WCCM Pilgrimage to WCCM Pilgrimage to WCCM Pilgrimage to WCCM Pilgrimage to India and India and India and India and NepalNepalNepalNepal

Jan 2013Jan 2013Jan 2013Jan 2013 The Way of Peace The Way of Peace The Way of Peace The Way of Peace

Including a full day of dialogue, prayer and meditation with

His Holiness the Dalai Lama His Holiness the Dalai Lama His Holiness the Dalai Lama His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Fr. Laurence Freeman OSB and Fr. Laurence Freeman OSB and Fr. Laurence Freeman OSB and Fr. Laurence Freeman OSB

Photo Siddiqi Ray

A Soul of India Tour Operated by Indus Tours and Travel Ltd. ATOL 4586

The pilgrimage will be the Community’s Way of Peace event for 2013. It also marks the fifteenth anniversary of the first WCCM pilgrimage to India, which initiated the Way of Peace programme. This is a memory and inspiration cherished by His Holiness the Dalai Lama who recently wrote: “In 1998 I joined as historic pilgrimage of practitioners of both the Christian and Buddhist traditions in prayers, meditation and dialogue in Bodhgaya … Each morning under the Bodhi tree, we all sat together and meditated, which I think was historic.”

The highlight of the 2013 pilgrimage will be a full day of dialogue, prayer and meditation to be led by His Holiness and Fr. Laurence Freeman, OSB, on Saturday January 12 in Sarnath where Lord Buddha gave his first teaching, thus setting the ‘dharma wheel’ in motion. The itinerary will also include activities and events related to the WCCM’s Meditatio Programme – the Community’s outreach to the secular world.

Departing from London, the pilgrimage will land in Kolkata (Calcutta), and go on the following day to Bodhgaya. At this most important of all Buddhist pilgrimage sites, we will sit under the Bodhi tree of the Buddha’s enlightenment, as we did in 1998 and 2007, and visit the nearby Mahakala cave, site of the Buddha’s pre-enlightenment asceticism. Proceeding to Varanasi, the city of Lord Shiva on the banks of the sacred river Ganga, we prepare to meet His Holiness in nearby Sarnath. From Varanasi we fly to Kathmandu (a UNESCO world heritage site) in Nepal, to visit the sacred stupas of Swayam- bunath, and Boudhnath, before flying on to Mumbai (former Bombay). In Mumbai we visit the important caves of Elephanta, and engage with the work of India’s largest NGO, the Kripa foundation. There will be an optional extension to the main itinerary, with the opportunity to visit the Christian shrines of Goa, as well as to spend a day or two on the beach.

The pilgrimage will be accompanied and managed by Kenneth Wilson of Soul of India, who managed the 1998 Way of Peace Pilgrimage, and the WCCM visits to India in 2005 and 2007. He has written about the Way of Peace Pilgrimage in Orange Dust: Journeys After the Buddha (Blissfool, 2011).

“I am sure Christians, Buddhists, and indeed anyone who seeks to cultivate a good heart, will enjoy reading this inspirational, uplifting book.”

- His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Tour costs The main tour cost will be £2415 per person in twin bedded accommodation. Single rooms are available for a supplement of £394. Costs for the Goa extension are £390 per person, with a £210 single room supplement. The tour cost includes

• International and internal flights as per the itinerary

• All group travel in India and Nepal

• Accommodation on half board basis (bed and breakfast on Goa extension)

• All entrance and guide fees

• Full ATOL bonding

• Services of Kenneth Wilson as Tour Leader

Itinerary & Programme Sat 5 Jan

Sun 6 Jan

Mon 7 Jan

Tue 8 Jan

Wed 9 Jan

Thu 10 Jan

Fri 11 Jan

Sat 12 Jan

Sun 13 Jan

Mon 14 Jan

Tue 15 Jan

Wed 16 Jan

Thu 17 Jan

Fri 18 Jan

Sat 19 Jan

Sun 20 Jan

Sun 20 Jan

M 21 – W 23 Jan

Thu 24 Jan

0755 Depart LHR on Qatar Airways flight, arriving Doha 1735, to connect with 1900 flight to Kolkata (Calcutta)

0215 Arrive Kolkata. Stay at Park Hotel. Pm visit to eg Ramakrishna Math, or Kalighat.

1230 Depart Sealdah on Kolkata-Amritsar Superfast train; 1846 Arrive Gaya Junction; short onward drive to Bodhgaya. Stay at Mahayana Guesthouse.

Bodhgaya. Visit Mahabodhi temple and Mahakala cave.

All day visit to Barabar caves (of E.M. Forster’s A Passage to India fame).

Drive to Varanasi. Stay at Clarks Hotel.

Varanasi. Early morning boat ride on sacred Ganga; afternoon visit to Sarnath.

Varanasi. All day meeting with His Holiness at Sarnath.

1230 Depart on Air India flight to Kathmandu, arriving 1340. Stay at Hotel Manaslu. Afternoon visit to the Swayambunath stupa (Monkey Temple).

Kathmandu. Durbar Square and Changu Narayan (Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu).

Kathmandu. Boudhnath stupa (holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet).

1205 Depart on Jet Airways flight from Kathmandu, arriving Mumbai 1450. Visit to Kripa headquarters. Stay at Executive Enclave Hotel.

Visit to Elephanta caves.

Morning guided tour of Dharavi slum (no cameras), including social and educational projects.

Mumbai. Visit to eg “World’s largest pagoda”. Farewell dinner. Late night transfer to airport.

0440 Depart on Qatar Airways flight to Doha, arriving 0600, to connect to 0750 flight arriving London Heathrow 1225.

Optional extension to Goa

1205 Depart on Jet airways flight to Goa, arriving 1305. Transfer to Majorda Beach Resort for 4 night stay.

Visits to St. Francis Xavier sites, and other churches etc in Goa; day on the beach, etc.

0420 Depart on Qatar Airways flight to Doha, arriving 0545, to connect to 0725 flight arriving London Heathrow 1205

To the extent possible the daily practice of Christian Meditation and other commitments of Christian life will be observed during the pilgrimage. Clement Sauvé will oversee this part of the programme.

Note for participants from USA/Canada:

We recommend joining the tour in London. If you wish to make your own travel arrangements to and from India the tour cost will be reduced by £570.

Photo Siddiqi Ray

Booking Form To: Indus Tours and Travel Ltd. KBC Harrow Exchange, 2 Gayton Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 2XU, UK Tel +44 (0)20 8901 7630 E-mail:enquiries@soulofindia.com Please reserve………………….places on the WCCM Pilgrimage to India and Nepal, 5-20 Jan 2013 Including / Not including* extension to Goa for…………………………………………………………..….……………………………………………………………………....………Name

of…………………………..……………………….……………………………………………………………..………………..………..Address Tel…………………………...…………………….Email………….........……................................................................………………….…. Date of birth...........……....................................Passport no., date and place of issue……………………………………..………………. Room requirement: Single / Twin* Travel insurance: Please visit www.industours.co.uk for a competitive quotation. Please return your booking form with deposit cheque for £200 per person. Please make your cheque payable to Indus Tours and Travel Ltd.

(Please telephone or email yasin@soulofindia.com for credit/debit card payment details) *Delete as appropriate Signed………………………………………………………..… Date…………………………….… Your final balance will be invoiced as soon as we receive your booking form. The final balance is payable 8 weeks prior to departure.

Standard booking conditions apply, and can be viewed at www.industours.co.uk. Minor changes may be made to the programme in the light of local circumstances and opportunities.

At the time of going to print it is not possible to specify aircraft types.