Tapovan Times Sep 2025_20250919_144857_0000

�� Did You Know…

1 Tapovan means forest of spiritual practice It comes from two Sanskrit roots: tapas (austerity, inner heat, spiritual discipline) and vana (forest) Together, Tapovan is the forest where one performs austerities Long before cafés and guesthouses, this was dense jungle, where sages withdrew to burn karma in silence The name itself is a reminder that beneath today’s noise, the ground here still carries the memory of stillness

2. The Lakshman Jhula bridge was built only in the early 20th century Before its steel frame, pilgrims crossed the Ganga on ropes and boats, often at great risk. The bridge didn’t just connect two riverbanks it connected generations of seekers to a sacred passage, opening Tapovan to the wider world while carrying the weight of countless footsteps of devotion

3 Beatles Ashram (Chaurasi Kutia) In the late 1960s, foreigners came here esp to Chaurasi Kutia (the Beatles Ashram) to study meditation (TM etc ) That ashram is in the Tapovan region It brought global attention. Before that, these areas were known more locally for pilgrimage and small spiritual retreats

4. Rapid Change Over Time (less documented but perceptible through local stories)

TAPOVAN, RISHIKESH

Locals say that even as late as 20-30 years ago many parts of Tapovan were rice fields or forest clearings; only a handful of guesthouses and local dhabas. Steps, roads, hotels etc came gradually, and in the last decade accelerated (This is more anecdotal, but matches what people who’ve lived here a long time say )

Phones on 1%, Prayers on 100%: The Great Rishikesh Blackout

Darkness in the Valley, but Bright Screens Wherever Plugs Were Found

Tapovan Times delayed by 2 days, readers waiting anxiously

Due to computer glitches & some amount of laziness we absolutley make no promises of no delays in the future

Yogi Says

�� Krishnamurti:

“The problem is not sex but the mind that uses sex for its own gratification, ambition, escape.”

Osho:

“Sex is raw energy It is the seed; if you suppress it, it becomes perverted if you transform it, it becomes love, even prayer ”

Glow with a homemade facial, crafted with natural, heavenly scents

Reawaken under a rainfall shower, washing away the last traces of stress

Conclude with a delicate meal and dessert, served to complete the circle of nourishment

Limited: One-time offering next week only at Aavya Book your royal escape before the slots vanish. Aavya Wellness, Tapovan Rishikesh 6398419747 | www

20 Sep 2025 th

TAPOVAN, RISHIKESH

Krishna vs Buddha: The Eternal Banter

Scene: A banyan tree at twilight Krishna leans on his flute, Buddha sits steady in meditation.

Krishna: “Buddha, why so serious? You sit still while life dances around you.”

Buddha: “And you, Krishna, why so restless? You keep chasing gopis while silence waits within you ”

Krishna: “Not chasing teaching. The gopis’ love wasn’t desire, it was devotion. In longing for me, they forgot themselves. That is freedom.”

Buddha: “Freedom is not forgetting yourself in another. Freedom is seeing clearly there was never a ‘self’ to begin with ”

Krishna (smiling): “So you renounced a palace, walked away from your wife, left your kingdom… only to discover ‘no self’? Sounds like a dramatic way to end up at my flute note.”

Buddha (unmoved): “And you fought wars, played tricks, stirred hearts, danced till dawn… only to admit it was all play. Different theater, same emptiness.”

Krishna: “True. But tell me, can your monks laugh, love, and still be free?”

Buddha: “And can your gopis let go when the music stops?”

Krishna (playing a soft note, with gopis gathering behind him): “They already did. Their longing burned them clean. Desire became devotion. Devotion became dissolution. Even your monks envy the joy in their eyes ” Buddha (pauses, a faint smile): “Perhaps But silence asks for no company.”

Krishna (grinning): “And yet, Buddha, even your silence cannot compete with the sound of a hundred gopis singing my name.”

The flute plays. The gopis sway. Buddha closes his eyes again, silent but this time, perhaps, conceding the last word.

Karma Isn’t a Scorecard It’s Your Subconscious on Loudspeaker

Everyone treats karma like some cosmic ATM: put in good deeds, withdraw blessings later. But karma isn’t a future pay-out plan It’s your own subconscious, cashing cheques in real time

The Joke’s On You

Think you got away with that lie? Your subconscious didn’t. It filed it under “trust issues” and will serve it back as paranoia later Skip out on discipline? Your subconscious tightens the body before you even step on the mat. Do something kind without expectation? Your subconscious relaxes, rewires, and suddenly life feels easier.

No God with a clipboard, no celestial HR Just you vs the accumulation of your own habits. Karma = State of Mind

Every action is a message to your subconscious: “This is who I am.” Do it often enough, and the subconscious believes it That’s karma Shout often? You become anger Love often? You become love. Scroll endlessly? You become restless Breathe deeply? You become space

The Wake-Up Call

Karma isn’t keeping score you are Every choice feeds the subconscious, and the subconscious shapes the reality you walk into tomorrow Today’s mindset is literally yesterday’s action plan

So no, karma doesn’t come to bite you in your “next life ” It bites you right now in your thoughts, moods, reflexes, and reactions

The Punchline Karma isn’t bitchy It’s obedient It simply reflects what you’ve been feeding it Which means the real question isn’t “Do you believe in karma?” but “What instructions are you giving your subconscious today?”

