9 Facts That You Didn't Know About The Beatles' Time In India

February 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the famous Beatles' trip to India.

1. The Beatles embarked on their journey to India, seeking inner and spiritual peace.

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In February 1968, the Beatles travelled to Rishikesh to attend an advanced transcendental meditation training course at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, looking for satisfaction that drugs and materialism could not provide

2. Ringo Starr carried one suitcase filled with baked beans.

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Ringo had always had a sensitive stomach, so on his trip to India he carried two suitcases. One contained his clothes, and the other was full of baked beans in case he had problems with the food at the ashram.

3. John Lennon had a customized pedal-operated harmonium made by Ajit Singh, a music teacher at Doon School.

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A local music shop owner and former music teacher at Doon School, Ajit Singh, became friends with the Beatles during their trip to Rishikesh. John once asked him to take a look at his acoustic guitar, which wasn’t working properly. Encouraged by the guitar repair job, John then asked Singh to make him a special pedal-operated harmonium and get it painted as well with psychedelic flowers, which Singh did.

4. Pattie Boyd, first wife of George Harrison, lost her wedding ring in the Ganga.

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One day, Pattie lost her wedding ring in the Ganga during her adventures outside the ashram. Thankfully, Mia Farrow’s brother, Johnny (another guest at the ashram), found it and all was well.

5. Paul McCartney and Jane Asher had issues during their stay in India, which ultimately led to their breakup.

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Paul broke up with his longtime girlfriend Jane Asher soon after their return from the ashram. It is speculated that their stay there together had something to contribute to it, stemming from the fact that Paul doggedly refused to take Jane on a trip to Taj Mahal during their stay in India.

6. Donovan, Mia Farrow and Mike Love were also present at the ashram.

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The ashram in Rishikesh is mostly famous as the place the Beatles visited when they came to India, but there were other noteworthy celebrities like Donovan, Mia Farrow and Mike Love as well.

7. Donovan's guitar technique influenced their music.

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While at the ashram, Donovan taught John the string-plucking technique on the guitar which the latter used to compose "Dear Prudence" written and sung in a bid to get Mia’s sister Prudence Farrow to come out of her cottage where she was meditating obsessively.

8. The Beatles and the Maharishi parted on a bitter note.

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John, George, their wives, and Magic Alex parted with the Maharishi on a bitter note. As they were leaving the ashram, their cars kept breaking down every few kilometers, finally resulting in a flat tyre for John and Cynthia’s car. In a wave of frustration and worry, everybody thought that the Maharishi had put a curse on them.

9. Their stay in India was one of the most productive periods in their musical career.

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The Beatles’ stay in Rishikesh was one of the most productive periods in their musical career and, between them, they wrote more than forty songs there, including "Julia", "Dear Prudence" and "Yer Blues".

Across The Universe will be published around 28 February, 2018. You can preorder a copy here.

Penguin India