Rishikesh and Haridwar Mini Trip

After an all night drive in a giant tour bus on bumpy roads, our small group (only a few from our bigger group decided to go on this short trip) arrived in Rishikesh- a beautiful city situated in the middle of green mountains. Rishikesh is a very holy city, as the holiest of all rivers runs directly down the middle- the beautiful Ganges. We arrived around 5:00 a.m., and after a short tea stop we got on our way, stopping at a steep cobblestone drive. This was also the spot where I first laid eyes on the Ganges, an amazing and GIANT turquoise green river rushing down from the mountains.
Our tour in Rishikesh included two ashrams, a jewelry shop, bridge and breakfast at the end. The two ashrams that we visited were really cool. Ever since reading the book "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert I have been wanting to visit one. We witnessed a puja at the first and were given the prasadam (food offered to the Gods) and got a few minutes to walk around through the halls. All around us as we walked were people sitting in silent meditation, and throughout the visit we were to keep as quiet as possible. The jewelry shop was a stop along the way where we got to see malas- a religious necklace worn while chanting that contains 108 beads. The bridge was at the opposite end of the city- a famous and holy bridge that we got to walk across and back :) We rode to the bridge by jeep- the same type as we rode in while going to the Amber Fort.
After finishing our tour of Rishikesh, we all boarded our bus and drove the short distance to Haridwar, another holy city where WE GOT TO BATHE IN THE GANGES!!!!! I have to say, bathing in the Ganges was one thing I had dreamed about before coming, and when I got down on my knees and let the incredibly fast moving, and freezing cold green water run over me I felt incredible. The water was completely clean and pure. It was an amazing experience, and I'll never forget the hundreds of people that were all around me during this- some were sitting quietly, some performing ceremonies for their young children, women bathing in their beautiful sarees and of course the part at the end when all of the women had to pay five ruppees to change into dry clothes behind a hole filled tarp underneath the bridge. We had been expecting bathrooms to be available...but oh well. It was an interesting experience!
P.S. the photo is another photo of a professional one that we had taken after our dip!