Spiritual North India

Check in to your room at the Ananda in the Himalayas.

Enjoy your days at this beautiful resort in the mountains with a plethora of guided wellness experiences such as daily yoga and meditation classes, nature walks, spa treatments, wonderful food and fitness activities.

Drive down the winding road into Rishikesh below to explore this small but deeply spiritual town ending with witnessing the daily evening prayer ceremony on the Ganges river known as Ganga Aarti. This is a devotional ritual that uses fire as an offering to the Goddess Ganga, made in the form of a lit lamp, on a small diya with a candle and flowers that's floated down the river.

The largest city in Punjab and the centre the Sikh faith, Amritsar is a fascinating and tangibly spiritual destination. ‘Amritsar’ literally means a pool of holy nectar referring to the holy water pool at the Golden Temple. It was founded by Guru Ravidas in 1547 and is the seat of Sikh culture and heritage. It is a thriving city today and may be considered a showpiece of the prosperity and wealth of the Punjab state. Amritsar itself is an important religious place of pilgrimage for devout Sikhs, who desire to take a purifying dip in the holy waters of the Golden Temple (also known as Harmandir Sahib).

This evening visit to the Golden Temple to soak up the atmosphere of the evening. If you wish, you can stay on for the for the Palki Sahib ceremony. In this ceremony the holy book, Guru Granth Sahib, is carried in a heavy palanquin in a procession and put to 'bed'. Visitors and pilgrims participate in this by helping carry the palanquin. The temple is fully illuminated and is quite breathtaking to view, with the lights reflecting in the waters of the holy pool.

This morning you will be taken for the sightseeing tour of Amritsar starting with a morning visit to the Golden Temple. This Sikh temple is the holiest as this is the one that houses the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book, which is considered to be the eternal Guru. Although it was built in 1601, its present gilded decoration and marble work is from the 19th century. The temple is surrounded by a large pool of holy water and can be approached from all four sides by causeways.

You will also visit the Langar or community kitchen, where at least 80,000 people are fed every day. Regardless of class, caste, sex or faith anyone can eat a wholesome hygienic vegetarian meal here as a community service. At this temple you will have a chance learn about this fascinating religion and its people.

Finally head to Jallianwala Bagh, the site of a memorial to commemorate the victims of the infamous massacre carried out by the British in 1919.

Visit the famous Wagah Border for the evening 'lowering of the flags' ceremony, a daily military practice that the security forces of India (Border Security Force) and Pakistan (Pakistan Rangers) have followed since 1959. This ceremony takes place every evening before sunset at the Wagah border, which as part of the Grand Trunk Road was the only road link between these two countries before the opening of the Aman Setu in Kashmir in 1999. The ceremony starts with a perfectly coordinated parade by the soldiers from both the sides and ends up in the lowering of the flags. One Jawan stands attention at the gate on each side. As the sun sets, the Iron Gate at the border is opened and the flags are lowered. The flag is folded and the ceremony ends with a retreat that involves a handshake between the soldiers. The grandeur of the ceremony attracts many visitors from both sides of the border and tourists from all over the world.

An ancient settlement on the banks of the Ganges, Varanasi is India’s spiritual capital and important among numerous faiths. Varanasi’s 84 ghats - stone embankments that step down into the river- are its most iconic sight. Most are crowded with pilgrims performing ritual ablutions in the river waters while a few are used solely for cremation. Sublime and sometimes shocking to visitors, the whole experience is utterly unforgettable.
The rest of city is home to some 23,000 temples, the sandstone Ramnagar Fort and numerous centres of education, philosophy, music and art. Small-scale industries and household production employ most of Varanasi’s residents and its winding alleyways are one of the best places to find fine silks, carpets and crafts.

In the evening, you will be taken for a boat ride on the River Ganges and experience the evening aarti prayer, one of the most important and popular ceremonies of the Hindu faith sometimes called the 'ceremony of light' that involves waving lighted wicks before the sacred images to infuse the flames with the deities’ love, energy and blessings. You will also float your own lamps down the river.

This morning you will be taken for a boat ride on the River Ganges. After the boat ride you will meet a local expert on the ghats who will lead you on a private walking tour in the old city. On this walk you will see the back alleys, old havelis, temples, labyrinth of streets, street vendors and pilgrims that line the banks of the Ganges.

Head out of Varanasi to visit the sacred site of Sarnath. It is here that Buddha is believed to have set in motion what Buddhists call the Wheel of Dharma by delivering his first sermon to the five companions with whom he had sought enlightenment. Together with him, they formed the first sangha, or company of Buddhist monks. You'll explore the ancient stupas and make a visit to the small but excellent museum at the site.

With a population of over 18 million, Delhi is an international metropolis. Perhaps daunting at first sight, a little exploring soon reveals a rich, diverse and fascinating culture. Throughout most of its history, it has served as the capital of various kingdoms and empires, captured and rebuilt time and time again. Every dynasty left its mark and as you start to explore, you’ll discover reminders and relics from this colossal game of pass the parcel.

As well as centuries worth of history to explore, Delhi is also one of the best places in India to shop, try the many different styles of food and experience the buzz of a city where its millions of inhabitants are going about their daily business. And if weaving your way in and out of the rickshaws and cyclists ever starts to get too much, turn the corner and you’ll find a tranquil garden or a quiet enclave in which to stop, gather your thoughts and recharge.

Shantum Seth who is the foremost teacher and guide to the sites associated with the Buddha. A Buddhist practitioner, he is an ordained teacher (Dharmacharya) in the Zen tradition of the Vietnamese Master, Thich Nhat Hanh. He teaches in India and other countries. In the last few years he has been leading inter-faith, educational, cultural and spiritual journeys across India.

Start your day at the spectacular Bahai or Lotus temple with its twenty seven unfurling petals made of white marble. We then visit the Sacred Heart Cathedral and feel its sense of peace. After lunch we go to the Bodhi temple and hear stories on the life of the Buddha and his teachings. The mood changes sharply from modesty and grandeur to ritual and colour at the famous Laxminarayan Temple which houses a large number of idols of Hindu gods and goddesses. It was among one of the country’s first temples which had no caste restrictions and Mahatma Gandhi inaugurated it on that condition. End the day at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, the temple of the followers of the Sikh religion.