Story Hunters in India, Nov 4 – 19, 2023.

Delhi, Jaiselmer, Varanasi, Delhi.

Join us for a unique writing and travel experience set in the thriving heart of Indian life. From the Thar desert to the sacred ghats of the Ganges, via the pulsating city scapes of our entry and exit point Delhi, our story hunters are travellers with a mission — to collect that which is most prized to the writers’ mind — a story that resonates within you and through its telling, may illuminate the minds of others.

Over 14 days with the help of translators and guides, you will be granted access to the most poignant stories: deep moving complex stories: of nomadic Rajashani Gypsies who still roam across the Thar Desert in their rickety caravans;  of henna artists with an ancient lineage; immigrant workers far from their villages and families , all fuelled by a mix of belief, acceptance, necessity, tradition, and some dogged internal strength.

Daily workshops and excursions into off the beaten track places will include meetings with family groups, communities, musicians, dancers, artisans, local characters and experts who will share their stories with us. Flying in and out of Delhi, we will have time to settle into our superb accommodations in two main locations, Jaiselmer and Varanasi, time to develop relationships with the people and places and gain an understanding of their way of life through story telling and story gathering.

In Delhi we stay at the Raddison Blu, in Jaiselmer at the Narawan Niwas Hotel, in Varanasi at Guleria Kothi a restored river house on the Ganges River.

This tour is being run in partnership with Raymond Hawkins of Blue Swan Events. Raymond spent 6 months in India in 2022 laying the ground work for our tour. Read more about Blue Swan here and find more detail about Story Hunters here. 

WATCH OUR INFO VIDEO HERE

EARLY BIRD PRICE:  $7999 AUD pay your deposit ASAP! Save $500!

REGULAR PRICE   $8499AUD.

Please note that while this is our most expensive trip, the price includes 5 star accomodation and cuisine, domestic airfares, expert guides, speakers, unique off the beaten track experiences.

A 25% deposit ($2000AUD) will reserve your place.

Contact Blue Swan Events  here  with Story Hunters 2023 in subject line.

SEE OUR ITINERARY BELOW

Where we are going. (note: Jailsemer is located at the airplane symbol) Travel between our three main locations will be by plane.

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‘Jaisalmer is a former medieval trading center and a princely state in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, in the heart of the Thar Desert. Known as the “Golden City,” it’s distinguished by its yellow sandstone architecture. Dominating the skyline is Jaisalmer Fort, a sprawling hilltop citadel buttressed by 99 bastions. Behind its massive walls stand the ornate Maharaja’s Palace and intricately carved Jain temples. ‘

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here we will travel out into the  Thar desert to meet the nomadic gypsy families, to hear stories told in music, dance and henna art. We meet Baul mystics as well as modern nomads who are making a life for themselves among the traditions of old, like Dr Arunita Banerjee who rides India on her motorbike as a digital nomad after completing her PHD in Science. We will visit Gadisar lake for morning yoga and meditation with local teachers, explore Bada Bagh, an extraordinary 16th Century Cenotaph build for cremation of the Maharajas.  Explore the abandoned village of Kuldhara, the seven Jain Temples in the Golden Fort. All the stories we gather and the talking points we discover leading into the mystery of India will give us tools and insights for what is to come, as we  prepare to travel to Varanasi.

‘Varanasi is a city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh dating to the 11th century B.C. Regarded as the spiritual capital of India, the city draws Hindu pilgrims who bathe in the Ganges River’s sacred waters and perform funeral rites. Along the city’s winding streets are some 2,000 temples, including Kashi Vishwanath, the “Golden Temple,” dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.’

