People usually recommend joining residential yoga retreats to yoga practitioners who want to become yoga teachers, since residential retreats provide the opportunity to learn yoga from esteemed yogis. In addition, staying in a new location also gives you the chance to experience the local culture.
Rishikesh is one such popular yoga hub, where there are several yoga retreats that train thousands of yoga teachers every year. In addition, its ancient ties with the yogic culture make it a favorite yoga destination among yoga practitioners. Let’s see how getting yoga teacher training in Rishikesh can be a great experience.
Location
Located in Shivalik Mountains (foothills of Himalaya Mountain Range), Rishikesh, in Indian culture is regarded as a spiritual place since it serves as the gateway to several pilgrimage places such as, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. It is a sacred place in Hindu culture and has an air of spirituality to it, making it ideal for practicing yoga.
History and Culture
Prayers and festivals are part of daily lifestyle at Rishikesh as it is situated at the bank of holy river Ganges. Even the place itself is named after one of the names of Lord Vishnu, which is Lord Hrishikesh.
For centuries, people from around the world have been visiting ashrams of Rishikesh to cleanse their mind and soul through meditation and offering prayers. And because of the serene environment people get here, many even decide to settle down here. Apart from that, Rishikesh is also termed as the world capital of yoga and every year during early February, International Yoga Festival is organized here.
A Tourist Attraction
Rishikesh is also a tourist attraction. In Rishikesh, you will find people from around the world visiting and enjoying the locale throughout the year. Apart from being a yoga hub, another big draw for Rishikesh is white water rafting. Other adventure activities to do there include rock climbing, forest trekking, mountain biking, and bungee jumping. It is an ideal place for people who want to learn yoga in a serene environment, as well as for those who want to indulge in adventure sport.
For shopping, you can get many yoga related articles at a very low price that you might not even find in other parts of the world, such as religious books, mythological sculptures, Rudraksha, religious yoga attires and more. And as for the food, in Rishikesh you get mostly vegetarian food since people mostly follow a Sattvic diet here. Continental, Italian and other international foods are also available in some parts of Rishikesh.
In Rishikesh, history is being made every day. For instance, The Beatles, English rock band, stayed in Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram in Rishikesh during the 1960s. According to the band, inspirations for many of their songs came from their visit here. The Beatles recorded 48 songs in Rishikesh, many of which appear on their album ‘The White Album.’ The Beatles’ love for Rishikesh has attracted many western people to visit and explore the place. And just like The Beatles, many are able to perceive the beauty of the place in its best form.
From yoga practitioners to adventure lovers, everyone will get a taste of a perfect holiday in Rishikesh.