Vedic Fires of India tour

Jan 11: Meet at Indore airport (frequent domestic flight connections with Bombay and Delhi), where the tour starts at breakfast time. Drive to Maheshwar, exotic ancient city of Temples on the holy Narmada river. Settle into our hotel near the Fort. Evening sunset Agni Hotra on the river.

Jan 12: Full day excursion to the Temple city of Om Kareshwar on the Narmada river. Sightseeing with shopping opportunities and after lunch an exciting boat excursion right around the sacred island.

Jan 13. In Maheshwar. Sightseeing including the Temples, Palace and spinning looms. Quiet afternoon followed by evening Agnihotra fire ceremony on the tiny Shiva Temple island known as "the Centre of the Universe" - a very powerful site!

Jan 14. Breakfast at the Agni Hotra Centre nearby where the movement's teacher, Shree Vasant, is resident. Lunch en route to TAPOVAN, where we arrive in time for supper.

Jan 15 - 19: At Tapovan on full board participating with all staff members on this Homa farm in the daily sunrise/set Agni Hotra fires as well as the continuous 24 hour Triumbakum fire and other Rhudras (with expert tuition, Mantra classes and talks on the Vedic Fire traditions with Bruce). During your stay ayurvedic massage, herbal steambaths and mudbaths are available. We also offer a programme of visits to nearby villages and Temples, country walks, and other ecological enterprises - a rare opportunity to integrate with local culture in a simple, non-touristic, working environment.

Jan 20: Drive to the fabulous AJANTA Cave Temples for sightseeing and lunch. Continue to Aurangabad for overnight.

Jan 21: Half day visit to the nearby ELLORA Rock Temples with afternoon at leisure by the hotel pool.

Option to fly out of Aurangabad (4pm onwards) or, for those continuing with us on the South India "Arunachala tour", overnight at same hotel.

Jan 22: Early flight Aurangabad to Bombay with immediate onward connection to Madras.

This tour is based on full board including guiding and transport. All accommodation used is comfortable, tourist standard with ensuite facilities. January is a perfect month to visit this region with warm, dry days and cool nights (aircon unnecessary). No smoking or alcohol at Tapovan and the delicious cuisine is strictly vegetarian. NB. Younger women guests will have their cycle periods honoured with special facilities during which time Agni Hotra fire participation is inappropriate (strictly for energy reasons!). Please ask for further explanations if required.

PRICE: 11 night tour is £525 in shared rooms with a £150 single supplement (limited). Domestic flights and site entrance fees are extra.

A deposit of £150 secures a place and the final balance is due by 1st November, 2008. Refunds only if place is filled.

Tapovan and Agni Hotra websites for more details: www.tapovan.net/agnihotra www.agnihotra.org

TAPOVAN WEBSITE WITH PICS: http://www.tapovan.net/tapovan/index.html

For those on an independent itinerary, the famous 'Golden Triangle' of Delhi, Agra (Taj Mahal) and Jaipur is the nearest well-known attraction for those wishing to experience more of this fascinating country. Regular daily flights from Aurangabad via Bombay/Delhi to anywhere in India.

22nd - 29th January 2009
Bagwan Shri Ramana Maharshi & the fabled Mt. Arunachala
7 day "Unity consciousness" Retreat

Mount Arunachala with Tiruvanamalai temple complex at the base
Photograph courtesy of SacredSites.com

A 7 day Retreat focussing especially on the still vibrant energy of Ramana Maharshi and the well-known powerpoints on Mt Arunachala itself with which he was associated for over 50 years. He was one of the great Sages of Advaita - the philosophy of non-duality leading to Enlightenment and Self-realization. This opportunity for self-reflection is offered to those who are now ready to move beyond New Age dualistic teachings that serve only to inflate the ego and to emphasize the separate sense of self. We are located at a simple ashram (with minimal but sufficient comfort!) run by Gopi and Chitra, who create a loving and relaxed atmosphere in a peaceful country setting entirely conducive to surrendering "self" into a relaxed sense of Beingness. Letting go of our usual comfort zones and the clutter of our overfilled "western" material lives is an ideal way to absorb the higher frequency of consciousness offered in this renowned location. We shall work with the ancient Vedic sunrise and sunset Agni Hotra fires and allow time daily as a group for meditation and focus together on the profound implications of the reality of Unity Consciousness.

