I woke up to the cold January weather of Rishikesh caught in between wanting to stay snuggled under my blanket or start my exploration early. Half-dazed, I forced myself to saunter across the room feeling the iciness of the bathroom floor hurrying to find comfort from a hot shower. Fully awake, I plotted my day thinking about a myriad of things do: try a new dish, go temple hopping, feed some monkeys, hang out by the Ganges, find a charming a café or rent a motorbike.

However, the lure of laying eyes on a place that has caught my fascination since I started reading about the Beatles, reigned more on me. First things first, I told myself. Imma kick-start my almost weeklong stay in Rishikesh by visiting what remains of the ashram that embellished Paul, John, Ringo and George—with a little help from their friends—mystical motivation to achieve creative high penning staggering 48 songs, most of which ended up on their double album "White Album".

None of life's strings can last. None can be truer than the state of the Beatles’ ashram today. Known then as the International Academy of Meditation founded by Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the ashram today is a picture of scattered ruins of mural-painted walls overrun by overgrown bush.

Maharishi, who first met the Beatles in 1967 and later became their spiritual advisor, invited the group in the winter of ‘68 to study his devised Transcendental Meditation technique. The Beatles joined by their respective wives, along with Scottish singer Donovan, actress Mia Farrow, her sister and Beach Boys' Mike Love, studied the guru's meditation method from February until a falling out with Maharishi among the circle culminated in the group’s series of departures from India in April—with John Lennon and George Harrison being the two last to leave.

The band's brief stay at the ashram provided the group with a creative rejuvenation delivering them their most productive period of songwriting. Lennon credited his experience in Rishikesh for writing some of his most miserable and best songs. "We wrote about thirty new songs between us," Lennon said. "Paul must have done about a dozen. George says he's got six, and I wrote fifteen. And look what meditation did for Ringo – after all this time he wrote his first song."

As fleeting as it was the Beatles’ time in Rishikesh, it remains as one of the most talked-about and integral part of the band’s story analogous to their foremost overseas trip to Hamburg, Germany in 1960 and their first visit to America in 1964.

The trip to India and the band’s episode in Rishikesh is also seen as a symbolic curtain drop on the group’s monumental history as this was the last time the fabulous four musicians traveled together. After the Maharishi stopped operating the ashram in the 1970's and the lease on the land expired in 1981, it undergone years of neglect letting mother nature took over. In 2015, the ashram was reopened to the public as part of Rishikesh heritage structures trail.

Dressed aptly for a 14 °C beautiful morning, I stepped out the into the streets of Rishikesh among yogis, backpackers like me, locals on motorcycles and tuk-tuks, sadhus adorned in saffron robes, moseying cows and—upon crossing Lakshman Jhula bridge—mischievous monkeys.

Walking over footpaths parallel to the sacred Ganges River, I consulted my Google Map and upon thinking that the ashram doesn't look too far away—a miscalculation that had me walking at least 11 kilometers—I decided to just keep on walking. I passed by temples filled with morning worshippers chanting and Ghats dotted with religious bathers as occasionally, a red and blue kayak filled with tourists on a river kayaking tour slices through the Ganges.

Through small alleys flanked by bazaar booths on both side, I resisted stopping on a quaint cafe or food joint serving thali meals as I really want to start my day in search of Zen inside the Beatles' ashram. Despite a slow walk, I reached the gates of the ashram half an hour before it opens. The guard tells me "You are too early my friend, you can sit first and wait for opening"

Today, the ashram is where you can find a riot of arresting street art dominating its peeled-off walls, that was part of mural essays created by street artists forming the 'Beatles Ashram Mural Project' which was founded in 2012. Aside from the mural paintings, lyrical lines such as "with every mistake we must surely be learning" from a George Harrison-penned song, can be read scribbled on random walls.

Spread over 14 acres of forested land now concealing a legacy of 1960s transcendental meditation and spiritual counterculture, the ashram reveals a once fabled place where a community once thrived all in search of nirvana on Earth.

