MT. ARUNACHALA & NEARBY SITES INDIA TOUR
JANUARY 20TH - 28TH , 2008


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

A tour visiting sites and temples in Tamil Nadu (near Madras) with 5 days focussing especially on the Sri Ramana Maharishi ashram and powerpoints on Arunachala itself - he was one of the greatest Sages of Advaita (the philosophy of non-duality leading to Enlightenment and Self-realization). 22 January is Full Moon and participation in the "GIRIVALAM" is possible - the circumambulation procession around the base of Mt Arunachala at night.

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

Simon Peter Fuller of Wholistic World Vision is our guide. Simon Peter is a very special guide, author, speaker and light worker. He lives near Avebury in the heart of the English Sacred Sites region. His book, Rising Out of Chaos, describes his own awakening, his work for world peace, the work of Wholistic World Vision and his experiences traveling to major sacred sites. This wonderful spiritual work was first published in 1994 and is now in third edition.

TOUR ITINERARY:

January 20th - Sunday - Day 1:
Meet at MADRAS AIRPORT during the morning. Drive direct to TIRUVANNAMALAI (about 4 hrs). Check in at the Anantha Niketan Ashram about 10kms out of town and overlooking Mr Arunachala - an extinct volcano. This 'open' ashram is on a 5-acre site in a rural setting with fine views of Arunachala about 6 kms away. Half the area comprises a collection of small buildings, mostly with thatched roofs while rest is garden, rocks, small trees and agriculture. Accommodation is in cottages of varying sizes, some with their own bathrooms, while others will share a bathroom nearby. Hot water is not automatic but can be arranged with notice. Generally, extra hot water isn't needed as tanks are warmed anyway by sunshine. A splendid high thatched hall with good energy is great for meditations, group and retreat work, meetings, music dance etc., and is a 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 would cover two main meals. During the dry month of January meals are taken at tables under the shade of the trees outside the kitchen. Drinking water is from the ashram's own well and is particularly good. It is also available 'filtered'. Western food cooked Indian style is available at a number of places in town.

January 21st -25th (Monday - Friday) Day 2-6:
At the Ashram with opportunity to participate in the Full Moon Girivalam on 22 January (13 kms at night preferably barefoot after previous day fasting!). Transport will be available daily into town and this time frame is seen as a quiet and independent opportunity for personal attunement in the very powerful energy of Arunachala and its famous meditation shrines and at the Sri Ramana Maharishi ashram itself in town.

Synonymous with the fifth Hindu element of fire, Tiruvannamalai 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!

January 26th - Saturday - Day 7:
Day 7. We drive via GINGEE to view the famous volcanic Mounds and on to PONDICHERRY, former capital of French India with its distinctly Gallic atmosphere! With a long and varied colonial legacy, this trading post - first recorded as "Poduke" in 2 AD and used for Roman/Far Eastern commerce - was held in succession by the Portuguese, Danes, British and French. The present town was laid out by the French Governor Dupleix in the mid 18th century with the "ville Blanche" divided by a canal from the "ville Noire"! The Bengali, Sri Aurobindo, escaped here during persecution by the British in Calcutta and it was near here at AUROVILLE that his spiritual successor "The Mother" was inspired in 1968 to establish "The City of Dawn" - a community of currently some 1,350 people, which it is foreseen will become "an ideal" city for 50,000 in the dawning new era. We will overnight in Pondicherry and visit the Sri Aurobindo Ashram there containing his and the Mother's Samadhi (mausoleum) - a very powerful energy experience.

January 27th - Sunday - Day 8:
We visit AUROVILLE to get an idea of this community of the future and after a brief tour and lunch in the community hall we return north for an overnight on the coast near the World Heritage Centre of MAMALLAPURAM. - India's stone carving capital with its famous Shore Temple and a batch of extraordinary rock sculptures.

January 28th - Monday - Day 9:
Visit the MAMALLAPURAM sites and continue after lunch 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. Some may wish to fly out later that evening subject to schedules, while others will need an airport hotel overnight before departing next morning (quote and reservations as required at time of booking). Tour ends.

PRICE: 8 night tour is £412 (Approximately Euros €597 or US $844) in shared rooms in B&B. Accommodation includes 6 nights at the Ashram as described and 2 nights at good tourist standard hotels (Day 9 hotel is extra.) Ground transport included.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: £155 (Approximately Euros €224 or US $317)

DEPOSIT: £155 (Approximately Euros €224 or US $317) secures a place and the final balance is due by 1st November, 2007.

EXCLUDES: International and domestic airfare. All site entrance fees and main meals are extra.

*PLEASE NOTE: Price is listed in US Dollars and credit card payments are made in US Dollars. The US Dollar price may vary each week according to the exchange rate. The currency exchange rate for US dollars to Euros is updated at the beginning of each week.

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