Amazing India Tour!! For someone in the west, India provides an authentic adventure - stimulating, absorbing, daunting, sometimes moving and shocking. Here is one of the world's great dramas; an ancient, vast and crowded land committed to the most formidably challenging exercise in mass democracy. It is a spectacle in which hope, pride, paradox and uncertainty mingle and struggle. It is conducted on the whole, and to India's credit in the open. The lasting memories of the land are hospitality, kindness, good humor and generosity. Here is a society of over a 1000 million people, growing by a million a month, divided and united by language, caste, religion and regional loyalties. It has often been described as a functioning anarchy; and it is in many ways an amiable one, of marvelous fluidity and tolerance. Indeed, the true Indian motif is not the Tajmahal, the elephant or the patient peasant behind the ox drawn plough. It is the crowd, the ocean of faces in the land of multitudes, endlessly stirring, pushing and moving. It is in this human circulation that one sees India's colour, variety, busyness, and, senses also its power, vitality and grandeur. Namaste! - We welcome you with folded hands (Leave San Francisco January 3 rd 2016 to Cochin) 05 January 2016: God s own Country. Cochin (Kochi) is the gateway to Kerala, a state in Southern India known as a tropical paradise of waving palms and wide sandy beaches. It is a narrow strip of coastal territory that slopes down the Western Ghats in a cascade of lush green vegetation, and reaches to the Arabian Sea.. (Enjoy CMI Carmelite hospitality and welcome!) 6 January 2016: Munnar Tea Gardens After breakfast visit Munar. The journey is very scenic and the surrounding greenery is a treat to the eyes. Upon arrival in Munnar, visit the sprawling tea gardens with well organized tea bushes, Mattupetty Lake and Dam, Echo Point, Kundale Lake and Rajmalai. Dinner and overnight stay will be at the hotel in Munnar. 7 January 2016: Munnar Alleppey: After breakfast leave for Alleppey and experience the scintillating beauty of nature and the backwaters from the deck of one of Kerala s most valued cruise on the Vembanad Lake. Houseboat day cruise in kerala backwaters will be memorable with the mind-blowing view of canal systems and
endless lagoons, Paddy fields, rivers joining the backwater, small houses on small stretch of land. The view of backwater birds, people working in paddy fields, toddy taping, fishing in backwater, or people using small canoes as mode of transportation, etc. will deeply impress you. Return to Kochi for the evening. Dinner. 08 January 2016: Cochin - shopping/spice board visit. Rest and Relaxation. A brief tour of Cochin, which includes Kerala s iconic cantilevered Chinese fishing nets dating back to the 1400s that line the harbor at Kochi. Crafted out of teakwood beams and resembling giant alien arachnids poised to sting, they form unreal silhouettes against the seascape. This is followed by shopping accompanied by a team of amazing women teachers from CMI public school. (Dinner on your town) 9 January 2016: The Catholic Experience Syro Malabar Rite After breakfast, leave for Chalakudy, join the silver jubilee of ordination of Fr. Paulson and his brother Fr. Santhosh and experience Syro- Malabar liturgy- one of the many Rites in the Catholic Church. After the celebration and enjoy local menu, visit a local family. Athirappilly Falls is located on the west-flowing Chalakudy River near the Vazhachal Forest Division and the Sholayar ranges, this 80 ft waterfall and the nearby Vazhachal Falls are popular tourist destinations. Return to CMI public school for a taste of Kerala cultural festival and dinner. (Hotel) 10 th Jan (Sun): Arrival / Goa After breakfast, transfer to Cochin airport for flight to Goa. Transfer from airport to Evening free for visit to the beach/spa and (Dinner on your own) Cochin to Mumbai (9W 408 1150 / 1340 Hrs) Mumbai to Goa (9W 426 1745 / 1855 Hrs Overnight at Vivanta By Fort Aguada Beach Resort, a 5* Taj Group Hotel
