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KRIYA YOGA
PILGRIMAGE TO THE HIMALAYAS
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September 19 - October
8 , 2008
with M. G. Satchidananda
and Durga Ahlund |
Due to the overwhelming interest in the September 2007 Himalayan pilgrimage, M. G. Satchidananda and Durga Ahlund will lead another group of Kriya Yoga students on a pilgrimage to Badrinath, which is associated with Babaji's life and realization. The focus this year is on building the energy for our Kriya Yoga Ashram in Badrinath. It will be an unforgettable experience in the homeland of Yoga, which will inspire and enable you to appreciate the rich cultural tapestry, which has given birth to Babaji's Kriya Yoga.
On a pilgrimage, one seeks to come close to the Divine by meditating in sacred places that provide a terrestrial "doorway" to the Infinite and the Absolute. One may easily experience the "Divine Presence" in such a place as Badrinath, which has been sanctified by the spiritual practices of many yogis and saints. There will be group practice of Kriya Yoga and satsang at least twice daily to deepen your experience. There will be outings to various places of interest, including Vasudhara Falls, Vyasa Gufa, Neelakantan Peak, Badrinath Temple and the hot springs bathing ghat. The main focus on this pilgrimage will be on our practice, on doing our sadhana in Badrinath and in the area of Mana, which is the doorway to Babaji's Etheric Ashram at Santopanth Tal. There will also be the opportunity for us to physically assist the labors in building Babaji's ashram.
We have scheduled this pilgrimage to coincide with the time of year when the weather is the most pleasant in the Himalayas: after the monsoon period, cool, with perhaps a few cold evenings. The hotels have also been carefully selected, as much as possible for their Western style comfort and facilities. Ground transportation will be in a comfortable bus. We will slowly meander to Badrinath, spending several days in Rishikesh/Hardwar to acclimate. It will take several, comfortable day drives to reach Badri. The hotel in Badrinath is first class, with central heat and hot water and a wonderful hearty breakfast!
Optional Tour: There will be for an additional fee of USD 725 or Cn$700 or 540 euros for the opportunity to join for another 7-days, a trek to Gangotri-Gaumuk, the source of the Ganges River, leaving Rishikesh on October 6, and ending in New Delhi on October 13. You will be lead by Surya, an experienced Himalayan guide and student of Babaji's Kriya Yoga, who speaks French, English and Spanish. Contact us for more information on this trek.
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ITINERARY
SEPTEMBER 19 - OCTOBER 8, 2008
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Friday September 19: Depart
Montreal and fly to Frankfurt, Lufthansa Airlines, to New Delhi.
If leaving from Europe, depart Saturday September 20, 2008.
Saturday September 20: Arrive to New Delhi at 11:00 PM, stay the night on south side of Delhi in a western style hotel, the Hotel Grand Sartaj.
Sunday September 21: Depart at 10:00 AM for Rishikesh. Stay at the Ganga Beach Resort Hotel on Ganges.
Monday September 22: Spend the day visiting ashrams in Rishikesh, and take a bath in Ganges.
Tuesday September 23: Spend the day visiting Rishikesh and Hariwar, attend the Ganges puja at Harkipari.
Wednesday September 24:
Leave Rishikesh for Rudraprayag, 150 km journey, 6 hours travel time. Night halt. Stay at the Monal Resort Hotel.
Thursday September 25: Rudraprayag to Joshimath, 110 km journey, 4 hours travel time. Night halt. Visit Shankaracharya Monastery and cave where Adi Shankaracharya meditated for four years in 9th Century. Stay in a western style hotel.
Friday September 26: Joshimath to Badrinath. 50 km by bus. Stay at the Sarovar Hotel, the only 4 star, centrally heated hotel in Badrinath.
Saturday September 27: Visit Badrinath. Morning visit Badrinarayan Temple and Tapt Kund. Sacred bath. Visit Mana. First Mantra Yagna at the confluence of the Saraswati and Alakananda Rivers.
Sunday September 28: Hike to Vasudhara Falls via Mana. Visit Vyasa Gufa cave, naming ceremony.
Monday September 29: Leisure day. Hike to base of Mt. Neelakantan for meditation. Optional: work at the Babaji's Kriya Yoga Ashram.
Tuesday September 30: Morning Sadhana. Bath at the Temple. Sadhana and Karma Yoga at new ashram.
Wednesday October 1: Day of Sadhana and Karma Yoga.
Thursday October 2: Day of Sadhana and Karma Yoga. Second Mantra Yagna at our Babaji Ashram and mantra diksha.
Friday October 3: Leave for Pipalkoti, 75 km, 4 heures de route. Stay one night at Hotel Uday Palace.
Saturday October 4: Drive from Pipalkoti to Rudraprayag, 85 km, 5 hours. One night at Monal Resort Hotel.
Sunday October 5: Go to Rishikesh.
150 km, 8 hours, returning for night stay at the Ganga Beach Resort
Hotel on the Ganga.
Monday October 6: Drive from Rishikesh to New Delhi. 260 km, 6 hours travel time.
Tuesday October 7: Early morning sadhana. Shopping in New Delhi, stay at Hotel Grand Sartaj, nearby to good shopping or by Connaught Circle. Night departure for flights home.
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COST,
INDIA ASHRAM DONATION AND VISAS:
The total cost of the proposed pilgrimage from September 19-October 7, 2008 will be US$2287 or CN$2200 or 1700 euros plus airfare. You can make own flight reservations and purchase your tickets yourself, or we will do so for you, upon request. The cost of roundtrip airfare is generally between $1,500 and $2,000 from North America, and $1,000 or 700 euros from Europe. Our travel agent Nick De Mello, at "Voyages Le Passage" in Toronto at 1-877-279-3920 or 905-279-3920, fax: 905-272-1717, email: aerotours@on.aibn.com
(where he usually is) or in Montreal, telephone 1-888-359-2203 or 450-861-5617 or fax 514-861-0267.
As we have found that most persons vary in their
meal preferences, it does not include most of your meals, which
will probably average less than $15 per day. It does not include
the fees for obtaining a visa for India. Participants must apply
for a visa at the High Commissioner in the capital of respective
country. Or, they may obtain the application forms from Nick at
"Voyages Le Passage" then return them to him with their passport
and two passport size photos and CAD$30.
Those persons who desire to stay longer than October 8, please let us know and we will have your ticket issued open-ended, unless you specify the date you wish to leave Delhi, in which case we will make your reservations.
RESERVATIONS
To reserve your place send a letter, fax
or email to M. G. Satchidananda at 196 Mountain Road, P.O. Box 90,
Eastman, Quebec, Canada J0E 1P0, telephone 450-297-0258 fax 450-297-3957,
email : satchidananda@babaji.ca,
and as soon as possible a deposit of US$450 or C$450, or 350 € which you can also pay with your VISA or Master or AMEX card. All checks should be payable to "Babaji's Kriya Yoga", and sent to our Montreal address by check or VISA or Master card. In Europe, you may make your payment to "Marshall Govindan" in a transfer to Deutsche Bank, International, BLZ 50070024, account no. 0723106, re. IBAN DE09500700240072310600, BIC/Swift code DEUTDEDBFRA. We must receive the balance of the cost by August 15, 2008. If you require flight insurance, and you are Canadian, you may contact Nick at 1-888-359-2203.
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