My first ever SOLO trip- Part TWO!
- ronakdshahs
- Jan 3
- 3 min read
If you haven't read part ONE, here it is: https://www.wisdomtoothfunnybone.com/post/yolo-so-solo-part-one
Without beating around the bush, let me just say- Rishikesh surprised me!! And pleasantly so!
I have not seen a single city/town yet (across 20+ countries I have travelled) which can dish out spiritualism, variety of Indian + international food, safety, cleanliness, all range of hotels and content people....all in one go! The authorities of Rishikesh (police, municipality etc) deserve a pat on the back for providing tourists a uniquely "clean" experience - something which sadly a Varanasi or a Allahabad or a Kolkata cannot boast of (cities through which Ganga flows, funnily first 2 are in same state as Rishikesh). And that's not it- While river Ganga is a jewel on the crown, Rishikesh has multiple other surprising jewels.... let's look at the series of surprises that Rishikesh had in store for me!
Surprise 1: River Ganga not really maili (dirty)
This trip was a revelation for me in terms of my mental-image of India's largest river- Ganga! It was so surreal, I will remember RISHIKESH precisely for how clean the river Ganga was ! Not to forget, the associated 'feel-good' factor that translated into wanting to spend almost all my time -through sunrise to sunset near the ghats and banks of river Ganga! The best test- Dipped my feet in the cold water and could see them clearly with no wrappers/garbage getting stuck on my feet!
Surprise 2: Cafe culture in Rishikesh
Goa is another city of India that comes to mind when we talk about cities in India that are frequented by foreign tourists and while Rishikesh is still catching up, I see no reason why it cannot overtake Goa in few year's time! Yes, the biggest difference is that Rishikesh caters largely to 'vegetarian' palette while Goa is better known for it's sea-food etc.....however, in terms of accessibility , quality of food and variety of cuisines offered, cafes in Rishikesh are top-notch!
Here is a list of my favourites :
Don't miss Vj's Giardano by the Ganges for Pahadi Thali OR wood fired pizzas (what a unique combo)!
Surprise 3: Walker friendly
All roads leading upto tourist friendly places (the Laxman Jhula, Ram Jhula, Janki Setu, Parmarth Niketan etc) were walkable (yes, you need basic fitness to go up and down the slopes) , safe and in decent condition. I must admit, this comes from a very low bar of expectation but ignore the dust & honking and you will sail through! What makes the walking experience even better and this one was so heartening to see- be it Indians or foreigners, I barely saw vendors trying to hard-sell or fleece tourists which is a rarity in such touristic places!
DO NOT miss the promenade built near Janki Setu! It's an enchanting jogging track running (pun intended) parallel to the river with power to convert a sleepy-head into a jogger! Can easily rival the Bandra or Worli promenade in Mumbai- thanks to less crowd, super clean surroundings and way better weather! If you don't believe me, here's a glimpse:
Surprise 4: Unworldly views
Be it sunrise, sunset, dusk or noon- the views, they left me speechless and hence will keep this section word-less in honour of natural beauty that Rishikesh had to offer.
Bonus Surprise 5: Hotel Yog-Niketan by Sanskriti
"One foot in Ganga and the other in hotel" - this would only be a slight exaggeration for this hotel! One of the most quaint hotels I have stayed in, every little aspect has been considered to make the stay "Rishikesh-like" ! Walk 10 steps and you can sit undisturbed with your feet in the river Ganga- this aspect alone is worth the little extra that you would pay for this hotel! While that remains the USP, ignore their generous portions and variety of food at your own peril! 3 simple yet thoughtful touches that brought out "Wow" - 1) Stack of towels kept at the private entrance of the hotel that patrons can use to clean themselves after a dip in the Ganga 2)A private priest (pandit) who conducts aarti just for the hotel guests , everyday at around 6.30pm 3) In house Yoga and meditation -done daily in a very serious yet elegant manner.
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