The Beatles, Mike Love, Donovan and The Maharishi

It was on this date back in 1968 (or February 16th depending on who you ask) when John Lennon, George Harrison and their respective wives Cynthia and Pattie left for Rishikesh, India to study Transcendental Meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, later to be joined by Paul McCartney and his then girlfriend, actress Jane Asher as well as Ringo and his then wife Maureen Starkey. Other meditators included such members of the Beatles entourage as Pattie's sister Jenny, trusted roadie Mal Evans, the eccentric "Magic Alex" Mardas, as well as the likes of singer/songwriter Donovan Leitch, Beach Boy Mike Love, actress Mia Farrow and her sister Prudence.

Once settled in the Maharishi's idyllic mountain retreat each meditator was given a personal mantra by the Maharishi. They were expected to forgo all meat, drugs, alcoholic beverages and sexual activity while staying in Rishikesh (although it is reported that some meditators snuck the occasional bottle of wine). John, Paul and George had all brought along acoustic guitars and before long each was sufficiently inspired by the idyllic surroundings, the isolation from the outside world, and the calming effects of the meditation itself to compose a batch of ace new songs, many of which would eventually appear on The Beatles' self-titled double album, known as "The White Album" the world over.

Staying in a separate bungalow from Cynthia, John proceeded to spend much of his time in India corresponding with Yoko Ono. This new relationship was a source of great inspiration to him, yet also a source of great anxiety. This mix of emotions inspired the intense soul searching of such songs as "Yer Blues" and "I'm So Tired". Other Lennon songs composed in India included "Dear Prudence", "The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill", "Julia", "Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey", "Revolution", "What's The New Mary Jane?", "Look At Me", "Child Of Nature", "The Happy Rishikesh Song" and "Sexy Sadie". "Dear Prudence" was inspired by Mia Farrow's sister Prudence, who had reportedly taken the meditation a bit too far. It was composed using a finger-picking technique taught to Lennon by Donovan, as was "Julia" and "Look At Me". Most of these songs would of course be recorded for "The White Album". "Look At Me" wound up on his 1970 solo album "Plastic Ono Band". "Child Of Nature" was eventually recorded with a new set of lyrics as "Jealous Guy" and was released on his 1971 solo album "Imagine". A tongue in cheek home demo of "The Happy Rishikesh Song" dating from the mid-seventies and very much in the style of George Harrison appears on the "Lennon Anthology" boxed set.

Paul composed "Back In The USSR", "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", "Blackbird", "Rocky Raccoon", "Singalong Junk", "Mother Nature's Son" and "Honey Pie" while in India. "Back In The USSR" was very much a homage to The Beach Boys, more specifically The Beach Boys' "California Girls", and supposedly Mike Love himself had a hand in the lyrics. "Blackbird" was composed using Paul's own simplified version of the finger-picking technique that Donovan had taught John (Donovan to would find inspiration in his time in India writing "Jennifer Juniper" for Pattie's sister Jenny amongst other songs). "Mother Nature's Son" along with John's "Child Of Nature" were perhaps the two songs most obviously influenced by the picturesque surroundings in which they were composed. "Singalong Junk" would later be recorded in two separate versions for Paul's 1970 home made solo debut, "McCartney".

George wrote "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Piggies", "Not Guilty", "Sour Milk Sea" and "Circles" while in India. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Piggies" were the only two songs to end up on "The White Album". Like Lennon's "What's The New Mary Jane?", "Not Guilty" was recorded during the sessions for the album but did not make the final cut. He later re-recorded it himself for his 1979 self-titled solo album. "Sour Milk Sea" was released on Apple Records as a single by Jackie Lomax. George produced the session and played on the record along with Paul, Ringo, Eric Clapton and Nicky Hopkins. "Circles" eventually wound up on his 1982 solo album "Gone Troppo".

Ringo, not a fun of the food or the bugs, left after only ten days along with Maureen. Paul and Jane were the next to go. John and George on the other hand stayed for almost the full two months, that is until it was alleged that the Maharishi had made a sexual advance towards one of the female meditators (thought by some to be Mia Farrow). It was John's pal "Magic Alex" who first brought the allegations to the pair's attention, a man who's own motives and reliability was later questioned. Still, John was sufficiently disenchanted to compose the bitter "Maharishi Song" prior to leaving, later re-titled "Sexy Sadie". The allegations were never proven and George later expressed regret with how the whole thing played out. Beach Boy Mike Love remains an avid practitioner of TM to this very day. He composed a song by the name of "Transcendental Meditation" with fellow Beach Boys Brian Wilson and Al Jardine. It appeared on their 1968 album "Friends".

Upon their return from India The Beatles gathered at George Harrison's house and proceeded to record a series of acoustic demos for their new compositions. These recordings can be heard on a bootleg by Yellow Dog Recordings entitled "Unsurpassed Demos". It's interesting to hear the bare bones renditions of such songs as "Back In The USSR", "Dear Prudence", "Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey", "Yer Blues" and "Revolution". The demos for "Mother Nature's Son", "Blackbird" and "Julia" on the other hand are virtual blueprints for the arrangements that later appeared on "The White Album".

The Maharishi's profile shot up greatly after his association with The Beatles and despite the allegations of impropriety he's still going strong to this day. His official site can be viewed here. Some excellent shots of The Beatles during their stay in India can be viewed here. They were taken by Paul Saltzman, a fellow meditator who recently published a book of his photographs entitled "The Beatles In India".