It is little wonder why I love U. P and feel I am half an Uttar Pradeshi. Rishikesh is one of the most beautiful towns I have been to. It is declared a 'holy city' and I think meat is prohibited in the holy quarters even now. The government gives land at subsidized rates to Ashrams and the entire river bank is awash with Ashrams. Despite the serene religious undercurrents, the ashram world is a very competitive one.
Patrons have to be attracted.
Almost all of them provide simple, but wholesome food for free for the pilgrims and offer a variety of religious services. Mostly the services are devotional and only occassionally did we encounter discussions on controversial topics. Initially we were falling at the feet of any man in a saffron robe. Then we figured we were falling at feet too often. We quickly realized that even the Sadhus have their own hierarchy and power structure, even though they were still a mysterious social group to us.