Join us for incredible trips to India. Travel to India with us to experience the fascinating culture, history and amazing sights.
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India
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An enriching cultural exploration filled with timeless traditions and incredible sites.
Southern India includes: Arrival in and exploring Chennai, the Mahabalipuram ruins; Puducherry, the French Riviera of the East; Thanjavur, with a rich historical heritage and is a prism of ancient as well as the modern south Indian civilizations; Madurai, one of the oldest continually inhabited city in the Indian peninsula, with a history dating all the way back to the Sangam period of the pre-Christian era; Kochi, once the seat of the Kingdom of Cochin; Coimbatore, Situated on the banks of the Noyyal River; Kumarakom, home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, including expansive mangrove forests, paddy fields and coconut groves; Mysore, the city of palaces and cultural capital of Karnakata; Bangalore, one of India's major economic hubs.
Also included on the trip will be opportunities for:
Hatha Yoga sessions in the morning
Meditations at various times and places
Kirtan
Experiencing and learning about regional cuisines
Working with chakras
Personal Empowerment
Discussions on:
Ayurvedic practices Hinduism Sanskrit the Vedic age Indian culture other topics of interest
Your Hosts and Guides
Kawallee Chitra LatchmanSingh, who also goes by Kay, was born in Guyana and comes from a heritage of people who inhabited the state of Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: उत्तरप्रदेश, Urdu: اترپردیش,) in the northern province of India. She is a Yoga Shiromani (teacher of yoga) in the Sampoorna tradition, and is a student of Sanskrit. Kay is the co-owner of Global Journeys and having traveled and worked with people in many European countries, Russia, Egypt, South Africa, British West Indies, and Central America, she provides a wealth of experience in travel and cultural connections.
Kay's Hindu practice, knowledge of the Vedic Traditions, experience leading Kirtan , amazing ability to prepare Indian cuisine and Yoga knowledge will be invaluable assets on this journey.
Franco Marini is the co-owner and director of Global Journeys. He was born in Italy and since his arrival in the U.S., when he was 11, he has continued traveling as part of his life’s mission. He is a Yoga Shiromani (teacher of yoga), a ceremonialist, a wellness coach /healer, a massage therapist, a drum-maker, and director of Peak Empowerment – an organization dedicated to personal, team and organizational development. One of his commitments in life is to create programs, such as this India journey, that have a vision focused on personal growth, and global acceptance and understanding.
Kay and Franco are committed to providing impeccable service and are dedicated to creating powerful, satisfying and joyful opportunities for each participant on this trip. Franco, Kay, and local guides will accompany you on every step of your journey to assure your satisfaction.
The following are just some of the intriguing places you will visit and explore on this fascinating journey...
C H E N N A I
Chennai, formerly known asMadras , is the capital of the Indianstate of Tamil Nadu. Located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, Chennai has an estimated population of 7.5 million (2007), making it the fourth largest metropolitan city in India.The city was established in the 17th century by the British, who developed it into a major urban centre and naval base. By the 20th century, it had become an important administrative centre, as the capital of the Madras Presidency.The region around Chennai has served as an important administrative, military, and economic centre since the 1st century.It has been ruled by various South Indian dynasties, notably the Pallava, the Chola, the Pandya, and Vijaynagar. The town of Mylapore, now part of Chennai, was once a major Pallavan port. The Portuguese arrived in 1522 and built a port called São Tomé after the Christian apostle, St Thomas, who is believed to have preached in the area between 52 and 70 CE. In 1612, the Dutch established themselves near Pulicat, just north of the city.
Mahabalipuram was a 7th century port city of the South Indian dynasty of the Pallavas around 60 km south from the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. It is believed to have been named after the Pallava king Mamalla. It has various historic monuments built largely between the 7th and the 9th century, and has been classified as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site.
The monuments are mostly rock-cut and monolithic, and constitute the early stages of Dravidian architecture wherein Buddhist elements of design are prominently visible. They are constituted by cave temples, monolithic rathas (chariots), sculpted reliefs and structural temples. The pillars are of the Dravidian order. The sculptures are excellent examples of Pallava art.
