Sacred India
TO BE DETERMINED
JOIN KENLYN
on a 2-week TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY
into the
Magical Land of India.
India is known as the motherland of ancient wisdom and the home of the oldest pilgrimage tradition in the whole world. There are thousands of sacred sites known as tirthas – meeting places of heaven and earth, where one crosses the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth to reach the shore of enlightenment and liberation.
These tirthas are powerful vortices of energy that help raise the consciousness of the individual while the experience of higher dimensions is easier to attain.
Any spiritual practices performed at these ancient holy sites multiply millions of times over, dissolve lifetimes of karma and greatly speed up spiritual progress.
Take the trip of a lifetime at the birthplace of yoga and the spiritual home of the world’s most famous meditation traditions.
This unique spiritual journey will take you deep into the traditions that make up India’s culture with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to provide sacred service to the rescued elephants and bears of India. From evening fire and water ceremonies on the banks of the sacred river Ganges, to the stunning Golden Temple, to the holiest city of Rishikesh.
We will visit ancient temples and shrines, meet holy saints, meditate in the foothills of the Himalayas and more! This will be the trip of a life time.
Rishikesh
Gateway to The Kingdom of Gods
5 nights
Known as the World Capital of Yoga, Rishikesh is considered to be a sacred town, the abode of many saints and sages. Located at the foothills of the Himalaya on the bank of the Ganges the town is filled with temples exuding divinity and many ashrams making Rishikesh a major attraction for those seeking spirituality.
This is home for the Triveni Ghat, a confluence of three holy Rivers: the Ganges, the Yamuna and the Saraswati – a most revered sacred bathing spot in Rishikesh. A bath here is said to have the power of purifying & clearing away all of one’s sins and freeing one from the cycle of rebirth.
Busy during the day with many tourists shopping for beautiful souvenirs, in the evening the town slows down as sadhus and pilgrims prepare for the nightly Ganga Aarti – the Divine light ceremony filled with chanting, prayers, ritual and a real sense of the Divine. Enjoy the sunset, the majesty of the Himalayas and the beauty of the Ganges while feeling a deep sense of bliss, reverence and spiritual connection.
Our trip to Rishikesh will INCLUDE:
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Lakshman Jhula –the famous hanging bridge across Ganga
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Visit Parmarth Niketan “a true spiritual haven” – the largest local Ashram
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Ganga Aarti – the devotional ritual offered to the Holy Ganges: a play of Kirtan, prayers, flowers and fire as a thank you to the Divine
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Triveni Ghat – the pilgrimage site where the water is believed to have the power to wash away the sins and purify the soul
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Shopping – great deals on the finest meditation shawls, malas, icons of deities, mandalas, and more
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Ayurvedic Treatments – Receive amazing abhyanga or shirodhara massages
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Meditation at Chaurasi Kutia – a famous ashram of the Beatles which is one of the best kept secrets of Rishikesh
Rishikesh is the place where people come to find a new experience:
a world where ashrams, sadhus, holy cows, kirtan, the smell of incense
and the divine emotion coexists within the great mother nature.
“That’s what Yatra is. So, we go from here to designated holy places and we have no other work, but to get up in the morning to meditate; to go to these beautiful surroundings. Sometimes our mind hassles us but we conquer it. This is the purpose of Yatra."
Amritsar
The Golden Temple and the Heart of Kundalini Yoga
2 nights
Amristar or the “holy pool of nectar” is the spiritual and cultural center of the Sikh tradition with the Golden Temple as the soul – a place of devotion for all irrespective of cast, creed or race.
The temple’s construction was initiated by Guru Ram Das in 1578 and it is now one of the most tangibly spiritual places in the world.
The holy shrine is a symbol of human brotherhood and equality where all can seek spiritual solace and religious fulfillment without any hindrance. The Golden Temple is elegant and humbling with people from all walks of life and all religions to come and worship God equally.
The temple is overlaid in the center of a sarovar or pool. People believe that the water has healing properties that can cure many diseases so pilgrims bathe in the pool, also a symbolic cleansing of the soul.
While in AMRISTAR we will have the opportunity to:
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Visit the opulent and humbling complex of Golden Temple
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Har Ki Pauri – “the steps of Almighty God” the place where devotees can have a hand full of Amrit (Nectar) from the Sarovar.
