Dehradun: The Himalayan ashram in Rishikesh from where Maharishi Mahesh Yogi - who died in Holland on Tuesday - began his spiritual odyssey, is now part of the Rajaji National Park and in a state of ruin.
Chaurasi Kutia, on a hill-top overlooking the river Ganga is the same ashram visited by The Beatles in 1968 and several Hollywood and other celebrities over the years.
"But, there is nothing left in the ashram now," says Rajaji park Director G S Pande.
The Beatles took lessons on transcendental meditation at the ashram and the next year, the Maharishi got a worldwide stage at Woodstock concert on one Max Yasgar's farm outside Los Angeles, USA.
In 1961, the Uttar Pradesh government leased out 15 acres of land to him for 20 years at the holy town.
"Our records show that the UP Forest Department leased out the land to Mahesh Yogi for setting up his ashram," said Pande.
The same year, the Maharishi conducted his first international teacher-training course at Rishikesh, in which over 60 meditation experts from India, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Britain, Malaya, Norway, the US, Australia, Greece, Italy and the West Indies attended.
The lease expired in 1981, by which time the Maharishi had moved base. The land was taken back and two years later included in the national park, Pande said.
Mahesh Yogi also set up a dozen Sanskrit schools in the Himalayan region, the students of which were sent abroad as priests in various ashrams and temples, people in Rishikesh say.
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