11 th Jan (Mon): Goa After breakfast(on your own), proceed on a tour of Churches in Old Goa where we do a walking exploration of the Chuches of Old Goa. The Church of St.Francis of Assisi situated in Old Goa is a 17th century pieces of religious art. A beautiful octagonal tabernacle richly decorated in an ornate style has two statues, one of St. Francis of Assisi and the other of Jesus on the Cross. Next, visit the Chapel Of St. Catherine. From here we reach the Basilica of Bom Jesus. The phrase Bom Jesus means Infant Jesus or Good Jesus. Finally, we visit St. Cajetan Church. Rest of the day is free. Dinner on your own 12 th Jan (Tue): Goa / Delhi (G8 285 1830 / 2105 Hrs) (Breakfast on your own) Morning is at leisure for your independent activities. Lunch. Later in the afternoon, transfer to the airport to board your flight to Delhi Meeting and assistance upon arrival in Delhi, transfer to The Lalit 13 th Jan (Wed): Delhi / Agra / Delhi After breakfast, we will drive to Agra along one of the India s finest freeways. Upon arrival in Agra, we ride to the massive Agra Fort. The elegant buildings inside reflect an interesting synthesis of Hindu and Central Asian architectural styles. Built by Emperor Akbar, the maze of the courtyards, mosques & private chambers of the fort echo the story of the Mughal Empire Following the tour of Agra Fort, we will enjoy lunch at Taj Gateway, a 5* Taj Group Hotel After lunch, we will visit Taj Mahal
Agra is the city of the Taj Mahal, perhaps the most photographed monument in the world. However, there is a degree of enigma about the Taj. Once you hear about a building so much and once you see so many pictures of a building your expectations are real high; and this is the enigma about the Taj Mahal. We will visit the Taj Mahal to witness this spectacular monument built for love. Besides perfect symmetry in every aspect of its construction, the inlay work of semi precious stones into marble in pietra dura style is absolutely remarkable. (Dinner on your own) 14 th Jan (Thu): Delhi After breakfast, we proceed on a guided tour of New Delhi, Visiting such sights as, Humayun s Tomb (1586), the Qutub Minar 72 meters high and one of the most perfect towers in the Persian world. The Iron Pillar which has survived the vagaries of weather for over 1500 years. Continue with a drive through Embassy area, the Government buildings (1921-1930) and Connaught Place, the heart and main shopping district of the capital. We will also visit India Gate. Later, we cross the city and into the walled gates of the Old city with visits to the Jamma Mosque (1650) and drive through the fabled area of Chandni Chowk (aptly translates to Moonlight Square) where the throngs of shoppers and vendors meet in the oldest area of Delhi. Visit the Raj Ghat and nearby ghats where the founder of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi and thereafter Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were cremated. The highlight of this tour would be a ride on cycle rickshaws. Now these are 3- wheel cycles with a sofa seat at the back. Dinner. 15 th Jan (Fri): Delhi / Varanasi (AI 406 1035 / 1145 Hrs) After breakfast, transfer to the airport to board your flight to Varanasi. Varanasi is quite possibly the world s oldest living city. Religious artifacts link it to the sixth century B.C. Said to be founded by Shiva, Varanasi s Vedic affiliation goes back to the beginning of time. It is also a city of many names. The present name, Varanasi (derived from the names of two nearby rivers) is mentioned in the Mahabharata.
