The constant pressure of work can certainly become overwhelming at times. To escape from this, we tend to run away. It was a similar instance in a regular Wednesday night conversation when we decided to book our tickets and escape from the madness the very next day. The bus left on time from the ISBT Kashmiri Gate at half past 11. We were supposed to reach our destination at 6 a.m. However, little did we know, we arrived an hour earlier. And here we were at the Rishikesh bus stand before the break of dawn.

As we reached the destination amidst the starry night, we did not have a reservation to stay. The trip was becoming exciting already. We took a rickshaw and reached the famous Ram Jhula. We saw a vlog before leaving about Swarg Ashram and decided to stay there. The location was not only right next to the Ram Jhula, but it was also overlooking the Ganges. However, the irony was that the reception didn’t open before 8 am. Hence, we decided to sit at the riverbank and enjoy the beautiful sunrise in each other’s company.

Now I don’t remember the conversation we had for those hours, however, all I know is that the moment was serene. We were comforted by the company and beautiful flowing river.

It was already past 3 hours, and we were restless. We reached the reception exactly at 8 a.m. and prayed that we would get a room. We had to wait another 30 minutes to be accommodated. However, after much waiting, we were assigned a lovely room. Our building, called Ganga Tarang, was a beautiful 1-bedroom apartment right in front of the river. It had all the basic amenities, along with an AC. We unpacked, freshened up, and then left for breakfast.

For breakfast, we decided to go to the locally famous Chotiwala restaurant. We ordered Chole Puri and Poha. The food was average and not up to par. After breakfast, we took a long nap. The funny part is, I did not take leave for that Friday and had a working day. I still somehow managed to spend the day without letting anyone know. It worked out well. Later in the afternoon, we took a dip in the chilly river and had our first holy bath. It was certainly refreshing. After that, we took a walk towards Laxman Jhula and tried some local restaurants. The food was again not satisfactory and took an hour to be delivered. And later that night, we ended the day with an average dinner at the hotel canteen.

Later, we walked along the narrow lanes of Rishikesh and arrived at Bhootnath Temple. The walk was through greenery and was very peaceful. The steep incline of the roads did leave us short of breath; however, we enjoyed every moment of it. The temple is constructed on multiple levels. Once you reach the top, you are greeted with a breathtaking panoramic view of Rishikesh.

Then we went to a place that was on my bucket list for a long time: The Beatles Ashram, also known as Chowrasi Kutiya (as it has 84 huts for meditation). There is an entry ticket of Rs. 150 for Indian residents. The place was not to Gaurav’s taste, but we both enjoyed the walk. The ruins have beautiful illustrations and graffiti in random spaces, and the portraits on the dome are mesmerizing.

Later, we walked to ISKCON via Janki Setu. It was already evening, and we were starving by now. After the darshan, we managed to find a good restaurant nearby and had a few sandwiches. We then took a rickshaw to Tapovan and walked to Laxman Jhula. Our legs had given up by now with the day-long walking around the city. So, I suggested a foot massage. As we reached the massage centre, we ended up taking a full-body massage instead, as he gave us a good deal. Honestly, the massage was not as per our expectations, and we both hated it. As we walked out of the massage centre, we found out that it was raining. Even the Little Buddha Cafe was jam-packed because of that, and later we ended up at the Chotiwala restaurant for dinner. Realizing it was the last night here, we took a stroll around and enjoyed the drizzle.

The final day is usually spent grieving the end. However, we wanted to make the most of it. While bathing at the Ghat, we made a friend. We had a long conversation about life and got to know each other a bit. Yes, he was from the local community and we got along well. We started the day lazily and pretty much repeated the previous morning. We enjoyed a long bath in the Ganges and took some holy water to take back home. Initially, we had planned to visit the Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, but we decided against it after considering the weather. Instead, we relaxed in the hotel and had a lazy day. We enjoyed some moments of intimacy in the shower and just relaxed. What more could we ask for?

Later in the evening, we went to Parmarth for the evening Aarti. The weather was inviting us to stay longer and not leave. It was beautiful and romantic. Gaurav told me a lot about the Aarti at this place; however, it was my first-hand experience. To be honest, it was tranquil. I was mesmerized by the symmetrical attire of the young pandits reciting the Shlokas in harmony. The gleaming dusk added to the beauty. It started pouring; however, nothing stopped us from offering our prayers. Probably that was the magic of that place. After an hour of being immersed in spirituality, we came back to pack and leave. We had our dinner at the Mardas Cafe and later that night at 10, we boarded our bus back home.

Life is all about going on with whatever is happening around. All we need is probably, is to live at the moment. Those three days, we talked about the most random stuff of our life. We woke up in each other’s arms and felt that how important are those moments of togetherness. A place we can call home, a place which is our own. Although our families are now comfortable with each other, we still live separately to fulfil respective family responsibilities. We are still living for others. We wish for that day when we can make us complete.