Photographic journey in India among the colors of Holi and the spirituality of Varanasi. We will immerse ourselves in the most colorful party in the world and breathe in all the magic of Benares from 02 to 15 March 2020

Organizzazione in loco a cura di – Namaste Tours, con il fotografo Riccardo Cornaglia.

There is not much to say: The strength of the Holi Festival dominates whoever participates in it. We will be invaded by wild festivities first and will breathe all the mystique of Varanasi, but above all we will live an authentic new photographic experience together. You will have at your disposal 24 expert reportage photographers such as Riccardo and Leandro who, in addition to following you for the photographic part, will act as a tour leader to make your experience unforgettable. The main purpose of the tour is to improve your photographic skills and technical knowledge to allow you to tell any kind of experience through the pictures you’ll be taking. We will try to develop in each of you a unique and personal style that will help you stand out from the crowd. Don’t worry: this type of workshop is open to anyone and with any level of photographic preparation. The journey will take us to follow the festival of colors, one of the oldest Hindu celebrations, now known throughout the world.

Behind this beautiful event is a legend, according to Hindu mythology, the dark-skinned god Krishna wanted to make a joke to Radha, his light-skinned bride and painted her face with colors. For this reason, during the Holi Festival, lovers paint their faces to each other as a sign of love. The Holi holiday was born in India and Nepal centuries ago and has the main purpose of celebrating a rebirth, both personal and global. L’Holi, in fact, is celebrated at the beginning of spring to welcome the new season but at the same time to kick off a new phase of their lives. According to the Hindu religion, to make this change possible it is necessary to hunt down one’s demons.

02 March: FLIGHT ITALY – DELHI

03 March: ARRIVAL IN DELH

04 March: DELHI – VRINDAVAN

05 March: NANDGAON

06 March: VRIDAVAN Banke Bihari Temple

07 March: VRINDAVAN

08 March: VRINDAVAN – DELHI

09 March: DELHI – (Overnight Train)

10 March: VARANASI

11 March: VARANASI

12 March: VARANASI

13 March: VARANASI – (Overnight Train)

14 March: DELHI

15 March: DELHI – RETURN FLIGHT

MASTER PHOTOGRAPHER PRESENTATION:

RICCARDO CORNAGLIA (www.riccardocornaglia.it) born in 1978 in Moncalvo in the heart of Monferrato/Piedmont. Inveterate traveler and reportage photographer with a lot of experience in people photography. He has achieved various results in travel and wedding photography. Member of ANFM for several years with the prestigious qualification of ANFM SELECTED. Promoter of very interesting photographic projects and teacher of photographic workshops. He doesn't like to talk about himself and his past because the most interesting thing to experience is certainly what will happen. His strong point is to put himself on a par with anyone who wants to learn.

TRAVEL PROGRAM:

DAY 1 – MARCH 03 2020 – DELHI

DAY 2 – 04 MARCH 2020 – DELHI – VRINDAVAN (Holi Celebrations in Barsana)
Reception at the airport, assistance and escort to the hotel by our local correspondent. Overnight in Delhi.
Transfer to Vrindavan in the morning and check-in at the hotel. In the afternoon, departure for Barsana to participate in the most lively of the color festivals. Thousands of people from all over India visit the Mathura and Vindravan region in particular for this special occasion. Celebrations begin a week before the day of Holi with Lathmar Holi in Barsana, a small village in Mathura. During the festivities, the women from Barsana collect small pieces of wood to welcome and “beat” the men from Nandgaon. This rite is part of Hindu mythology according to which the god Krishna, with some friends, visited Barsana, the village of Radha (his girlfriend) to tease her and other young women by throwing colored water at them. In response, Radha and the other girls began to hit men with sticks.

DAY 3 – 05 MARCH 2020 – NANDGAON (Holi Celebrations in Nandgaon)

Breakfast at the hotel and departure for Nandgaon to attend the celebrations taking place in this place (similar to those of Barsana). It is to Nandgaon that the god Krishna spent his childhood. According to legend, the day after Barsana’s provocation, Radha and her friends came here to declare revenge by throwing color at Krishna and his friends. In reality, women do not participate in these celebrations, so men and transgender people dressed in women’s clothes represent them and go to Barsanaa Nandgaon to repeat the ritual. It is a very special and unique situation because men and women play together without any sexual approach, with the sole purpose of mocking and courting. The main festivities take place in the courtyard of the temple, which soon becomes a marvelous explosion of color. People from both villages sing and dance together. Overnight at Hotel.

DAY 4 – MARCH 06, 2020 – VRIDAVAN (Holi celebrations at the Banke Bihari temple)

The celebrations at the Banke-Bihari temple last a week. During the celebrations, Bihariji (the popular name of Krishna in the area of ​​Braj) is dressed in white, while the Goswamis (the monks of the temple) all sprinkle with color. The atmosphere is made even more lively by the music (bhajans) in the background and the carefree dances of the crowd. On this special day the festivities continue at the famous Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan, which opens around 4 pm to accommodate no more colors but flowers. For this reason, the celebration is called Phoolonwaliholi, which means Holi with flowers. Overnight at Hotel.

