Ceremonies and Rituals

It's day 2 now in the yoga capital of the world.The town is like one big Ahsram with beaten looking signs for yoga teacher training everywhere you turn. Like the rest of India I have seen , this town is littered, filthy , overcrowded with people , cows and monkeys making walking the streets claustrophobic. There are a few exceptions to this, of course our hotel is beautiful with an ayurvedic spa just steps from my room.
The town has a historic spot called Har Ki Pauri where each night a ritual ceremony called aarti is performed. As I understand it, it is like saying goodnight to the river and occurs each sunset with offerings to the Ganges river such as flowers and fire.It was a beautiful ceremony to watch,with singing, music,clapping from joyful participants and onlookers,both local and visitors.The true joy on the faces of people as they took part in this ritual is what sets India apart from much of the western world.They have rituals and ceremonies for everything, religious and non religious . And they take it seriously welcoming all.They seem proud of their beliefs and their country and the sacred things it has to offer. Something many of us could take a message from.

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Aarti at sunset


Students of sand script looking on


Kelly( one of our guides sings along ... She knows Hindi)


Offerings of fire


My offering ...a plate with a candle in it.



Arvind , our other guide looks on


He is opening nuts with a rock


Mama and baby


Streets of Rishikesh


More monkeys


Local


These yogis live under this sacred banyan tree. See the threads? Each month Hindu woman make a ritual of wrapping string or thread around the tree 108 times to bless their homes.


Crossing the pedestrian bridge that goes over the Ganges. Windy or bad hair day?

Location:Rishikesh , India