The ancient name is Kashi, the City of Light. To the devout it is also called Kashika, the shining one, referring to the light of Shiva. Many others prefer the anglicized Benares. Revered by Hindus, Buddhists and Jain alike, Varanasi is considered the holiest city in all of India. It is presided over by Shiva in his manifestation as Vishwanatha, Lord of the Universe. Buddha delivered a sermon in nearby Sarnath and Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, lived in Varanasi. As a result, more Indians will make a pilgrimage to Varanasi in their lifetime than any other place. Meeting and assistance upon arrival in Varanasi, transfer to Hotel Radisson After rest & relaxation, we will visit several temples and the Hindu University at Benares. First stop would be the Bharat Mata (temple of Mother India). Inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi, it features a huge marble map of India on the ground floor. Next up, the Durga Temple. Known for its bright red color and the playful, if sometimes aggressive, monkeys that run amok there, the Durga Temple is one of the most imposing architectural monuments in Varanasi. The university, which occupies a large piece of land at the southern end of town, is also home to the New Vishwanatha Temple. The interior walls are covered with Vedic art above inscriptions from the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads. In the center of the first floor is the Shiva linga. Evening, we visit the ghats of Varanasi to witness the performance of Ganges Aarti. We enjoy a special evening cruise on the Ganges. See the Hindu devotees performing the "Puja" with lighted lamps. The view is very mesmerizing and the ambience is spectacular in the backdrop of the beating of cymbals and bells as well as the incessant chantings. Later return to the hotel 16 th Jan (Sat): Varanasi /Delhi (AI 405 1645 / 1805 Hrs) At dawn we visit the sacred Ganges for a boat ride. Every morning at dawn hundreds of worshippers can be seen bathing in the sacred waters. The great river banks are lined with an endless chain of stone steps the ghats that stretch from one end of the city to the other. The Ghats form an impressive part of the religious landscape of the city. Proceeding downstream at a leisurely pace, you would be pointed out the significant temples and buildings as well as the changing architectural style. Life and death go
hand in hand in Varanasi. While young people seek prosperity and protection from harmful influences, the older generation comes to Varanasi to cleanse their souls in the forgiving waters in preparation for their ultimate dissolution. Believing that anyone who dies in the river of life in Varanasi gains freedom from the cycle of birth and death, the City of Light has become a haven for the sick and aged waiting out their final days. The smoke that billows from the crematoriums on the edge of the river gives testimony to their final release from life s earthly confines. We would dock our boat at Manikarnika (Cremation) Ghat. On any given day, anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred corpses are cremated here; the ghat is assiduous with activity as the cremated bodies threw up smoke and fire. Following the boat ride we set off on foot to explore the inner city. Through a twisted maze of narrow alleys, home to numerous shrines and pilgrim shops, we walk back a few centuries. Life here has stood still for years. The homes, the shops and even the cattle have not changed over the centuries. It is a brilliant nostalgic experience of timelessness! After breakfast, we take a short trip to the Buddhist city of Sarnath.It is here that the Buddha preached his first sermons after attaining enlightenment. Following the tour, transfer to the airport to board your flight to Delhi. Final Night at The Lalit a 5* Downtown Hotel. Farewell dinner 17 th Jan (Sun): Delhi / Departure Transfer to the international airport to board your onward flight The land tour would cost $3250.00 for double occupancy. Single occupancy supplement will be $ 1000.00. This includes your complete land tour, most meals and drinks (Drinks include beer). We will help you book your flights (price or award tickets). We will also assist you with Visa requirements.
1 Traveler: Name: (as printed in your passport) Date of Birth (M/DD/YR) Nationality: Passport Number: Exp. Date: (Month/day/Year) Date of Issuance: (month/date/year). Emergency Contact:. Phone:. Email Address: Address: 2 Traveler: Name: (as printed in your passport) Date of Birth: (M/DD/YR).. Nationality: Passport Number: Exp. Date: (Month/day/Year) Date of Issuance: (month/date/year). Emergency Contact:. Phone:. Email Address: Address:
Please Note: The tour includes moderate physical activity. The itinerary blends some longer days with shorter days and more leisure time. Walking tours, as well as walking slightly longer distances, up stairs or uneven walking surfaces should be expected. A deposit of $ 2500.00 per person due upon reservation. Please write the checks in the name of Christ the King Parish. Final payment should be made by September 30 th 2015. All deposits are fully refundable until October 30 th 2015. Air travels are made separately and I will be more than happy to assist you with your booking. We shall do everything in our power to help you in case of emergency. The hotels are mostly 5 star and some 4 star plus. Please do check with your doctors regarding precautions you need to take while touring of India. Kindly arrange for your own travel insurance for the trip. We will do our best to give you the best that our country has to offer. It is a privilege to invite you and share our cultural and spiritual heritage with you. We will celebrate mass most of the days for those who would like to participate. Fr. Paulson Mundanmani If you have questions, Call Fr. Paulson Mundanmani Phone: 5103661094 Email: pmundanmani@gmail.com 199 Brandon Rd., Pleasant Hill, CA- 94523