MusicalBooks

Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound David Frawley

Raga Mala Ravi Shankar

A life woven through sitar strings Not just autobiography a deep dive into how ragas shape a lifetime of devotion and improvisation.

By Aavya Wellness Retreat

TAPOVAN, RISHIKESH

Wisdom Corner

“A person who is not disturbed by the incessant flow of desires that enter like rivers into the ocean, which is ever being filled but is always still can alone achieve peace"

Bhagavad Gita

AUM: The Sound You’ve Been Chanting All Along

Most of us think of “Om” as the starter pistol of every yoga class One long sound, everyone joins in, then we get on with the asanas But in the Upanishads, especially the Mandukya Upanishad, Om (or more precisely, AUM) is described as nothing less than the vibration of existence itself.

AUM vs. OM

AUM is not just a ritual chant but a map of consciousness, described in the Mandukya Upanishad as the vibration of existence itself Unlike the simplified "Om," AUM has three parts:

A (ahh): waking state, outward life U (oooh): dreaming state, mind’s creativity M (mmm): deep sleep, ego dissolving into silence. The pause after M represents Turiya, the fourth timeless awareness beyond all states. Attitude Shapes Experience

How one chants determines its effect: casually it’s ritual, with focus it brings stillness, with devotion it becomes prayer, with curiosity it opens self-inquiry. The sound doesn’t change we do.

Role in Yoga

Om at the start of class resets the mind, calms chatter, and prepares the body for awareness in movement

The pause signals a shift from “doing” to “being ” Common Mistakes

Rushing it like a cheer

Cutting short the “mmm ”

Forgetting the silence afterward.

When to Chant

just A practical, poetic journey into the power of mantras. Explores how sound itself becomes yoga healing, transforming, and awakening.

A slim but timeless gem Shankar explains the essence of Indian classical music, the structure of ragas, and why music is not entertainment, but meditation.

Traditionally at the beginning and end of practice, but usable anytime: sunrise for alignment, night for dissolving noise. Even one full chant can reset the nervous system.

Why It Matters

The Upanishads say all existence unfolds from Om Chanting isn’t about creating something new, but remembering we are not separate from reality With the right attitude, Om becomes patience, love, or silence itself and a reminder that asana is presence, not performance

Codes of Enlightenment

Code #3:

“What you meet in another being is the projection of your own level of evolution.” — Ram Dass

Code #4:

“The moment you think you are spiritual, you are already lost in the ego of it.”

The Gr emma

I don’t know how to begin this without sounding like a hypocrite Maybe I am one Maybe we all are Running

Aavya, I’ve had a front-row seat to the contradictions of the yoga world, and I’ll admit some days it makes me laugh, and some days it makes me want to cry. I’m not a yoga teacher. I never claimed to be one. But over the last four years, I’ve met hundreds of teachers who’ve walked through these hills And in every conversation whether whispered over chai or confessed after a class I hear the same things: the desire to go deeper, the guilt of charging, the worry about whether they’re being “too commercial ” One teacher tells me, “I just want to live in silence, Ashish ” But then she asks me how to price her retreat

Another says, “It’s not about money.” And then, two breaths later, “But how do I fill my class?” I’ve seen it again and again this split-screen reality Teachers who chant of surrender, then panic about signups Healers who preach letting go, then hustle for collaborations. Yogis who say “stay present,” then check their Instagram likes after class. And before I point fingers, let me admit: I am part of it too I run a retreat space I talk about energy and alignment, about creating a sanctuary where people can heal and just be. But at the end of the day, I’m also sitting with bills, debts, staff salaries, negotiations, and ads Some nights, I feel like I’m holding a mala in one hand and a calculator in the other

There’s guilt in this guilt that we’ve dressed up the same human struggles in spiritual vocabulary. City people talk about careers, revenues, salaries. We talk about dharma, energy exchange, abundance Same struggle, different costume

And yet there’s also joy I’ve seen a teacher tear up when a student finally felt their breath. I’ve seen a class of three people turn into the most powerful circle because it was the right three people I’ve seen collaborations that looked transactional on paper turn into something truly alive

So yes, it’s messy. Yes, it’s confusing. And yes, sometimes it feels like a scam even to ourselves. But it’s also what we have, and maybe the mistake is pretending the mess doesn’t exist

Maybe the point is not to clean up the dilemma but to live it lighter, more honest, and without taking ourselves too seriously. Because some nights, we’re all just holding a mala in one hand and a calculator in the other

And honestly? None of us are Osho or Krishnamurti And in today’s world, even Sadhguru and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar have full Instagram and social media teams. If they need content calendars and hashtags, then maybe we can forgive ourselves for juggling between silence and reels, between mantras and marketing

Q: Didi, the rains just don’t stop. My clothes are damp, my mood is damp, even my mat smells like fungus. Where is the sunshine?

