Gary Snyder and Peter Orlovsky, banks of the Ganges river, Rishikesh, India, February 1962. (photo: Allen Ginsberg, courtesy Stanford University Libraries) “Then we take another all nite train to the holy town of Rishikesh, at the foot of Himalays, where the Ganges enters the Gangetic plain – we stay at famous old Swami Shivananda (Shiva-lovebliss) his Ashram, an old wrestler looking bald man stretched out in a couch sick and dying and murmuring om every time some American lady comes up with big questions about dualism – actually a big famous holy man but now weak and can’t operate much tho he once founded hospitals and wrote 386 books (“I write with electric speed”) charlatan of mass-production international nirvana racket – but actually quite a calm holy old man – he gave us all envelopes with 5 rupees each present and a little book to me on “Raja Yoga for Americans” – How many of you are there? “4” I say as he passes supported by attendants – “4 that’s an auspicious number” he winks and goes away, I rather like him. Next day I asked, where can I get a Guru? And he smiles and touches his heart and says the only Guru is your own heart dearie or words to that effect and adds – you’ll know your Guru when you see him because you’ll love him, otherwise don’t bother. “ (Allen Ginsberg in letter to Jack Kerouac, May 11, 1962 from Essential Ginsberg, Ed Michael Schumacher) #rishikesh #india #ganges #garysnyder #peterorlovksy #jackkerouac #allenginsberg #joannekyger #shivananda #beatgeneration #writers #poets #poetry #poetrycommunity #theessentialginsberg (at Rishikesh) https://www.instagram.com/p/CemTt2Or31-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