DAY 5 – MARCH 07, 2020 – VRINDAVAN

Today there will be a unique opportunity to celebrate with widowed women residing here. In India, widows have always had a difficult life: often hunted from their homes and forced to live in places of meditation such as the ashrams of Varanasi and Vrindavan, they could only wear white clothes and were not allowed to use colors and play with them . Only a couple of years ago the widows of Pagal Baba Widow Ashram, Vrindavan decided not to submit to this rule anymore and to play with colors. Participating in the festivities with them will be very encouraging and supportive of this noble cause and will help bring joy and color into their lives. Overnight at Hotel.

DAY 6 – MARCH 08 2020 – VRINDAVAN – DELHI (160 Km / Around 03 – 04 hours)

Today is the day of the great Holi celebrations. The great event takes place in the historic temple of Dwarkadheesh in Mathura. On this day it is traditional to prepare and drink bhang, a cannabis drink. You can watch the preparation by the monks and you will have the opportunity to taste it. The temple opens at 10 am and a large crowd waits outside the gates ready to launch colors to anyone who enters. The atmosphere inside the temple is magical: the monks play the Dhols and the people sing and dance.
Return to Delhi in the late evening and overnight at the hotel.

DAY 7 – MARCH 09, 2020 – DELHI – (Night Train to Varanasi)

After breakfast, visit the old districts of Delhi with traveling photography. Late afternoon, transfer to the station for the night train to Varanasi. Overnight on the train.

8th DAY – 10 MARCH 2020 – VARANASI

Assistance on arrival in Varanasi and transfer to the hotel. Free day for choice activities and traveling photography. Overnight in Varanasi.

DAY 9 – MARCH 11, 2020 – VARANASI

DAY 10 – 12 MARCH 2020 – VARANASI

After breakfast, visit a local religious school to observe and photograph the daytime activities but also the prayer of the young priests along the river.

DAY 11 – MARCH 13, 2020 – VARANASI (Night Train to Delhi)

Free day for various activities. Late afternoon, transfer to the train station to take the direct train to Delhi. Overnight on the train.

DAY 12 – MARCH 14, 2020 – DELHI

Arrival at New Delhi railway station and transfer to the hotel. Free day for various activities. Overnight at Hotel.

DAY 13 – MARCH 15, 2020 – DELHI (Return flight to Italy)

Transfer to the airport for the return flight to Italy.

WORKSHOP QUOTATION – € 1700.00 – MINIMUM 6 PAX MAXIMUM 10 PAX.

RESERVATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE JOURNEY MUST BE MADE VIA THE MAIL OF THE ADDRESS:

info@riccardocornaglia.it

MAIL ADDRESS

For payment we will give you all the information when registering for the workshop.
Registration and payment to be made no later than 31 DECEMBER 2019.

THE PRICE INCLUDES: - Hotel accommodation on shared double room for 10 nights in hotel and 2 nights in sleeper train - All hotel room + breakfast - Arrival/departure transfers, sightseeing, excursions, intercity transfers with an A/C vehicle ( depending on the number of people), which covers driving allowance, toll tax, permit, interstate taxes, parking etc - English speaking guide in Mathura-Vrindavan and Varanasi - Train from Delhi – Varanasi – Delhi on AC 2or3 sleeper class (subject to availability) - Boat ride on the Ganges in Varanasi.

THE FEE DOES NOT INCLUDE: - Entrance fees / donation for any school / religious orphanage / Madarsa /tuk-tuk or rickshaw - Any personal expenses such as phone calls, tips, use of paid items in the room mini bar, any kind of alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, hospitalization or evacuation - International flights, Visa, airport taxes, insurance, etc. - Tips for drivers/guides, waiters, etc. - Anything not mentioned in "The Price Includes".

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS – INSURANCE – VISA

International flights to and from Delhi are at the expense of the participants who will be free to buy them in the way they prefer, if you provide autonomously please contact us in order to check if the flights you identify are compatible with the Tour calendar, tell us your details (flight – date – time). Photographers Riccardo Cornaglia and Leandro Biasco will leave from Turin or Milan. It will be our pleasure to direct you in choosing the medical / luggage insurance (highly recommended) to which you will have to provide independently. You must apply for a visa to travel to India. Travelers, who visit India for a normal vacation in the most classic places, can easily do the online application for E-Visa, with a duration of 2 months. This is not a real visa but an authorization to travel to India, as the visa will then be applied on the passport by the Indian authorities upon arrival, once all the biometric data aimed at identifying the person have been collected.

LAST THINGS

For entry into India it is necessary to have a passport with residual validity of at least 6 months. First of all it will be a photographic journey but even more a real experience that will make us friends and participants of a fabulous adventure. We look forward to meeting you!