Discover Beatles Ashram’s Restoration project for Spiritual Retreat

British band Beatles’ members George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and John Lennon had visited this ashram in 1968, which at that time was the residence of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

The world-famous pop band group ‘Beatles’ had come to India 50 years ago from today, that too in search of spiritual awakening, so that they could bring change in their music.

The ashram in Rishikesh where the group members stayed belonged to Maharshi Mahesh Yogi. He was also their guru.

Now, this ashram of Rishikesh, situated in the lap of the Himalayas, has been a victim of neglect since the Beatles left. On the walls here even today, the messages of Beatles fans are written.

Numerous artworks have been made with spray paint. The ashram has been formally given the name ‘Beatles Ashram’, but looking at its condition, no one can say that the world’s most famous pop group had ever spent a few days here and even created their new tunes.

In February 1968, this famous group came to their guru’s ashram and here prepared their White Album’s famous hit numbers ‘Ob-La-Da’ and ‘Back in the USSR’.

However, for Beatles fans, this ashram is now nothing less than a temple. But its dilapidated condition disappoints those who see it. Not only the country, even Rishikesh itself has now forgotten that the Beatles came here on their India tour and also stayed.

“Chaurasi Kutiya”

The name “Chaurasi Kutiya” is based on its 84 meditation chambers, in which on both sides of the yoga centre there are 42–42 rooms. In this complex there are about 25 buildings, out of which 12 will be reconstructed under the upcoming project.

The total budget of this project has been kept at 84 crore rupees. In the proposed plans there is mention of repair of many structures, reconstruction, and demolition of some buildings.

An iconic printing press built in the beginning of the 1960s, which was used for printing literature related to “Transcendental Meditation,” is planned to be demolished and converted into a souvenir shop.

In this press “Science of Being and Art of Living” and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s commentaries on the first six chapters of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita had been published.

In 1968 during the stay in the ashram Beatles.

The second big proposal in the ashram is to convert Ved Bhavan into a center for unplugged music. This building, built in 1976, was used as a lecture hall, but now it has become a tourist attraction because of the famous murals of the Beatles.

Currently, this structure has many damaged parts, including cracks in the plastered walls, moss growth, and concrete deterioration.

Saptpuri Complex

Saptpuri Complex, also known as Bungalow Number 9 and identified as Beatles Residence, has been proposed for repair to showcase the time of the Beatles in India.

This bungalow was built in the early 1960s and hosted many international guests, including Mike Love, Donovan, and the Farrow sisters. The bungalows allocated to the Beatles had modern facilities such as electric heaters, running water, toilets, and English-style furniture.

Place of Unplugged Music:

Indian Express has received information that inside Rajaji National Park in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, at Chaurasi Kutiya Swargashram, which is also known by the name The Beatles Ashram, facilities such as cafeteria, sattvic kitchen, tea pavilion, a place for unplugged music, an exhibition on the Beatles in India, and a souvenir sales centre are planned to be developed.

For the project, consultancy firm HCP Design, Planning and Management Private Limited, which was involved in the design of the Central Vista and Kashi Vishwanath Corridor project, has submitted to the Uttarakhand government a detailed project report (DPR) along with a final master plan report.

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After reviewing these documents, the government will issue a tender to execute the project. The consultation cost of the project will be borne by the Tourism Department, while execution will be done by the Forest Department because this ashram comes under the Tiger Reserve.

Currently, tourists are not allowed to enter the ashram with musical instruments. Anand Bhavan and Siddhi Bhavan, built in 1976, which were used by learners of “Genetic Meditation,” will now become a place for wall art and installations.

While keeping the bow-shaped structure of these buildings intact, glass doors, windows, and terrazzo flooring will be added. The reconstruction cost of these two buildings has been fixed at 8 crore rupees per building.

It has been proposed to develop Chaurasi Kutiya hall and huts as a meditation and yoga center. These structures made of stones from the local river, each meditation room is a symbol of a specific yoga posture.

According to the master plan, the design of these huts was made to imitate mountain caves, which were used for meditation. These caves were specially designed to remain cool during the summer months.

Under the project, 20 out of 123 huts will be structurally strengthened and converted into meditation centers. In addition, for the convenience of tourists, two buildings will be converted into toilet blocks, and at the entrance of the premises, a ticketing and control center will be constructed. There is also a plan to install a lift for the convenience  for physically disabled person.

Coming here is a special experience for me –

British photographer Antony Medley recently visited this place and found that this entire complex has now become abandoned.

IT consultant and amateur photographer Medley, who was from Eastbourne, East Sussex, had come to this ashram of Maharshi Mahesh Yogi during his India tour.

He says, “I wanted to capture this building in my camera, because I have been a fan of the Beatles and their songs inspire me, therefore my journey here is very special, because this place is a special event in the history of the Beatles.

This is the very place where the Beatles wrote the songs of their famous White Album and prepared tunes. For me, the records of this album are still very important today.

But seeing the condition of the ashram, I felt very sad. Yet I am also happy that I was able to come here.”

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