The Soul of India

A Pilgrimage through Sacred Art, Architecture and Culture

with Phil Cousineau & Anthony Lawlor

 

January 25 - February 11, 2008
Past Tour

Tour Leaders: Phil Cousineau has published over twenty non-fiction books including the international bestselling, The Art of Pilgrimage. Recently, Cousineau has appeared on CNN, the Discovery Channel, Fox News, and Hallmark's "New Morning Show" speaking about the phenomenal revival world pilgrimage, and on several Warner Brothers DVD deluxe sets as a commentator on mythology in the movies. Currently, Cousineau is serving as host for the new LINK TV series, "Global Spirit."; And Anthony Lawlor – Oprah, National Public Radio and numerous other media have featured the work of award-winning architect Anthony Lawlor. He is the author of The Temple in the House and A Home for the Soul. His film, The Living Temple, takes audiences on a thrilling adventure through the world’s great sacred places. Learn more about Phil & Tony on our About Your Tour Leaders page.

Special Offering! Sign up by Sept 15th and receive a complimentary gift pack including a signed copy of Phil Cousineau's internationally bestselling book, The Art of Pilgrimage; Anthony Lawlor's book A Home for the Soul (a beautiful, hardcover, colour book, featured on OPRAH) and a DVD of Anthony Lawlor's film The Living Temple: A Journey to World Sacred Places.
 

Arrive in Delhi, the capital of India. You will be greeted at the International Airport and taken to your hotel to refresh yourself from your long flight and prepare for your great pilgrimage.

Overnight:The Park Hotel, Delhi (2 nights)

After breakfast at the hotel, we will gather with Phil Cousineau and Tony Lawlor for a brief introduction to the Seven Stages of Pilgrimage that will serve as the template for our journey: The Longing, The Call to Adventure, The Departure, The Pilgrim’s Way, The Labyrinth, The Arrival at the Sacred Site, and The Return Home. There will be handouts, including maps, language guide, and a special “pilgrim’s guide” inspired by The Art of Pilgrimage that will help orient you through your seventeen-day pilgrimage in India.

Afterwards, we will discover the dramatic contrasts of Delhi as we tour the new and old parts of the city. Visit India Gate, Qutab Minar and Parliament House. Highlights include Humayan's Tomb, a splendid example of early Mughal architecture, built in the mid 16th century. Walk through Connaught Place, the heart of the city and one of its busiest shopping areas. At Connaught Circle, we will visit the spectacular Jantar Mantar - huge sculptural instruments used for astronomy and astrology. Here we can see how Indian culture connects science with spirituality.

In the afternoon, tour Old Delhi, visiting the sacred site, Jama Masjid, one of India's largest mosques, with its domes, minarets and arches. Go on an exciting rickshaw ride through the narrow lanes of the Chandni Chowk bazaar. Visit the Red Fort and the Raj Ghat, the cremation ground of Mahatma Gandhi.

This evening we will enjoy a lovely Welcome Dinner at the hotel, as we get to know each other better and prepare for the journey ahead.

After breakfast at your hotel, transfer to the airport for your flight to Amritsar, the name of which translates as "pool of ambrosial nectar." Transfer to your hotel. Your evening is at leisure in this holy city.

Late this afternoon we will gather with Phil & Tony for English Tea and an exhilarating discussion about our unfolding pilgrimage. We will encourage everyone to trade stories, ask questions, and share their impressions.

Overnight:Ritz Plaza Hotel, Amritsar (2 nights)

Arise early for a stunning and colorful pre-breakfast ceremony at the Golden Temple. An ornate gold and silver carriage (palki) is prepared with silk and brocade cushions, sprinkled with rose water, made ready to bring Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Supreme Spiritual Authority and Head of the Sikh religion from the Akal Takht to the Harimandir Sahib (Golden Temple). Accompanied by the head priest of the Temple, the carriage proceeds through a large plaza with the thunder of drums, scattering of fragrant rose petals and the recitation of hymns from the Holy Scriptures.

After breakfast at the hotel, Phil Cousineau will deliver a talk on the magical theory of the rasas in Indian art, which translates into English as the “tastes” or “savors” that permeate Indian art, architecture, theater, movies. Phil will also take the chance to discuss “The Pilgrim’s Way” and “Labyrinth” stages of our journey together.
 
 

We will then enjoy a half-day of visiting Amritsar sites, including Jallianwala Bagh, a memorial to the freedom fighters who shaped India’s destiny and were massacred in 1919 by the British; Durgiana Temple, which stands in the middle of a lake and is dedicated to Goddess Durga, the compassionate defeater of ignorance; and the Summer Palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, situated in the middle of a beautiful garden called Ram Bagh. The maintenance-free cooling system exhibits ancient principles of architecture that can influence green building today.