 

The city of Varanasi is an important pilgrimage spot for Hindus, and also the place where the Buddha gave his first sermon in the year 528. An intellectual, historical and religious melting pot it is also one of UNESCO’s Cities of Music. Not only will we celebrate Diwali here, but we will take a silent dawn cruise on the Ganges, visit ghats, temples and mosques from our river boat. Over several days we will meet women academics and hear them speak on such topics as ‘Life and Death in Hindu Culture’ and ‘The Emergence of Women’ , ‘ Caste and Acceptance.” We will visit Sarnath where the Buddha first taught, and the nearby Tibetan University, meet the Tibetan community, and depart for a Sufi Temple to hear the charismatice Sufi Priest tell stories of the poet Kabir. We will explore backstreets and markets filled with artisans offering silks and brocades, gold and silver threadwork, woven carpets, brass and copperware, perfumes and jewelery.  At the International Music Ashram we will meet Dr Sandip Kewale and hear about Varanasi’s musical heritage illustrated by performances of his students.  At the same time in our workshops we will explore the the themes of life and death as we contemplate the daily cycles of The Mother Ganges, this natural flowing symbol of the Divine.

Delhi, our arrival and departure city, ‘is India’s capital territory, is a massive metropolitan area in the country’s north. In Old Delhi, a neighborhood dating to the 1600s, stands the imposing Mughal-era Red Fort, a symbol of India, and the sprawling Jama Masjid mosque, whose courtyard accommodates 25,000 people. Nearby is Chandni Chowk, a vibrant bazaar filled with food carts, sweets shops and spice stalls.’

On arrival and departure we plan to meet with with local writers for introductions to this extraordinary city as well as an opportunity to reflect on our journey.

Travellers can fly home for Delhi or choose to continue on their own itinerary.

ITINERARY ( Note: morning writing workshops and afternoon readings will be woven in to our itinerary. Daily prompts plus on-site writing opportunities will be given while on excursions.)

DAY 1 – Delhi – Nov 4 – 2023

• Arrive at RADDISSON BLU at 2pm. {The hotel is right in the Delhi’s famous Connaught Place}
• After check-in at 2pm visit the beautiful and culturally important Lodhi Gardens. Talk on Muslim culture in India.
• Visit Indian instruments shop below hotel where the young Beatles purchased sitars and where Indians have paid homage for decades, kissing the ground they walked on.
• Discussion on the Guru in Indian culture.
• Return to hotel and welcome address, tour and writing component briefing,  keynote talk.
• Dinner at the hotel.

Ideas: The Guru in Indian Society – The Muslim Influence – Harmony amidst religious and cultural diversity in Delhi – Influence of architecture (old and new styles) in shaping different parts of Delhi as a city Delhi Stories.

 

Overnight: Delhi

 

Meals: Dinner

 

 

DAY 2: Delhi – Jaisalmer – Flight – Nov 5

 

• After breakfast check out from the hotel and transfer to the Delhi airport to board your onward flight to Jaisalmer.
• Check-in to the glorious heritage NARAYAN NIWAS PALACE
• Lunch at hotel.
• Afternoon visit to the magnificent Jaisalmer Fort with various discussion points including history of the fort present day life inside one of the few living forts in the world and the only one in India – Invasion and the ancient tradition of committing Jauhar (honour death by jumping into fire) among Rajput women to escape capture by Muslim invaders – meeting of artisans to hear their personal histories.
• Welcome talk from the Narayan Niwas Hotel about the history of this gorgeous palace converted into a hotel.
• Dinner at hotel

Ideas: How life is organised inside India’s last living fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with a population of around 5,000 people — mostly descendants of Brahmin and Rajput families who once lived here, the interesting roles of caste and religion in determining socioeconomic structures in India.

 

Overnight: Jaisalmer

 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

 

 

DAY 3: Jaisalmer – Nov 6

 

• Breakfast at hotel.
• Quick trip to the beautiful Lake Gadisar.
• Talk on history of the lake and its function within Jaisalmer culture.
• Lunch at lakeside cafe.
• Wander around the wonderful markets full of Gypsies and camels and Hindu temples.
• After lunch visit the Hindu Cremation site – Bada Bagh – a wondrous collection of beautifully carved cenotaphs preserved for the Maharajas. Talk on Hindu religion and cremation rituals.
• Free range time in Jaisalmer Bazaar near hotel.
• Dinner at Jaisal Treats.

