2015/2016 Three Continent Tour: February 9 Rishikesh and......HARIDWAR....surprise visit to the holy Hindu city on Ganga

Up 4:45 AM to warm up with a hot shower to be ready for yoga with Yogi Vishvaketu. I was not early enough. No props left, and a very very crowded room as he is so popular. I sat in winter clothing and toque , gloves etc to start the practice, and removed as we went on. Soft light and a few heaters around, but not on marble floor!! It was an excellent class, with lots of excellent breathing techniques incorporated into familiar asanas. Some great ideas, I hope to write them down if I get time. Of course the 6AM class started in the dark, and it gradually got light. Some quite energetic poses were included, and lovely new yoga ideas, many simple. He gets my vote of approval. I met two ladies at reception, and they were booking for a trip to Haridwar. I got invited, and am excited to go as this is a HUGE spiritual centre for Hinduism. The festival goes once every 6 years. I met them at 10:30 AM and the taxi took us to Haridwar. It turns out that the festival was over the entire weekend, and probably millions of Hindus came. They close the roads, buses converge, and finally people walk there, in fervent spiritual desire. It was great to go with the ladies, and we walked along the ghats( steps) to the Ganges, where many people were still washing in the holy waters. Women go in fully clothed, men in underwear. Quite an event as the pics show. We walked down some side streets, and back to the taxi, who drove us to see some temples and statues along the way. ( see pics) Then back to the hotel. I met another Canadian lady there and we made plans to go to the 6 PM Hindu ceremony in Rishikesh on the Ganges, and then go to dinner. The ashram food doesn't sit well with me, and I need a break from it.
Below: the fire puja pit. candles, ghee on a long utensil, and herbs in the dishes around.

Here is the grace we sing before each meal, below.

In Hardware: Ganges, and the ghat steps where people purify in the sacred waters.

Below, Ganges flows fast: Nepal is about 400km away.

Sale below of flowers in leaf boats.

I bought a boat to release

Below the priest intoned a whole lot for me, and asked for a pile of money for it!! I didn't pay!

Below I pray for family, priest close by

Release the boat to Mother Ganges to have her blessing on the family

Below: washing, total immersion is common. Guys hold onto a rope but current is fast, so they take chances.

So much of this wass happening, post the big weekend festival frenzy

Bridge over mother Ganges

The lady in pink went in with her lovely dress

Below: guys frolicking in the ceremony. Guy in white was taking pics of them, so not sure how many prayers were said.

Below: market area

Below: shrines in the square.....priests wanting money.

Water bottles below for sale. Take them home and have Mother Ganges in your home to bless you.

Market area with the ladies I was with

I liked this orange dome below....not sure what it was for

A guy going for total immersion. It must be very very cold.

Below, huge area to contain the millions of people that line up for hours to see the Ganges and the festival. It is the quest of a lifetime.

Below: Lord Shiva, I believe, replete with cobras and trident.

Another temple below in Hardware on the way home. On return I finished blog, and went to an excellent yoga class ( two per day ) Then the pic below that is the Hindu evening ceremony on the banks of the Ganges. Lots of music, singing, and fire braziers, with choreography.