Kashi (Varanasi) India

Kashi, Varanasi or Benaras is India’s cultural capital, which has long been the major pilgrimage destination for Hindus. It is world’s oldest living city and its origins arestill not well known. Devotees strongly believe that Ganges River in Varanasihas the ability to take away the wrongdoings of humankind.

Varanasi is a city dedicated to the God Shiva – the Divine Father, pure bliss, consciousness beyond form. It is also the city of the Dead. For a Hindu there is nothing more auspicious than going to Varanasi to die. Clairvoyantly there is a huge portal of light over the city, no doubt the result of centuries of prayers to Shiva. It is easy to see how this portal would be of vast assistance to those leaving their bodies. It is also of vast assistance to those seeking closer Divine connection while remaining embodied.

The Shanti Mission Shiva Pure Bliss retreat is seeking a closer connection to the divine while in our physical bodies.

SHIVA BLESSINGS TO THE WORLD

Our trip was planned without conscious knowledge of the Maha, Kumbah Mele or the Sarnath visit of His Holiness The Dalai Lama.The Maha Kumbah Mele is held from January 14th March 10th. Kumbh Mela is the greatest pilgrimage and festival in the Hindu religion. The event is a religious and cultural spectacle which occurs once in 12 years attracting participants from around the globe to take a dip in the holy waters of Ganga, Yamuna and the mystical Saraswati. Maha Kumbh Festival 2013 is speculated to be one of the biggest congregations in the history of mankind. Last Maha Kumbh witnessed the participation of 70 million people.