Rishikesh is a small town in Uttarakhand. Famous for its meditation and spiritual practices. It is mainly a pilgrimage town. People from different countries, residing in ashrams, learning the art of meditation, yoga, and learning about the HINDU way of having a fit and healthy lifestyle. Rishikesh, also known as the yoga capital.

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The Lord Rishikesh- the Yoga Capital.

The name Rishikesh, in Sanskrit, means Vishnu, “the lord of senses.” So basically, Rishikesh got its name after the Lord Vishnu. Who use to austerities under a mango tree. That’s one of the reasons why Rishikesh is one of the holiest places for the HINDUS.

Reaching Rishikesh is easy. All you have to do is take a bus from the ISBT, Delhi. The distance is around 259km (5hr). The distance from Dehradun to Rishikesh is 43.7km (1 hr).

In Rishikesh, two places to visit are Ram Jhula and Lakshman Jhula. The Distance between them is just 1.2 Miles that is 2 km away.

From the main Rishikesh bus stand, the distance for Ram jhula is 3.1km and for Lakshman Jhula is 5.2km. That is approximately 9 minutes for Ram jhula and 14 minutes for Lakshman jhula from the Rishikesh bus stand.

The Holy River Ganges Flowing In Rishikesh- the Yoga Capital.

The Holy River Ganges, one of the most sacred rivers of Hindus, flows through Rishikesh. Leaving the Shivalik Hills in the Himalayas, the river Ganges flows its way through the Northern plains of India. Several Temples are there on the bank of the river Ganges. Every day you can see the massive crowd of people from different places of India and other Countries visiting and bathing in the Holy water beside the Ganga Ghat. There are few restrictions to be followed around the other river banks.

Lakshman Jhula, Rishikesh- the Yoga Capital.

Lakshaman jhula is a 450ft long iron bridge constructed over the river Ganga in 1923. It is one of the Landmarks of Uttrakhand. As per what I heard, the bridge was build after lord Lakshman, brother of Lord Ram. That is said to be crossed by lord Lakshman with the help of two ropes at the same spot. This bridge is 82 years old, which vibrates a little when the flow of air is fast.

Little Buddha Cafes.

You can find a variety of cafes situated right after crossing the Lakshman jhula. One of the most popular cafes is the Little Buddha Cafe, which is on the roadside. All you have to do is climb few stairs to have a closer look.

This place offers you a lot of different cuisines with a variation of vegan and gluten-free food. The costumes around are 90% Foreigners. The waiters there are so friendly. I remember a scene where one of them came to check on us that are we smoking a cigarette or a weed, for which he sat with us and had a few drags out of our cigarette. This place is fun with the food and the view, and that slow breeze touching your skin is a treat for both eyes and soul. If any of you reading this gets a chance to visit Rishikesh. Then I suggest you all go check out this place any time of the day. It is on hype and worth an experience.

Shanti Shanti cafe.

There is one more cafe that I visited while being in Rishikesh, Shanti Shanti Cafe. This cafe holds its place amongst the top 5 cafes in Rishikesh.

This cafe has its beauty enhanced by the small separate sitting-dining areas, where you can sit down or lay down and relax with the view of mountains with the Ganges flowing. Therefore, this cafe gives you the vibe of a cottage.

I had astonishing time dining in here with the breezes crossing between my hair, slow trance music, and the food was just delightful, on a clean diet so, all I could try of there were the pictures below. I truly loved the ambiance and the way the cafe is designed very eye-catching.

To visit this place you have to get deep into the lanes of Rishikesh.

Ram Jhula, Rishikesh.

It was built in 1986, similar to Lakshman Jhula but a bit longer. The name Ram jhula was kept after the name of Lakshman jhula to symbolize sibling love, indicate the bond between the two brothers Ram and Lakshman.

Goa Beach.

Yes, you read it right, there’s a beach in Rishikesh near Ram Jhula, Goa Beach. This place gives the exact vibe of a beach with the sand and the water and defiantly the beach tan.

This place was so relaxing, and witnessing the natural beauty was a treat. I spent some time there got myself clicked because the water being deep in that area swimming was not at all allowed.

After spending some time there, I left for one more cafe near Ram jhula, Honey Hut.

Honey Hut Cafe – Ram jhula.

This place is known for its native-produced honey. However, they don’t use sugar as a sweetener. They add honey to every sweet dish of theirs, which is healthy and serves your taste buds. They have a lot of options to choose from, coffees to smoothies to desserts and savory.

I had a great time visiting this place, exploring the well-known cafes around, and chit-chatting with the people who’ve been staying here for a while now, coming from different countries, getting to know what brings them down here. The experience they have had learning about inner peace and yoga was pretty much inspiring.
This place offers water sports, including rafting, valley view camping, Bungee jumping, and flying fox. I would suggest, visit and experience that all by yourself.

By – Aditi Jamwal.