North India
After a week of rejuvenation in South India, we go north for the Post Retreat Tour through the spiritual epicenters of sacred Varanasi and the Taj Mahal.
Varanasi: Bathing Ghats on Sacred Ganga
After a week of rejuvenation down south, we are ready to begin the Post Retreat Tour with a sunrise visit to the holy Ganges River in the ancient city of Varanasi, better known as Kashi (the Luminous One) or the City of Light. Varanasi is a spiritual epicenter where pilgrims travel long distances to bathe at the sacred bathing ghats, where it is believed that a dip in the Ganges will remove all sins/karmas for a life time. Devotees of Lord Shiva, both householder pilgrims and sadhus (holymen) gather to bathe and reflect on the transience of life, in plain view of the many cremation ghats nearby.
Offering prayers to the Divine Mother on the Ganges
The traditional means of touring the Ganges is via rowboat along the river’s banks. We will start in the early morning as the sun rises over the eastern river bed plains illuminating the Ganges and western shore temples. This is a sacred time for prayer and meditation. The group will offer sacred flower aartis to the Divine Mother as Ganga with silent prayer. We are allowed one request of the Divine Mother in this puja, and from past experiences, all requests are immediately granted on the spot. This is a powerful ceremony for all involved. Guests are advised to carefully plan their prayer and request in advance.
Manikarnika Cremation Temple and Ganga Aarti
In the evening, we will return to the Ganges to witness up to a dozen human cremations simultaneously taking place at the famous Manikarnika Temple cremation ghats on the river banks. Witnessing cremation ceremonies is a transformative experience that has the effect of pacifying the fears we have of our own mortality. It also awakens our hearts to a more intimate acceptance of our lives. These experiences of conscious passage rites are life affirming and life validating experiences that heal the spirit. After the cremations, we will witness one of India’s largest fire ceremonies, the Ganga Aarti, a massive celebration to the Divine Mother as Ma Ganga, the holiest of rivers and source of life.
After the tour of Varanasi, we’ll take a short flight to Delhi, then a 4-hr private luxury bus ride to the city of Agra, the early capital of the Mughal Empire, to take in the beauty of the Taj Mahal, one of the great wonders of the world.
Agra: The Taj Mahal
We’ll approach the Taj on the following day, in the early morning as the sunrise peaks over the horizon onto the Taj dome. The Taj is a monument to all love, love for life, self, and partner. Bring an open heart and your camera! Later the same day we will tour the famous Agra Fort which served as the personal palace to Shah Jahan, the Emperor of the Mogul Empire and builder of the Taj Mahal. See how the Emperor lived!
Closing the Cycle in the Heart Center
We close the 12 day tour cycle in the heart center of India and within ourselves. On the second evening in Agra, we celebrate our shared ecstatic experience with a private poolside dinner and party: live music, north Indian cuisine, spirits, and a hena artist to illustrate your hands and feet are on order. The following day we take our private luxury coach to Delhi for our last group meal at a famous Gujarati thali restaurant in Connaught Place. Then we head to Delhi International Airport for our final departure home. Guests are optionally welcome to stay in Delhi to explore the city’s culture, historical sites, and shopping opportunities at your own expense.
At Sevanti Adventures we know that travel to India comes with a few obstacles. Our dharma is to remove them, so you can focus on your dreams!
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Sacred Sap Retreat
$ 2800
Kerala, South IndiaAyurveda treatments, Yoga, Temples, Elephants, Backwater Tour, Arabian SeaFebruary 7-14, 2020
Post Retreat TourMost Popular
$ 1700
Varanasi and Taj Mahal, North IndiaRowboat tour of Temples on Ganges River, Ganga Aarti Ceremony, Sadhus, Taj MahalFebruary 14-18, 2020
Post Retreat Tour Includes:
- Offered to Kerala Sacred Sap Retreat participants only
- Guided tour of the sacred sites of Varanasi and Taj Mahal; includes two guided tours of the Ganges in Varanasi (morning and evening), seeing temples and cremation ghats by traditional row boat, and a guided tour of the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort and Palace.
- All India domestic flights from Kerala to Varanasi and Varanasi to Delhi
- Volvo private luxury A/C bus transport from Delhi to Agra, and then Agra to Delhi International Airport on departure
- Accommodations at the 4.5 star Radisson Varanasi and 5 star Taj Hotel, Agra
- Daily breakfast buffet and wifi
- Tips for group related activities: bus drivers, tour guides, etc
- Closing meal in Delhi at a Gujarati style thali restaurant
Not included:
- Lunch and dinners
- Tips: privately acquired drivers separate from the group activities
- Hotel and travel incidentals: minibar, non-buffet menu items, room service, etc
- Personal shopping
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