India Pilgrimage 2026

Our Invitation to South India December-January

Saturday, May 23, 2026

Aho’ Rajanaka,

I hope this finds you well. This email is our invitation to the India Pilgrimage 2026.

As you likely know we’ve been making this pilgrimage to Tamil Nadu for the last twenty years: it’s a very special something. If you’re interested in your first time, please read on. If you’re interested in returning, as so many do, know that we will do everything we can to make this as rewarding as ever.

Pilgrimage involves tourism but it’s not tourism, and if I may be so bold, certainly not the way we do it. There are lots of fun and interesting ways to visit India, and ours is not the only one, not by a long shot. But before I offer more about what we do on pilgrimage, our how and why, here are bullet point dates and the basic costs.

· Dates: Arrival date in Chennai is Tuesday, December 29. Pilgrimage ends and departure begins on Thursday, January 14.

· Cost: $4326 for double occupancy and $5356 for single occupancy, if you use PayPal or Venmo. Please read the whole invitation to understand what is included and other particular costs.

· Contact for all Administration: Please direct all administrative queries to Mariah Ringhoff via email, mariah4india@gmail.com.

· Registration commit is due no later than June 10^th when the first deposit is required.

Mariah Ringhoff is our administrator this year and I’m thrilled. Mariah has been on our pilgrimage many times and gone to India other times and in other ways, she knows what you need to know about all things practical, and she’s incredibly helpful, prompt in response, and basically wonderful to work with. Feel free to write to me about anything, I’m here to help, inform, inspire, soothe, whatever you need. Our team with Mariah and Rajanaka India is amazingly competent and, honestly, there’s nothing like experience to make things like this work well---we have the experience and it really does work.

We’ve welcomed so many newbies, spouses and partners who come along, and you’ll be surrounded by experienced, fun to be around pilgrims on our bus. Our invitation is late this year (we usually begin in February/March) because I have been concerned about the world, principally safety and costs. Being in India has not been my concern but for other issues of global volatility, like fuel shortages. When it comes to dates, costs, what to expect, I want there to be no surprises and as few bumps in the road as at all possible. I apologize for the scheduling of the invitation but your safety and well-being come first to me.

Our pilgrimage is about being the experience of the people, the culture, and the experience of darshan, the practice of seeing and being seen. We eat and dress like pilgrims, albeit in very comfortable ways but with the aim keeping to yatra, that’s the word for pilgrimage. Yatra is a liminal experience, it’s about carving out time to be in a certain practice that asks of body, mind, and heart.

We don’t do asana (though you can of course practice privately if you have the time along the way); we don’t go to spas or retreat centers or isolate ourselves for this is pilgrimage season in south India.

You don’t have to believe anything and like all things Rajanaka there are no dogmas, initiations, conversions, or inculcations. Our context is the Hindu culture of Tamil Nadu and its temples where you will be expected to follow our dress code because there is one, it’s plenty of fun and we will help in every way possible, but it’s not optional. And you will be inside south India’s temple and pilgrim worlds that have customs, practices that will invite you to participate.

Pilgrimage is not a spectator sport, it’s not cos play nor for by-standing. It’s like going gardening for your soul, expect to learn to do the work and get dirty doin’ it. It’s really fun and it’s deeply rewarding if you think you want to do it and set yourself upon the journey.

Lots of folks have brought their partners and we welcome everyone who wants to participate in the journey, in the pilgrimage experience. You may have no idea what that means but you will need an open mind, a willing heart, and a real desire to learn what we do. As my mom once put it, you need to be a really good sport about playing the game. This is such an important point, so please think about what you want to do.

You needn’t worry or fear about anything, we’ll show you the ropes, invite you with joy and open hearts, and encourage you so that you’ll have a wonderful time. There are issues of health, food, arduous travel and schedule, and, dare I say, behavior. Pilgrimage, yatra involves tapas, it’s got some rules and even expectations. it’s gonna burn a little ‘cause it’s going to ask things of you and from you, That’s what tapas means. We’ll make everyhing as clear as possible, we’ll have Zooms and preparations, we’ll invite you to any and every question you have before you commit and as you evolve.

