Beatle's ashram

This ashram on the outskirts of Rishikesh was made famous by the Beatles, who visited their guru for a couple of months and wrote the White Album here. Abandoned and overgrown, it looks like a cross between the set for Aliens and Sleeping Beauty’s mausoleum. Fantasize and you can see the flower children tripping between the meditation pods.

Bathers

And more monkeys

These ones are much more docile. Fortunate really, because they are much larger.

And monkeys

These ones are cheeky monkeys. Nerves of steel and can be quite scary when confronted. Master thieves. If you have food in your room, don’t leave your door open. All windows are barred to keep out our simian relatives.

Holy cow

Not sure if I can describe to you all what it is like to live your life alongside a huge population of cows who largely live off our waste.

Picnic

Pankaj organised a picnic on the “beach” by the Ganges upstream from Rishikesh.

Day off yoga

Aarti

Ill. Coming down with tummy bugs. Thousands of the llittle buggers. Feeling feverish. Missed yoga class this evening, but got to witness the nightly chanting/ candle lighting session by the river, which was pretty cool. Was transported on a river of mantras for an hour or so. Felt inspired to try and cure myself with a sip of the holy waters.

The river in Rishikesh (and Haridwar further downstream) is lined with ashrams, which are like religious Butlins for Indians needing a break from their daily lives. They arrive en famille and get spiritual. Hi de hi.

New town, new yoga teacher

Meet Pankaj (centre), photographed here with Galit from Israel in the foreground and a couple from Brazil. Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Korea, Japan, France, America, Germany, Ireland, England, Australia, China, Singapore and Spain were also all represented in his class. An inspirational teacher. Prankster. Loved his craft. Didn’t care about the money. The story goes, he started yoga at 13 because he wanted to dance like Michael Jackson. Started teaching at 19. Is now 32. Already a legend in his own lifetime among a few devotees. All hail.

Rishikesh

Travelled overnight to Rishikesh via Haridwar. My first Indian train journey. Slept pretty well. Lulled to sleep by movement and sound of the rails. The stench from the tracks could be pretty bad at times though.

Rishikesh. Self proclaimed world capital of yoga with about 60 teachers working there at any one time. It is situated where the Ganges flows jade green out of the Himalayas. The Ganges is considered a very holy river by the Hindus. Hindus often try to make a pilgrimage to at least one of the four principle sources of the Ganges before they die. Watching people as they cross the river by ferry, I would always see them take a sip and “baptise” themselves with the waters.

Market

Bathing

Bathing in the waters around the Golden Temple is considered particularly auspicious by the Sikhs. Headgear is still obligatory at all times for all visitors to the temple.

Border closing

The closing of the border between India and Pakistan is a piece of pure theatre. The crowd on both sides are whipped into a fervour of good-natured patriotic chanting and flag waving. The soldiers prance a piece of flamboyant choreography, which is reflected step for step across the national divide. And then everybody goes home for the night. Extraordinarily good entertainment. Recommended.

Street scene

Indian streets are just insane by western standards. Pedestrians, cows, cycle rickshaws, motorised rickshaws, cars and motorbikes jostle for position with an endless cacophany of horns - sounded not in anger, but because all the wing mirrors have been knocked off the vehicles and that is the only way people know what is coming up from behind. Most trucks have the words “Horn Please” emblazoned on their backsides, and everybody accommodates their wish. Constantly. You kinda learn to filter it out, but then have to get used to a driving style in which conventional manners are completely ignored. Gaps in the traffic are filled on a first come, first served basis, which means that you are constantly being cut up. If it happened in the West, there would be endless cases of road rage, but here it is so commonplace that nobody bats an eyelid. Driving is purely instinctive and I never saw an accident. Having said that, I did see a few cows minus a horn and one with it’s hindleg hanging off. Lovely.

Hindu deity

This little girl has been dressed up in the temple to resemble a hindu deity.

Not to be outdone

Not to be outdone, but outdone nevertheless, the Hindus have attempted to emulate the Golden Temple a couple of miles away. The results vary from the sublime to the outright tacky.

Just too cute

Feeding the 30 000

Free board

Every day, 30 000 meals are served endlessly to pilgrims, who are sat in long rows while volunteers walk up and down the aisles serving lentils, pickle and chapatis from stainless steel pails until you are stuffed. Didn’t feel right to me, that a rich westerner like myself should be being fed by these people, but they were happy that we were there. (Left to right) Lilie, Julie and Kaya.

Free lodgings

All pilgrims to the temple get free lodging in these halls of residence - no matter what their race or creed. For some reason Westerners get priority. The overflow camps out on the balconies and in the courtyard, and prays that it won't rain.

Golden Temple, Amritsar

Joined some of my fellow Buddhism students to go to Amritsar - heartland of the Sikhs. Sikhism was born out of Hinduism in the 15th century by a guru - teacher - who renounced the caste system and created a new religion based largely on altruism.

Hazy mountain shot

Never seem to tire of these photos. Won’t bore you with too many of them.

Triund

Spent the night at this chai stall on the way down. 2900m

Ragu

Ragu, my guide. Weakest bladder in the world. Must have gone six times in a three hour ascent to the summit. Like a dog marking his territory. Hope he’s ok. Read it is a symptom of diabetes when I got down. Diabetes is a big problem in India. Once you have tried the national drink - chai - you can understand why. Apparently it was the British who introduced sugar to the indian diet. And sugar cane to the landscape!

Edmund Hillary Jr.

Made it! The view was worth it. Mt. Kailash visible by my left arm. 4300m. Felt the lack of oxygen from about 3700m. Dizziness every time I turned around to look at the view. Everest is over twice as high again. And people climb it without oxygen!

