Antondaya …Unto the Last-A journey down the Ganges, from Banaras to Sundarbans

Unto the LastAntodaya…

A Journey down the Ganges, from Banaras to Sunderbans20th Dec 2015 – 2nd Jan 2016

16 Yatris | 13 Days | 15 cities | 8 Monuments |4 States | 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites | 1 Destination

What is Antodaya?

•Antodaya has been a successful initiative by the Pathways World School, Aravali.

•This trip begins at the source, Gomukh and ends in Banaras, where we travel along the Ganges from the holy river's source to the most ancient city in the world, Varanasi in a series called 'Ganga Ek Antaryatra'

BEFORE THE JOURNEY

Antodaya team with our School Director Dr.Sarvesh Naidu

Antodaya team with our School Principal’s

With our School Founder Mr. Prabhat Jain

Antodaya Journey Map

IN VARANASI

Our First destination in Varanasi

Antodaya team in the Varanasi

Our mini bus,we travelled the entire journey in this bus

About Varanasi• Varanasi, also known as Kashi or Banaras is one of the most important

pilgrimages of the Hindu religion, which has earned the titles like “City of Temple” and “Religious Capital of India”.

• The city attracts thousands of pilgrims every year, in addition to such people from around the globe who are interested in the religion as well as cultural heritage of this amazing country.

• The countless temples, ghats and universities of the city are the major attractions which this city presents for curious travelers from around the world.

Map of Uttar Pradesh, India

Antodaya Team in Varanasi,Temple city of India

Antodaya Team in Varanasi

•After a train journey from Delhi to Varanasi, we went to the Harishchandra Ghat and walked up to the Kama Kotishwar temple where we met Mr. Shankar Ramana, a Vedic Scholar who gave us an auspicious start by chanting and teaching us a few shlokas and explaining to us the relevance of the right intonation and usage of these powerful words.

Meeting with Mr. Shankar Ramana, a Vedic Scholar who gave us an auspicious start by chanting and teaching

Antodaya team with Mr. Shankar Ramana, a Vedic Scholar

•Later, we joined the auspicious ‘VaikunthaEkadashi Ganga Aarti’ at DashashumedhaGhat as minuscule organisms in the fathomless sea of humanity.

•We were thoroughly engrossed in the chants and the enduring resonance of the bells which lasted for an hour.

Ganga Aarti’ at Dashashumedha Ghat

Dashashwamedh Ghat

• Dashashwamedh Ghat is the main ghat in Varanasi on the Ganges River. It is located close to Vishwanath Temple and is probably the most spectacular ghat.

• A group of priests daily in the evening at this ghat perform "Agni Pooja" (Worship to Fire) wherein a dedication is made to Lord Shiva, River Ganga (the Ganges), Surya (Sun), Agni (Fire), and the whole universe. Special aartis are held on Tuesdays and on religious festivals

What is Manikarnika Ghat?

• Manikarnika Ghat is one of the ghats in Varanasi and is most known for being a place of Hindu cremation.

• Hindu mythology teaches that the ghat is especially sacred and that people cremated there receive moksha. As the myth goes, Vishnu, after several thousand years of tapasya, trying to please Shiva, to convince him to not destroy the holy city of Kashi when he destroys the world, managed to do so.

Manikarnika Ghat, Cremating ground

Rickshaw ride in Varanasi street

•Additionally, Varanasi is associated with the origin of the ancient holistic healing sciences of Ayurveda and Yoga. The founder of these sciences, Maharishi Patanjali, has strong connections with the city of Varanasi.

Morning view of Varanasi

Boat ride in Varanasi

•Banaras Ghats at the crack of dawn, is on the wish list of every mortal on this planet, and we are no lesser mortals! Our morning started before the sun rose, and we were ready to go on a boat ride by the colourful ghats of Ganga in Banaras

Giving food to Gull birds

An European Sandhu

Burning bodies in the river ganges

Antodaya team enjoying local food

Varanasi

IN SARNATH

About Sarnath

• Sarnath is a city located 13 kilometres north-east of Varanasi near the confluence of the Ganges and the Gomati rivers in Uttar Pradesh, India.

• The deer park in Sarnath is where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna. Singhpur, a village approximately one km away from the site, was the birthplace of Shreyansanath, the Eleventh Tirthankara of Jainism, and a temple dedicated to him, is an important pilgrimage site.

FACTS • Sarnath is a city located 13 kilometres north-east of

Varanasi near the confluence of the Ganges and the Gomati rivers.

