A quiet Himalayan river valley in the first light of morning

Spiritual & cultural journeys across India

Come closer
to what matters.

India has places that ask you to pause. We create thoughtful journeys to meet them—with time to listen, learn and find your own way into the experience.

Tell us what draws you here Meet the co-founders

Curated with care. Experienced at your own pace.

A more personal way to travel

Not a checklist of sights, but a chance to meet the spirit of a place—in its landscape, traditions, stories and silences.

Our story

Built around curiosity, care and a sense of wonder.

The Tirtha Way was founded by Dhruv Pareek and Manisha Kanyal with a simple intention: to help visitors experience India’s spiritual places with a little more time, context and openness.

Dhruv is a retired Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force and a lifelong traveller. His years in uniform taught him the value of preparation, perspective and the people behind every place. Travel has taught him to slow down, listen and notice what a map can’t show.

For us, spiritual travel is personal. A cave, a temple on a hill or a river at first light may hold a particular energy for you; another traveller may feel something different. We want to help you arrive with respect and make room for your own experience.

Dhruv Pareek · Co-founder

Follow Dhruv on Instagram @CarryOnDhruv

Dhruv at a mountain campsite — **At home outdoors**
I’m an experienced camper, and my years in the Indian Air Force included courses in bushcraft, jungle survival and snow survival. Camping brings those skills together with something simpler: time outside, close to the land.

Dhruv reading in a bookshop — **A reader, always**
I’m a voracious reader, drawn to philosophy, geopolitics, history and fiction. A good book helps me follow an idea further—or see a familiar part of the world from another angle.

Dhruv Pareek in a flight helmet in an aircraft cockpit — **A life in the cockpit**
This photograph takes me back to my years in the Indian Air Force. Flying taught me discipline, trust in a team and the value of staying composed when decisions matter.

Dhruv with his motorcycle on a forest road — **The long way round**
My first long ride was at 19: Pune to Delhi on a 110 cc motorcycle, through Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. I’ve since ridden across Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh. Today I own a mint-condition 1984 Yezdi Roadking and a Harley-Davidson Fat Bob—and I’m still happiest with a road ahead.

Our co-founder

Manisha Kanyal

I have spent much of my life moving between two worlds—the world of everyday responsibilities and the quieter world within.

By profession, I work in the corporate world. I am also a mother to an 11-year-old son, a singer with a band, and someone who has spent the last 20 years planting and nurturing trees in my city. Each of these journeys has shaped me in a different way—teaching me about responsibility, expression, patience, joy and, most importantly, presence.

But beneath all these roles is something that has remained constant: my search for a deeper connection with life.

Spirituality has been an integral part of my journey for many years. My sadhana is not something I do occasionally; it is a regular part of my life and a space where I return to myself every day. It has taught me to value silence, awareness, simplicity and the moments that cannot always be explained in words.

My love for nature has grown alongside this journey. For two decades, I have planted trees and watched them grow—sometimes quietly, sometimes patiently, always with the understanding that some of the most beautiful things in life take years to unfold.

Music, too, has been a doorway into that same space. When I sing, there is a feeling of being completely present—of letting go of everything else for a while.

Perhaps this is why I feel so deeply connected to the idea of tirtha.

For me, a tirtha is not merely a place we travel to. It is a crossing—a movement from the outer world to something deeper within ourselves.

And that is the spirit with which I created The Tirtha Way.

I want to share an India that is not simply seen through a tourist's eyes, but felt.

An India of early morning temple bells, sacred rivers, ancient rituals, quiet ashrams, conversations with people who carry generations of wisdom, walks through nature, shared meals, music, prayer—and moments of silence where nothing needs to be explained.

I don't see myself merely as someone organising journeys.

I see myself as someone who is still walking her own path, and inviting others to walk a little of it with me.

Because perhaps the most beautiful journeys are not the ones that take us somewhere new, but the ones that help us discover something within ourselves that was always there.

Welcome to The Tirtha Way.

What we believe

Meaningful travel can be both heartfelt and well made.

