The small, serene town of Northern India has left a lasting impression on the world map. Thousands of tourists, travelers, spiritual beings, and yoga lovers have embarked on an inward journey and successfully completed their quest of exploration of the life inwards and outward in Rishikesh. Majestic Himalayas, tranquilizing Mother Ganges, and eminent scenery, this picturesque town is also known as the ‘yoga capital of the world’. Indian cultural, religion, customs, rituals, the local tribe, all can be seen in full swing here. There is a buzz of ashrams, orange-robed sages, high-bun yogis, and much more. Many foreigners who came here never left this enticing place. As so many people come to a look-out for an enlightening experience, it would be correct to say that coming to Rishikesh is a pleasant experience all year round. But some months offer a specific charm to the city and April is definitely one of them.
Here is a list of reasons why coming to the ‘land of Gods’ is a good idea in the month of April:
The Traffic
Rishikesh witnesses many religious ceremonies and events owing to its religious and spiritual image, which attracts hordes of people to come to this town. March experiences a heavy traffic of yoga lovers, teachers, and knowledgeable as well as proclaimed sages and saints, as the annual International Yoga Festival is held at Parmarth Niketan Ashram. A 7-day event, this is known for its classic line-up of teachers, fun-filled meditation classes, new and varied forms of yoga, and other learning experiences like Reiki, Past Life Regressions, etc. Once the crowd departs by March end, April is rather freer and accommodations are more affordable and easily available as well. Even the cafes don’t have a long waiting list.
The Weather
Weather changes all year round and the nights are nippier than the day because of the cooling wind thrown around by Holy Hindu River Ganges. Before it gets too hot in the month of May and June, April is comparatively calm and soothing. The days are not as hot and melting, whereas the nights are still soothing and comforting from the previous weather, i.e., winter retrieval. March mornings can be a little cold, however, in the succeeding month, the climate is pleasant and great to take a dip in the icy cold water of the Mother Ganges to wash off one’s sins as suggested in the ancient Hindu Mythology.
The Spiritual Life
Rishikesh has a myriad of yoga schools offering short and long-term courses like; 200 hour yoga teacher training, 300 hour yoga teacher training, 500 hour yoga teacher training, Retreat programs, Ayurvedic programs, etc. With rigorous yoga sessions, pranayama classes, and meditation walk-throughs, it is only natural to get to the next level of our conscious understanding of the world in lesser time. Come to Rishikesh to receive the true gifts this town is famous for, which is the art of keeping healthy, hearty, and happy. These courses are a transformation of the mind, body, and soul. It leads the students to experience the intricacies of life from a fresh perspective. It is a must-do at least once in their lifetime.
Other Activities
Rafting is yet another reason why the millennial visit this town. While young come for camping, rafting, bungee jumping, and other adventure activities, the old find themselves in the town for all kinds of religious reasons. Rafting closes in the month of monsoons and generally, the average time frame for rafting all year round is from September to April. Camp like never before at the Banks of River Ganges and raft the next day through the blessed town of Rishikesh to come back to the camp by noon. Almost all those who come to Rishikesh hold this experience closer to their heart. Many people add rafting to their other programs, on the other hand, some visit this town only to be an adrenaline junkie.
All of these reasons are enough to attract any travel-hungry soul to the yoga capital of the world. Simply set foot in this breathtaking town to experience a different world altogether and beat the mundane city life.
