The retreat where The Beatles learned meditation is set to be resurrected as tourist attraction

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All it needs is love: Abandoned Indian ashram where Beatles wrote 48 songs and went on spiritual journey is set to be resurrected as tourist attraction
· The retreat where the Fab Four learned meditation from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has been derelict for years
· George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr visited the ashram in India in 1968
· While they were passing the time at the ashram they penned around 48 songs, including Back In The USSR
By TED THORNHILL FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 18 May 2015

It's where The Beatles wrote 48 songs and learned how to meditate - and now it's going to be spruced up and turned into tourist attraction.
The Indian retreat in the Himalayan foothills where the Fab Four learned transcendental meditation from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has been derelict for years, but now it's going to be completely renovated.
The Beatles visited Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram in Rishikesh in 1968. The visit by George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr involved them staying in the now derelict igloo shaped Chaurasi Kutia huts in the ashram.


The Indian retreat in the Himalayan foothills where the Fab Four learned transcendental meditation from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi has been derelict for years


The visit by George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr involved them staying in the now derelict igloo shaped Chaurasi Kutia huts in the ashram


The Beatles visited Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram in Rishikesh in 1968. It's been a pilgrimage for Beatles fans ever since


The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of a worldwide organization


The property was allowed to go derelict but now the Uttarakhand government is planning to renovate the rundown ashram, which is nestled in the Himalayan foothills, in a bid to promote ecotourism

The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and was the leader and guru of a worldwide organization. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Maharishi achieved fame through his role as the guru to the Beatles.
And while they were passing the time at his ashram they penned around 48 songs, including Back in the USSR, Dear Prudence (inspired by Mia Farrow's sister, Prudence, who was staying at the ashram at the same time) and I'm So Tired (which Lennon wrote after suffering from three weeks of poor sleep at the ashram).
The land used by the Maharishi was provided by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department on a 20-year lease and when it expired the Maharishi moved to the Netherlands and the government reclaimed the land.


The Beatles with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1968






The project will include a small museum which will show photographs of the Beatles' 1968 visit in a hall of the ashram


Paul Saltzman, a Canadian film director and producer, who stayed at the ashram with The Beatles and has written a book based on those experiences, praised the move: 'It's a brilliant idea for the Uttarakhand government'


Neena Grewal, Director of the Rajaji National Park, where the ashram is, said: 'We want to revive the Beatles' connection to the ashram'

The property was allowed to go derelict but now the Uttarakhand government is planning to renovate the rundown ashram, which is nestled in the Himalayan foothills, in a bid to promote ecotourism.
The project will include a small museum which will show photographs of the Beatles' 1968 visit in a hall of the ashram.
Neena Grewal, Director of the Rajaji National Park, where the ashram is, said: 'We want to revive the Beatles' connection to the ashram, as a lot of tourists come here because of it. We will restore the huts, as a part of promoting ecotourism in Chaurasi Kutiya. We will submit a detailed proposal to the government soon.'
Paul Saltzman, a Canadian film director and producer, who stayed at the ashram with The Beatles and has written a book based on those experiences, praised the move: 'It's a brilliant idea for the Uttarakhand government to refurbish the ashram where the Beatles were in 1968. 
'It makes complete sense to promote eco-friendly tourism in the area, as well as to honour and celebrate, not only the Beatles' visit, but also the impact they had on spreading more news of the value of meditation and yoga to the West.'


John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Jane Asher, and Cynthia Lennon sit in front of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at the Maharishi's meditation centre at Rishikesh in 1968