Rishikesh (Uttaranchal) - March 17th, 2007

I have never seen so many advertisements from ashrams and small business for yoga, meditation, ayurvedic, massages, etc., very near each other. I took a long walk by the river road until the monkeys discouraged me to continue. They were lining up on both sides of the road, and I didn't wanted to be attached by them. They always think we have peanuts and bananas in the bag.
I stopped to watch the evening fire ceremony by the river, the big goddess statue in white marble sitting cross-legged and many monks wering fire on the air, while chanting and asking for blassings. Many people gathered standing and sitting on the steps of the ghats to watch this ceremony as the sun sets in the background.
I met an Israeli guy while there so we went to dinner afterwards to the other side of the river. He is goind to do a 10-day meditation course in Bhudism next week. Most people here come to take classes or courses of all sorts of spiritual matters.