• Sarnath is where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma.

•The Dhamek Stupa; it is an impressive 128 feet high and 93 feet in diameter.

Inside the Sarnath Stupa

Sarnath ruins

• Banaras Ghats at the crack of dawn, is on the wish list of every mortal on this planet, and we are no lesser mortals! Our morning started before the sun rose, and we were ready to go on a boat ride by the colourful ghats of Ganga in Banaras.

• We witnessed a breath-taking sunrise as we fed the seagulls who hungrily cawed around us. We returned feeling peaceful after having some tasty chai from the streets.

• Following breakfast, we left for Sarnath where we visited the historical ruins and evidences from the Gupta and Maurya dynasty, 5thcentury B.C. Sarnath is well known as the historical place where Buddha had delivered his first sermon.

Dhamek stupa

• Dhamek Stupa is a massive stupa located at Sarnath, 13 km away from Varanasi in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.

• The Dhamek Stupa was built in 500 CE to replace an earlier structure commissioned by the great Mauryan king Ashokain 249 BCE, along with several other monuments, to commemorate the Buddha's activities in this location. Stupas originated as circular mounds encircled by large stones.

Dhamek stupa

Jain temple ,Sarnath

• The place was marked by innumerable stupas, which are pillars on which his first disciples had engraved his teachings.

• This was followed by a visit to a Digamber Jain temple and a museum which had both Buddhist and Hindu relics. We saw a statue of the Ashoka Chakra and several statues of Buddha.

• Our guide explained to us about all the statues and artefacts in the museum. The symbols on the Asoka Chakra which includes the 4 lions who are back to back, the horse on which Siddhartha Gautama renunciated the world, or the Elephant, who came in the dream of Buddha’s mother before he was born were beautiful anecdotes shared with us by our guide, Mr. Pandey.

• Following this, we picked up some trinkets and souvenirs from the streets of Sarnath and enjoyed spicy ‘Jhaal Muri’ and tender coconut.

Enjoying Local drink in Varanasi

• We now entered the campus of the largest residential University Campus of Asia. The BANARAS HINDU UNIVERSITY which houses more than 125 departments and has a student strength of 20,000 who are taught by 2000 faculty members.

• Various departments in BHU includes a large hospital which serves a large catchment area in the states of U.P. and Bihar to Botany, Mining & Engineering and Management Studies are all set to celebrate a 100 years of existence!

• This temple of learning was founded by Madan Mohan Malviya an eminent Freedom Fighter of India and was inaugurated by the first Vice President of India, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, in whose memory, we observe TEACHERS’ DAY each year, in India.

Local Dance performance in our Hotel

• Upon returning to the hotel, we sat through a captivating Kathak ensemble which was supported ably by the harmonium and tabla. On the harmonium was a young exponent, Mr Abhishek Maharaj, who is a sixteenth generation musician who has by now travelled to more than 150 countries of the world with his arts.

• He was categorical that his own cultural identity and his roots kept him grounded, even though he made an entry into the hearts of various people worldwide because of the appreciation that came his way. And the evening belonged to a young and petite danseuse, Ms Mandvi Mishra, all of 14!

• We are carrying a bit of BANARAS in our soul, a sharp memory of the fleeting images of the ghats, the beggars on the street, the vibrant street food panorama, the endless stretch of saree shops on Madanpura Road, the bottoms-up of the entire ANTODAYA team which guzzled down all the ‘thandai’ which Banaras had to offer!

• The crazy rickshaw rides in the by-lanes of Banaras, where we lost our bearing and a bit of our soul…. Banaras, beckons you now and forever, and you will come back to it, someday!

BODHGAYA

Bodh Gaya

•Bodh Gaya is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous as it is the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have obtained Enlightenment (pali: bodhi) under what became known as the Bodhi Tree.

• In 2002, Mahabodhi Temple, located in Bodh Gaya, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

FACTS ABOUT BODHGAYA• UNESCO World Heritage Site

• It is famous as it is the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have obtained Enlightenment

• It is believed that about 280 years after the Enlightenment of the Buddha, Emperor Ashoka visited Bodh Gaya

Mahabodhi temple

Maha Bodhi Tree

Antodaya Team in the Bodhgaya

• Now, we were headed towards Bodhgaya, the land of enlightenment and salvation. It is important to note that it is designated as a ‘world heritage site’ by UNESCO.

• It was very interesting to see the different expressions and interpretations of the teachings of The Buddha as followed by different people of the world, all coming together at Bodhgaya.

