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 t long last the Monastery has set the date for the opening
of their new location at Sidbhari near Dharamshala in India.
Between March 11 -13,
2005 His Holiness the Dalai Lama will conduct the inaugural ceremony
with 3 days of teaching on Gyuto Monastery's principal tantric
deity, Ghuyasamaja - the King of Tantra. It is most likely that
His Holiness the 17th Karmapa will also be in attendance as well
as approx. 10,000 monks from all over India and an estimated
400 western supporters. The celebrations will continue with 5
days of Tantric Geshe examinations never before offered outside
of Tibet with a further final day of festivities including the
Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts.
This will be a rare and
incredible event for which the monastery is even now preparing
at breakneck speed.
The Gyuto Monks are keen
to see as many of their Australian supporters as possible get
there and have asked Gyuto House to issue the invitation to you
all. It is their view that this move has all been made possible
primarily through the work of, Gyuto House Australia, therefore
they would like to see as many of us there as can make it. While
we recognize that there are others around the world who have
contributed to this achievement, it is nevertheless, a warm tribute
to all of you in Australia who have supported the monastery in
various different ways these past 10 years.
Please come if you can!
Our suggestion is that
a 3 week visit to India is about right for a first time visit
to India - after that you start really hanging out for a swim
in the clean cool waters of Australia or a salad or even just
a long hot shower. That said, with commonsense, the trip to India
is likely to be safe and memorable.
It is an interesting
time of the year within the Tibetan community in India - here
are some options and suggestions for those who would like to
encompass the opening of the monastery plus take in some other
experiences.
- For those who wish to
really steep themselves in Tibetan culture, the Tibetan New Year
'Losar' festivities run from February 8 -23. Dharamshala is fun
at this time.
- Between February 24
and March 9 the Dalai Lama offers the precious annual teachings
in Dharamsala.
- Gyuto Monastery's opening
program runs from March 11 - 19 inclusive with the first 3 days
program comprising special teachings by the Dalai Lama
- First time visitors
to India might like to attend the 3 main days at Gyuto then take
off to see some of the other sacred sites in India at Bodhgyah,
Varanasi and Sarnath and maybe visit the Taj Mahal at Agra.
So, whether you visit
India for 6 weeks or 8 days, there is plenty to keep you occupied
and interested. We are not offering an organized tour as such
but we are happy to assist with an information pack and arrangements
such as
- a specially negotiated
air fare ex Australia ( for specific dates only)
- a Gyuto taxi pick up
from Delhi airport to Gyuto House in Delhi
- accommodation in Majnu
- Ka Tilla, Delhi
- transport arrangements
by private bus to Gyuto Monastery from Delhi - a 9 hour trip
- accommodation near the
monastery.
- for those who wish to
stay in more comfortable conditions, we can recommend Delhi and
Mcleod Ganj hotels and also supply information re: booking of
train sleeper between Delhi/Patankhot/Sidbhari.
Costs including pocket
money for shoppers are likely to be in the vicinity of $3, 000
per person all inclusive - serious shoppers or travellers will
need more! As a rough guide, you should budget approx. $1300
+ $200 taxes for air fare ex Aust., travel vaccinations or medications
$300, rail and/or bus travel in India $300, accommodation/local
transport and food $500 + shopping and offerings as required.
The monks and monastery
will be more than generous in aiming to make everyone comfortable
but from our end we would remind everyone of their refugee status
and suggest that you, in turn, take steps to ensure they are
not out of pocket and maybe even ensure you have enough with
you to make your own generous offerings.
If you wish to come and
take advantage of a special air fare, it is imperative that you
advise us by January 14th.
Dates are:
Dep. Melbourne, Australia - Monday March 7, 2005
Dep. New Delhi, India - Monday March 21, 2005
It is necessary for everyone
to leave Australia on the same day but individuals may negotiate
various return dates as required.
N.B. It is possible that
flights may be booked out of Melbourne, Brisbane or Sydney dependent
on numbers. This is why it is vital to inform us as soon as possible
of your plans.
CONTACT :
MAUREEN FALLON @ GYUTO HOUSE a.s.a.p.
Email: Click Here
or
Phone: 0412 124 678
click
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