Study Tour to

February 8 – 20, 2019

The tour will take us to places of Sr. Lucy Kurien and her organization MAHER („Mothers´ Home“) for women in distress, street children, elderly people, awareness projects, village development, etc. We will draw and paint, sing, dance and live together with mentally disturbed women, orphan children and elderlies at Vatsalyadham near Pune in the state of . We will also get to know the fascinating culture and landscape of South India in the state of and visit MAHER´s children´s home Snehabhavan. With a traditional wooden house boat we will explore the famous backwaters. We will also meet Indian business people and professionals and visit Ness Wadia College of Commerce in Pune. Visiting Mumbai, Pune and Kochi will give us an insight into three of India´s most interesting cities. Above all we will share Indian joy of life at markets, in villages and in many encounters with people.

Program:

Friday, Feb. 8: 5:30 departure from Linz Main Square with minibus to Munich, flight Luft- hansa LH 764 Munich – Mumbai (11:20 – 23:55), bus transfer to Suba Palace Hotel, over- night stay. All members will be electronically checked in on the previous day.

Saturday, Feb. 9: Boat trip to Elephanta Island, visit of the temples (UNESCO World Heri- tage Site), lunch on Elephanta Island, visit of Taj Mahal Hotel, visit of children´s home of MAHER in Mumbai, dinner at Café Leopold, overnight at Suba Palace Hotel.

Sunday, Feb. 10: City tour of Mumbai: Victoria train station, laundry services at Dhobi Ghats, Jain Temple, Haji Ali Mosque, Chaupatti beach, St. Thomas church; shopping in the old town, overnight at Suba Palace Hotel.

Monday, Feb.11: Pick-up from hotel at 7:00, flight with Spice Jet SG 153 (9:25 – 11:30) to Kochi in the state of Kerala, check-in in hotel, visit of Kodanad Elephant Training Center, Sree Sankara Sculpture Kalady, Eringol Temple, overnight at hotel XX.

Tuesday, Feb. 12: Check-out at 8:00, bus transfer to Kumarakam to the Backwaters, rivers and lakes in the middle of palm trees and tropical vegetation, 11:00 check-in a house boat, travel through georgeous nature, lunch and dinner, overnight at the houseboat. Wednesday, Feb. 13: 9:00 Check-out from the house boat, bus ride to Kochi, city tour visiting a museum, old town with synagogue; bus trip to MAHER children´s home Snehabhavan, meeting staff and children, cultural program with music and dances, dinner, overnight at the children´s home or in a hotel.

Thursday, Feb. 14: visiting sights in the area, transfer to airport, flight Spice Jet SG 184 from Kochi to Pune (1:35 – 3:25), bus transfer to MAHER Vatsalyadham („Abode of Love“), meeting people, overnight at Vatsalyadham.

Friday, Feb. 15.: Visit of Karunalaya men´s home and other homes in the area, overnight at Vatsalyadham.

Saturday, Feb. 16: Visit of MAHER homes in the area, painting and drawing workshops with mentally disturbed women and children, overnight at Vatsalyadham.

Sunday, Feb. 17: Visit of MAHER homes, overnight at Vatsalyadham.

Monday, Feb. 18: Visit of Ness Wadia College in Pune, meeting professors and students, visit of Fort Pune, lunch at German bakery, art workshop with women and children, overnight at Vatsalyadham.

Tuesday, Feb. 19: City tour of Pune (market, shoppig area Laxmi Road, Aga Khan Palace, etc.), visit of MAHER Pune office, in the evening bus transfer to Mumbai.

Wednesday, Feb. 20: Flight Mumbai – Munich on Lufthansa LH 765 (1:35 – 5:55), bus transfer to Linz.

Services: all flights economy class, transportation, hotels, overnight stays at Vatsalyadham in rooms for several people, full board at MAHER homes. Not included are meals, if not otherwise stated, visa fee (visas will be organized by tour guide), travel insurance (recommended). Minor program changes possible.

Arrival, climate, health, currency: For entering India Austrian citizens need a passport which is still valid 3 months after planned entry into India and a visa. Currency: 1 Rupie = 100 Paise (1€ = approx. 70 Rupies). Climate: between 10° und 30°C, average 1-2 rainy days/month, no vaccinations are required in India, recommended are yellow fiever, hepatitis A and tetanus.

Price: € 1.600

Preparation, events: MAHER (www.maherashram.org), founded and managed by Sr. Lucy Kurien from the order „Sisters of the Cross“, has been supported by the Linz City Parish and the Hartheim Institute for Mentally and Multiply Disturbed People“ near Linz for more than ten years. In 2013 the book „beyond – an encounter in art“ was published in cooperation of Kulturformen Hartheim and MAHER.

As introduction to the trip we will have a preparatory evening and will watch the film „Sister Heart“ on Sr. Lucy and her work; date and venue to be announced.

Bookings until October 31, 2018 at: Wolfgang Schwaiger, 4060 Leonding, Aichbergstraße 73, Tel.: 0699 17 25 02 53, Mail: [email protected]