Indraharar Pass

Still can’t levitate, so decide to climb up to the top of this mountain to see the view.

Avital

My mate Avital. With me through two yoga courses and the 10 day retreat, she’s my friend for this lifetime at least. Had stupidly told a friend of hers a few weeks ago that I thought people became more interesting over 30. Of course she told her boyfriend, who told Avital, who, it transpires, is only 27! And I’m a twat. What’s new?

Will's 40th birthday. Happy Birthday, Will.

Meditation and Buddhism

Started 10 day introduction to Buddhism and meditation course. Have to give up my mobile phone, camera, passport and promise not to leave the premises or try to email/ contact anybody outside. Felt pretty weird at first. Made me aware of why I choose to be self-employed and lead the life I do.

Found the teachings on non-inherent existence, impermanence and emptiness fascinating. Course changed the way I view the world. India delivers!

Umpire

The older boys were playing cricket during their lunch break on these terraces with the outfielders about three terraces down. I was called upon to adjudicate on every fallen wicket, but felt hopelessly unqualified. Especially since I was talking to the batting team on the sidelines rather than paying attention to the action.

School

Found this school at the end of a long ridge way up in the hills. Thought I only had vultures for company when I came across this school on the edge of the world. I had only passed about half a dozen houses, so was quite shocked to suddenly come across about 50 children clamouring to have their photo taken.

Tramping

I sometimes go tramping in the afternoons after yoga and brunch. Once you get out of town, the hillsides and terraces are pretty idyllic.

Sexual equality

Not sure if this is what feminists were hoping for. Among the labouring castes, women appear to do all the carrying work. Here carrying soil out of a construction site as the foundations are being dug and carrying cement to put in the holes. Everything is balanced decorously on the crowns of their heads. Again the working day is from dawn to dusk - or about 14 hours.

Making slates

Labour is so cheap that everything is made by hand. Slates for roofing.

Nick's place

Of course it isn’t really Nick’s place. It’s Tensing’s, who happens to be a pretty savvy Tibetan business man, who is raking it in on his hotel and restaurant businesses, while only paying his staff 500 rupees (about £5.90) a month. Plus board and lodging. And they work from 6am until 10pm! I think we should all have at least two each.

Snake Charmer

Dalai Lama

Dharamsala and its satellite villages host a big population of Tibetan refugees clustered around the Dalai Lama’s residence. Indeed the whole community is constantly abuzz with His Holiness’ movements and appearances. He is seen here (in car) on his way to the anniversary celebrations of the Tibetan Childrens’ Village.

Prayer wheel

Prayer wheels come in all shapes and sizes, from portable versions to this mamma. In karmic terms every revolution corresponds to one mantra chanted. I like the Buddhist philosophy, but find this one hard to swallow. Another Buddhist karma trick to a better future existence is to perform prostrations - usually 108 000 - non stop for 3-4 years. It’s about subduing the ego, and I actually find this easier to relate to than the prayer wheel gig.

Gompa

Temple or “gompa” where Dalai Lama lives. Whole hillside is covered in prayer flags. Have to say, compared with the rest of India, the Dalai Lama brings in the tourist dollar, making this town relatively affluent. Not sure if that makes up for having your country occupied and genocide practiced on your countrymen!

Diwali

Diwali. Hindu Festival of Light. Firecrackers and fireworks all night. Music and dancing for half the night. The enthusiasm of these boys/ young men is quite infectious. Fortunately half the population is Buddhist. Otherwise the noise would have been twice as bad.

Yoga

Start of two 5-day beginners’ yoga course in this purpose built Iyengar yoga studio. Iyengar yoga utilises a lot of ropes, belts, bolsters and cushions to help you relax in each asana/ posture. It is also very precise about the position of the skeleton and the function of the muscles. Would prefer it if you didn’t need so much gear, but I’m hooked. Beginning to feel like I know what I’m supposed to be doing.

Tibetan India

Walked to Bhagsu waterfall. Found these Tibetan monks washing their clothes. Perhaps not how they would choose to be portrayed. But hey, who’s blog is it anyway? This is how most laundry is done in India.

Himalaya

India was once in the southern hemisphere - part of the super continent called Gondwana. When it broke off from Gondwana, it made it’s way across the Indian ocean and piled into Asia. Indeed it is still ploughing into it’s new host continent, pushing up the Himalayan mountains at a rate of 8mm/ year. The plains below Dharamsala resemble a kind of geographic cellulite, with endless ranges of smaller hills arranged in serried ranks.

Life is cheap

Got talking to Bageswari. He is 17 years old, works six days a week, thirteen hours a day, for £1 a day making shoes. Dead proud of his job. Wants to get an education in computing, but also needs to support his family.

Red Fort, Delhi

Explored Delhi for the day before boarding overnight bus to Dharamsala. Delhi is absolutely heaving with people. India is heaving with people - their population grew by over 20% between 1991 and 2001 - and they keep accepting more from abroad. Refugees from Tibet, Afghanistan, Iran.... The pavements are impassable for people living their lives on them. Eating, sleeping, washing, being shaved, doing their laundry. For all the squalor of their living environment, Indians are meticulous about their personal cleanliness.

1st day in Delhi

Went to trade fair about 15km out of town in Greater Noida. Like an Indian NEC. Hired an old Ambassador taxi for the day and found a company to reproduce my butterfly table. Handed over my templates and told them I would visit their factory in 6 weeks time. All the aluminium factories in India appear to be found in one city North East of Delhi called Moradabad. A bit like the markets in India, where you find all the jewellers in one quarter, and all the grocers in another. Makes more sense to my mind to spread out, but I guess you go to Tottenham Court Road if you want a hi-fi in London, so perhaps we are no different. Expo was an oasis of calm compared to Delhi.