THE ASHRAM IN RISHIKESH, INDIA

Nearly 50 years ago it hosted the world's most-famous popstars as they went on a journey of spiritual awakening that transformed their music forever.

It was the home of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, guru to the Beatles, who they visited in 1968 and where, it is thought, they penned most of the White album, including hits Ob-la-di Ob-la-da and Back in the USSR.

But now the long-abandoned ashram in Rishikesh, India, near the foothills of the Himalayas, has become a shrine of a different kind after fans of the Fab Four daubed the walls with some of their most iconic lyrics.

Dilapidated: The Satsang Hall in the abandoned ashram which was once home to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, spiritual leader to the Beatles

Place of pilgrimage: The ashram in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, northern India, has become a popular stop-off for fans of the Fab Four touring India

Inspiring: Travellers passing through the shrine have decorated the walls with intricate artworks, as well as lyrics from their favourite Beatles songs

The Beatles visited the ashram in 1968 and, it is thought, penned most of the White Album there, including hits Ob-la-di Ob-la-da and Back in the USSR

Left, a doorway leads to a sun-drenched courtyard. Right, Hindu mythology meets modern graffiti art in this painting daubed on the walls of the ashram

A British photographer who visited found the intricate stone buildings completed abandoned. A red pillar box stands rusting outside the stone-covered dome building, but it is clear that there have been no deliveries for years.

The glass is gone from all the windows, roofs are caving in, and once manicured courtyards are overgrown with lush vegetation.

It's clear though that this is still a place of pilgrimage. A sign outside points passing visitors to the 'Beatle's Ashram'.

On the stone walls, a fan has spray painted the lyrics 'I get high with a little help from my friends', next to another piece of graffiti reading 'Make love not war'.

The roof is caving in on this hall, where large meetings would once have been held to teach initiates the techniques of transcendental meditation

The beautiful architecture and lush surroundings show how this would once have been - and indeed still might be - a great place to spend time in contemplation

No junk mail... In fact, it looks like this letter box has not had any letters at all for quite some time

The Maharishi sprang to fame in the late-1960s when, after a series of world tours, he became spiritual leader to the Beatles, The Beach Boys and other celebrities

Courtyards which would once have been maintained lovingly by the Maharishi's disciples are now overgrown with the region's lush vegetation

Steps lead to the roof of one of the buildings, which stands lonely and empty beneath the blazing tropical sun

Almost 50 years after the Beatles' visit the ashram has become a shrine for fans of the Fab Four, their way guided by this nearby sign

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who died in 2008, developed the now well-known transcendental meditation technique and was leader of a worldwide New Age religious organisation

He sprang to fame in the late-1960s and early-1970s when, after a series of world tours, he became spiritual leader to the Beatles, The Beach Boys and other celebrities. He maintained that his transcendental meditation technique could teach practitioners how to fly and achieve world peace.

However his involvement with wealthy celebrities, his business acumen, rumours of sexual advances towards followers and his love of luxury - including touring in a Rolls-Royce - attracted scepticism about his true intentions.

The Maharishi was already well-known among Britain's hippy movement and had made numerous public appearances in the UK by the time he met the Beatles in London in 1967.

They studied with him in Bangor, Wales, before travelling to Rishikesh, India, in February 1968 to 'devote themselves fully to his instruction.' It has been speculated that the Maharishi's influence helped wean the band off LSD and inspired them to write many of their later songs.

The Beatles, their wives, and other Western disciples pose for a photo with the Maharishi at the Ashram in March 1968, a month after they arrived for instruction

The Beatles travelled with the Maharishi to Rishikesh in February 1968 to 'devote themselves fully to his instruction.' It has been speculated that the Maharishi's influence helped wean the band off LSD and inspired them to write many of their later songs

The body of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at his ashram at Arail, in Allahabad, India after his death in 2008

IT consultant and amateur photographer Antony Meadley, from Eastbourne, East Sussex, visited the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's ashram as part of a tour around India.

'I wanted to photograph the buildings because I grew up listening to the Beatles and massively inspired by them. so visiting such a significant part of their history was more moving to me than going to Liverpool would have been,' he said.

'This was where they were inspired and wrote much of the White Album, which to me is one of their most important records, and where they became so much more than just a pop group.

'I was surprised to see how abandoned the temple looked, but glad I was able to visit such an important place - and it's obvious others there before me had felt the same.'