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Start: We meet on the morning
of Wednesday January 4th, at the Hotel Shelter in Chennai. Arrival
flight into International Airport Chennai (MAA). End: We depart
in afternoon of Thursday January 19th at Babaji’s Kriya Yoga
ashram in Bangalore. Departure flight from International Airport
Bangalore (BLR). Take a return flight from Bangalore nonstop
or with a connecting flight through Chennai.
January 2: Departure flight from USA and Canada via Europe to Chennai (Madras), India.
January 3: Departure from Europe to Chennai (Madras), India.
January 4: early a.m. arrival in Chennai, at the east coast of South India. Stay at Hotel Shelter in Mylapore section of Chennai. Rest till the afternoon, go shopping, or visit nearby Ramakrishna Monastery established by Swami Vivekananda, or if you arrive earlier, visit the beach in San Thome or Theosophical Society headquarters in Adyar in British colonial style with famous library and beautiful gardens with huge old Banyan trees; V.T.Neelakantan was a renowned writer for the Theosophical Society before he wrote down Babaji’s teachings in the “Voice of Babaji”.
January 5: Travel to Tiruvannamalai (4h). Stay at Hotel Arunai Anantha. Visit Ramana Maharshi Ashram at the base of Arunachala mountain. This region was sanctified by Shepherd Siddha Idai Kadar who resided here and herded his goats and cows around the mountain. Evening visit to the Arunachalaswarar Temple in the city, where Ramana spent many years absorbed in Samadhi, Siddha Idaikadar experienced Svarupa Samadhi and Siddha Arunagirinathar composed famous Murugan songs; participate in puja ceremony.
January 6: Ascend Arunachala mountain in a beautiful nature walk, and explore ancient meditation places like Saint Virupaksha Cave and Skanda Ashram where Ramana Maharshi lived for six years.
January 7: Morning Satsang with neovedantic spiritual teacher Mooji, circumambulation of Arunachala mountain, or shopping.
January 8: Travel to Pondicherry (3h), until recently a French colony, in ancient times established by Agastyar. Stay at Hotel Ananda-Inn. Sri Aurobindo established here the “Sri Aurobindo Ashram” when seeking asylum from the British.
January 9: Visit Sri Aurobindo Ashram samadhi shrine of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, enjoy the Ocean beach boardwalk, or do some shopping in Pondicherry which is populated and visited by many Westerners.
January 10: Visit to the Auroville community park. Meditate in the Matri Mandir dome or nearby under a huge ancient vibrating Banyan tree.
January 11: Trip to Chidambaram Nataraj temple (1.5h) Nataraj is the famous Dancing Shiva. Attend a special puja ceremony.
January 12: Travel to Thanjavur/Tanjore (3.5h). Visit Britheeswar Shiva temple with the tallest temple tower in Asia and shrine of Siddhar Karuvoorar. Stay at Hotel Oriental Towers. Or, Travel to Trichy (3h). Visit famous Srirangam Saint Ramanuja temple, beautifully placed on a lake island. Stay at Sangam Hotel Tiruchirappalli.
January 13: Travel to Palani Malai (4h). Stay in Hotel Vel’s Court. Siddhar Boganathar, Guru of Kriya Babaji, established Palani Malai temple with Murugan statue, and his jiva-samadhi shrine. Visit the Pullipani ashram of Boganathar’s disciple Pullipani and meet and share with Venkatesh Swami.
January 14: Early morning ascend climbing 1,008 steps to the top of the hill, attend puja for darshan of Lord Dandaswamy (Murugan), and meditate in Jiva-Samadhi shrine of Siddhar Boganathar. If energized and enthusiastic, cirumabulate Palani Malai (hill).
January 15: Travel to Muttalamada (2.5h) in Kerala. Visit Swami Sunil Das and his Ashram of Sneham Trust within beautiful mountain nature and wild animal reserve, participate in ashram activities (feeding of school children, Sai Sirdi Baba puja). Stay in Sneeham Hotel of Ashram.
January 16: Travel to Guruvayur (2.5h). Visit ancient Brahmin village. Visit Swami Hari Narayanan and Sirdi Baba Temple of Peace and Light. Stay in Guruvayur Resort Hotel.
January 17: Visit famous Guruvayur Krishna temple, visit Elephants and West coast Ocean of Kerala, do a boat-trip on Kerala's famous "backwaters" (right behind the ocean frontline). Stay in Guruvayur Resort Hotel.
January 18: Travel to Coimbatore (3h). Stay at Hotel Ratna Residency. Visit Isha Yoga Ashram founded by Satguru Jaggi Vasudev with unique Dhyana Mandir, populated by many Westerners.
January 19: Travel to Bangalore (5h). Visit Babaji’s Kriya Yoga Ashram and office in Bangalore, Babaji’s Kriya Yoga Puja to end the pilgrimage, final satsang, final local shopping opportunity in Bangalore.
Departure to international destinations from Bangalore or via Chennai. Or stay in India to continue your pilgrimage individually. We may arrange a hotel stay near our ashram in Bangalore.
January 20: Arrival to destinations in Europe or America. |
