India & Nepal Pilgrimage 2014
India! Jagganath Puri! Mayapur! and Nepal!
Join Gopi and Vishvambhar for A Pilgrimage to the Heart of Kirtan
Feburary 26thth – March 10th 2014
Register by Dec 15th, 2013 for the Early Bird Special $2650 (late sign-up $2850)
Includes all internal travel, food, and accommodations.
(You must purchase your international flight ticket separately, as well as procure your Visa)
MAYAPUR, WEST BENGAL
Our first pilgrimage will be to Navadveep island and Mayapur in West Bengal. Here we will dive deep into the land where sacred mantra music became a revolution. Kirtan has become a buzzword in the yoga world. Kirtan, as we know it today, was introduced by Chaitanya. Using kirtan, Chaitanya created a revolution; prior to this, sacred chanting was only accessible to those who were priests or ‘high-caste’. When Chaitanya experienced the power of mantra chanting in a group, he changed the rules, made it accessible and available to anyone, no matter what class, caste, or creed. Mayapur and Navadveep vibrate with the kirtan revolution.
Situated in Bengal, the sacred river Ganges flows through these nine islands, making the surrounding very lush and green. The village life is rural and peaceful. We will explore the depth of these beautiful Bengal villages, visit the birthplace of Sri Chaitanya,visit the sacred temples that still vibrate with kirtan, eat the best Bengal cuisine cooked by the locals of banana leaf plates, and swim in the sacred water of the Ganges. The followers in these temples are devout bhakti yogis, their saintly qualities will teach one the inner dimension of Bhakti Yoga (yoga of devotion). Our daily yoga practice will prepare our minds and bodies to enter deeper. Two main highlights of our visit to Mayapur will be taking a safari boat ride down the river Ganges and also diving into one of the largest Kirtan festivals in India, the Mayapur Kirtan Mela.
From Navadeep we will take an overnight train ride, (a real inside experience of India) to Puri in Odisha (formerly Orissa). This place will allow you to experience the myriad wonders of this magical state. Located on the east coast, Odisha, also known as The Soul of India, is a mystical land where the hoary past and the modern today form a harmonious blend – where ancient temples mingle with modern five star hotels. A land filled with awe inspiring monuments, thousands of master craftsmen and artists, numerous wildlife sanctuaries, stunning natural landscapes…our journey will take us to a coastal town called Jagannath puri.
PURI
Situated on the Bay of Bengal it is one of the oldest cities in the eastern part of the country. It is considered as one of the four holy dhamas of India. It is also agreed that a pilgrimage of the temples of India is not complete without making the journey to Jagannath Puri. Jagannath means lord of the universe. The main temple is thousands of years old, pilgrims gather yearly to receive blessings from the Lord of the Universe. We will be staying in a beautiful coastal beach hotel. There we will be enjoying the wonderful beach surf, immersing ourselves in the culture of India, viewing traditional dance performances, shopping to discover the Orissian art-work that are unique to this part of India, and visiting some of the oldest temples known to India.
Imagine practicing yoga during sun rises at the legendary Konark Sun Temple, a place where Sun worshipping in India has taken place for centuries. Konark Sun Temple is a 13th century Sun Temple; the temple is an example of Orissan architecture of the Ganga dynasty. The temple is one of the most renowned temples in India and is a World Heritage Site, as well as one of the Seven Wonders of India.
KATHMANDU, NEPAL
The last flight journey of our tour- will bring us into the peaceful mountain of Nepal- Kathmandu.
The city stands at an elevation of approximately 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) in the bowl-shaped Kathmandu Valley of central Nepal. It is surrounded by four major mountains: Shivapuri, Phulchoki, Nagarjun, and Chandragiri. This tranquil place will give us time to reflect and renew. Seeing and experiencing the diverse array of Indian and Bhudist culture.
We will enter the sacred arena of the Kathesimbhu Stupa, The most popular Tibetan pilgrimage site in this old town is this lovely stupa. The white dome represents the earth, the base is ringed by prayer wheels. The wind carries one’s prayers to heaven. Bring your prayer, your intentions, make your offering here. Allow the culmination of thousands of individual prayers to surround you, purify you and be carried by the sacred wind force to Divinity. Visit the Pashupatinath Temple- the main Hindu temple in Kathmandu, This is a Shiva temple who is The Divine force of destruction, the remover of the false ego. Receiving the blessing of Lord Shiva, clears of the path of falsity and brings us to greater light.
Flight Information
When you are booking flights to India. You will need to book a flight arriving into Kolkata Airport. Most international flights land late at night. Please make sure you book a flight that will land on Feb 26th evening or arriving Feb 27th early morning hour (1am or 2pm). You will be picked up from the airport and will be staying in Kolkata Feb 26th night. Feb 27th we will leave for Mayapur/navadeep Islands.
Return flight should depart leaving Kolkata Airport March 10th. Most international flights depart late at night either March 10th (midnight) or March 11th early early hours in the morning.