In the late afternoon, we will visit Wagah Border where India meets Pakistan, for an evening flag-lowering ceremony. Indian and Pakistani soldiers, in crisp uniforms, perform a daily precision-stepping spectacle witnessed by thousands.

In the evening, experience a moving ceremony at the Golden Temple. As the sun sets, devotees listen to beautiful evening recitations. The ornate palki of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is shouldered by devout Sikhs who carry him to the Kotha Sahib. The reflections of glowing lamps in the pool and the melodic chanting of hymns combine for an intensely reverential experience.

Day 6 – Wed, Jan 30:  Amritsar to Haridwar (B)

After breakfast at your hotel, transfer to the railway station for a train ride to Haridwar, where you will be taken to your hotel. A major sacred site, Haridwar is known as "The Gateway to the Gods."

This afternoon Tony Lawlor will speak about The Hindu Temple: Meeting Place of Heaven and Earth. In India, the temple embodies the culture’s beliefs about establishing one’s place in the world. It depicts the inner and outer forces one encounters in life. Learning to perceive our relationship of these forces can allow us to navigate our experience with greater wisdom and wonder. 

This evening you may wish to join Phil in a discussion about the Ramayana, the ancient Hindu epic that still pervades much of modern life in India, including its literature, poetry, and movie industry.

Overnight: Country Inn & Suites, Haridwar (2 nights)

After breakfast at the hotel, visit the Goddess Mansa Devi Temple, with a cable car ride to the holy hilltop shrine. This is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas, the sacred sites where body parts of the goddess Shakti (also known as Parvati) were scattered after her death. Next, visit the Chandi Devi Temple, built in 1929 by the King of Kashmir, Suchat Singh.

In the evening, attend the spectacular Ganga Aarti Ceremony, during which offerings of flowers and glowing lamps are made to the holy river Ganga (Ganges).

After breakfast at your hotel, you will be driven to Unchagaon. After hotel check-in, enjoy the balance of your day at leisure.

This evening we will join Phil Cousineau for an interesting discussion on India through Western Eyes: Kipling, Maughm, Forster and Zimmer.

Overnight:Fort Unchagaon, Unchagaon (1 night)

Breakfast at leisure in Unchagaon, followed by a drive to Agra, city of the magnificent Taj Mahal.

Tony Lawlor will speak about The Taj Mahal: Paradise Garden of Eternal Love.  The Taj Mahal is a vision of the Paradise Garden - a place where one can easily imagine being at the heart of the world, transcending struggle, and returning to a divine state of bliss. Here we will explore the relationship between this outer image of paradise and our contemporary visions and longing for a garden of love and delight.

Overnight:Trident Hilton, Agra (2 nights)

Day 10 – Sun, Feb 3: Agra (B)

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the railway station for a train trip to Jhansi. Then you will be driven to the hamlet of Orcha, famous for its historical monuments, palaces and temples. After sightseeing at Orcha, we will drive to Khajuraho and check in at a hotel for an overnight stay.

This evening join filmmaker Phil Cousineau for a discussion about the modern phenomenon of “Bollywood: India’s Protean and Prolific Movie Industry.” We may get to screen film clips of several seminal Indian films and discuss how modern films are stoking the fires of ancient storytelling in India.

Overnight: Radisson Jass Hotel, Khajuraho (1 night)

Day 12 – Tue, Feb 5: Khajuraho and Varanasi (B)

Breakfast at the hotel will be followed by a visit to Khajuraho's eastern and western groups of temples. Built in the 10th and 11th centuries, these temples are noted for their marvelous, ornate sculptures, including several erotic carvings. Considered the height of medieval Indian architecture, 22 of the original 85 temples still exist.

Anthony Lawlor will speak about Khajuraho: Entering the Divine through the Senses. Spirituality is often seen as being opposed to the body. The temple carvings at Khajuraho present a prime example of the way India’s Tantric tradition weaves spirit and matter into an integrated vision of living. This talk discusses how Vedic philosophy transcends duality and embraces the totality of existence as essential to spiritual realization. 

In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for a flight to the holy city of Varanasi. Transfer to your hotel for check-in. In the evening, withess an Aarti ceremony on the ghats of the river Ganges.

Overnight:Ramada Plaza JHV Hotel, Varanasi (1 night)

Arise early for a pre-breakfast boat ride on the holy river Ganges to see people performing religious ceremonies on the ghats (landings). Following breakfast at the hotel, tour the city of Varanasi, including visits to the Kashi Vishwanath and Bharat Mata Temples.

Tony Lawlor will discuss Varanasi: The Architecture of Impermanence: Birth, Death and Immortality. Nothing remains the same for two consecutive moments. Heraclitus said we can never bathe twice in the same river. Often, we view change as loss and suffer. In India, impermanence is used as an instrument to help us penetrate deeply into reality and obtain liberating insight. At Varanasi, a city whose culture is shaped by the flowing waters of the Ganges, we will encounter and discuss the power of impermanence in shaping our life journey.