Ideas: Water in the Desert – The Maharajas – Cremation Rituals – The Bazaar

 

Overnight: Jaisalmer

 

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

 

 

DAY 4: Jaisalmer – Nov 7

 

• Early morning meditation in the Jain Temple in Jaisalmer Fort and visit to the Laxminarayan temple of Hindu faith. Discussion with priests on the Jain religion and its relationship with Hindu culture.
• Rooftop breakfast overlooking Jaisalmer. Talk on the roof top world of India, the space which affords perspective and solace.
• A journey inside a famous Haveli just near the Jain Temple owned by family who have lived there for centuries.
• Day free to wander and process this wonderful place, have a chai, let the fact that you are in India catch up with you and enjoy the beautiful hotel environs.
• Dinner at sunset café with local Rajasthani musicians and singers.

Ideas: Jainism – Respite of the Roof – – Interplay of religions – Perspectives of life and death through worship and cremation rituals – Music, art and cultures of the city-living gypsies – Caste and art.

 

Overnight: Jaisalmer

 

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

 

 

DAY 5 Jaisalmer – Nov 8

 

• After breakfast head to Kuldhara, a village abandoned overnight in the 13th Century for unknown reasons. The ruins of the ancestral homes still stand. So to do curses upon anyone who sought to settle in the village after the people had left.
• Late afternoon depart for Sam Sand Dunes in the Thar Desert with a fascinating interaction with an NGO school developed for Bhopal Gypsy and Magniyar Moslem girls. A wonderful interaction with the children as well as a tour of the incredible passive solar building in the desert with a talk on the process of negotiating with tribal people in the establishment of the school. A incredible insight into Rajasthan desert culture and the emergence of education as a tool for gender equality in a deeply traditional culture.
• Lunch at the School
• Visit nearby Manganiyar village of musicians and then enjoy dinner and music with Gypsy family in the evening.
• Performance by local singers and dancers.

Ideas: Gypsy culture – Manganiyar Moslems – Education for girls in a place with very low overall literacy among the population – Glimpse into Rajasthan’s abundance of mythical folklores and “haunted ruins”

 

Overnight: Jaisalmer

 

Meals: Breakfast. lunch and Dinner

 

Day 6 – Jaisalmer – Nov 9

 

• Writing and reflections and wandering. A day to absorb the magic of Jaisalmer from inside the fort. We will base ourselves in an old Haveli or cafe, with the intention of exploring and collecting the narratives of this wonderful and safe place.

Ideas: reflections and absorption.

 

Overnight: Jaisalmer.

 

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner.

 

 

Day 7 – Jaisalmer to Delhi – Nov 10

 

• Depart for Jaisalmer Airport en route to Delhi.
• Check into a hotel at the airport to make our move to Varanasi more relaxing.
• Enjoy the evening writing and relaxing with a talk by local Delhi academic on the historical significance of Diwali, it’s origins in religious mythology and present-day nature of the festival interwoven into the social fabric of Delhi-Jaisalmer-Varanasi.
• This interlude will afford some respite before the storm that awaits us in

Ideas: Diwali ritual and significance.

 

Overnight: Delhi.

Meals: Breakfast.

 

 

Day 8 – Delhi to Varanasi – Nov 11

• After breakfast, transfer to the airport to board the flight to Varanasi.
• Lunch at airport
• Arrive Varanasi and transfer to the accomodation overlooking from the Ganga.
• Dinner at hotel.
• We stay at one of Varanasi, if not India’s most exquisite hotel, GULERIA KOTHI HOTEL , taking all rooms to provide us with a sanctuary by the Ganges.
• Witness & celebrate the Ganges Aarti on the banks for the river.

Ideas: The Ganges, reflections on the birth of human settlements and entire civilizations around major rivers of the world.