Come curious. Let India draw you in through its sacred places, living traditions, people and landscapes. Give yourself time to absorb it, and room to discover what it means to you.

Vision

To open a thoughtful way into India.

We hope The Tirtha Way becomes a trusted name in spiritual and cultural travel—helping people from around the world meet India with understanding, while growing into a strong, sustainable company.

Mission

Curate journeys that leave room for discovery.

We bring together spiritually significant places, local stories and traditions, and the time to reflect—then organise each journey with integrity, comfort and attention to detail.

A Rishikesh starting point

Begin at the river. Let the journey unfold.

This sample draws on the places and experiences in our brochure. It is a starting point for conversation, not a fixed itinerary: we shape the pace and details around what interests you.

An opening day · Rishikesh

Introduction to Sacred India

Meet Rishikesh through its river, its ashrams and the rhythms of a living pilgrimage town. A gentle walking visit can take in Triveni Ghat, Parmarth Niketan and Ram Jhula, with an introduction to Hindu philosophy along the way.

As evening arrives, witness Ganga Aarti at Parmarth Niketan, then share a traditional sattvic dinner. We leave time to take in the atmosphere without rushing from one stop to the next.

Triveni GhatParmarth NiketanRam JhulaGanga Aarti

Evening Ganga Aarti at Parmarth Niketan — Evening prayer by the Ganga

A forested suspension bridge over the Ganga near Rishikesh — Across the river

The Ganga flowing through Rishikesh at dusk — Rishikesh at dusk

Optional experiences · Rishikesh

A quieter morning, a wider story

If it speaks to you, begin with sunrise yoga or guided meditation. A visit to Sivananda Ashram or Swami Dayananda Ashram, a conversation with a spiritual teacher, or an introduction to the Bhagavad Gita can add context to the experience.

At the Beatles Ashram, explore why the Beatles came to India, the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and the ashram’s influence on Western interest in Indian spirituality. We can include these interests where access and local arrangements allow.

Yoga & meditationAshram traditionsBhagavad GitaBeatles Ashram

A sunrise yoga session by the Ganga — Make space for stillness

Ashram buildings beside the river in Rishikesh — Ashram life by the river

The entrance to the Beatles Ashram in Rishikesh — Stories at the Beatles Ashram

Further into the hills

Places to meet at your own pace

These three experiences can each bring a different perspective on the landscape and its traditions. We can explore which ones feel right for your journey.

Forest shrine · Paudi Garhwal

Neelkanth Mahadev

Visit the hill temple associated with the Samudra Manthan. Its story tells of Shiva taking in the halahala poison to protect the worlds. We share the legend with care, then give you room to experience the temple and forest setting in your own way.

Quiet by the Ganga · Rishikesh

Vashishtha Gufa

Spend time at the riverside cave traditionally linked with Sage Vashishtha. For many visitors, the stillness of the cave and the Ganga nearby make this a meaningful place to pause and meditate.

A hilltop temple on the Kunjapuri ridge at sunrise

First light · Garhwal Himalaya

Kunjapuri Sunrise

Set out before dawn for Kunjapuri Temple. When skies are clear, the ridge opens to a remarkable Himalayan sunrise above the foothills—a moving beginning to the day, reached from Rishikesh.

Experiences and visits are tailored to your interests and may depend on opening times, local access, weather and availability. We confirm practical details as we plan together.

Stories of Uttarakhand

Where landscape and legend meet.

Some stories are rooted in sacred texts; others have travelled through local memory. Together, they offer one way to understand why rivers, temples and mountain paths hold meaning here. Every visitor may experience these places differently.

Rishikesh: a name, a river and many stories

The name Rishikesh and Bharat Mandir

Rishikesh is commonly connected with Hrishikesha, a name for Vishnu meaning “Lord of the Senses.” In a local temple tradition, the sage Raibhya’s austerities pleased Vishnu, who promised to remain here as Hrishikesh Narayan. Bharat Mandir is dedicated to this form of Vishnu and is regarded as one of the town’s oldest sacred places.

