This is an opportunity not to be missed. This visit is a must for those with an interest in the great religions of India. It will provide a wide range of opportunities to experience firsthand the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of India, and to reflect on the diversity of religions practiced here. It will also offer ample opportunity to deepen knowledge and understanding and of course to take photographs and buy artifacts (a particular help for teachers!).

The Tour begins in Delhi where we will spend some time in the footsteps of the great Mahatma Gandhi as well as focusing on Islam, the Baha’i faith and visiting a multi-faith, farm-based community that combines work with meditation as a means of spiritual growth. A day’s visit by coach to Agra to visit the incredible Taj Mahal is incorporated into our stay in Delhi.

Then by train to the historic city of Amritsar, where we will experience the calm and spiritual culture of Sikhism. Visits to the Harimandir Saheb (the Golden Temple), Goindwall, and Tarn Taran will be times that will live in my memory. We will also visit Wagha on the border of India and Pakistan to witness the ‘flags down’ military ceremony. From Amritsar, we fly to Delhi before boarding an overnight sleeper train to the sacred city of Varanasi on the banks of the holy Ganga. Here we will experience the vibrancy, color, and beliefs of Hinduism at a place of great significance and sacredness. A short distance away is Sarnath, where we will see the spot where Buddha preached his first sermon. Another train takes us to Bodhgaya the place where the Buddha attained Enlightenment.

After Boghgaya we travel, again by train, to Kolkatta, the city of Kali and of Mother Teresa. An early morning walk around part of this teeming city will give us a feel of the ‘old Raj’. We visit a beautiful Jain temple as well as sites associated with Mother Teresa (her convent, the original home of the dying she opened and an orphanage).