10 Day Pilgrim Sacred India

Travel through India with us to experience the deeply spiritual side of India. Everywhere we go has immense significance and meaning.

Liladhar and his wife Debbie want to share with you on this pilgrimage to India, the amazing jewels that the most amazing country on planet Earth, has left for us. Despite numerous attempts for more than a thousand years by the Islamic world, the English Empire, and now the culture of Western materialism to destroy their culture, religion, traditions and the inner world of people, India has retained much of what they wanted to take away from it. These are various spiritual practices, faith and strength, Vedic scriptures, Ayurvedic medicine, Jyotish astrology, music, temples, traditions, relationship culture and the list goes on.

Liladhar has been studying Vedic culture and its practical foundations in detail since 2002. In 2006 he was initiated into the Bhakti tradition. He feels fortunate that for 12 years as a young monk (Brahmacharya), living and traveling in the temples of southern and northern India, studying the scriptures, practicing prayers and chanting mantras, meditation and features of religion and culture. Regularly taking a pilgrimage in India. After that he moved to Europe, to Amsterdam, and met his wonderful wife Debbie who he speaks of as being a beautiful being, his helper, family protector and wonderful mother. Debbie and Liladhar have a five year old daughter Jeya.  A few years ago they moved to the Algarve in Portugal, a  quiet place in the south.  They practice meditation and prayer while they raise their child and work together. They have 17 hectares of land on which they are building something very good and useful to the world. Debbie started her yoga journey 20 years ago and has been a very well respected yoga teacher for the past 10 years, teaching in Bali, Amsterdam and Portugal.  She has organised Bhakti events and held several yoga retreats guiding mostly women on their search for yoga lifestyle. Liladhar and Debbie have been on the Bhakti Yoga path together for the past 7 years.  

A few years ago they decided that they were ripe as a family to start taking groups of people to India to share in the ancient beautiful wisdom with others.  First of all, for their own inspiration and purification of heart.  After all, this is the first task of a person seeking truth - to prepare the heart for a meeting with the Truth. But their daughter was still too young then. After their last pilgrimage to India in 2022 to northern India, to a sacred area of Vrindavan, they received many letters with wishes to travel with them. Thus, they realised that this was a sign and decided that in October 2023 they would make a pilgrimage to ancient sacred places of India.

Pilgrimage in India can be different for different people, it can be long or short, one can stay in one place, or one can travel from one place to another, each person can have his own goals.  But when one has understood and felt that India is the birthplace of freedom, spiritual love and inner search, that even a little acquaintance with its culture and tradition will bring him or her immeasurable benefit. When a person goes there alone, without an assistant or guide, then you have a great chance not to notice those spiritual gifts that are hidden under the cover of loud sounds of car horns, garbage and beggars.  Coming along with us will help you have a spiritual experience in India.

Pilgrimage can be different for different people, it can be long or short, one can stay in one place, or one can travel from one place to another, each person can have his own goals.  But when one has understood and felt that India is the birthplace of freedom, spiritual love and inner search, that even a little acquaintance with its culture and tradition will bring him or her immeasurable benefit. When a person goes there alone, without an assistant or guide, then you have a great chance not to notice those spiritual gifts that are hidden under the cover of loud sounds of car horns, garbage and beggars. Coming along with us will help you have a spiritual experience in India.

Therefore, Liladhar and Debbie invite you to go with them on a 10-day pilgrimage journey. They promise you care and support throughout the sacred journey and have planned this journey in such a way that you are comfortable and at the same time that you can experience a spiritual adventure that is always unpredictable. In order for you to be able to adapt and get used to it, they are starting in South India for the first half of the trip, which is the most traditional, safe and calm part of India.  It is the beginning of your travel to India experience.  

Every day we will meet together with all the participants and listen to inspired and engaging talks on the spiritual culture and religion of India. As well as practical and experiential realisations about life in India. At the end of each meeting, there will be an opportunity to ask questions and chat a little.  You will spend a few days on the beautiful sacred Varkala Beach, Trivandrum, a sea side city and the Ayurvedic capital of India, in the state of Kerala. There you will visit a beautiful temple dedicated to the supreme god Vishnu (Janardana Swami Temple), built in the traditional South Indian style. The temple of Janardana Swami is situated on the summit of a table-land adjoining the sea. It is located on one of the hill-tops, which is reached by a long flight of steps. Every morning Debbie will teach a yoga class and you will be charmed by her beautiful voice and warm love. For those who wish, a consultation with a good Ayurvedic doctor can be arranged, who will determine your constitution (Dosha) early in the morning by your pulse and prescribe for you Ayurvedic medicines, which will be bought there in the heart of the Ayurvedic world. We also will have the blessed opportunity to experience a a concert of traditional Indian music in one of the beautiful resorts of Varkala. Delicious South Indian food, the traditional and nutritious food of Kerala are included along with breathtaking sunsets. Of course, you can also have a spa treatment or massage in your free time.  