In the afternoon, ride to Allahabad, considered to be the holiest spot in all of India, as it is the meeting place of India's three great rivers: the Ganga (Ganges), Yamuna and Saraswati, once visited by Lord Buddha.

This evening Phil Cousineau will lead us in a discussion and orientation to the nuances of pilgrimage in the Hindu and Muslim traditions to help prepare ourselves for the Magh Mela Festival tomorrow.

Overnight: Kanha Shyam Hotel, Allahabad (1 night)

Before breakfast, visit the Magh Mela festival, a 15-day event that attracts thousands of pilgrims who fast, give alms and bathe in the holy waters to free them from sins and earn them Moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth). This annual congregation is a smaller version of the grand Kumbh Mela, which is only held every 12 years.

We will enjoy a post-breakfast discussion with Phil Cousineau on the “Arrival” stage of The Art of Pilgrimage, as we witnessed this morning.  Here we can discuss the nuances of difference between Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and Muslim pilgrimage rituals and ceremonies.

Following breakfast, drive back to Varanasi. After checking in at the hotel, we will visit Sarnath, where Buddha delivered his first sermon. Explore historic ruins and the Sarnath Museum, home of some of the greatest treasures of Buddhist art, including the beautiful Teaching Buddha sculpture.

Overnight:Ramada Plaza JHV Hotel, Varanasi (1 night)

Following breakfast at your hotel in Varanasi, you will be driven to Bodhgaya, the city where Lord Buddha received his Enlightenment. After checking into the hotel, the remainder of your day is at leisure. Dinner is included at the hotel.

This evening we will gather with Tony Lawlor for a talk on Under the Bodhi Tree: The Design of Awakening to Your True Nature. The moment Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree and resolved not to get up until he awakened to enlightenment is a tipping point in world culture. At Bodhgaya we can encounter ways that a simple act can have a profound impact on our inner life experience and transform the world around us. 

Overnight:Lotus Nikko Hotel, Bodhgaya (2 nights)

After your hotel breakfast, tour the wonders of Bodhgaya, including the 2nd century Mahabodhi Temple and the Lotus Pond where Buddha is said to have bathed. You will have the opportunity to meditate near the sacred site of the tree where Gautama sat in meditation and achieved his Enlightenment. Witness a ceremony at the Mahabodhi Temple where you may light a candle and meet with Buddhist monks. If we are fortunate, we may meet with a Tibetan Rinpoche or the Head Lama of the Tibetan Temple.

Lunch and Dinner is included at the hotel.

We will have breakfast at the hotel in Bodhgaya, then drive to Nalanda to visit the ruins of one of the world's oldest universities, created on an ancient teaching site visited by Lord Buddha. Continue to Rajgir, sacred to Buddhists and Jains and famous for its hot springs, baths, and the Hill of Vultures which inspired many of Buddha's most important sermons. Buddhist scholars say it is "a place which should be visited or seen by a person of devotion ... it brings awareness and apprehension of the nature of impermanence." Continue to Patna for hotel check-in.

This evening we will gather with Phil & Tony for our Closing Ceremony, followed by a Farewell Dinner at the hotel. We will discuss the most problematic stage of the journey for pilgrims, which is The Return. How do we do justice to our travels? How do we remember and turn into stories what most moved our souls? Here we will discuss rituals that help you preserve your journey in memory and even connect you to the rest of your community. We’ll discuss how to create some soulful memento of your pilgrimage and also how to link up with others who’ve made similar journeys to India.

Overnight:Maurya Patna Hotel, Patna (1 night)

After breakfast in your hotel, visit Takht Har Mandir Sahib, birthplace of the 10th Sikh Guru. Sightseeing in Patna includes the Sikh Temple, the adjacent mosque, Pathar ki Masjid, and the excavations of three ancient cities of the kings Ajatshatru, Chandragupta and Ashoka. In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for a flight to Delhi. If there is time, we will transfer to a hotel to rest prior to a late evening transfer to the New Delhi International Airport for your flight home.

Note: Pre-paid gratuities are to cover local guides, drivers, waiters, baggage handling, etc. Your Tour Escort will carry and disburse these funds so that you can relax and enjoy your trip, knowing that everyone assisting you is being taken care of properly.

Note: The single supplement is ONLY for those who would like to secure a private room throughout the tour, at the indicated additional price. If you are not traveling with anyone you know and would like to share a room, we will be happy to work to find you a suitable roommate. Per our Terms and Conditions, registration for the tour will be held open until two weeks before the departure date in order to try to match everyone with a roommate. If by that date we have not been able to match you with a suitable roommate, you will be responsible to pay for the single supplement. An early registration will facilitate this process.