 

Overnight: Varanasi.

 

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner.

 

 

Day 9 Varanasi – NOV 12 – CELBRATE DIWALI

 

• Up at pre-dawn for a day on a house boat down the Ganges. Silence at the start listening to wonderful musicians playing for us as we float through this incredible city. Breakfast on the boat
• Visit to Ghats, Temples and Mosque accessed from the Ganga.
• Anchor by the side of the river for lunch.
• After lunch a question and answer session with Dr Rashmi on topics such as ‘Life and Death in Hindu Culture’, ‘Emergence of Women’, ‘Caste’, ‘Acceptance’, ‘Sadhus’ and everything you’ve always wondered about India. While Dr Rashmi is our primary speaker who will be joined after lunch by a number of local academics.
• Return to the hotel, inviting our guests to join us for dinner and ongoing discussion.
• Dinner and Varanasi Soiree at a local restaurant.

Ideas: Varanasi history  – Reflections on itual Ccremation rituals – Women’s role in Indian society and how they are now breaking the shackles

 

Overnight: Varanasi.

 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 

 

 

Day 10 Varanasi – NOV 13

 

• Early morning meditation on the Ganges.
• After breakfast we take a guided walk through the backstreets of Varanasi, thru the maze of temples, shops, chai wallahs and wandering cows.
• Afternoon to write and relax

Ideas: The old city – – colourful indian bazaars.

 

Overnight: Varanasi.

 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner 

 

 

Day 11 Varanasi – NOV 14

 

• Early morning meditation on the Ganges.
• After breakfast head to Sarnath where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma.
• Visit the nearby Tibetan University with a talk by Ramesh Chandra Negi ji on Tibetan and Buddhist culture within India.
• Lunch at the University.
• Depart for Sufi Temple with the charismatic resident priest. Umesh ji. Discussion on the development of Sufism and the impact of the poet Kabir whose life and works drew inspiration from multiple religions and surpassed all of them.
• Visit a colony of classical musicians who have lived in the same community for hundred of years

Ideas: Buddha – Buddhism, Tibetan culture – Sufism and Kabir – Hindu Classical musical culture.

 

Overnight: Varanasi.

 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

 

 

Day 12 Varanasi – NOV 15

 

• Writing and reflections and wandering along the Ganges and through the old city of Varanasi.

Ideas: Absorption in place.

 

Overnight: Varanasi.

 

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner.

 

 

Day 13 Varanasi to Delhi Nov 16

 

• After breakfast, transfer to the airport to board the flight to Delhi
• Lunch at airport
• Arrive Delhi and transfer to the ACCOMODATION.
• Walk around Connaught Place
• Dinner at hotel.

Ideas: History of Delhi.

 

Overnight: Delhi.

 

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner

 

 

Day 14 – Delhi – Nov 17

 

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Visit the Tibetan Camp in Delhi to hear stories of Tibetan migration from Jigme La and his community.
• Lunch at Tibetan Camp
• Afternoon visit Hijra Communities, a ‘third’ gender community distinct from transgender and intersex identities.
• Dinner at hotel.

Ideas: Tibetan immigration – Sexuality in India.

 

Overnight: Delhi.

 

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner.

 

 

Day 15 – Delhi – Nov 18

 

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Visit Central Cottage Industries Emporium with authentic original handicrafts ethically sourced from artisans across the Indian subcontinent. Great place to buy presents.
• Lunch at the hotel
• Final workshops and readings and wander around Connaught Place.
• Dinner at the hotel

Ideas: Folk and Craft of India, glimpse into the life of Indian artisans who migrate to cities in hope of finding a decent market for their products.

 

Overnight: Delhi.

 

Meals: Breakfast, lunch and Dinner.

 

 

Day 16 – Delhi – Nov 19

• Breakfast and check out

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Below, your writing tutor Jan, with sadhus at the ghats in Katmandu, on our Nepal/Tibet tour in 2017.