Rafting outside of Rishikesh

In the foothills of the Himalayas, with only a large dam to observe, we put three rafts into the Bhagirathi. A stretch of river that is remarkably isolated and untouched in heavily populated India. I did not even know that such places existed in this country. I spent three hours paddling through the white water with 19 students, 2 other teachers, and 5 guides. Untouched India. I never dreamed I'd get into that, much less thanks to school and the trips it sends the high school out on every year. This year I signed up for a rafting trip. Having never rafted I wasn't at all sure if that was a good choice, or if I it was a mistake for my first experience to be with 19 high schoolers (the answer to that is mixed...). Luckily we had a good group, some nice water, beautiful scenery, and enough rapids to satisfy those thrill seekers among us (which I'm determining is not really a word that describes me). We rafted on three separate days. Two days on the river Ganges, and for the third we headed upstream, past where the Ganges technically starts, to raft the western branch called the Bhagirathi River. One of the tributaries that joins the Alaknanda River at the confluence to form the Ganges. I'll admit I was having a great time, enjoying the scenery, our campsite, the down time and, yes, the students, until I was on the one raft that flipped over the last day headed into Rishikesh on the Golf Course rapids. I suppose it wasn't really surprising, as I did learn that the only way to get through rapids is to paddle through them (well that or float on your back while the water splashes you in the face) and with high school girls in my raft who stopped paddling as soon as they got hit by any water it was just a matter of time before we went over. I've decided to look at it as being thoroughly blessed by the river Ganges, washed clean inside and out after going completely under then swallowing a good amount of water before I could be pulled back into a raft. It just goes to show you never know what a trip will bring.