like a set from Indiana Jones movie, St Mary’s Church and trek up to Tiffin Top. We would highly recommend doing all these things by foot. All these things are under one hour trekking from each other and you will be able to absorb the beauty of Lansdowne better. Don’t forget to savour the famous chocolate burfi and Baal Mithai – the specialty desserts of this region. We bet you will get these packed for friends and family.

Day 5 – Lansdowne to Nainital

A 6-7 hour drive covering around 250 kms will take you from Lansdowne to Nainital, which is perhaps the busiest hill station in Uttarakhand. Just like Mussoorie, Nainital also gets tourists all through the year. Summer vacations are the peak season in Nainital and if you don’t like crowds you should avoid holiday months for visiting this place. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful hill station any day.

The Naini Lake surrounded by green mountains is the heart of this place. Boating in Naini Lake is just one of the things to do here. Apart from this, you can visit the Naina Devi Temple, enjoy cable car rides and visit Eco Caves Garden. The Mall Road is a perfect place for shopping. Look out for hand carved wax candles here. This is a local handicraft and the candles come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. We would also highly recommend breakfast and bakery items at The Sakleys, A Mountain Cafe on Mall Road.

Day 6 – Kausani Day Trip

Don’t check out from your hotel at Nainital when you start for Kausani the next morning. Kausani can be visited from Nainital and one is advised to come back the same night since there are not many lodging options in Kausani. The driving time from Nainital to Kasauni is less than 4 hours and Kausani will give you a much-needed break from the humdrum of Nainital. Start early in the morning and you can visit Neem Karouli Ashram and Katarmal Sun Temple on route to Kausani. If you love history, Katarmal Sun Temple may turn out to be a spectacular experience.

Kausani is a quaint little hamlet in Uttarakhand and would be loved by travellers who like peace and solitude. Apart from watching the valley from the binoculars from the highest point here, one must visit Gandhiji’s Anashakti Ashram in Kausani. It is a beautiful ashram cum museum displaying Gandhi memorabilia. Kausani is a perfect place to just be and not do anything. Just be one with nature and be awed by the variety of brightly coloured wild flowers. Start on your way back around sunset and you’ll be in Nainital by dinner time.

Fredy’s Bungalow – The perfect place to disconnect with the World and reconnect with nature and yourself

Another interesting alternative, is to head out of Nainital, and drive to Bhimtal, an hour away, and check into Fredy’s Bungalow – A Colonial style bungalow, for the night, surrounded by nature, which is perfect for disconnecting and reconnecting with nature. Among the many things that you can do, the best of the lot is to go hiking which also involves plenty of bird watching.

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Day 7 – Nainital to Jim Corbett National Park

Jim Corbett National Park, the last destination on this 7 Day Uttarakhand Road Trip Itinerary, is barely 2 hours from Nainital and this would be your drive downhill back to the plains. Jim Corbett National Park, which also happens to be one of the Best National Parks in India, is famous for its jungle safari which happens early mornings and evenings. Most of the accommodation here are resorts, such as Aahana Resort and there are barely any standalone restaurants. It is highly advisable to pre book your jungle safari as the better zones get full very easily. If you are lucky you may see tigers in the jungle but it highly depends on which zone are you in and which month you visit Jim Corbett. Don’t focus too much on tiger sightings and enjoy the deer, nilgai, and host of birds like kingfisher that would surely come your way. The overall safari experience is beautiful.

Snippets from the Corbett Jeep Safari

Apart from jungle safari, one can go for a village tour on foot or on a bicycle that your resort may provide. Since it’s your last day in Uttarakhand we would highly recommend taking it easy and Jim Corbett is a perfect place for that. The place has a very relaxed and laid-back vibe. Being forest area travellers are not advised to venture out in the night. That is the best time to chill in a pool or rejuvenate in a spa inside the resort.

Day 8 – Back to Delhi

Start after breakfast from Jim Corbett National Park and after a 5 hours drive, you will be in Delhi with your cameras full of beautiful pictures and your hearts full of amazing memories.

7 Day Uttarakhand Itinerary – Summary

Day 1: Haridwar

Day 2: Mussoorie

Day 3: Chakrata

Day 4: Lansdowne

Day 5: Nainital

Day 6: Kausani Day Trip

Day 7: Jim Corbett

We hope you found this 7 Day Uttarakhand Travel Itinerary, to be of help to you, as a reliable Travel Resource for planning your Road Trip to Uttarakhand. Don’t forget to Pin these images, and save this One Week Uttarakhand Road Trip Itinerary, for future travel planning.

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7 Day Uttarakhand Road Trip Itinerary Uttarakhand Tourism saw a sharp rise in popularity the last couple of years. This northern state in India is a cornucopia of many hill stations and tourist attractions.

#2020 #Corbett #Experiences #Guest Blog #Himalayas #Uttarakhand

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ahataxisblog · 4 years

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Beatles Ashram, Rishikesh: India’s Yoga Retreat

Beatles Ashram is located in the suburban alleys of Rishikesh in the state of Uttarakhand. It is also famous as Chaurasi Kutia and it is situated on the eastern bank of the Ganges river. This place is named ‘Beatles’ ashram as, during the ancient days, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who was the spiritual Guru and the founder of the Ashram in London got attracted to his teachings in the year 1967. It is an old and ancient-age place for the practice of yoga and meditation. Beatles Ashram was initially known as Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram. During the year 1968, people started getting training in the advanced techniques of Transcendental meditation. The ashram is located in an eco-friendly attraction located in Rajaji National Park.

Beatles Ashram is a perfect weekend destination from Delhi. Book Delhi to Rishikesh Round Trip Taxi and explore the history of Beatles Ashram. The entry fee to Beatles Ashram is Rs 150 for Indians and it is Rs 600 for foreign individuals. The place is open every day of the week. Visit the legendary Ashram to explore the place where the Beatles used to spend lots of days to find the internal peace and happiness of life. They also created amazing and eye-catching graffiti and paintings to attract travelers walking by the Ashram.

Now the abandoned ashram’s walls are even painted by the visitors. The Ashram was created as a center of spreading the practice of meditation, and yoga in the country. The Beatles are the people who were considered as the true disciples of the Maharishi. Now the place is maintained by the Government of India. And they are planning to convert it into a museum very soon.

Beatles Ashram also offers an amazing and serene view as it is located close to the mesmerizing river Ganga. It is a perfect place for people who are close to nature. Book an Hourly rental cab in Rishikesh to visit the local sightseeing places. Nature walks, camping, bird watching, and trekking are other popular must-do things to do in Rishikesh. The beautiful walls and facade of the Beatles Ashram are dominated by the murals of John Lennon and other band members who are mad music lovers from all across the globe. Beatles Ashram has located just around 30 km from the Jolly Grant Airport. Just book Dehradun Airport to Rishikesh Cab to Beatles Ashram. This place is popular as a music spot because the English rock bank who stayed here in the year 1968 has written and composed over 50 songs.

In the year 2016, on December 8 the Beatles Ashram was covered on the front page of all the newspapers when the 84 huts which are also called Chaurasi Kutia was again reopened for tourists. The Maharishi’s ashram was built in the year 1963 when it got a donation of $100,000 from American heiress Doris Duke. The ashram covers a total area of 17 acres from the forest. The ashram consisted of six long bungalows that have 5 to 6 big rooms in it surrounded by the flower beds of vegetable gardens and beautiful flowers.

#rishikesh #dehradun #cab booking

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