A: Beta, sunshine is inside you. But till you find it, use Dettol.

Q: Dear Didi, till I didn’t agree, he called me 5 times a day Now that I’m his girlfriend, he doesn’t call me even once. What do I do?

A: Beta, you should have never agreed. You should have let him keep calling you five times a day. At least you would be happier.

Q: Didi, everyone keeps telling me to “find myself.” Where exactly am I supposed to look?

A: Beta, start with your phone that’s where you lose yourself 200 times a day.

Q: Didi, my girlfriend says she loves me but also wants to go on a “silent retreat.” Should I be worried?

A: Arre, worry when she asks you to join Silence is golden, but in couples it can turn into platinum shackles. Let her retreat, you enjoy the noise.

UPCOMING MUSICAL EVENTS

�� Tapovan & Rishikesh Music/Kirtan Calendar

Sanghrachana Thursdays evenings (weekly) 7pm- 9pm Kirtan & Bhajans

Devi Music Ashram (Upper Tapovan)

By Aavya Wellness Retreat

TAPOVAN, RISHIKESH

�� Tapovan Construction Chronicles

“We shouldn’t build, should we?”

“Well… maybe just a room.

Not a big one something small, just enough to sweep with a broom ”

“But look across the lane, the neighbor’s gone up two floors!”

“We are shorter than them

so we must go taller, of course ”

“Five feet of breathing space such a generous gap ”

“Five feet? What a waste!

Two inches is more than enough stick your nose out there and breathe Try it ”

“But what about the people?

The windows, the light, the air?”

“People adjust, my friend, concrete is what’s fair ”

“Forty cafés already crowd this single dusty street ”

“Yes, but ours will be different one dish, one singer, new faces to meet ”

“A hundred guesthouses stand, two-fifty yoga schools.

And why, oh why, should we be different?

Everyone else builds we can’t be the only fools ”

“So we agree it’s madness?”

“Yes, we all know it’s true

But if the bandwagon is passing, we’ll climb on it too ”

And so the walls creep closer, the sky a thinner band Rishikesh, once wide and open, is now construction land

The Ganga ji still flows, but no longer to be seen from Tapovan, where she once was part of the dream.

☕ Lower Tapovan Café Crawl (Because even yogis need snacks between asanas) Gaia Smoothie

Run by the ever-charming Nipun, whose smoothies are as good as his hugs Mango, papaya, pineapple, spinach whatever you order, you leave nourished twice: once by the fruit, once by the warmth.

Moktan Café

Run by the soft-spoken Kumar, whose coffees are a Tapovan staple This is the café where you feel the pulse of the season when the old-timers return, when new faces arrive, when half the people are inside the café and the other half are standing outside Always buzzing, always familiar

Bhoomi Café

Run by Parth and the beautiful Aarushi whose name, like Aavya, carries the same meaning of first light, first rays Which makes Bhoomi feel personal and lovable, not just for the food (which is amazing), or the garden (perfect for a winter sunny day), but for the warmth behind it Truly the “in-place” in Lower Tapovan Anna’s Mess

Perfect, simply perfect. South Indian soul food right here in Tapovan. Dosa, idli, sambhar everything arrives just as it should, no fuss, no pretense, all heart.

Apologies to the other cafés I haven’t covered yet don’t worry, your turn is coming in the next editions Tapovan is too full of gems to fit into one sitting

Spirituality Can be Funnny

Student: “Guruji, what happens if I miss my meditation one day?”

Guru: “Nothing the same thing that’s been happening while you’ve been doing it with half your mind ”

Why don’t yogis ever get lost?

Because even when they take the wrong path they call it a journey inward

Teacher: “Empty your mind ”

Student: “Done! It’s been empty since TTC began ”

Fill in the blanks

Regular Indian classical/kirtan evenings; recent schedules show on Eveeryday Tuesdays to Saturdays 6:30–8:00 PM

12monks

Friday Open Mic

Saturday Cosmic Disco

Sunday Flow Jam

Aavya Wellness

Saturday Ecstatic Dance with Fire Raja Rani Move, sweat, and celebrate life together!

Rishikesh Nomads

Sep 27 – Oct 2, 2025 (Navratri)

Special Navratri Retreat @ Parmarth Niketan

While primarily a spiritual retreat, evenings feature Devi kirtans/havan/garba good devotional music vibe during Navratri

Oct 25 & 26, 2025 Krishna Das Benefit Kirtan for Ganga Prem Hospice 2:00–4:30 PM both days, Ashirwad Vatika (Haridwar Rd, Rishikesh) Official listing + ticket page live

If

There are now yoga schools in Tapovan (hint: more than cows)

After chanting Om, most TTC students go straight to .

Rishikesh is a perfect place for meditation.

Meditation? With all the ecstatic dances. classes, cafes, bungee jumping, friends sure, yeah, maybe tomorrow

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