Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and Ashrams

India

South India Yatra

A Pilgrimage to Outstanding Natural and Spiritual Places of South India

11 Feb - 25 Feb 2013

Join us on a guided spiritual journey to South India's most sacred places. Some of the highlights include:

• Kanyakumari - The southernmost tip of India, where three bodies of water intersect, Vivekananda memorial rock, and Thiruvalluvar monument
• Swami Sivananda's birthplace in Pattamadai
• The historical Padmanabha Palace, featuring amazing wood work
• Suchindram Temple's musical pillars & a 22 foot high Hanuman statue
• A leisurely house boat ride on the serene Kerala backwaters
• The famous Meenaskhi Temple in Madurai, where Siva and Meenaskhi (young Parvati) were married
• Bathe in the water from 22 sacred wells in Ramanathaswamy Temple
• Rock Fort Temple in Trichy
• The impressive Brihadeeswarar Temple in Tanjore
• Ramanamaharishi ashram in Thiruvanamalai
• Hike up the sacred Arunachalam hill at sunrise
• The magnificent Golden Temple in Vellore, made completely of gold
• Mahabalipuram Beach and sea shore temple
• Shopping in Chennai and Marina Beach, India's longest beach
• The charming temples and sights of Pondicherry, a former French colony
• Kanchipuram, famous for it's beautiful sarees, shawls and Indian textiles
• And much more...

Included in the tour fee:

• Accommodations
• Vegetarian meals
• Travel within South India
• Entrance fees
• Yoga asana classes
• Satsang (meditation & chanting)
• Poojas (prayer ceremonies)

What Is a Yatra?

Yatra, a Sanskrit word meaning journey, refers to a pilgrimage to spiritual places, such as temples, monuments and other sacred or historical sites. Please be aware that the yatra is not a vacation, but a spiritual pilgrimage. It is our intention to visit South India's most holy and sacred places of worship while still practicing sadhana. For this reason it is recommended that you have visited one of our ashrams and are accustomed to our routines. Quite frequently our days will begin at 5:30 or 6:00 AM for meditation, yoga asana or other spiritual practices. There will be some time allotted for shopping, sightseeing and swimming, but the main focus of the yatra is spiritual.

Fee

$1500 USD. To reserve your space a non-refundable deposit of $300 USD is required. The balance is due one month before the start of the yatra. Payment must be made by international wire transfer. Please email us for bank details.

Transportation & Accommodations

The mode of transportation will be a comfortable air-conditioned bus. Accommodations will be modest, simple rooms with air-conditioning where available. We will be staying in dormitory accommodations when we visit our ashrams and twin sharing rooms when we stay in hotels.

Food & Water

Traditional South Indian nutritious vegetarian food will be provided. You can expect mildly spiced food such as rice dishes, sambar (or curry), rava dosa, wheat chapati (also known as roti or naan), idly (steamed rice cakes), coconut chutneys and Indian sweets. Fresh fruit, tea, soda and fruit juice will also be available. We will provide bottled drinking water.

Yatra Guides & Yoga Teachers

Your guides are experienced Sivananda trained yoga teachers. Both Indian and Western teachers will be your guides across South India, yoga asana classes, meditation and chanting. Local guides will be hired in several temples to provide us with specific historical information.

Visa Requirements

Foreign nationals require a visa to visit India. Please apply for a tourist visa for the pilgrimage. Contact your local Indian consulate for more information.

Vaccinations

Please contact your local health authority for vaccination advice.

Airport Details

The tour begins in Neyyar Dam, Kerala. The closest airport is Trivandrum (TRV), which is about 1 hour from the ashram (35 km).

Indian Culture

By Western standards Indian culture can seem very conservative and we ask you to honour this tradition while on the yatra. Participants are asked to dress modestly while in South India, especially women. In temples your shoulders, knees and chest must be covered. A shawl is recommended. Traditional Indian dress for women in temples is either a saree or chudihar (2 piece pant suit with a long top and shawl). The first day of the tour includes a shopping trip in the city where there is a wide selection of inexpensive and comfortable Indian clothes to choose from. We also request that modest clothing be worn during yoga asana practice and swimming as well. The left hand is regarded as unclean in India. While in temples always use your right hand to make an offering or accept prasad (blessed food). Photography is not allowed in most South Indian temples. Please follow instructions from the guides as to when photography is appropriate.

Arrival Date

The yatra fee includes your stay in the ashram the night before the yatra start date. However you are welcome to arrive in the ashram anytime. Some guests prefer to arrive a few days early to adjust to the time difference before the pilgrimage begins. You can stay in the Neyyar Dam ashram in the dormitory. No prior reservation is required. The fee for extra nights in the ashram is 500 rupees per night (this includes meals, yoga asana classes, satsang, asana coaching and philosophy lectures). You can also visit our onsite Ayurvedic clinic during this time for consultations, massages and other traditional Ayurvedic treatments.

Registration

For more information or to reserve your space, please contact: Email: southindianyatra@sivananda.org