When the gates finally opened, I was the first guest to be let inside. It would take another half an hour before I saw other guests trickled in. By that time, I had made my way through the grounds of the ashram. With weary feet, I sat on the front steps of the Beatles’ old dormitory where George used to practice his sitar every morning. Sensing hunger but with my sense of wonder satisfied, I hummed aloud to myself, “And when the brokenhearted people living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be”

From where I sit on a balcony of a hilltop hotel, I can see the many monuments built during the era of the Bundelas—a Rajput clan of Central India who lorded over this part of Madhya Pradesh beginning in the 16th century. In that moment I savored the solemnity of finding myself some quiet time in-between our busy media tour. Trailing my eyes from the top of an opposite hill into the rows of houses below, I became perplexed at the sight of jam-packed edifices below.

As if sensing my confusion, our tour guide pointed to me "look at the center, and you will see Chaubisi Jain Temple. It has more than 20 shikharas (towers) and over there is the Chanderi Fort". Following the direction of his finger, I got the idea of how compressed the town of Chanderi was fashioned through centuries of blossoming trade, religion and culture.

Enveloped by the forested ridges of the Vindhya mountain range and dotted with glass-like lakes, it is easy to see why this town became the site of a flourishing economy dating back to the 11th century. The population of Chanderi peaked to hundreds of thousands when a branch of the Silk Route passed through it.

During the British rule in the 19th century, Chanderi was cut off from the Silk Road highway—consequently dwindling trade activities—and eventually, slashing its population to a half. Despite losing much of its past economic luster, Chanderi remains a 'major center of Jain culture' and one of the most historic towns in India.

In a nation rich with the birthplaces of diverse spiritual traditions, I embraced the opportunity to learn a new one: Jainism. Older than Buddhism and sharing many similarities with Hinduism, Jainism also teaches the principles of reincarnation, peace, non-attachment to material possessions, and the pursuit of good karma.

Despite the many likenesses with Hinduism, Jainism practitioners only comprises less than 2% of India’s population. Beautiful remains of Jain temples can be found all over Chanderi; one of which is the 45-feet tall rock cut portrait of Rishabhanatha (who in Jainism belief—is the teacher of rebirth and death and propagator of the Dharma).

As we go about our exploration of Chanderi, we laid eyes on some of the town’s finest architectural marvel from centuries past; Koshak Mahal, Badal Mahal Gate, Jama Masjid and Chanderi Fort. Even in ruins, the Mandu-style architecture of Koshak Mahal remains a stunner. It's derelict condition only highlighted the beautiful arches more, as it leads your eyes to a maze of fascinating patterns.

Originally envisioned as a victory monument to rise 7-storeys high by Mahmud Khilji—a 15th-century sultan of the Indian Kingdom of Malwa Sultanate (present day Madhya Pradesh state), but only two of the three-storeys were constructed during his lifetime. Despite its unfinished state, it remains as an architectural eye-candy to this day.

The 13th century Jama Masjid is Chanderi's biggest mosque highlighted by an open court leading to the square hall that can sit 2,000 devotees. Exhibiting a hint of Mughal architecture, and a unique set of intricately designed pillars, the mosque stands in perfect cohort to the 15th century Badal Mahal Gate—a 100-foot historic gate built by Sultan Shah Khilji, standing across the street.

Built upon the orders of Pratihara, Kirti Pal in the 11th century, Chanderi Fort has since saw numerous renovations in the succeeding centuries, as it fell into the hands of one conqueror from one kingdom to another.

The walls that remain heavily fortified today was the result of buttresses reinforcement constructed by the men of Mughal Emperor Babur after conquering Chanderi in the early 16th century. One chilling spot inside the fort is called the 'Johar Smarak'. This was where dozens of Rajput women chose self-immolation over capture, after one of Rajput's most decorated warrior Medini Rai, died against the army of Mughal Emperor Babur.

After capturing Chanderi in 1586, the victorious Bundela Rajputs constructed the palace inside the fort. Because Chanderi was once an integral part of a trading route leading to the ancient port of Gujarat, it became a hotly-contested location between the Mughal and Hindu Rajput rulers.

After hearing about these enthralling facts about Chanderi Fort, I hurriedly separated myself from our group to explore the rest of the place. Compared to the other forts I visited in India, Chanderi Fort appear a lot smaller. But what they said about how small things create a broader impact in history? —I saw this place as a fitting representation of that adage.

Living up to my belief that India is a nation swarming with locations full of engrossing tales, the little old-world town of Chanderi dishes a spectacular set of visual feasts, historic anecdotes and charming vibe that shall certainly add up to one’s wanderlust attraction to India.