Rishikesh y la busqueda del yo interior

Despues de 40 minutos de bici-risksaw, 20 horas de tren y una de autobus, llegue por fin a Rishikesh, en el estado de Uttarakhand, a los pies del himalaya, es el puerto de entrada a los santuarios de Badrinath, Gangotri y otros lugares sagrados. Ashrams, y centros de yoga, meditacion y masajes, y es que por algo Rishikesh es la capital mundial del yoga. Largos paseos sin otra compania que la de las vacas y los monos, que aqui tambien abundan. Ashrams para alimentar la espiritualidad, y alcanzar otra dimension, eso si, previo pago. En teoria los Ashrams son centros espirituales gratuitos, aunque te suelen "sugerir" una donacion, a veces, escandalosa segun el tiempo que vayas a estar, y si no hay donacion, no hay ashram. Ayyyy! poderoso caballero es Don Dinero, alla donde uno vaya!
Gente que viene de todas las partes del mundo buscando "nosemuybienque", su yo interior, la iluminacion, pasar a otro plano, la purificacion de sus cuerpos y almas, canalizar su energia, y un sinfin de busquedas mas, que espero que encuentren, porque encajarse en Rishikesh para volverte como has llegado debe de ser una putada.
La ciudad de Rishikesh es vegetariana, no se que dicen que pasa con las proteinas, que el cuerpo utiliza mucha energia para procesarlas, y esa energia es mucho mejor invertirla en otra cosa (en la busqueda del yo interior?? no se), pero esas proteinas incluyen las del huevo, que es casi imposible de encontrar en este lugar. A mi que ya hace un mes y medio que decidi convertirme en vegetariana temporal, no me supone ningun problema, pero no deja de chocarme el dato. Tengo claro que al venir a este tipo de sitios, uno tiene que dejar su mentalidad occidental en casa, y luego volver a ponersela a la vuelta, y mientras, abrir la mente y si no entender, si respetar la cultura y forma de vida del sitio en cuestion, pero por esta vez me van a perdonar los espirituales con sus busquedas interiores, sus mantras y sus chakras, a esta gente se les va la pinza!!
En cualquier caso, yo que como habreis observado me quiero impregnar bien de la cultura india, he decidido quedarme aqui una semana y que mejor que practicar con ellos? asi que me he apuntado a unas clases de yoga, toda una filosofia de vida! para los religiosos, la integración del alma individual con Dios, y para los no tan religiosos, el desarrollo de la conciencia espiritual, cuando uno consigue entender la naturaleza, origen y destino espiritual del ser, o algo asi. Ya os dire si termino levitando, o si decido dedicarme a la vida contemplativa, que no lo creo. La cerveza y las tapas me gustan demasiado.
Hay tambien mucha gente que simplemente viene a visitar la zona y a practicar trekking y rafting, y los montones de Israelies que viene a fumarse todo el opio y derivados que pueden encontrar aqui, que es mucho por cierto. Tiendas de baratijas, pashminas y mochilas suficientes para saciar el hambre de compra de cualquier turista. Lo bueno de este lugar, es que no hay que regatear, porque ya te ofrecen las cosas a un precio mas que razonable, irrisorio algunas veces. Yo que estoy dejando para ultima hora los pocos detalles y souvenirs que tengo pensado llevar, ya he hecho mis pinitos con las compras.

After 40 minutes of bici-risksaw, 20 hours by train and one by bus, I arrived in Rishikesh, in the State of Uttarakhand, at the foot-hills of the himalayas, is the gateway to the himalayan shrines of Badrinath, Gangotri and many other sacred places.
Ashrams, massage, yoga and meditation centres, for some reason Rishikesh is the yoga capital of the world. Long walks without other company than that of cows and monkeys, there are plenty here. Ashrams to feed and nurture the spirituality, and reach another dimension, of course, on receipt of registration fees! In theory, Ashrams are spiritual centres, free of charge. However, they normally "suggest" a donation, sometimes shameful I must say, according to how long you intend to stay. No donation, no ashram! Money is a big Lord!
People that come from all over the world, looking for "idontknowwhat", their inner self, a divine intervention, ascend to a higher spiritual level, purify their souls and bodies, focus in the right direction, and a great many other searches, which I hope they find because coming all the way to Rishikesh to leave just the same way you came must be a real pain in the ass.
The city of Rishikesh is vegetarian, they say something about the proteins being difficult for the body to process and using too much energy that can be used otherwise (in the search of the inner self? I don't know) but those proteins include eggs which are nearly impossible to find here. I decided to become a temporary vegetarian one and a half month ago, so it doesn't bother me at all, but I find the fact pretty amazing. When any of us decide to do a trip like this, I think that we should leave our westernized way of thinking home, and put it back again upon return, and while here, open our minds and if not understand them, at least respect their culture and way of living, but just this once, spiritual people and their inner search, mantras and chakras are going to have to forgive me, but this people have gone nuts!!
In any case, as you probably know by now, I want to learn as much as I can of the indian culture, so I've decided to stay here for a week, and nothing better than practice it with them, so I'm taking yoga lessons, a whole way of life! to religious people, the integration of the soul with God, for those who aren't so religious, the development of the spirit, when one becomes moral, united, integrated and balanced, or something like that. I'll let you know if I end up levitating or if I decide to devote myself to a contemplative life, which I don't think so. I like beer and tapas way too much.
There is also people that come just to visit the area, or to practice trekking and rafting, and crowds of people from Israel that come to smoke all the opium and derivatives they can find, which is a lot. Shops of trinkets, pashminas and backpacks to satisfy any tourist hunger for sales. One of the good things here is that you don't have to bargain. They already give you really cheap prices, ridiculous sometimes. Even I, that I am leaving the few things I want to buy for the very last minute, have already done some shopping.