The Beatles in India: Exploring The Beatles Ashram, Rishikesh
The Beatles in India: Exploring the Beatles Ashram in Rishikesh
When people think about the Beatles in India, they often think of one question.
Were they searching for spirituality… or were they simply brainwashed?
Growing up, that’s exactly what my mum used to tell me.
She would say this was the place where the biggest band in the world had been brainwashed by a guru.
Years later, standing inside the Beatles Ashram in Rishikesh, I wanted to find out the truth for myself.
Was this really where everything changed for the Beatles, or was it simply a place where four musicians escaped fame to search for something deeper?
Why Did the Beatles Go to India?
By the late 1960s, the Beatles were the biggest band on the planet.
They had achieved worldwide fame, enormous success and more money than they could ever spend.
Yet something was missing.
After experiencing the counterculture movement in America, they were left disappointed. They wanted something more meaningful than the parties and drug culture that surrounded the Summer of Love.
Their search eventually led them to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation.
After meeting him in England, the Beatles accepted an invitation to visit his ashram in Rishikesh, India.
In early 1968, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr arrived in what would become one of the most famous moments in music history.
What Is an Ashram?
An ashram is a place where people come to live, learn and practise spiritual disciplines such as meditation, yoga and self-reflection. Traditionally found in India, many ashrams provide a peaceful environment away from everyday life, allowing visitors to focus on personal growth rather than material distractions. The Beatles Ashram in Rishikesh was established by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi as a centre for learning Transcendental Meditation, attracting students from around the world—including the Beatles in 1968.
The Ashram was founded around 10 years before the Beatles visited
Exploring the Beatles Ashram
Today, the Beatles Ashram is no longer an active meditation retreat.
Instead, it’s a peaceful place surrounded by forest, nature and the sounds of the nearby River Ganga.
Walking through the abandoned buildings feels like stepping back in time.
The ashram is much larger than I expected.
Beatles Ashram has a few touristy pictures on the wall but not many. Its suprizingly quiet.
There are meditation halls, accommodation blocks, kitchens, walking paths and dozens of unusual dome-shaped meditation huts hidden among the trees.
Although abandoned, the atmosphere remains incredibly peaceful.
The Famous Meditation Pods
One of the most fascinating parts of the ashram is the collection of pebble-covered meditation huts.
These unusual structures were designed as private meditation cells where visitors could sit quietly without distractions.
Each pod contains a small meditation room with tiny windows and thick walls that help create a calm environment.
Beatles Ashram Meditation Pods
Walking inside them feels surprisingly intimate.
Walking inside one of the meditation pods
One pod contained graffiti reading:
“When you look up at the sky and see a cloud… think of me.”
Below it were the words:
“To Lennon and Yoko.”
Whether original or added later, it perfectly captures the connection people still feel with this remarkable place.
Psychedelic Grafitti to John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Where Did the Beatles Stay?
One of the questions I wanted answered most was simple:
Where did the Beatles actually stay?
Map showing location of where The Beatles bungalow is.
Eventually I found the accommodation area where they lived during their stay. The photo below shows it and there are around 5 rooms with ansuite bathrooms. The sign at the entrance translates to
“after meditation you feel strong inside.”
The bunglalow where the Beatles stayed in 1968
The rooms are surprisingly modest.
Small bedrooms.
Simple bathrooms.
Nothing luxurious.
Inside one of the abandoned rooms where The Beatles stayed. Derelict now.
Considering this was the biggest band in the world, it couldn’t have been more different from the lifestyle they were used to.
It’s believed the Beatles spent around two to three months here living a quiet, vegetarian lifestyle focused on meditation and creativity.
Writing the White Album
The visit wasn’t just about meditation.
It became one of the most productive songwriting periods in the Beatles’ career.
While staying in India, they wrote dozens of songs.
Many of these later appeared on the legendary White Album, while others would be released on future records.
There are many rare photo of Beatles in India during their time at the Ashram
Without this peaceful retreat in Rishikesh, some of the Beatles’ most famous music may never have existed.
Standing where those songs were first imagined is quite a surreal feeling.
George Harrison’s Spiritual Journey
Of all four Beatles, George Harrison embraced India the most.
Inspired by legendary sitar player Ravi Shankar, George developed a lifelong interest in Indian music, philosophy and meditation.
Grafitti of, Ravi Shankar who was a musical collaborator with George Harrison
Even after leaving Rishikesh, he continued practising meditation throughout his life.
His fascination with Indian culture became one of the defining influences on his music and personal life.
Rare photo of George Harrison when Beatles were in the Ashram in India
What Is Transcendental Meditation?
The Beatles came to India to learn Transcendental Meditation, a technique developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
Unlike many people assume, it isn’t a religion.
The practice involves silently repeating a personal mantra to help settle the mind into a deeply relaxed state.
Many evidence showing that Transcendental Meditation has helped improved people lives.
Supporters believe it can reduce stress, improve mental wellbeing and increase creativity.
Whether you believe those claims or not, it’s easy to understand why four exhausted musicians wanted a break from the pressures of worldwide fame.
Were the Beatles Really Brainwashed?
This is probably the biggest question surrounding the Beatles’ visit to India.
Many people believed Maharishi had somehow brainwashed the band.
Even as a child, that’s the story I always heard.
But after learning more about their visit, the reality appears far less dramatic.
The Beatles didn’t suddenly become different people.
They were already evolving as musicians and as individuals.
Their music had become increasingly experimental long before they arrived in India.
The trip simply accelerated ideas they were already exploring.
George Harrison remained deeply interested in Indian spirituality for the rest of his life.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon both continued their own creative journeys.
Ringo Starr left earlier than the others, famously missing some of his favourite foods more than meditation itself.
Rather than brainwashing, the visit seems better described as a period of personal exploration.
Can You Visit the Beatles Ashram Today?
Yes.
Today the Beatles Ashram in Rishikesh is open to visitors and has become one of the city’s most popular attractions.
As you wander through the abandoned buildings, colourful murals and quiet forest paths, it’s easy to imagine what life must have been like here in 1968.
Even if you’re not a Beatles fan, it’s a fascinating place to explore.
It combines architecture, history, music and spirituality in a way that’s unlike anywhere else I’ve visited.
Grafittti of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi with the fab 4
Is the Beatles Ashram Worth Visiting?
Absolutely.
Walking through the meditation huts, nesled amungst the River Ganges and discovering where the Beatles lived and imagining the songs that were written here made it one of the highlights of my time in Rishikesh.
Whether you’re interested in music history, Indian culture, architecture or spirituality, it’s an unforgettable place to experience.
View from the Beatles Ashram looking down and listening to the Ganges River
Final Thoughts
Before visiting, I wondered whether this place had really changed the Beatles forever.
After spending time inside the ashram, I think the answer is more complicated.
The Beatles didn’t come to India because they had all the answers.
They came because they were searching for them.
That search produced some of the greatest music ever written and helped shape one of the most influential bands in history.
Whether you see it as a spiritual retreat, a historical landmark or simply an abandoned collection of buildings in the forest, the Beatles Ashram remains one of the most fascinating places to visit in India.
Watch the Full Video
Join me as I explore the Beatles Ashram in Rishikesh, discover where the Beatles stayed, learn about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and uncover the real story behind one of the most famous journeys in music history.
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Russell M. Henderson is a practicing RIBA Chartered Architect based in Tanzania, East Africa.
Russell (Architect Russell) also makes videos on YouTube , TikTok Instagram & Skillshare sharing thoughtful, honest and pragmatic knowledge while working and living abroad.
Architect Russell Uncensored is podcast also available on YouTube, talking about an architect’s life unfiltered.