Banyan Education Madhu Yatra to India 2007-2008



Yatra Culture and Retreat Schedule

For centuries, pilgrims have ventured for long distances to attain a spiritual aim or visit holy places in seeking blessings. Our yatra (sanskrit word for pilgrimage) will be a modern version of this kind of inner and outer journey. The idea behind the yatra is that the journey is as important as the destination. In Maharashtra where we will be spending all of our time in India, there is a very strong yatra tradition. The pilgrims -or yatris- in Maharashtra are known to travel to distant temples on foot (often without shoes) chanting the entire way. Traditionally, pilgrims from all paths will observe certain vows to make their journey more special and to prepare them to have the darshan of their beloved diety or pilgrimage destination. Some yatris observe silence, others fast or wear ceremonial clothing during their journey. In some traditions, yatris will even perform harsh austerities like crawling great distances on their knees or bowing completely down onto the ground after every step.

Our journey will be a yatra in several ways. For most of us, this is the first time visiting India- the amazing land which gave us yoga and meditation and the teachings which have brought us closer to God. It is also a yatra in the sense that we will be traveling within India to visit several very sacred sites. On the deepest level, the entire trip will be a yatra to our own deepest Self. We will walk in the footsteps of a number of Indian masters and study their teachings in the very places where they gave them. Above all, we will follow the teaching of the iconic Indian master Bhagwan Nityananda: The Heart is the hub of all sacred places- go There and roam.

To cultivate this experience we will be following a retreat schedule for the entire time we're in India. Every morning will begin early with chai (most accommodations will provide great chai), meditation, hatha yoga, and pranayama.  Then each day will feature different activities depending on our location. We will have meditation classes in ancient temples, visit sacred meditation caves, take yoga classes with local teachers, go for walks in the Indian countryside and explore local bazaars. Every day will also feature a sunset (sandya) group meditation session and evening satsang where we can ask questions, debrief the day, and "process" our experience. This is not a tourist trip- the intention of this trip is for deep experience and transformation.

Here is a brief outline about our yatra locations and some of the activities we'll be engaging in:

Mumbai- One of the greatest cities in the world, Mumbai offers a wild palate of experience. It is the financial center of India and also the center of Bollywood -the Indian Musical Film Industry. It is a very old city with lots of history and some of the kindest "city people" anywhere. Great food, deep culture, colors, sights, sounds, fragrance, amazing people. Mumbai will be our first stop and our crash course in Indian life. We will take a day in Mumbai to get acclimated and settled into the Indian vibe before commencing on our journey. We will be staying in a relatively quiet area of "old Bombay" steps away from Mahatma Gandhi's residence and Chowpatti Beach.

Nasik- About 4-hours from Mumbai, Nasik is a small city steeped in tradition and Marathi culture. Situated on the Sacred Godavari river, Nasik features several very old temples and sites which are considered very holy to Hindus. The people of Nasik are warm and loving and incredibly welcoming. In Nasik we will stay at a four star hotel nearby the ancient riverside temple sites and set up a comfortable base for our New Year's trip to Trymbakeshwar.

Trymbakeshwar (trim ba KESH war)- is a small village nestled beneath Brahmagiri- a mountain sacred to local Hindus. It is the site of three significant holy centers. It is one of the sites for the famous Kumbha Mela. It's namesake Trymbakeshwar (pictured above) is one of the 12 most holy Shiva Temples in India. Hindu Pilgrims from all over India come to visit the Trymbakeshwar temple. It is especially known as an auspicious site to pray for ancestors.  High above the village is Brahmagiri Mountain- where the origin of the Godavari river is worshiped. Brahmagiri is also said to be the birthplace of the monkey deity Hanuman. Nearby the Trymbakeshwar temple is the tomb of Nivrittinath Maharaj- a very powerful 13th century meditation master. His tomb is now center of pilgrimage and one of the sites we will be using for our group sessions. On New Year's Morning, a special Havan (vedic fire ceremony) will be performed for our group by the learned vedic priests of Trymbakeshwar.

Gangapur- Ganagapur is a rural area nearby Nasik and is known for its natural scenic beauty. We will be spending three nights in Gangapur. Here we will enjoy a "more serious" retreat schedule observing silence, chanting, meditating, practicing yoga, and taking time to deeply examine ourselves. Our retreat site will be self-contained and will provide delicious, simple "ashram" food for our retreat.

Alandi is near the city of Pune and is the site of the tomb of Jnaneshwar Maharaj. Jnaneshwar was the brother and closest disciple of Nivrittinath and a master renowned throughout India. He is most famous for writing significant scriptural commentaries when he was a teenager. Jnaneshwar was in his early twenties when he instructed his disciples to seal him into his tomb in Alandi for him to go into "living samadhi" a deep yogic state similar to suspended animation. It is said that he is still there, alive, within his tomb blessing the meditation of the pilgrims that visit him.  In Alandi we will meditate and study the Jnaneshwari- Jnaneshwar's famous 13 century commentary on the Bhagavad-Gita.