Rishikesh - A photo story

My second trip to Rishikesh in less than a quarter. My sister, and my wife’s sister had come over and we had a weekend to go outside Delhi and have fun. Not the first location that would turn up in your mind, but we all agreed to have a quiet time in Rishikesh. No temple trips and no artis, we promised ourselves. River rafting was also out of question as the monsoon rains had swollen the river. Well, Rishikesh is good enough to do nothing but just roam around aimlessly. And we were lucky to get lovely weather that was a shade cooler than the heat and humidity of Delhi. And I wouldn’t miss any chance to take photographs. Here are some pictures from this trip.

Ram jhula is my favorite place in Rishikesh. It was difficult to get this picture due to the high contrast between the extremely bright light in the clouds and the relatively low light on the bridge and the hills.

View of Ram jhula from the Western side of the Ganges in Rishikesh

I wanted to capture an empty bridge and started out early morning. With lots of people already up, it was difficult to find it completely empty.

A rare empty stretch on Ram jhula

Another view of Ram jhula

Amazing skies post monsoon season with Ram jhula across the river Ganges

In a couple of earlier trips to Rishikesh, I had never seen such lovely clouds and clear skies. Every hour, the scene would change as clouds drifted across the hills.

One of the so many lovely views in Rishikesh

The full moon rises from behind the hills in Rishikesh

A woman sits on the bank of the river praying silently, as another man sits on a bench meditating.

Praying to the river

Meditating in peace

In the evenings, the sky would first turn a fiery red & orange with streaks of blue and then finally settle down to a deep purple before turning black.

View of a sunset in Rishikesh from the prayer grounds of Swargashram

View of a sunset in Rishikesh from the prayer grounds of Swargashram

The sky turns blue and purple at the magic hour immediately after sunset as viewed from Swargashram in Rishikesh

Walk around the place, and there are immense opportunities to observe the daily life in this town.

A young boy stands by the side of the road

Its so difficult to stand straight at this age

Woman on the terrace brushes her hair on an early morning in Rishikesh

A dog rests its head on the wall as it silently watches people pass by on the road

An cute sign-board 'Little Buddha Cafe' on the walk from Laxman jhula to Ram hula on the eastern back of the river Ganges

Jeeps are a common mode of transport to short destinations within the city though they are noisy and spew dust all over the place

An old man lost in thought as he sits on the narrow path leading to Laxman jhula

The narrow path leading down to Laxman jhula

Keeping in tune with global events

The arti at Swargashram is very popular with the tourists. A statue of Lord Shiva is built on a platform that goes into the river.

Reflections of Lord Shiva on the Ganges

Throngs of devotees gather for the evening prayers at Swargashram

A 'pujari' prepares for the evening prayers

We went on a drive up the hills and encountered various streams, lovely flowers, a pair of mules and marine drive!

Various streams like these merge into the Ganges

A flower in full bloom waits for honey bees

Jack and Ass - Jack is on the right:)

Mumbai marine drive just shifted to the Himalayas

Ingredients of a memorable trip - motorbike, snacks, drinks and a hut

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