From 17 of February 2014 until March 2014 I will be in India. I am flying from Amsterdam to Delhi. I need your help for finding some travel companions. This is my first time in India. some devotee guides who would also be there on pilgrimage would be very helpful for me. I intent to do the famous devotional place such a Vrindavan , Agra, kurukshetra, rishikesh and so on.
Ideal would be to travel with senior devotee. Or maybe devotee who already live in India and are ready to show me around.
Thank you in advance.
Patricia Troncin
Replies
I have heard Srila Prabhupada said it is best to travel in groups of four. I don't know if this is true. But you should try never to be alone for one moment. I have been there several times and I fear now to travel alone myself after hearing all the stories I have. Delhi specifically and Mayapura have devotees who are eager to assist you in your travels. You should contact whichever temple is nearest to where you are landing to get them to help you.
Hare Krishna Mataji,
I really respect the suggestion of my all prabhuji,s as they have given a very clear picture. Since I am a fallen soul and the servant to all of you, still I would like to add something. Mataji India is one the Most holiest country in the world and it has one of the oldest cultural where God appeared in different incarnation and showed all mood in different prospective. India has got one of the oldest and rich culture, where the people are very innocent and very good host. We can not analysis the behaviour and co-ordialship of people from one or two incident.
I would suggest you just close your eyes and Pray from the Krishna to make your journey Krishna consciousness and with full of spirituality. Krishna help to all devotees, whomsoever take his name with full of sincerity, as you specially visting here in India for the RadhaKrishna darshan here in Vrindavan, so please leave all your worries on Krishna, Krishna will surely help you. Mataji I wish you
HARE KRISHNA! HARE KRISHNA! KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE! HARE RAMA! HARE RAMA! RAMA RAMA HARE HARE! Jai ho Shree RadhaParth Saarthi ki.Jai Jai Shree RadheyShyam
hare Krishna Bhuvan,
thank you many times for your comments.
my intention is to stay only in Iskcon guest houses and ashram to minimize the risks. I met quite a few mataji who travel to India, devotees or not, and they do not seem to be traumatized. even if some of them has reported some disagreements. where I live in Germany I live in a place pretty devoid of devotees. and also because my period of sade sati is starting soon I was recommended to go to India before the real start to get some benediction. I should have been there a long time ago already.
Again once in Delhi I will surely find some devotees who go to Vrindavan and so on. especially as this is the period of parikrama and other celebrations.
hare krishna
Patricia
Hare Krishna ,
I am not a devotee yet , but read " The Journey Home " by Radhanath Swami and registered myself with ISKCON.
Your travel plan is pretty simple , all places lies between 2-6 hours driving distance from New Delhi and the place is not insecure as it is made out to be , i would only advice you not to take private taxi.
An Easy but little expensive plan would be to book hotel in advance from Delhi and use Rail if you want to travel to Rishikesh (three shatabdi train from delhi everyday)
I have not visited Vrindavan myself although i live in Delhi and its only one and half hour drive from here but after reading the book i really want to , but somehow i want to go alone and explore non famous temples like Radhanathji did.
I can help by giving minute details about ur travel plan , since my hometown is Dehradun , i am pretty much aware about Rishikesh.
In return you can help me when i plan for Euro trip this May-June
Amit
haribol Amit,
thank you for you offer. Of course we can exchange info. I will go to Rishikesh because I have booked an intensive yoga seminar for about 2 weeks at Pamat Niketan ashram. and I would love to visit around also.
I can help you for Europe as well as I know quite a few countries there and I am aware about what is worth to see.
talk to you soon,
Patricia
Hare Krsna,
As rightly said by other respected devotees above, I would just like to add a few pointers to it.
First of all it is wonderful that you have a desire to visit holy places as they are non-different from the Lord himself and offer a great chance of purification.
Yet to be practical in the modern Kali-Yuga we have to take certain precautionary measures so that we remain protected both materially and spiritually in this iron age. As rightly mentioned by the devotees it is not very safe to travel alone here in India be it pilgrimage or any other activity, esp for westerners. We do not know who may trace or follow you and what are his intentions and no place is spared from this. That is why even to this day here in India even Indian matajis do not travel alone, they always have a trustworthy companion, not just a "companion".
That is precisely why Srila Prabhupad gave us such wonderful devotees all over the world with whom we can develop long term relationships and thus be together at all times. So in my humble understanding you can contact your local devotee who you know closely and they might help you finding the right contact. Actually the best is to come in yatras, automatically everything is achieved, i.e pilgrimage, association of saints, hearing and chanting and prasadam. All in one place. So why dont you reconsider your plan and join all of us in yatra. Yatras are organized all round the year and it would be a good idea to find out that if there is any parikrama(devotional perambulate) and then join it. that will be best i feel, because going alone or with an unknown companion is something skeptical. Please do not consider this personal, this is just a humble suggestion, you are more intelligent than me to decide.
Thank you
Satyam
Hare Krishna Mataji,
Pamho,
AgtSP!
I am just telling you about the true situation in India and giving caution, I know krishna will anyhow protect his
devotees but there is nothing wrong in taking precautions after having learnt of the situation. I came to know about
some horrible incidents that devotee matajis have faced even in the presence of their husbands from my wife thats why I am telling you to be alert and this is not to scare you and discourage you from coming to India. It is always good to use the intelligence given by krishna before doing something anyway krishna will always be there with you. Haribol.
Your Servant
Aakash
This is true...in India it is not so easy. So many different type of people. And especially western girls should be cautious.
No need to ask questions from unknown people but approach police people if there is need to ask some addresses.
No need to show much money...
Better to wear sober cloth as Dean Prabhu says in order not to attract extra attention. Still there will be much attention because of color of the skin...
Better not eat outside food.
Many times if we wear saree, in Tilak, and if we always chant in our beads most Indian people consider that person to be saintly so they do not disturb her. But be respectful. Mostly people are very religious and respectful to religious people.
But not all.
And Aakash Prabhu is correct better to be with someone.
You told You need a Devotee to travel with You. Please tell the conditions maybe we can find Devotee who would help You.
Your servant,
thank you for your reply with details,
It was my intention to act like a devotee as much as I can.
I plan to go to the guest house of ISKCON in Delhi. and from there I want to travel to vrindavan and around and also kuruksetra. and will also go to Rishikesh.
yes if you know any devotees please let me know.
haribol and thank you in advance.
Patricia
Hare Krishna Mataji,
Be careful once you land in India. There is no security left especially for women, Arrange yourself some
nice devotee to receive you from airport and take you to vrindavan. In vrindavan you join some devotee family who are on similar trip. Please don't travel all by yourself always have some good Indian devotees with you,believe me there is no security and you can be easily misguided.I don't know how but please contact senior devotees and devotee friends in Amsterdam to arrange some devotee to accompany you. All the best and Happy Journey.
Your Servant
Aakash
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