It is believed by some that this area served as a school for young sculptors. The different sculptures, some half finished, may have been examples of different styles of architecture, probably demonstrated by instructors and practiced on by young students. This can be seen in the Pancha Rathas where each Ratha is sculpted in a different style.
Some important structures include:
Thirukadalmallai, the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It was also built by Pallava King in order to safeguard the sculptures from the ocean. It is told that after building this temple, the remaining architecture was preserved and was not corroded by sea.
Varaha Cave Temple - a small rock-cut temple dating back to the 7th century.
The Shore Temple - a structural temple along the Bay of Bengal with the entrance from the western side away from the sea. Recent excavations have revealed new structures here. The temple was reconstructed stone by stone from the sea after being washed away in a cyclone.
Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) - five monolithic pyramidal structures named after the Pandavas (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishtra, Nakula and Sahadeva) and Draupadi. An interesting aspect of the rathas is that, despite their sizes they are not assembled — each of these is carved from one single large piece of stone.
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Puducherry, which means "New village"[2] It is also known as The French Riviera of the East (La Côte d'Azur de l'Est). It consists of four unconnected districts: Pondicherry, Karaikal, and Yanam on the Bay of Bengal and Mahé on the Arabian Sea. Puducherry (Pondicherry) and Karaikal are by far the larger ones, and are both enclaves of Tamil Nadu. Yanam and Mahé are enclaves of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, respectively. There are evidences on the Romans visit to Pondicherry and trade activities done as in early 800 BC. The Pondicherry Museum has Roman cups, jars and the coins traded in Pondicherry at that time. There is also evidence of the visit of St. Xavier to Pondicherry.
A remarkable degree of French influence in Pondicherry exists to this date. The design of the city of Pondicherry was based on the French (originally Dutch, the plans of Pondicherry dating from the end of the seventeenth century (1693-1694) are preserved in the National Archives at The Hague) grid pattern and features neat sectors and perpendicular streets.
Located about 10 km south of the Kaveri River, Thanjavur is the headquarters of Thanjavur district[2]. It is one of the older cities in Tamil Nadu and has a lot of significance in Dravidian history.
It was a Chola capital from the 9th to the 11th century. It was also an important site of power during the Vijayanagara empire. The Thanjavur District itself covers about 8300 km2 of land and is one of the most fertile plains of the Cauvery delta. It is one of the most important for rice-growing in India. The delta is traversed by irrigation canals some of which go back up to 10 centuries. Thanjavur District is known as the "Rice bowl of Tamil Nadu".[
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Maduraipronunciation (help·info) (Tamil: மதுரை and IPA: [mɐd̪ɯrəj]), is the oldest inhabited city in the Indian peninsula[3]. It is the second largest city [4]and a municipal corporation situated on the banks of the River Vaigai in Madurai district in the Indianstate of Tamil Nadu.The corporation has received several National awards in the year 2008 for implementing development works [5]. The city is also referred to as the Temple city[3]. With a population of 928,869 according to the 2001 census, it is the administrative capital of Madurai district.
Madurai was built by the Pandyan king Kulasekhara and was the capital city of the great Pandya kings of South India. Madurai's cultural heritage goes back 2500 years, and the city has been an important commercial center and has conducted trade as far as Rome and Greece since as early as 550 C.E.[6][3].
C O C H I N
Cochin, is a city in the Indianstate of Kerala. The city is one of the principal seaports of the country and is located in the district of Ernakulam, about 220 kilometres (137 mi) north of the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram. It has an estimated population of 600,000, with an extended metropolitan population of about 1.5 million, making it the largest urban agglomeration and the second largest city in Kerala after the capital.Since 1102 CE, Kochi was the seat of the Kingdom of Cochin, a princely state which traces its lineage to the Kulasekhara empire. Heralded as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Kochi was an important spice trading centre on the Arabian Sea coast from the 14th century onwards. Ancient travellers and tradesmen referred to Kochi in their writings, variously alluding to it as Cocym, Cochym, Cochin, and Cochi. Occupied by the Portuguese in 1503, Kochi was the site of the first European colonial settlement in India.
