Rishikesh (English Rishikesh, Hindi ऋषिकेश) is a city located in northern India (state of Uttarakhand), in the foothills of the Himalayas. This holy city for adherents of Hinduism is the world capital of yoga, in which in ancient times the legendary holy sages lived, and in the 20th century – such famous masters of yoga as Swami Sivananda and Swami Omkarananda. In early 1968, The Beatles spent some time in Rishikesh studying meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Rishikesh is also known as the gate of the Himalayas and is located 25 km from another holy Hindu city – Haridwar, being the starting point to the oldest mountain pilgrimage settlements such as Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.

An hour and a half drive from Dehradun, Rishikesh is surrounded on three sides by hilly foothills and lies at an altitude of 356 meters above sea level. The sacred river Ganges flows through the city, and along its mica sandy banks are numerous ashrams. In fact, here the river leaves the mountain gorges and begins its full-flowing movement along the plain.