The pilgrimage really begins when you decide for yourself, given all we offer for you to make that choice . It’s best to find out if you want what we have to offer ‘cause I am also sure this is not for everyone.

Last, I have done this pilgrimage for more than 20 years and most of the places we visit are the “same” every year. You’ll see Nataraja and the Great Goddess of Chidambaram, the indescribably beautiful temple of Minaksi of Madurai, and most of the six “homes” of the Tamil Murugan who is Ganesha’s brother. Lots of Ganeshas and lots and lots of puja, flowers, red and white dust, saris and dhotis. And we will do everything to keep you safe, healthy, and prepared.

Okay, enough for now. Below the line is the Invitation from Mariah and Rajanaka. Let Mariah know as soon as possible if you want to come or come again. But please, please make your decision by June 10^th because we have to secure the arrangements in India. Apologies if this seems rushed now. I can’t say when we may be going again ‘cause life is like that. Take care of yourself and your own, no stress. Yoga is always an invitation, never an obligation.

There is other news, like Rajanaka Summer Camp and the Summer Seminar Schedule. Please go to the Rajanaka Substack for that information today. (Saturday May 23^rd, Ramayana POSTPONED till next week; Sundary Mahabharata is ON, all as usual at 5pm Eastern.) Rajanaka Substack is FREE and it’s a wonderful platform for contact and communication. Go here to subscribe: https://rajanaka.substack.com/

Thanks as ever, 330 million times,

With affection, saprema,

Douglas

***NOW HERE IS MARIAH’S LETTER OF INVITATION to our India Pilgrimage 2026/27. Please read carefully and reply to Mariah’s email: Mariah4India@gmail.com

YOU CAN COPY & PASTE TO REPLY TO MARIAH.

Hello Rajanaka Friends,

For those of you who don’t know me, please allow us to introduce myself. I am Mariah Ringhoff and I have volunteered to help with the coordination, planning and logistics for December’s trip to Tamil Nadu. There are some changes in the sign-up process from previous years, so please review the information in this email carefully.

If you’ve never been to India with Douglas Brooks, it’s hard to imagine what the experience will be like. You will have inside access to the temples and their priests. It will be a trip that is entirely different from any experience booked with a travel agent. When you travel as a “Poonai” (the Tamil word for “cat”) you will not be a spectator observing the culture of south India, you will be a participant.

We will only bring 30 people on this trip so that: 1) the temples are not overwhelmed by our presence, and 2) you are better able to enjoy the direct, up-close and personal experience that is ahead. To meet these priorities, we will have to take reservations on a first-come/first-serve basis. When we reach 30 attendees, we will close registration and start a waiting list.

THE COST

The total cost will be $4200 per person w/double-occupancy rooms*. This includes all in-country transportation on an air-conditioned bus (with WiFi and an almost unlimited cache of bottled water), lodging, daily breakfast, welcome and farewell dinners. You will need additional money for all other meals, souvenirs, temple offerings and tips. We will provide you with more details on the amount of spending money that you may want to bring.

* Single Occupancy rooms are available for an up charge of $1000

** You will be responsible for arriving to Chennai on time. We ask that you arrive Tuesday, December 29. Departure from the USA needs to be on Thursday, January 14. We recommend booking a late evening or night return on January 14 as we will return to Chennai in the late afternoon.

Please coordinate your travel to and from Chennai so that your arrival and departure schedule does not impact the larger group’s arrival and departure times.