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Ath Sath Tirath: taking a dip here with devotion one is blessed with the benefit of holy bathing of sixty-eight holy rivers
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Enjoy the Langar – the free meal served to over 75,000 pilgrims a day
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Be part of daily prayers, kirtan & ceremonies. Opportunity to do Seva and serve others
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The 84 Steps at Goindwal Baoli – it is believed that performing prayers on the 84 steps cleanses the karma of 8.4 million incarnations so the soul may be liberated
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Tahli Sahib Baba Sri Chand Ji Gurdwara Sri Barth Sahib – the place where Baba Shri Chand lived and meditated for many years
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Durgiana Temple – also known as the Lakshmi Narayan Silver Temple dedicated to Goddess Durga the destroyer of evil
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Wagah Border Ceremony – experience the ceremony of Beating Retreat and Change of Guard at the border between India and Pakistan
Amritsar is one of the most important spiritual lands of India
and experiencing the Golden Temple is the best gift you can offer to your soul!
What are
Volunteer Duties?
As a volunteer you will spend five days working with the bears and elephants at Agra. Duties include building hammocks for Sloth Bears to rest in, constructing enrichment structures for play and assisting keepers on daily afternoon feedings. In addition you will also enjoy the opportunity to visit our elephants and help with their feeding.
Your first day at the Centre will consist of an orientation session and a full campus tour. The orientation will cover both logistical information regarding how the Centre is run and educational material detailing the fundamentals of animal welfare and environmental basics. You will be trained and supervised by the experienced animal keepers at the Centre as well as the volunteer coordinator. For your safety and the safety of the bears, please note that direct physical contact is not a part of the programme experience.
Each day
is a little bit different at Wildlife SOS and Volunteer activities may include the following:
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Food Prep for Bears/Elephants Including: Assisting Keepers in Cutting Fruits / Loading / Making Enrichment Treats.
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Distribution of Food to the Bears/Elephants
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Maintenance of the Enclosures and Facilities.
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Bear & Elephant observations.
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Enrichment Structure Construction.
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Gardening / Plantation /Nursery Maintenance & Development.
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Knitting of Coil Rope for Hiding Enrichments.
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Organization of Facility Resources.
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Facility-wide Mechanical Assistance
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Painting Maintenance Work & Plumbing Maintenance Work.
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Removal of Weeds.
Wildlife SOS
Elephant and Bear Sanctuary
5 nights
By volunteering at the Wildlife SOS Rescue Facilities, you will make a major contribution to the welfare of bears and elephants in India. A portion of your fee goes to support the sanctuary.
Oyou will have the unique opportunity to work alongside some incredible animals and gain the satisfaction that comes from helping to make a positive impact on their lives (and yours!).
Working with the local community and the inspiring people who run Wildlife SOS is an opportunity of a lifetime.
No previous experience is required but you will need to be willing and enthusiastic. A strong interest in conservation and wildlife is recommended. You will need to be physically fit, able to tolerate high temperatures and humidity (depending on the time of year), work well within a team and be adaptable to living and working in a group.
Duties as a volunteer wishing to do office work could include:
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Organization of the Gift Shop/Visitor Centre
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Maintenance of the Area Around the Education Walkway Center
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Maintenance of the Guest Register and Correspondence.
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Assisting Guests During Their Visits
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Assisting Fundraising Activities
Each day
is a little bit different at Wildlife SOS and Volunteer activities may include the following:
-
Food Prep for Bears/Elephants Including: Assisting Keepers in Cutting Fruits / Loading / Making Enrichment Treats.
-
Distribution of Food to the Bears/Elephants
-
Maintenance of the Enclosures and Facilities.
-
Bear & Elephant observations.
-
Enrichment Structure Construction.
-
Gardening / Plantation /Nursery Maintenance & Development.
-
Knitting of Coil Rope for Hiding Enrichments.
-
Organization of Facility Resources.
-
Facility-wide Mechanical Assistance
-
Painting Maintenance Work & Plumbing Maintenance Work.
-
Removal of Weeds.
WHAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR
Sacred India 2019 Journey
Part 1 (Delhi, Rishikesh, Amritsar) Includes:
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Accommodation with breakfast
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Transport by Tempo Traveler 12 seater
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City Tours (at all places)
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Kundalini Yoga and Meditation
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Guide Services in: Rishikesh and Amritsar
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Arrival and Departure Assistance
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Airport transfers
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4 Star Hotels
Part 2 (Wildlife SOS) Includes:
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3 Vegetarian Meals a Day
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On-site accommodations double or triple occupancy only
Excluded
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RT Airfare to Delhi
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Expenses for personal nature
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Tips
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Personal insurance
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Monument fee if any
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Other than not mentioned in inclusions
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Unforeseen expenses beyond our control