The Beatles Ashram

The Beatles Ashram In the north Indian city of Rishikesh lies a curious abandoned ‘ashram’ that perhaps triggered the western fetishisation of India as the mystical, magical land for them to embark on a spiritual journey. On the foothills of Himalayas, by the banks of the beautiful Ganges River, lies what is known as The Beatles Ashram. An ashram is traditionally a monastery or a spiritual hermitage mostly from Hinduism or Buddhism. The Beatles Ashram or originally known as the ‘Chaurasi Kutia’ was the retreat of the famous spiritual leader Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who is accredited as the founder of the Transcendental Meditation Technique. During the 1960s and 1970s, the ashram served as the International Academy of Meditation.

History of Beatles Ashram -
Established by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Beatles Ashram was in operation already before the arrival of the Beatles band. The Maharishi used to teach Transcendental Meditation here to the individuals who were interested in learning and developing an educational career in this field. The member of the British band The Beatles arrived at the ashram in the year 1968. Before coming to this place, the Beatle band had participated in the Maharishi’s seminar in Wales, which propelled them to visit Rishikesh and stay for three months in his ashram.

They undertook the TM course and stayed in accommodation provided at the extreme back of Beatles Ashram. They enjoyed better facilities than the other students and were supplied with 24/7 running water, private toilets, and electric heaters. According to history, the Beatles band had to leave the place before their planned duration of stay after the Maharishi was accused of sexual assault.
The ashram was then abandoned and taken into the administration of the forestry department. In December 2015, the site was finally opened for public visits and was officially declared as a tourist hub. In February 2018, an exhibition was held at the Beatles Ashram to observe the completion of fifty years of the arrival of the Beatles band in Rishikesh.