Rama, Lakshman and the river crossing

Local tradition associates Rama with a period of penance in Rishikesh. Lakshman is said to have crossed the Ganga here on a jute-rope bridge; the present Lakshman Jhula carries the memory of that crossing in its name. These are stories cherished in the region, rather than accounts established by contemporary historical records.

Muni Ki Reti

The name is often translated as “sands of the sages.” Local memory links this stretch of the Ganga’s bank with sages who came here to meditate and practise austerities. Even today, its quieter river edges and ashrams are part of Rishikesh’s contemplative landscape.

Neelkanth Mahadev and the churning of the ocean

In the Samudra Manthan story, gods and asuras churn the cosmic ocean and a deadly poison, Halahala, emerges. Shiva takes it into his throat to protect creation; his throat turns blue, giving him the name Neelkanth. A regional tradition connects this episode with Neelkanth Mahadev Temple near Rishikesh.

Bhoothnath and Shiva’s wedding procession

A local legend says Shiva’s wedding procession paused at Bhoothnath Temple on its way to marry Sati. The story lends the shrine an intimate place in the wider landscape of Rishikesh’s Shiva traditions.

Further into the Himalayas

Kedarnath and the Panch Kedar

A well-known Mahabharata-linked tradition tells how the Pandavas sought Shiva after the great war. Shiva, unwilling to meet them, took the form of a bull and disappeared into the earth. The parts of his body are said to have appeared at five Himalayan shrines: Kedarnath, Tungnath, Rudranath, Madhyamaheshwar and Kalpeshwar. Together they are worshipped as the Panch Kedar.

Khait Parvat and the Aanchhri

In a Garhwali folk tradition, the flute-playing shepherd Jeetu Bagdwal draws the attention of nine Aanchhri sisters, often described as mountain spirits or fairies. The tale moves between music, promise and loss, and remains part of the folklore associated with Khait Parvat.

Patal Bhuvaneshwar

The cave shrine of Patal Bhuvaneshwar is associated with the Manas Khand section of the Skanda Purana. A regional account says King Rituparna discovered the cave; its limestone formations are understood by devotees as natural forms of deities. For visitors, the cave is also a striking meeting of geology, worship and imagination.

Why Uttarakhand is called Devbhoomi

Devbhoomi means “Land of the Gods.” The name reflects Uttarakhand’s long sacred geography: the Char Dham pilgrimage, revered rivers and their confluences, mountain shrines and routes shaped by generations of pilgrims. It is also a living place, where local communities carry traditions forward in everyday life.

These accounts come from scripture, regional tradition and folklore in different ways. We share them with respect for that distinction; they are invitations to learn, not promises about what any traveller will feel.

If you feel drawn to explore

Sacred Experiences

Go beyond sightseeing. Explore experiences that invite you to listen deeply, feel consciously and connect with India’s living traditions and your own inner world.

If one of these speaks to you, tell us. We can explore whether it belongs in your journey and shape the experience around your interests.

Sound Healing & Crystal Bowls

A sound-led session centred on relaxation, quiet and inner stillness.

Astrology

An introduction to Jyotish, the Indian astrological tradition, and its way of reflecting on life’s patterns and journey.

Palmistry

An introduction to the traditional art of reading hands and the tendencies, strengths and life patterns it is said to suggest.

Chakra & Energy Experiences

Explore traditional perspectives on chakras and subtle energy through guided, reflective practices.

Meditation & Inner Stillness

Step away from the day’s noise and make space for silence, awareness and presence.

Sacred Ritual Experiences

Join living Indian traditions respectfully, with context on the ritual and its meaning.

Every experience is optional and depends on your interests, the place and the people who guide it. You choose what feels right for you.

Our approach

Be prepared.
Stay open.

Come to India curious. We’ll help you meet its sacred places with context, care and room for your own experience.

Every journey begins with a conversation about what draws you here. From there, we shape a thoughtful itinerary around your interests, pace and comfort—from temples and rivers to quieter encounters with local traditions. No fixed spiritual script: just a personal introduction to the India we know and love.

“Come with questions. Leave room for the answer to surprise you.”