TOUR ITINERARY:

Tiruvanamalai, Tamil Nadu, India
Photograph courtesy of SacredSites.com

Day 1 (22/1). Meet at MADRAS AIRPORT (early afternoon). Drive direct to TIRUVANNAMALAI (about 4 hrs). Check in at the Anantha Niketan Ashram 8 kms out of town and overlooking Mt Arunachala - an extinct volcano. This 'open' ashram is on a 5-acre site in a rural setting with fine views of Arunachala nearby. It comprises a collection of small buildings, mostly with thatched roofs, set in a garden with rocks, small trees and farmed fields. Accommodation is in simple cottages of varying sizes, some with their own bathrooms, while others share washing facilities nearby. Hot water is not automatic, but can be arranged with notice and anyway the tanks are warmed by hot sunshine! A splendid high thatched hall with great energy is perfect for meditations, group and retreat work, meetings, music, dance etc., and is a main feature of the ashram. The kitchen prepares vegetarian meals three times a day - Tamil Nadu is said by some to be the vegetarian capital of the world! The style of food is mild Indian with salads available and the menus vary from day to day. 500 rupees a day (about £7) covers two main meals. Meals are taken at tables under the shade of the trees near the kitchen. Drinking water is from the ashram's own well and is particularly good (also available 'filtered'). Western food cooked Indian style is on offer too at the plentiful restaurants in town.

Days 2 - 6. At the Ashram with the opportunity to participate in group interaction described above, country walks and visits to local villages and inspirational schemes set up by our local British guide, John Wragg - who now spends most of his time supporting a large variety of positive initiatives in Tamil Nadu. Transport will be available twice daily into town and John, with his local friends, will guide us to the powersites and other Ashrams in town - including that of Ramana Maharshi. There will also be opportunities for guided walks circumambulating the mountain and/or climbing its peak. This time frame is seen as a quiet and independent opportunity for personal attunement in the transformational energy of Arunachala and its potent shrines.

Tiruvannamalai, synonymous with the fifth Hindu element of fire, ranks as one of the five holiest towns of Tamil Nadu. The name means "Red Mountain" which refers to Mt Arunachala and its "unearthly" crimson colour in the dawn light. Mythology identifies the mountain as the place where Shiva asserted his power over Brahma and Vishnu by manifesting himself as a lingham of fire or Agnilingam. The event is commemorated annually at the Nov/Dec full moon Kartiggai Festival and is known as the "Pradakshana" (the most auspicious of the monthly full moon circumambulations of the mountain). The town is full of shrines, sacred tanks, ashrams and paved pilgrim paths scattered around the mountain, but the main focus is undoubtedly the vast Arunachaleshvara Temple - "Temple of the Eternal Sunrise". Over 1,000 years in the building, this enormous complex consists of three concentric courtyards. Here Sri Ramana sat in a state of supreme Awareness while ants devoured his flesh!

Day 7 (28/1). We drive via GINGEE to view the famous volcanic Mounds and impressive Moghul fortress before continuing to MADRAS to connect with St Thomas. His post-crucifixion mission took him mainly to Kerala in SW India, but he was martyred here and his relics are in San Tome Cathedral on the site of two much earlier churches. We visit the Cave and Spring associated with his mission in the southern edge of the city before checking in at our airport hotel. Some may wish to fly out later this evening (after 8pm), while others will need an airport hotel overnight (at own expense) before departing next morning 29/1 (ask for Airport hotel accommodation quote and reservation at time of booking if required).

PRICE: £290 in shared rooms on B&B. Accommodation includes 6 nights at the Ashram as described. Ground transport between Madras/Tiru return and twice daily between the Ashram and town is included, but domestic flights and any entrance fees and main meals are extra. A deposit of £150 secures a place and the final balance is due by 15 November 2008. Deposit and balance payments refundable only if a replacement is found before departure. Comprehensive insurance is recommended.

NOTE FOR BOTH INDIA TOURS OFFERED ABOVE: In these times of fluctuating exchange/fuel rates, we will need to surcharge if these differ more than 5% from those used for budgeting in mid-2008.