• Bodhgaya is somewhat like ‘Antarctica’, as it has a representation of various countries who have a common mission of communal harmony through the teachings of The Buddha but are divided in terms of the nuances of their practice and rituals.

Buddhist Monk

Buddhist Monks from Thailand

The Main Big Buddha

•We began with the Mahabodhi Temple complex with the great Bodhi tree, under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment.

•The air was full of vibrant chants of different sects of Buddhism and it had a heady fragrance of incense which uplifted our moods, in one breath to heaven. Following this we went to the Japanese IndosanNipon temple and the eight foot tall ‘Daibotsu’ who had the most mesmerizing pairs of half-closed of half-closed eyes.

THE GREAT BUDDHA

The Giant Buddha Statue• The Giant Buddha Statue is one of the many stops in the Buddhist

pilgrimage and tourist routes in Bodhgaya, Bihar (India).

• The statue is 25 m (82 ft) high in meditation pose or dhyana mudra seated on a lotus in open air.

• It is possibly the largest built in India and was consecrated on 18 November 1989 by the 14th Dalai Lama.

• The foundation stone for the statue was placed in 1982.[4]

Antodaya team in front of the Giant Buddha

RUINS OF NALANDA

•Nalanda is one of the most ancient international centers of education and learning equivalent to modern universities, with a very rich library.

•Nalanda has a very ancient history and goes back to the days of Mahavira and Buddha in sixth and fifth centuries B.C.

Antodaya team in front of the Nalanda ruins

Nalanda ruins

Our guide explaining about the ruins

•The Nalanda University attracted large number of Buddhist students from different parts of the world. The University of Nalanda was founded in the 5th century by the Gupta rulers.

•There were thousands of students and teachers. The main courses which were taught there were the Buddhist scriptures (both Mahayana and Hinayana), Vedas, Logic, Shabda Vidya (grammar), Chikitsa vidya(medicine) etc.

CHRISTMAS DAY

Bhagalpur,bihar

Bhagalpur

• Bhagalpur is situated on the southern banks of river Ganges in the Indian state of Bihar. It is the fifth largest city in Bihar and is a major urban agglomerate in Eastern Bihar along with Purnia.It is one of the major educational, commercial and political centres in Bihar.

• The Gangetic plains surrounding the city are very fertile and the main crops include rice, wheat, maize, barley, and oilseeds. The economy of Bhagalpur is dependent mainly on agriculture and small businesses

St. Paul's church,Bihar

• In the morning, we all went to St. Paul's church where all of us were blessed by the father and we lit candles and prayed for a bright future ahead. The church was established in 1896 and has been active every day since.

•After we returned back from the St. Paul's Church, all of us met the SBM of Munger who was a really learned man and had a cup of tea as we discussed about the journey that we are undertaking. Afterwards, when everyone packed their bags.

Antodaya team in front of St. Paul's church,Bihar

Antodaya team walking forward to ITC Factory

MUNGER,ITC FACTORY

Munger

• Munger is a twin city and a Municipal Corporation situated in the Indian state of Bihar.

• It is the administrative headquarters of Munger district and Munger Division.It is the 5th largest city of Bihar and 2nd largest city in Eastern Bihar.

• Historically, Munger is known for being an ancient seat of rule. The twin city comprises Munger and Jamalpursituated on the southern bank of the river Ganges. It is situated 60 km west of Bhagalpur, and 180 km east of capital city Patna

FACTS ABOUT MUNGER

•Munger has India's oldest tobacco manufacturing unit. Initially it was started by Britishers; later it was taken over by ITC Limited.

•The tobacco manufacturing unit was started in 1905.

Inside the ITC Factory

Inside the ITC Factory

ITC employee explaining the process

Group with ITC Chief

ROPE TRAVEL

Rajgir,Bihar

•Rajgir is a city and a notified area in Nalanda district in the Indian state of Bihar.

•The city of Rajgir was the first capital of the kingdom of Magadha, a state that would eventually evolve into the Mauryan Empire.

• Its date of origin is unknown, although ceramics dating to about 1000 BC have been found in the city.

Rope travel

Ropeway at Rajgir:

•Bihar’s only ropeway is said to be the oldest in the country. It is a single-person ropeway that runs at the top of Ratnagiri Hill.

• It leads to the Vishwa Shanti Stupa (Peace Pagoda), Makhdoom Kund and monasteries built by Japanese devotees of the Buddha on top of the Ratnagiri Hills.

