Beatles Ashram

 

Another fascinating experience I had recently was we went to Rishikesh and I took everyone to Maharishi Mahesh yogis ashram also known as the beatles ashram .. cz the beatles visited and did transcendental meditation there briefly in 1960s.. at first it was just a tourist spot for me .. but I was captivated by the natural beauty of the place with the sound of the Ganga beneath and those quaint little round stone structures … numerous meditation huts and chambers .. the enchanting grafitti on the walls including those of the beatles and ravi shankar .. and slowly the wonder of the place started to seep in… the imagination of when the “Fab 4” were here … creating music and meditating … esp fascinating among the 4 is George Harrison who went onto indulge in Indian culture so much he learned the sitar from Ravi shankar and incorporated into the Beatles successive songs including “ Norwegian Wood” “ strawberry Fields forever” etc …. He adopted Hinduism and produced the “ chants of India” with ravi shankar which is a beautiful rendition of Hindu mantra. And also the Radhakrishna temple album  and songs like “ My sweet Lord “ which again has him chanting “ Hare krishna” .. he just lay his spiritual aspirations naked in his songs and even faced ridicule for it .. but he had enormous growth and evolution as a human being… more than any other Beatle

Theres a song by him “ Beware of the darkness” beautifully played and sung and I absolutely love the lyrics .. he always wrote positive affirmative songs full of hope for mankind .. he was massively uninterested in media and press and fame .. he said “ it was good to be a beatle cz u hit that peak of fame very early and then u know this isn’t it .. this isn’t what ur looking for “ and then u go soul searching … but that’s all that was good for him .. going solo was far more enriching for him cz he could express himself more fully ..

I think theres always a time in ur life when uv to go solo and that’s a real opportunity ..I understand where hes coming from

I think Im captured by “ beatlemania” right now ever since I came back from the ashram … so Iv seen their torrential rise and their evolution and their split .. and then their solo progress .. also their personal lives full of infidelity and drugs and spirituality ,.. but theyr a fascinating bunch to say the least … no wonder theyr still such an enigma to most . still just as magnetic as they were In the 1960s.

Theres a beautiful concert for George played after his death by all his closest friends- Eric Clapton and Ravi and Anoushka shankar and bob Dylan and the travelling wilburys … it’s a feast of love and one of the most beautiful concerts iv seen .. so much emotion in every song they performed for him

“Something” and “while my guitar gently weeps”… and hes literally one of the most beautiful men Iv set my eyes on .. with his deep and seeing eyes .. and his rare smile … his “nonchalance about fame” .. hell he even said “ oh sod off with the beatles already “ and” it’s a relief to not be a beatle” and “ I don’t remember too much abt it .. its like a previous incarnation” while the whole world goes gaga about the beatles still ( including me) (when he was questioned too much about being a beatle) 

I think for me it’s their personalities and their stories rather than the songs really .. but yes no one can deny their magnetic presence on stage and their brilliant music … now I have a sort of personal connect esp with George as if hes a kindred spirit .. hehe .. I can flatter myself cant I … plus hes such a Mc-dreamy … so Im just treating myself to his songs and his interviews..

Oh and theres another interesting story about his story.. so he gets married to Pattie Boyd really young after a whirwind romance and then they sort of grow apart after a while.. all this while his best friend Eric Clapton is quietly falling in love with her while shes married to him . George writes “something” and “ If I needed someone” with her as his muse.. but then he also cheats on her with Ringo Starr’s wife( Ringo again his best friend) and then she leaves him n goes on to marry Eric Clapton. Oh and then Geoge immediately has a revenge “xxxx” with Eric Claptons Ex …hehe … somehow its very amusing to think about …

Anyway, then Clapton writes” Layla” and  “ Wonderful tonight “ two of his most iconic songs on her … but treats her in a ghastly manner throughout the marriage being an alcoholic … so she leaves him too ..

So shes the muse for two greats in the music world and that too best friends … and she inspires 4 unforgettable love songs .. but lands up with 2 really unhappy marriages ! Ironic isn’t it

 

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