Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram

With the black clouds gathering in the mountains and distant rumbles of thunder I head to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi ashram, where the Beatles spent time in 1969. Now derelict and overgrown by the forest out of town it's quite hard to find. The gate is locked but an old man with a gammy leg appears and lets you in for 50 rupees. I have no idea if this is official or not! The ashram is huge, and spread over a great area. You have no idea on walking in how much there is to see. Up the entrance slope you pass many domes that you might sit quietly inside, with great views back over the valley. At the top is what I guess was the main reception and village square, complete with fountain and postbox. Further back you encounter dining rooms, workshops and a great hall, complete with stage. Did the Beatles gig here?

Further back still towards the hills are the accommodation blocks - two huge structures, both slightly different architectural styles, buried in massive trees with what must be 50 small rooms in each. The storm is getting worse, the atmosphere is looming, the wind is clacking shutters and swirling leaves, it starts to rain but just occasional giant drops. Inside the blocks is dark and eerie! Several times I jumped around expecting to see another tourist standing there! Graffiti is daubed all over the walls, mostly nonsense tagging but plenty of lyrics and quotes from the famous four.

On the roof of the accommodation blocks are more curious domes. The view down to the grounds around, the mountains and the setting sun over the Ganges is incredible. The wind gusts extremely hard and rapidly clattering sound like gunshots.

 

This is not a fruitless amble though a time machine though, I have a mission. That is to detach a tiny part of the ashram, to post back to England, for my Beatles loving family. What though? Searching around debris in the various buildings I found a nut and piece of sink from a kitchen. I tried to get a bolt from an old door but had nothing to prise it off with. Walking out of the spooky accommodation blocks and further up the hill I came across what seemed like a temple, with small concrete shrine in the middle. Very dark and quiet, the wind noise and storm outside fades into the background. The temple is covered in pebbles, on the walls and ceiling. I decide one of thee pebbles would be a perfect memento so set about getting one out of the wall using good old foot power!

Pebble in hand I head back as it's getting dark. On my way back I can hear music. There's a chap standing on top of one of the domes, belting out Beatles numbers! I sit and listen for a while then chat to him when he finishes. Turns out he's from Bristol, and loves the Beatles! (no shit!)

The next day I dunked the stone in the Ganges, for extra power and stored it, ready to post :)