Meher Baba's Life & Travels
( HRISHIKESH), UTTARAKHAND STATE
August 1924
They later hired a Ford taxi car in Hardwar to take them to Rishikesh, about 14 miles / 23kms away, where a number of ascetics lived. The car was very run-down, especially the seats which were torn. In addition, the tyres began deflating and the engine had problems. They decided to take a more costlier and better car instead.
The road was rough and zig-zagged all the way to Rishikesh. When they arrived, Baba bowed to many pilgrims and lepers as he had been doing throughout his tour.
He also had a conversation with an ascetic known as Nepali Baba.
From there they walked to the foot of the Himalayan to a rope bridge ( about 9 miles / 15kms), and then proceeded to the village of * Laxman Zula ( known as the Cradle of Luxman ).
At 1pm, they went back to Hardwar. Once there, they planned a foot journey to Sakori.
Adi and Vajifdar were telegrammed with instructions for Vajifdar to meet them at Lakhsar
( Laskar ) .
* The modern name is Lakshman Jhula & the
Rope bridge is now a Suspension bridge named the Janki Bridge. A point of interest, near the village is the ashram the Beatles attended in early
1968.
LM p.671
RD p.359
Note : The 284 ft rope bridge that Baba crossed the Ganges river was washed away 2 months after his visit. A suspension bridge was built in 1930.
The property that the Beatles & other celebrities visited in 1968 for meditation, is now a tiger's reserve.
In June 2024 article in a news feed appeared detailing the current situation with the Ashram property - click on the link to read it.
* Hardwar to Rishikesh : 17 kms / 11 miles ( road )
* Rishikesh to Laxman Zula : 13 kms / 8 miles ( road )
Total return : 30 kms / 19 miles
Howrah to Hardwar : 1,517 kms / 943 miles ( rail )