After we receive your deposit, there will be a lot of information coming your way…how to apply for a visa, what to pack, the itinerary, timelines, what to expect when we arrive, etc. Through conference calls and emails, we will help prepare you for the journey. I will also be on the trip with you to help you with any questions or concerns that may arise. For now, by filling out, signing and returning the contract below, a seat will be reserved for you on the trip. However, your first payment must be received no later than June 10 to secure your place. Since we need to make various deposits, initial deposits are non-refundable and will not be transferable by Rajanaka Yoga. Travel insurance is a good option if an emergency arises preventing your attendance. We will send you information on how and where you can purchase trip insurance.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. I look forward to pilgrimaging with you this winter!

Mariah Ringhoff

Mariah4India@gmail.com

______________________________________________

Contract and Payment Plan:

Name

Home Address

Email Address

Cell phone

Emergency Phone

Date of Birth

Passport number and expiration:

Roommate: (If you don’t have one, no worries, we will match you up)

Payments

Payments can be made by check, PayPal or Venmo. Paypal and Venmo transactions will incur an additional 3% fee (total cost; $4326 for double occupancy and $5356 for single occupancy). PayPal payments should be sent to: douglas@rajanaka.com Payments via Venmo can be made to @Douglas-brooks-8. If you need assistance with facilitating a PayPal or Venmo transaction, please contact me at mariah4india@gmail.com.

Make Checks Payable to: Rajanaka Yoga There are no fees with a check payment

Please send all checks to: Rajanaka Yoga, c/o Douglas Brooks, 7296 Gregg Road, Bloomfield, NY 14469

Payment Schedule

Please note all payments are due by the 10th of the month.

June 10 – Payment #1/Deposit Check $2100/double $2600/single. PayPal/Venmo: $2163/double $2678/single

July 10 – Payment #2 Check $1050/double $1300/single PayPal/Venmo: $1082/double $1339/single

September 10 – Payment #3/ Final Payment Check $1050/double. $1300/single. PayPal/Venmo: $1082/double $1339/single

*The 1st payment will NOT BE REFUNDABLE as it is the deposit needed to book the hotel and bus. If you cancel before Sept. 10th, payments 2-3 will be refunded if a replacement for you is found. Cancellation after Sept.10th will result in forfeiture of all previous payments. You are also welcome to pay in full at anytime.

Changes and Cancellations:

Payments are not refundable or transferable by Rajanaka Yoga.

Travel Insurance:

Travel Insurance is available through Travel Guard. Visit www.travelguard.com for an online quote and a breakdown of three plan options.

Passport:

If your passport expires before August 2026, you will need to get a new one. Please start the process now.

Visa:

You can obtain a multi-year visa online but it will require you to complete an application online and submit physical documents to VFS Global. Alternatively, a tourist visa can be applied for online 120 days prior to traveling. Details on the visa website and how to fill out the application will be sent to you.

Vaccinations:

The U.S. CDC does not require any vaccinations to visit India. Please visit your doctor for personal recommendations. Some people choose to get hepatitis vaccinations, flu shots and tetanus shots. If you are considering these, plan to visit your doctor at least 6 months prior to departure.

Terms and Conditions

Waiver and Release of Liability

I have read and agree to follow the guidelines listed above and to adhere to the payment schedule as outlined. I understand that Rajanaka Yoga acts as an agent for the various suppliers that provide hotel accommodations, transportation, activities or other services connected with this tour. Rajanaka Yoga and its respective employees, agents, representatives, independent contractors and assigns, accept no liability whatsoever for any injury, damage, loss, accident, delay, or any other incident which may be caused by the negligence, defect, default of any company or person in performing tour guiding, sightseeing, excursions, transfers, or any other activities connected with Rajanaka Yoga trips. Responsibility is not accepted for losses, injury, damages or expenses of any kind due to sickness, weather, strikes, hostilities, wars, terrorist acts, acts of nature, local laws or other such causes. All services and accommodations are subject to the laws and regulations of the country in which they are provided. Rajanaka Yoga is not responsible for any baggage or personal effects of any individual participating in the tours/trips led by Rajanaka Yoga. Individual travelers are responsible for purchasing a travel insurance policy, if desired, that will cover some of the expenses associated with the loss of luggage or personal effects.