RESERVATIONS: Wholistic World Vision e-mail: SimonPeter@wwv.me.uk

FOR THOSE JOINING US IN SRI LANKA FOR THE POWERSITE TOUR, THERE ARE NOW 7 DAYS FOR REST AND RELAXATION IN SRI LANKA (see our recommendations for Ayurvedic healing and eco experiences in Sri Lanka on the Sri Lanka tour web page)

For those who would like to extend their stay in Southern India after the Wholistic World Vision Retreat above, we can recommend the itinerary below being offered by John Wragg, who will lead the tour. AUROVILLE is the vision of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother for a "City of Light " to eventually house an international population of some 50,000 living in peace, cooperation and personal empowerment. The transcendental "Mandir" meditation centre itself is worth making the effort to visit Auroville and many fascinating projects there also await the visitor. John Wragg is connected with those in and on the edge of the community and is well placed to make this a transformational week set in the ancient Tamil Temple culture of the region.

WEEK 2: January 29 - February 5, 2009
This itinerary covers Tiravunamallai, Auroville/Pondicherry
and surroundings plus Madras.

DAY 1

After breakfast we leave our Niketan base with a packed lunch. We call at Gingee Fort and towering rock formations. A substantial path maintained by the government makes the steady climb accessible by most age groups. Worthwhile and exhilarating! As we arrive in our new (more easterly) region, we sample the Auroville Visitor's Centre with its maps, displays, old and new photographs, literature, modern architecture and boutiques, and splendid toilets! Our new host on the edge of Auroville and Pondicherry will prepare an evening meal as we settle into his family's guest house and orchard.

DAY 2

A special day as we explore the spectacular Nataraj Temple of the Dancing Shiva at Chidambaram and are carried over the still waters in the tranquil setting of the mangrove forests. We are introduced to some delights of the French-flavoured Pondicherry city. We learn a little about its layout, shopping area, Sri Aurobindo's ashram, the friendly sea front promenade, and we sample one of the city's quality restaurants.

DAY 3

We start to get our bearings in the large expanse of Auroville, but the rare opportunity today is to step inside the village life. Tamil people, their work, their lives, their home, their education, the sparkle of the children, their music and dance, their cultural awareness, their projects, their hospitality. Also time for individual exploring or chilling out. Evening meal back at base.

DAY 4

We have a morning's experience of this international township of Auroville, one of the most extraordinary communities on the planet! It is often said that to grasp this place even after many visits is still not possible. We taste its experimental nature, its inspiring themes and projects, its dedication to consciously address life's challenges. The 40-year development of its bare semi-desert landscape into today's rich green forest backdrop is a wonder in itself. People often come here to realise their life's purpose or to really discover themselves. Afternoon has relaxing opportunities and various feast options.

DAY 5

This is a free day to pursue one's own interest either alone or in small groups. It's a chance to revisit some places or people or explore one of the many local communities. Sometimes people get drawn into one of the many specialised subjects being studied in the area or one may wish to sample the healing techniques, yoga, massages or art courses that crop up around here. A further dash into the city is possible or the non-crowded beach is only three kilometers away. Ideas can be exchanged and discussed as appropriate and transport shared where feasible. Remember that the roof of our own guest house is a paradise among the tree tops.

DAY 6

Our biggest day will be a coastal extravaganza (part one) with the focal point on the small fishing town and World Heritage site of Mamallapuram. It has an ancient and international class sculpture industry, a modern sculpture college and some breathtaking artifacts. The retreating tsunami revealed an unknown stone temple which can be visited.

DAY 7

We take our time to pack and load the minibus - a chance to nip to the village shop! We move away from the area to have a fresh look at new coastal places, some modern developments , an artist's village, and some unimaginable stretches of beach that resemble a magical tropical island. We come to terms with the need to re-enter big city life - Madras. Most of us will probably spend one night here near the airport depending on one's following programme.

EXTENSIONS?

Discussions are invited about people's next move and ideas can be exchanged on this if helpful. It is possible that our transport at this point will be returning to Tiruvannamalai. This would give one option.

SCHEDULE

The above schedule is a sample and we will be calling on local people to give us an individual flavour, insight and guidance during the week. Personal requirements and weather conditions may mean adjustments to the programme.

COSTS

The basic cost will be £230 for seven days per person in twin share (simple but adequate tourist standard accommodation with vegetarian breakfast provided) including local group transport. Main meals, and entrance fees are extra - as is the final airport hotel accommodation if required. John is not seeking remuneration for his input but there will be opportunities for members of the group to support those local people who contribute to the success of the tour and/or any worthwhile project that we come across along the way.

Reservations to John direct on email ukflier2012@yahoo.com - ask for more details on terms and conditions of booking. Minimum 8 guest participation required.


OmKareshwar