Next we will fly to North India to Delhi, visit a large temple complex in the center of Delhi, then take a taxi and in 2.5 hours we will reach the goal of our trip - this is the sacred ancient city of Vrindavan, also known as the city of 5000 temples. This is a place where since ancient times pilgrims come from all over India, and now from all over the world. Already from early morning 4-5 am, you can hear the ringing of bells and sadhus rushing to the first early service (Aarti) in the temples. This is the place where Krishna, the original truth and personified love, as described by the sacred scriptures and teachers of the past - one of the incarnations of God on earth, was born and lived many thousands of years ago. For 4 days we will immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of this truly transcendent place. We will visit temples, sing kirtans, discuss spiritual philosophy, do shopping at local markets, take photos, share impressions with each other, eat, laugh and reflect deeply.

MORE DETAILS BEFORE YOU PACK

• Pack your Open Heart & Mind

• This is a Women & Men Pilgrim

• Notebook & pen

• Bring comfort clothing, covering shoulders and knees for in temples (skirts, scarfs etc you can buy a lot in India too) Make sure to bring clothing that is ok to get dirty or messy. Flip flops, birkenstock, crocs or comfy shoes that are easy to take off going in and out the temple. 

• Don't forget Beach wear, sun screen 

• Mosquito repellent (also available in India)

• Arrange your Travel insurance 

• Your personal travel necessary

• Make sure to update yourself with your local Travel info to India (COVID 19)

• There is always a laundry place to find to wash clothing if needed. 

• Visa or Credit Card that is to be used world-wide in any atm. 

Day to Day Highlights (aprox) : 

15 Oct :  Arrival in Kochi, Liladhar will guide the group in Taxi's to Varkala where Debbie is awaiting the group in our first accommodation with welcome drinks & food.

16 Oct :  Exploring Varkala and street-life, evening concert of traditional Indian music

17 Oct : 6am Temple visit and sunset beach

18 Oct :  TRAVEL DAY | from Kochi we flight in 2/5 hours to New Delhi. Visit temple and enjoying a fine dining date in town. (buy your local flight ticket, ask us details, Kochi to New Delhi. aprox 80 $ depending on your size of luggage) 

19 Oct :  Travel to Vrindavan in 2/5 hour taxi ride. Settle in, in our guesthouse. Afternoon visiting Prabhupada's Samadhi Mandir & the 24 hour Kirtan temple

20 Oct :  Early morning 2-hour traditional parikrama walk around town. Afternoon Radha Raman Temple

21 Oct :  Early morning Yamuna boat ride sunrise. Afternoon Radha Damodar temple

22 Oct :  Go (cow) shala. Afternoon Loi Bazar local artisan market

23 Oct :  Morning Arati in the temple and ending our pilgrim in MVT guesthouse garden.

*Daily we have sadhu sangha, and if program allows also daily yoga asana.

** Daily we share 3 meals, morning breakfast, lunch and dinner.

INCLUDE

9 nights Indian guesthouse accommodation

1 Traditional Ayurvedic oil massage in Varkala

Welcome drinks and food in Varkala

Music evening concert in Varkala

1 fine dining vegetarian cuisine in New Delhi

Yoga asana classes

Daily Sadhu Sangha / sharing bhakti wisdom

Daily sharing history and traditions about India

Transport (auto rickshaw) to temples and activities

Taxi Transport from Delhi to Vrindavan

Transport from Kochi airport to Varkala

EXCLUDE

Your Return Flight, book instantly to keep price low, and ask us for flight info.

Flight from Kochi to New Delhi on 18 October 2023

Food 

Transfer to airport to fly home

Travel Insurances, optional vaccination, covid-19 regulations if there are. 

ACCOMODATION

We will be staying in average Indian guesthouses that have wooden bed frames & firm mattresses. This is how it is done in India. In Ayurveda this is the promoted way for supporting the body for rest. A month before we fly all out, we will confirm all the places where we will be staying, by then we know how big the group is for the pilgrim. 

FOOD 

The food is not included.  We have set timings for food in our program, so that we eat together 3 meals a day.  We will select the best Vegetarian restaurants for us to visit as a group. You can already have a good meal for approximately 10 Euro a mal. But this is up to your budget, it can be more or less. Sometimes we will visit a street-food place that we personally know (and never got sick from) and sometimes a restaurant. To vary the experience of it all.

In New Delhi we will take you out for fine dining vegetarian cuisine. This date is on us! 

PRICE 

$1425 based on shared accommodation 

$1640 based on single accommodation 

We ask you to confirm your spot with a $300 non-refundable deposit. The last amount you can pay a month before the pilgrim starts, or in cash upon arrival. If you prefer paying in instalments then please reach out to us. 

All guests are welcomed. If you wish to bring your child, please consult us for advice first.