Fw: India Yantra - November 8-24, 2002

[Guest guest]

-

<yogainfo

 

> Sat Nam. In order to avail the $150.00 discount to participate in the

Sikh

> Dharma Yatra to India (At the Feet of the Saints, November 8-24,

> 2002), we must have your $200.00 deposit prior to September 1st.

>

> If you have not received a brochure, to see one on line, please go to:

> http://www.sikhnet.com/s/GTYatra

>

> For those concerned with security issues in India, please see the

> following:

>

> If you are concerned about security, we would like to address the

political

> and security

> situation between India and Pakistan. On Monday July 22nd, the State

> Department

> released a revised travel warning. The report states that tensions

> between India and Pakistan continue to subside and therefore, all

> non-essential staff and their families who left India in June are now free

> to travel

> back to India.

>

> This updated warning still recommends that travelers avoid travel to

> all of the border areas, including Punjab. Please feel free to read

> the entire announcement at http://travel.state.gov/india_announce.html

>

> The Indian Government welcomes this reduction of the travel warning

> and stands by its position that India has always been a safe place

> and that the travel advisory was unnecessary. Britain, France,

> Austria and Japan have also lifted their travel warnings.

>

> As we also have a school in Amritsar we recently spoke to the

> SiriSingh Sahib relating to the specific recommendation in the message

> that travel to Punjab be avoided and he shared the following regarding the

> school and the Yatra.

>

> "....we have special police security for the Miri Piri Academy (Amritsar)

> and the best-armed

> security offered in India at the school. Our Director, Mr. Bedi was a

> Director of Intelligence in the Indian government for 35 years. He

> spent 30 years of that term in Amritsar and is keeping a very close

> watch. Likewise, our security for the Yatra is being handled.

>

> We have gathered information from other schools in the area, that have

> Americans attending, and they are starting on time... likewise, we will

> proceed on the Yatra, feeling secure. We are going to visit the House

> of Guru Ram Das. It is a matter of trust and faith. We are Khalsa

> and it is not our character to live in fear. This is our great

> opportunity to take away fear and substitute it with faith and trust.

>

> We are embarking on a Yatra to walk in the footsteps of the saints and

> sages that have gone before us. We should proceed with trust and joy

> for this wonderful opportunity..."