The Taj Mahal

India Travel / India Tour / India Holiday

You are invited to a unique Yogic experience with leading yoga teacher Karen Kenney, as you tour the amazing country of India on this yoga retreat!

You will feel a tremendous sense of calm and well-being after each meeting as we delve into these simple yet potent healing modalities of yoga and meditation. No previous experience with Yoga or meditation is necessary. (All of these exercises can be done seated in a chair.) Join Karen for a journey of a lifetime. Travel to mystical India for yoga with the gods on your personal spiritual retreat / meditation retreat!

The capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur - the "Pink City" — is among the most picturesque cities in the world. The city has been built in accordance with the Shilpa Shastra, the ancient Hindu treatise on architecture. The principle streets are 108 feet wide (108 being the most sacred number to the Hindus). The planning of this beautiful city is a marvel, especially considering that in the 18th century there were few planned cities even in Europe.

Also visit the Maharaja's City Palace, the former royal residence and now a museum containing rare manuscripts, fine specimens of Rajput and Mughal paintings. Drive through the pink-rose buildings and past the Hawa Mahal or Palace of Winds, the landmark of Jaipur.

Amber Fort, the ancient capital of the State until 1728. You will have the unique experience of traveling on elephant-back to the top of the hill on which the fort is situated. Also, visit temples to Krishna and Shiva and other sites.

Fatehpur Sikri is a deserted, phantom city. The inner citadel is immaculately preserved. Its walls, palaces, baths, royal mint, courts and gardens still stand in splendid homage to a great visionary and builder. The heart of the palace complex is very much alive in its spiritual energy.

Agra is the birthplace of Krishna and, of course, is the home of the Taj Mahal, which is a "divine poem done in white marble," the world's most magnificent monument to love and devotion. Emperor Shah Jahan constructed this most famous edifice in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

Sunrise at the Taj Mahal, plus morning tour of the Taj. Although the Taj is amazing from any angle, it is the close up details, which are astounding. Semiprecious stones are inlaid into the marble in beautiful patterns and the walls are "radiant with flowers and jewels."

"Seeing the full moon over Agra and the Taj Mahal, and mingling with a people so beautiful, yet so different from my own, I have felt my heart open." — Alexandria C. Etna, NH

Optional extension to Varanasi, Khajuraho Plus Other Mystical Sites of India November 26 - December 3

The Mahadev Temple

Be inspired as well by the ruins at Khajuraho, home of the world famous Tantric temples, exhibiting the world's foremost display of religious erotic art. Khajuraho was the religious and political capital of the Chandela kings, who built the complex of 85 temples between 950 A.D. and 1050 A.D. Decorating the walls and platforms of the still remaining 22 temples are erotic sculptures of remarkable grace and beauty.

The most important are the Chausath Yogini Temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, the Mahadev Temple, Chitragupta Temple with a lovely 11 headed image of Vishnu, the Vishwanath and Nandi Temples, Lakshmi Temple and the Vraha Temple dedicated to Shiva, which is the largest of the Khajuraho temples.

Varanasi, which is located on the banks of the holy river Ganges. Varanasi has been the religious capital of Hindu faith since the dawn of history. It is perhaps the oldest living city in the world. When Buddha visited this city around 500 B.C., it was already an ancient settlement. Hindus believe that the water of the Ganges holds the power of salvation and every devout Hindu's ambition is to visit Varanasi once in a lifetime.

Ganges at dawn is a must, so we will embark on a boat excursion at the early hours of the morning. At dawn multitudes of pilgrims descend in the holy waters to perform the ritual immersion and the prayers at the Ghats. Witnessing this spectacle of the practice of a religion unchanged over thousands of years is one of the most extraordinary experiences in India. On the way back from the river, we visit the 18th century observatory and the Nepalese temple.

Sarnath where Buddha gave his first sermon. Having achieved enlightenment at Bodhgaya, the Buddha came to Sarnath to preach his message to find Nirvana. Later, Ashoka, the great Buddhist emperor, erected magnificent stupas and other monuments here.

Quest Yoga Studio is owned and directed by Karen Kenney, a certified and registered yoga teacher. Karen graduated from Boston University with a degree in Communications. Upon graduation, she moved to Los Angeles where she became a personal trainer, played women's baseball and later worked for international best-selling author and lecturer, Marianne Williamson.

Karen's introduction to yoga happened while she was still in college. However, her yoga practice really started to take root while she was traveling on a spiritual pilgrimage in Egypt. It was there that she fell in love with yoga's ancient philosophy and physical discipline all over again. She has been practicing and teaching ever since.

Karen studied various styles of yoga before receiving her certification from the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Lenox, MA. She also completed her teacher training in the Primary Series of Ashtanga Yoga with David Swenson and Shelley Washington. She began teaching group, corporate and private classes throughout New Hampshire and later opened Quest Yoga Studio.

Karen is a registered teacher with the Yoga Alliance and the producer and host of "The Yoga Show with Karen" on CCTV, Channel 22 in Concord, NH. The "Yoga Show with Karen" airs Monday-Thursday at 9pm and Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 9am.

She is also featured in two Quest Yoga DVDs: a "30 minute Yoga Flow & 15 minute Gentle Practice" and a 60 minute "Vigorous Yoga Practice". Please visit the products page to purchase these items.

Karen continues her yoga education by attending workshops, classes and various teacher trainings. She has had the opportunity to study with many inspiring teachers including: Pattabhi Jois, David Swenson, Baron Baptiste, Kathy McNames, Todd Norian, Doug Swenson, Rodney Yee, Rajashree Choudhury, Nancy Gilgoff, David Life, Sharon Gannon and many of the great teachers and facilitators at Kripalu.

Karen has been blessed with and sends much love to the inspirational women that have taken her under their spiritual wings along the way: Daphne Rose Kingma and Marianne Williamson. Of course, Karen continues to learn from her amazing students, from her fellow yoga teachers, from reading the scriptures and the writings of the great mystics and yogic texts, and from her own daily practice on and off the mat.