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Day One
26 October Chennai / Pondicherry
Guests are advised that the best airline schedule to reach Chennai is with Singapore Airlines
(SQ218 MEL 00:50 SIN 05:25 SQ526 SIN 08:30 MAA 10:00).
(For Departures, Singapore Airlines allows you to leave from Cochin or Bangalore)
On arrival you will be met at the airport in the morning and driven 150 kms (2 ½-3hrs) south to Pondicherry and Dune Eco Resort
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The Dune Eco Resort, your home for the next four nights, is located on the Bay of Bengal, 15 kms north of Pondicherry. Spread over 30 acres with 700 metres of sea front, the Resort has a range of aesthetically pleasing and unique villas that fuse recycled building materials from traditional Kerala houses and old colonial mansions into a funky contemporary architecture with solar heating. There is a swimming pool, tennis court, and an organic farm that provides the produce for the health-inspired cuisine.
The Resort also boasts an ‘Artist in Residence’ programme and shelters the ‘Children of the World India’ activities, a charitable trust with an organic farm model and catering school for Tsunami affected youngsters. Since long ago, Swamis from the nearby temples of Mahabalipuram have used this scenic beach reserve as a place of pilgrimage and meditation.
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Their Veda Spa is under the guidance of Dr Krishna Varma aka Dr Bobby. He has been associated with Apollo hospitals for the past 6 years and graduated in the Ayurveda System of medicine and surgery from Dr. M.G.R. Medical University. With intensive training both in the theory and practice of Ayurveda Medicine for the past 12 years, he specializes in the "Varma Healing Process", a unique technique in Ayurvedic healing for Arthritis, Disc prolapse and many chronic diseases. Veda SPA provides more than 5O external and internal therapies from a simple relaxing experience to complete cures for serious medical problems.
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Days Two – Five
27 – 30 October Pondicherry
The next four days provides daily early morning and late afternoon yoga and meditation sessions.
The cuisine here is a delectable highlight focusing on Ayurvedic principles of nutrition and there will be the opportunity to learn some dishes from the executive chef.
During the days you will be offered a wonderful variety of cultural excursions that could include visits to:
Sri Ramana Maharishi Ashram, Tiruvannamalai
(Ramana Maharishi was born as Venkataraman in Tiruchuli village of Tamil Nadu, on 30th December 1879. and became one of the greatest and revered sages of India, Sri Ramana Maharishi.
It is possible to visit the ashram, walk up to the caves of the holy Arunachala Mountain where Sri Ramana lived for many years before the ashram was established, and long considered an important pilgrimage route.
Kanchipuram, the holy Hindu temple town renowned for its exceptional hand loomed weaving industry in silk and cotton.
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Pondicherry, a French colony since the 17th C that was returned to the Central Indian Government in 1954. Today it retains much of its early colonial charm with well preserved mellow grey and white mansions, tropical gardens, ornate Hindu temples, and French cafés.
At the heart of the old town is Sri Aurobindo Ashram, established by the guru whose life as a Nationalist political activist in the early 20thC transmuted into a philosophy espousing the birth of a new spirit and race of people living with peace and purpose.
His protégé, a Parisienne, Mira Alfassa , “the Mother” continued his work until 1973 and inaugurated the renowned “intentional Community” of Auroville (the “City of Dawn”) in 1968, some kilometres out of town. Based on a utopian concept of human unity and social integration, Auroville’s 8000 hectares houses over 2000 people from some 30+ nationalities, exploring new urban concepts, organic gardens, water conservation, eco-enterprise projects and innovative architecture, conserving a large dry evergreen tropical forest, and developing unique educational and spiritual programs as an extension of the Aurobindo.
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Day Five
30 October Thursday Pondicherry / Chennai
This morning drive towards Chennai staying at a small coastal resort near the ancient Dravidian site of Mahabalipuram.
This afternoon we will arrange a special group visit to Desikachar Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandir in Chennai.
TKV The Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram was founded by T K V Desikachar, son and student of T Krishnamacharya (who also taught BKS Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois) in 1976. Starting his career as an engineer, TKV Desikachar was inspired by his father's teachings and became his student in the 1960's. He studied with Krishnamacharya for over thirty years. Today, TKV Desikachar is known and respected the world over as an authority on yoga. The Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram founded by him as a tribute to his father and mentor, where the focus of all activities is that anyone who wants to can practice yoga, that is specifically suited to his or her needs, and experience its multiple benefits.
This evening’s dinner is a special Ayurvedic meal before returning to your peaceful oasis by the sea.
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Days Six and Seven
31 October-1 November Chennai / Trivandrum
This Morning fly to Trivandrum, then drive an hour to the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram on Neyyar Dam where you spend the next 2 nights.
The ashram is set in tropical splendor in the quiet foothills of Kerala's Western Ghats. The natural beauty of Neyyar Dam itself, the peaceful forested surroundings, the cool green coconut tree groves and colorful flower-filled views, all offer an ideal atmosphere for the practice of yoga and meditation. Join in the daily routine of the ashram that includes morning and evening sessions of yoga, meditation, satsang and 2 vegetarian meals. Accommodation is in Shared double rooms, with private bathroom attached, fan, lights and shelves. Bathrooms contain a European style toilet, basin, and cold water shower.
