George celebrates his birthday in Rishikesh - February 25, 1968
From BeatlesWiki
| Event | |
| Date | February 25, 1968 |
| Short description | George celebrates his 25TH birthday in Rishikesh. |
| Location | Rishikesh, India |
An unidestified member of the Maharishi's camp remembers celebrating George's birthday. They said, "He had the assembly hall decked with everything colourful that could be found; flags, curtains, yards of silk, so that it looked like a theatre setting. And when everyone was seated, the Maharishi entered with his priests and sat cross-legged on a deerskin rug beneath the portrait of his Guru. A real Rishikesh rave-up followed, with the chanting of hymns and the waving of a burning oil lamp! The Maharishi garlanded George, then George returned the gesture. Then the whole audience garlanded both George and Patti with floral sprays and yellow marigolds. George carried on from there by garlanding the necks of his fellow Beatles and their wives. But when it came to the turn of Mal Evans, the garland around Mal’s neck caught on one of George’s leaving them twisting and wriggling around the stage to free themselves, while the whole place roared with laughter!" Another member of the Maharishi camp recalled, "The Maharishi gave George his birthday present. It was a plastic globe of the world. A simple present, but actually full of meaning. The globe had been fitted so that the map of the world was upside-down. ‘This is what the world is like today – upside-down,’ the Maharishi announced solemnly. ‘It is rotating in tension and agony. The world waits for its release and to be put right. Transcendental meditation can do this. George, the globe I am giving you symbolizes the world today. I hope you will help us all in the task of putting it right.’ Accepting the globe from the Maharishi, George immediately turned it over so that the map was the right way up. ‘I’ve done it!’ he shouted, and was applauded with laughter for his quick wit."