•Treat yourself to the scenic views of Rajgir city when you are enjoying the ropeway ride!

PATNA,BIHAR

Visit to Buddha Smriti Park

• Buddha Smriti Park also known as Buddha Memorial Park is a union park located on Frazer Road near Patna Junction in Patna, India.

• This park has been developed by the Bihar Government to commemorate the 2554th birth anniversary of the Lord Buddha.

• This park was inaugurated by the 14th Dalai Lama

Buddha Memorial Park

Enjoying the local food

VIKRAMSHILA

Vikramashila

•Vikramashila was one of the two most important centres of Buddhist learning in India during the Pala empire, along with Nalanda.

•Vikramashila (village Antichak, district Bhagalpur, Bihar) is located at about 50 km east of Bhagalpur and about 13 km north-east of Kahalgaon,

On the Ganges bed in Vikramshila

On the sunset in Ganges bed

FACTS

• Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary is located in Bhagalpur District of Bihar, India.

• t is the only protected area for the endangered Gangetic dolphins in Asia. Once found in abundance, only a few hundred remain.

• The Gangetic dolphins have been declared as the National Aquatic Animal of India

Gangetic Dolphin in Vikramshila

MAYAPUR,WB

The Spiritual Capital of the World

ISCKON HQ

Map of Mayapur

This is the largest dome in Asia with the upcoming largest temple in the world called the Temple of Vedic Planetarium.

Mayapur

• Mayapur is located on the banks of the Ganges river, at the point of its confluence with the Jalangi, near Navadvip, West Bengal, India, 130 km north of Kolkata (Calcutta).

• The headquarters of ISKCON are situated in Mayapur and it is considered a holy place by a number of other traditions within Hinduism, but is of special significance to followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism as the birthplace of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, regarded as a special incarnation of Krishna in the mood of Radha.

Interacting with foreign people in the temple

FACTS •Mayapur is located on the banks of the Ganges river, at

the point of its confluence with the Jalangi, near Navadvip, West Bengal, India.

• The headquarters of ISKCON are situated in Mayapur

•The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas.

• ISKCON today is a worldwide confederation of more than 550 centres,

KOLKATA

Visit to Mission of Charity

FACTS

•The Missionaries of Charity was established by the Blessed Mother Teresa on October 7, 1950 with the sole aim to give 'wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor'.

•The Missionaries of Charity began as a small community with only 12 members but today, the organisation has over 4,500 members running orphanages

Visit to the famous Kali temple ,Kolakata

Enjoying the local cuisine

Kolkata local food

Visit to Victoria Memorial Hall

FACTS

•The Victorial Memorial was built between 1906 and 1921, in the memory of Queen Victoria (1819–1901).

•Built on the grounds by the banks of Hooghly River.

•The total cost for the construction of this monument amounted to 1 Crore, 5 Lakh rupees

Clicking club students on Kolkata Street Photography

SUNDERBANS

FACTS

•UNESCO World Heritage

•Biggest and Largest Mangrove forest in the World

•Only nature wonder from Indian can see from Space

On the Way to Sundarbans –Enjoying local tea

Welcome to Sundarbans

•Today the zeal in the students was quite different, everyone was very anxious to sight the Royal Bengal tiger.

•On the way many of us were trying to cover up on our lost sleep during all these days of Antodaya.

•During the onward journey we also had an impromptu Cultural Dance session in the tempo, where everyone was actively involved in singing along, dancing and generally cheering loudly.

Interacting with Local people in Sundarbans Island

•We then reached Gothkali and drove back to Kolkata, where we had now checked into a new hotel on the Royd road, adjacent to the Park Street. We were delighted to be a part of the Kolkata crowds which had gathered on the Park Street to welcome 2016, in full force!

On our last day in Kolkata

On the Kolkata Airport

Standing with our Driver and Helper

Final one Group Photo

Finally …………..

• Although the term Antodaya is defined as ‘Unto the Last’, the journey has been a beginning to another liberating experience.

• We have learned and grown as spiritual individuals who understand the meaning of life better.

• Whether a teenager or an adult, this expedition has given us knowledge along with practical understanding. To us, the world seems full of hope even with the struggles.

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• Made by• K.GuruCharan kumar,ESS Teacher, India• MYP Teacher• IGCSE EVM Teacher• Graphic Designer• Photographer• Quiz Master• Blogger• Web Designer• Adobe Specialist• Snake Lover• IAYP School In charge• Round Square School Member• School Clicking Club Head• Graphic Designer and Field Trip Organiser

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