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(H.H. Swami Sivananda (1887 - 1963) One of the greatest saints of modern times, he is the spiritual strength behind the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta centers. Swami Sivananda's teachings are a synthesis of all the formal paths of yoga. He trained many exceptional disciples in yoga and vedanta - among them, Swami Vishnudevananda, whom he sent to the West in order to reawaken the spirit of the teachings of yoga.
"Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realize."
Swami Vishnudevananda- Founder (1927 - 1993) Disciple of Swami Sivananda, founder of the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, is a world renowned authority on hatha and raja yoga. By closely observing the lifestyles of the people of the west, he synthesized the ancient wisdom of yoga into five principles that could be easily incorporated into a more modern lifestyle to provide the foundation for healthy living.
"Health is wealth, Peace of mind is happiness, Yoga shows the way."
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Days Eight and Nine
2-4 November Trivandrum / Fort Cochin
This morning after yoga and breakfast, drive 4 to 5 hours through scenic countryside to Fort Cochin where you stay 2 nights in luxury accommodation.
Evenings and mornings in-house yoga session will be available.
During the day enjoy some sightseeing around Fort Cochin.
Cochin, the oldest European settlement in India is a lagoon of islands and peninsulas separated by backwaters of the Arabian Sea, which are connected by bridges and ferries with a rich maritime history that still ships Kerala’s coir, rubber, seafood and pepper products to foreign ports. Influenced at various times by the Arabs, the Chinese, the Dutch, the British and the Portuguese, and the white Jews who first emigrated from Roman persecuted Jerusalem in 6th century BC to Cochin. It is now a charmingly curious potpourri of Jewish synagogues, Chinese fishing-nets, Portuguese churches, Dutch palaces and British cricket greens. The atmosphere is perceptibly Mediterranean but the climate is characteristically sub-tropical.
There will be the opportunity to visit a traditional Kathakali Dance Theater and enjoy a wonderful dinner in a private Syrian Christian home.
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Days Ten to Twelve
4-6 November Cochin/ Bangalore/Mysore
This Morning fly from Cochin to Bangalore then drive 2 ½ hours to Mysore via
Srirangapatnam– a complex of Tipu Sultans’ Fort and Palaces and Mausoleum, richly decorated with carving and frescoes.
Two nights will be spent at Green Hotel, where all profits go to charitable and environmental projects in India. The hotel was chosen as one of the top 20 places to stay in India by The Observer, and received a British Guild of Travel Writers Tourism Project of the Year Award. Furthermore the hotel prides itself as an ethical employer, on its lovely gardens and on traditional hospitality in a preserved historic building.
MYSORE – the Sandalwood City where thanks to royal patronage, artists, writers and craftsmen have flourished, making it the cultural epicentre of Karnataka.
It is a major centre for the manufacture of incense, and its flowers-spice-vegetable market amongst the finest in India. Also Mysore silk is well known for its quality and everlasting luster. The palace of the Maharaja built in 1911-12 that is an harmonious synthesis of the Hindu and Saracenic styles of architecture.
We also arrange a group visit to the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore established by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois & Sharath.
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Day Twelve
6 November Mysore/ Bangalore – Soukya
This morning drive 4 hrs to SOUKYA International Holistic Health Centre - An exceptional and unique Health resort established by Dr. Isaac Mathai M.D.(Hom), M.R.C.H.(Lond) and his wife, Suja Issac M.Sc.,M.Phil.(Foods & Nutrition).
You will spend four nights here.
Based on personal experience, this is highly recommended as an ideal revivifying, cleansing way to finish your South Indian journey and to experience the benefits from this residential integrative medical centre that treats the person with a holistic approach.
(It is also possible to quit the tour today and you will be driven back to Bangalore in time for your evening International departure).
During the days at Soukya, there will be twice daily yoga and meditation sessions.
On arrival you will have a personal consultation with Dr Mathai who will conduct an evaluation and recommend a personalised therapeutic and treatment protocol according to your health, ailments and dosha type.
Included at Soukya will be 3 hours per day of specific Ayurvedic treatments and an all vegetarian organic diet specified for you by the doctors.
Additional services can be procured at cost.
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Set on 30 acres outside the city of Bangalore, this establishment has a rare purity of purpose in offering treatments that are both rejuvenating and/or therapeutic: combining ancient Ayurvedic therapies of the very highest order, naturopathy, homeopathy and diet.
Exceptional personalized consultation, very well qualified practitioners in different Systems of Medicine such as Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Naturopathy and a wide range of Complementary Therapies such as Western Allopathic , Yoga, Acupuncture, Reflexology, Acupressure , solicitous staff, organic vegetarian cuisine, all combine to create an astounding restorative and or therapeutic program. Fruit and vegetables are organically grown on the property. Capacious tranquil rooms come with a private enclosed garden courtyard. Purpose-built treatment rooms with outstanding housekeeping.
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Days Thirteen – Sixteen
7 -10 November Soukya
See notes above for daily programme.
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Day Sixteen
10 November Monday Bangalore departure
This evening you will be driven to Bangalore International Airport for your departure or onward travels in India.
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