Almost 50 years after the Beatles' first visit to India to learn medititation under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the famed retreat where most of The White Album was written, has been officially reopened to the public. The ashram in the city of Rishikesh had been abandoned since the '70s, but that's never stopped Fab Four fanatics from making their way to the grounds on which Beatles once practiced meditation alongside the Beach Boys' Mike Love.
The grounds were taken over by the local forestry department in 2003 and now, toursits are able to visit the site --legally -- once more. "We have cleaned up the place and lined the pathways with flowers. We are making some gardens and putting some benches for visitors," senior forestry official Rajendra Nautiyal told the BBC. "We are introducing a nature trail and bird walk. We also plan to set up a cafeteria and a souvenir shop at some point. We want to retain the place's rustic look."
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison ventured to India for a planned three-month stay in February of 1968, where their creative juices began to flow. About 48 songs were penned at the ashram, making up most of The White Album, Abbey Road and numerous Beatles side projects, Rolling Stone reports.
Each Beatle stayed in India for a different amount of time; Starr left after just 10 days because he couldn't stomach the food but somehow managed to write "Don't Pass Me By." McCartney left the country after a month due to prior obligations, while Harrison and Lennon called it quits after six weeks.
The forestry department plans to charge between $2.50 and $10 to explore the retreat. Over the last few decades, the main meditation hall has served as an inspiring, graffiti-covered Beatles memorial but now, visitors won't be allowed to add their own art without gaining permission first.
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