The Washington Post has a groovy story about this American cat called Maggie O’Hara (a former actress) who wants to restore the ashram where The Beatles hid out with the Maharishi in 1968 to do some transcendental meditating.

O’Hara has lived in India running schools for the poor for the past 30 years, has submitted a plan to the government to turn the ashram into a home and school for 2,500 street children from New Delhi, about 115 miles away. She would also open a job training and rehabilitation center for 500 women, the Post reports.

Ten of the 500 rooms would be used as an eco-hotel, where guests could volunteer to work with the children or simply relax in the same ashram where John Lennon searched for the meaning of life and George Harrison worked to perfect his sitar playing.

The article is full of great little nuggets like this:

The Beatles’ time in Rishikesh is often described as one of their happiest and most creative periods. They ate communally and relaxed, free from the constant watch of the media. They learned the maharishi’s philosophy that repeating a word, or mantra, helps the body relax.

But things quickly grew troubled for the band, the maharishi and the ashram.

First, Ringo Starr left early, citing the irritation of bugs, heat and spicy vegetarian food. The band then became disillusioned with the maharishi, who allegedly started asking them for millions of dollars and was seen aggressively hitting on the women they traveled with.

Lennon wrote the song “Sexy Sadie” about the maharishi. It begins, “Sexy Sadie, what have you done?/You made a fool of everyone.” A year and a half later, the Beatles announced they were breaking up.

And here I thought “Sexy Sadie” was about a girl. And the walrus was Paul, right?

Read the whole article here.