South India Yatra

www.sivananda.org.in Yatra—a Sanskrit word meaning journey—is a pilgrimage to spiritual places, such as temples, monuments and other sacred sites. We visit south India’s most holy and sacred places of worship while still doing our yoga practices (sadhana). The journey itself is as important as the destination, and the challenges of travel serve as an act of devotion in themselves. Visiting a sacred place is believed by the pilgrim to purify the self and bring one closer to the divine. The yatra offers you a sense of belonging, purifies the heart and gives expression to the feeling of self-completion in life. A visit to a pilgrim site removes all sins committed in past lives. You will mingle with other yatris, devotees, from all parts of India, soaking up their devotion and sincerity. You will be part of the Indian bhakti tradition, powerful and cleansing. As mentioned in the sacred texts, great sages in the ancient days used to perform tapas (austerities & meditation) and other spiritual activities in these sacred places. Thus these sites are guided by spiritual forces that can destroy negative tendencies and take one towards the path of jnana (knowledge), bhakti (devotion) and Self-realisation. For this reason it is recommended that you are familiar with our teachings and are accustomed to our routines through visits to our Ashrams or Centres. Our days will begin at 6am with meditation, yoga asana or other spiritual practices. There will be some time allotted for shopping, sightseeing and swimming, but the main focus of the yatra is spiritual. You will be guided by experienced Sivananda-trained staff and teachers throughout the yatra. Local guides will be hired in some of the temples and sites to provide us with more detailed historical information.