Gateway To Ganesha: Mystic Art Retreat in New Delhi & Alwar, Rajasthan 14 -24 January, 2019
This ten-day immersion gives you stunning sights, delicious food, luxurious accommodations, and a deep dive into sacred arts with world-class instructors. We invite you to be creative, relax, stretch, eat, and enjoy live entertainment at a historic palace in rural India.
If you’ve never been to India, this is a perfect introduction; you will be pampered. No worries about staying safe or navigating the many challenges of travel in this beautiful yet sometimes bewildering country. Beginner artists and the merely curious are welcome to join. Besides daily art classes, you are free to join us for optional daily yoga classes, field trips, hikes, dance lessons, and temple visits.
Together we will learn the secret language of sacred geometry, create intricate patterns (kolam) on the sandstone patio for good luck, construct a collage to invoke abundance, ornament yourself with henna tattoos (mehndi), and meditatively make a personalized prayer bead rosary (mālā) with a limited-edition silver Gaṇeśa charm.
Our three renowned instructors, Sonja, Krupa, and Ekabhumi each bring decades of experience as instructors, professional artists, and spiritual practitioners. Our event producer, Mukul, is highly experienced in hospitality and will ensure your needed are fulfilled. This will be a nourishing exploration of playful meditation, art as a way to see reality more vividly, art as a joyful expression of your own innermost wisdom.
Retreat Highlights
- Daily art and creativity classes
- Daily yoga asana classes
- Live traditional music and dance
- Evening talks on topics such as What is a deity? What is a guru?
- Make and utilize your own sacred mālā (prayer beads)
- Learn how to decipher and make a mystical diagrams (yantras & kolams)
- Make a delightful collage of sacred symbols to invoke abundance
- Learn how to make stunning temporary tattoos with henna (mehndi)
- All art materials and tools included (feel free to bring your own favorites)
- 2 field trips to visit local temples, waterfalls, and architectural wonders
- 3 meals a day featuring a wide variety of gourmet vegetarian food
- 10 nights in the beauteous yet rustic Ram Bihari Palace
- Sight-seeing and shopping in New Delhi (and tips on haggling!)
- Airport transport provided
- All classes and events are voluntary: choose what you want to do!
Schedule
- Day 1: Monday, 14 Jan
- Sight-seeing in New Delhi
- Day 2: Tuesday, 15 Jan
- Shopping in New Delhi
- Day 3: Wednesday, 16 Jan
- Travel to Alwar; orientation meeting; opening cermmony
- Day 4: Thursday, 17 Jan
- Art classes at the Palace
- Day 5: Friday, 18 Jan
- Art classes at the Palace
- Day 6: Saturday, 19 Jan
- Half-day field trip to architectural wonders; classes
- Day 7: Sunday, 20 Jan
- Art classes at the Palace
- Day 8: Monday, 21 Jan
- Half-day field trip to sacred waterfall; classes
- Day 9: Tuesday, 22 Jan
- Art classes at the Palace; live folk entertainment in the evening
- Day 10: Wednesday, 23 Jan
- Art classes at the Palace; closing ceremony
- Day 11: Thursday, 24 Jan
- Return to New Delhi
Instructors & Staff
- Ekabhumi Ellik
- Sonja Picard
- Krupa Devi
- Mukul Purohit
- dance instructor TBA
Prerequisites
None! All skill levels welcome.
Languages
- English
- Hindi
Prices
- 3,300 USD for solo suite (huge room, no roommate)
- 2,700 USD for shared room (one roommate)