Maichael’s Tantric India Tour - March 18 – April 3, 2007

Day 0. March 16
Flights from USA will be from New York. You will leave on March 16 evening to arrive in Chennai on late March 17 or early am. March 18. Most flights arrive around midnight 2 am. Transfer to our hotel.

Day 1. March 17
Arrive in Chennai late in the evening. Transfer to hotel by the beach. Overnight Chennai.

Day 2. March 18
NEW MOON. Morning Orientation followed by Lunch. Afternoon 2-3 hour workshop with Maichael. Overnight Chennai.

Day 3. March 19
Visit Mahabalipuram, the famous Pallava port in the 6th and 9th centuries AD and noted for the cave temple, shore temple and monolithic rathas (rock-carved temple chariots). When the tsunami struck South Asia on December 26, 2004, it partially unearthed a legendary 1300-year old Hindu temple on the shore of the Bay of Bengal. In the afternoon we will meet with a Vedic Astrologer to go over our charts. (Your Vedic charts will be prepared before you arrive in India). Partial Solar Eclipse. Overnight Chennai.

Day 4. March 20
SPRING EQUINOX - Early morning yoga ritual. Late morning, we will drive to Chidambaram which was a Chola capital from 907 to 1310 and the Nataraja Temple was erected during the reign of Vira Chola Raja (927-997). The complex is said to be the oldest in southern India. It covers 13 hectares and has four gopurams, the north and south ones towering at 49m high.

Two of the gopurams are carved with the 108 classical postures of Nataraja, Shiva in his role as the cosmic dancer. Other notable features of the temple are the 1000-pillared hall, the Nritta Sabha court carved out like a gigantic chariot, and the image of Nataraja himself in the inner sanctum. Chidambaram is associated with Nataraja, or Shiva in his Ananda Tandava pose (the Cosmic Dance of bliss) in the cosmic golden hall and the hall of consciousness (Chit Sabha) or Nataraja Temple.

Day 5. March 21
In the morning, we will drive to Kumbakonam which will be our base for the next four days as we visit the nine temples dedicated to each of the planets.

Based on your personal Vedic charts, special prayers and rituals will be arranged by the head priest to strengthen the effects of certain planets in your chart or minimize the challenging effects of other planets at that time of your life. Overnight Kumbakonam.

Day 6 March 22
Navgraha temple tour begins. Visit to Thingalur(this temple represents Chandran or Moon) Suryanar Koil (This temple represents Suriyan or Sun), Kanchanur (This temple represents Sukkiranor Venus). After lunch a visit to Alangudi (this temple represents Guru or Jupiter) and Thirunageshwara

Day 7. March 23
Early morning start your day and visit to Thirunallaru,(this temple represents Sani or Saturn), Angarala(this temple represents Mars), Keelaperumpallam (this temple represents Kethu),Thiruvenkadu(this temple represents Budhan or Mercury).Overnight Kumbakonam.

Day 8. March 24
Morning Kumbakonam. Afternoon drive to Tiruvannamalai. Attend puja at Sri Ramana Ashram from 5:00 – 7:30 pm. Overnight Tiruvannamalai.

Day 9. March 25
In the morning, we will visit the magnificent Arunachala Temple in the center of the city to witness Hindu rituals performed by Brahmans just the way they were thousands of years ago. Continue to Ramana Maharshi's ashram for meditation and to visit Ramana’s Tomb. Overnight Tiruvannamalai

Day 10. March 26
Tiruvannamalai - Morning visit to the very ancient Skanda Ashram, where Sri Ramana lived for six years and the Virupaksha Meditation Cave where He lived for 17 years. We will have meditation time at both of these places. In the early evening we take the coach to Bangalore. Overnight Bangalore.

Day 11 March 27
In the early morning, we will catch a flight to Varanasi arriving there by lunch time. A visit to Varanasi reveals the spiritual heart of India. A contemporary of Nineveh and Thebes, Varanasi today, is the oldest living city in the world. One of India's most sacred cities, a devout Hindu believes to die and be cremated in Varanasi is to gain "moksha" or release from the eternal cycle of rebirth. The visit to the old city is a fascinating insight into the rituals of Hinduism. Every temple is well attended and every street corner has roadside shrines and vendors selling garlands, incense sticks and other items used in worship. We walk through the narrow alleys where we share space with cows, scooters, cycle rickshaws, shops and people to the banks of the Ganges visiting the temples and being able to watch the rituals of Hindu worship. See evening aarti (Aarti is said to have descended from the Vedic concept of fire rituals and is performed and sung to develop the highest love for God.). Overnight Varanasi.

Day 12. March 28
The best way to experience the spiritual heart of India is to tour the Ganges in a country boat at sunrise. Pilgrims, yogis and mystics flock to the ghats (steps) which lie along the banks of the Ganges, to take a cleansing dip in India's holiest river, practice yoga, meditate, or to complete mundane earthly chores such as washing clothes and vessels. Early morning life in this city revolves around the ghats. In the afternoon/evening we will visit Sarnath, the spiritual centre of Buddhism (where Buddha gave his first sermon). The ancient ruins are fascinating including the Dhamekh Stupa which is believed to mark the spot where Buddha preached his famous sermon; the archaeological museum is excellent. There is also a monument dedicated to Buddha and a modern Buddhist temple with murals by a Japanese painter depicting the story of the life of Buddha. At approximately 6pm, local Buddhists chant the words to Buddha's last sermon. Overnight Varanasi.

Day 13. March 29
Early morning group meditation on Ganges. Fly from Varanasi 12:00 noon – Arrive in Khajuraho 13:00 pm. Free time in afternoon. Evening group meditation.

Khajuraho, where the Kama Sutra inspired temples were built (900-1100 AD). These temples are patterned according to ancient Hindu mandalas, where temple dancers offered their art in the worship of the Divine and where priests and priestesses practiced the highest form of sacred tantric sex. These were rituals symbolic of male and female elements in the Universe, and their sacred union.

Also of interest to us is the oldest of the surviving temples, the now deserted temple of Chausat Yoginis (sixty-four Goddesses) that overlooks the other temples. It is built on an elevated stone platform jagati of granite rock which is 14 feet high. Situated on the periphery of the unique quadrangular platform are window-like shrines to each Goddess. Unlike all the other temples which are squared to the cardinal directions, this one is oriented northeast to southwest. We pray that our presence will honor and give new energy to this sacred ground of the Divine Mother. Overnight Khajuraho.

Day 14. March 30
Tour of the temples in the morning and afternoon. Evening rest. Overnight Khajuraho.

Day 15. March 31
All day workshop with Maichael – Tantric Meditations, Breathwork. Evening ritual to honor Divine Feminine. Overnight Khajuraho.

Day 16. April 1
In the morning we will take a coach to Orcha, have lunch and then catch the train to Agra. Perhaps we will be able to see the Taj Mahal by the Full Moon light in the evening (sharing a moonlight meditation). Overnight Agra.

Day 17. April 2
FULL MOON Early morning visit to see the vision in marble - the Taj Mahal, and Full Moon Ritual. After breakfast, we will visit a shop where you will be able to see a demonstration of the techniques used for engraving on the marble of the Taj Mahal. Our farewell dinner will be here when we gather for one last time and recollect our memories of the past two weeks of this extraordinary journey. We will take the evening train back to Delhi. Overnight Delhi.

Day 18. April 3
Free day to shop for gifts and/or relax. After dinner you will be catching your International Flight to your home country late at night.

2 weeks Land only $2,800
Land and air $4,200