K U M A R A K O M
Kumarakomis a tourist village in Kottayam district, Kerala, India. It is a cluster of little islands on the Vembanad Lake in Kerala. Kumarakom is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary is a noted bird sanctuary where many species of migratory birds visit. The Vembanad Lake, the largest backwater in Kerala, is habitat for many marine and freshwater fish species and it teems with 'Karimeen' (Pearl Spotted Fish), shrimp (chemmeen in the local language) and prawns. The bird sanctuary extends over 14 acres (57,000 m²), and came into existence following preservation efforts from the government. The place has expanses of mangrove forests, paddy fields and coconut groves. This rich agricultural environment is mainly irrigated using interspersed waterways and canals of the Meenachil river. Kumarakom's perfectly balanced tropical climate is conducive to cultivation.
M Y S O R E
Mysore (pronounced /maɪsɔɚ/ in English (listen); to be renamed Mysuru) (Kannada: ಮೈಸೂರು) is the second largest city in the state of Karnataka, India. It is the headquarters of the Mysore district and the Mysore division and lies about 146 km (91 mi) southwest of Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka. The name Mysore is an anglicised version of Mahishūru, which means the abode of Mahisha. Mahisha stands for Mahishasura, a demon from the Hindu mythology. The city is spread across an area of 128.42 km² (50 sq mi) and is situated at the base of the Chamundi Hills.Until 1947, Mysore was the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore which was ruled by the Wodeyar dynasty, except for a brief period in the late 18th century when Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan usurped power. The Wodeyars were patrons of art and culture and have contributed significantly to the cultural growth of the city, which has led to Mysore earning the sobriquet Cultural capital of Karnataka. Mysore is famous for the festivities that take place during the Dasara festival when the city receives a large number of tourists. Mysore also lends its name to the Mysore style of painting, the sweet dish Mysore Pak and the garment, Mysoresilksaree.
B A N G A L O R E
Bangalore officially Bengaluru , ['beŋgəɭuːru], Indian English: [ˈbæŋgəloːɾ], is the capital of the Indianstate of Karnataka. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city[2] and fifth-most populous urban agglomeration. After centuries of the rule of the Western Gangas, Bengaluru was captured by the Cholas in 1024 which later passed on to the Chalukya-cholas in 1070. In 1116 the Hoysala Empire, overthrew the Cholas and extended its rule over Bangalore. Modern Bangalore was founded by a vassal of the Vijayanagara Empire, Kempe Gowda I, who built a mud fort and a Nandi Temple in the proximity of modern Bangalore in 1537. Kempe Gowda referred to the new town as his "gandu bhoomi" or "Land of Heroes". Bangalore is known as the "Garden City of India" because of its greenery and the presence of many public parks, including the Lal Bagh and Cubbon Park. Dasara, a traditional celebratory hallmark of the old Kingdom of Mysore, is the state festival and is celebrated with great vigor.
Cost, Deposits and other information
India... southern regions
Cost of the trip is $2,950. This includes:
Pick up and return to airports
All internal transportation,including internal flights to Varanasi, Khajuraho
All accommodations at comfortable, clean upscale hotels (double occupancy)
All breakfasts and lunches (vegetarian)
All entrance fees
All activities such as…yoga, meditation, Kirtan, etc.
All guide and escort fees…you will be personally escorted by Kay and Franco plus at times, local guides
Not Included: Air fare to and from India, dinners (if you wish to have non-vegetarian meals this will be your opportunity to do so)
Payments and Deposits: A $500 deposit will hold your place. Half of the remaining balance is due 90 days prior to departure Final payment is due 45 days prior to departure
Airfare Support:If you would like assistance with booking an air fare, call
Global Journeys @ 516 343 3210. We will be happy to assist in any way we can.
Cancellations and Refunds:
If you cancel before 90 days prior to departure, you will receive a $200 refund from your $500 deposit If you cancel before 45 days prior to departure, you will receive a $737.50 refund provided you had made all required payments No refunds will be made 44 days or less from departure time
Travel Package: Upon registration you will be mailed a travel package including information on: a suggested packing list, baggage allowance, credit cards, customs, passport information and other details.
Travel Insurance: If you choose to purchase travel insurance, you must do so on your own. We have been recommending Travel Guard International at 800 826-1300and have received positive feedback.
To register or for other information call us, e-mail us, or fill in the form below and send it to us:
Global Journeys Inc. 516 906-2133 www.globalj.org info@globalj.org
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