The Himalayas

Hinduism is the spirit of the Himalayas. It is a vision fostered by these lofty subtropical mountains and their abundant rivers that combine both height and depth, both austerity and abundance.

Haridwar at the doorway to the Himalayas is the conduit, from which the spiritual force of the mountain yogis spreads its influence into the plains, eventually reaching all the way down to Kanya Kumari at the tip of South India. The Ganga brings blessings not only to the areas along her banks but to the entire subcontinent. Feeling this spiritual current from the Himalayan heights added another dimension to my appreciation of the Vedic teachings.

During my first visit to Rishikesh we stayed at a place called Vedbhavan or the house of the Vedas. It was one of the oldest centers for Vedic rituals in the area, but had closed down its Vedic program in 1966 when the rich industrialists of the country ceased to lend their support for it. By chance I found myself at an old pillar of Vedic ritual.