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Early Christianity in India: StoryTreking with the Saints – 10 Days

from 70,000.00

Dates-Flexible (With 2 months notice)

Trace the evolution of two thousand years of Christianity in multicultural India, from the time that St Thomas stepped on to Indian soil, as long ago as 52 CE. Travel through some of the most picturesque parts of the Indian peninsula in Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. Includes a sunset cruise by houseboat on the Kerala backwaters, a day at the beautiful Kumarakom lakeside, a day on the beach in Goa and in Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu).

Main Places to Visit:

Goa, Chennai, Vailankanni, Tharangambadi (Prancobar), Pondicherry, Kochi, Kakkanad, Kumarakom

Start:
Goa
End:
Kochi

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All about the Early Christianity in India: StoryTreking with the Saints – 10 Days.

The Storytellers

Rev. Fr. Justin Kallely

Rev. Fr. Justin Kallely is the Chancellor of the Diocese of Kalyan, Judge in the Diocesan Tribunal, and also visiting professor of Church History and Latin in St. Thomas Minor Seminary, Panvel. After completing his B.A in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Mumbai, and Bachelor of Philosophy and Theology in the Seminary he was ordained a priest in 2000 for the Diocese of Kalyan. He has served as Parish Priest in 14 parishes and as Director of a number of Apostolates of the Diocese. He completed the Licentiate in Oriental Canon Law from the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome.

About the Tour

When did Christianity emerge in India? How did it spread? What were the places Christianity emerged at? Who was St. Thomas? What is a Nasrani Cross? How is it different from other crosses?

Come and explore these questions when you StoryTrek with us through Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Pondicherry to understand the rise of early Christianity in India. With anecdotes, archaeological evidence and oral histories, we will take you on a journey with the saints, and discover how Christianity found a place of its own in this vast land of diverse religions and cultures. Of course, while you widen your mental horizons, you’re also enjoying a memorable holiday.

It all started with the arrival of Saint Thomas in Kodungallur, Kerala in 52 C.E and the establishment of the Seven Churches. In the ‘Act of Thomas’, the New Testament describes the adventures and martyrdom of Apostle Thomas, often regarded as Jesus’ twin brother. The Syrian Malabar Nasrani people in Kerala, are regarded as the first Christians of India, who follow unique Hebrew-Syriac Christian traditions, an amalgamation of Jewish and Hindu customs.

The Nasrani Cross or the Saint Thomas Christian cross comes from the ancient community of the St. Thomas Christians dating back to the 1st century. The Nasrani Cross does not carry the effigy of the Christ. It has a lotus flower beneath the cross, symbolising life rather than suffering. The three steps below the cross represent the martyrdom of Jesus. The dove above the cross represents the Holy Spirit, the third aspect of the Holy Trinity.

In 1510, the conquest of Goa by the Portuguese brought another wave of Christianity. Missionaries of various orders (Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits and Augustinians) flocked out with the conquerors, and began at once to build churches along the coastal districts where the Portuguese power made itself felt.

Christianity in India is a dazzling tapestry of Indian, Syrian and European cultures, with myriad denominations and diverse rituals, traditions, iconography, music and architecture. Now you can embrace it all in one tour. And that’s not all.

StoryTrekking with the Saints will also allow you to see the beauty of Kerala, spend a day at scenic Kumarakom, take a sunset houseboat ride, spend a day lazing on a Goa beach. All this and more.

Although this tour has a date, you can choose to do it on a different date. If you are a small family or group of 8 to 12, we can still arrange for a dedicated guide to travel with you, from start to end,  for an extra charge. Else you will have different local guides at each location, arranged seamlessly. For a group of 8 to 12, the cost will remain the same.

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The tour package inclusions and exclusions at a glance
What is included in this tour?Items that are included in the cost of tour price.
  • It covers accommodation on twin/double sharing at hotels.
  • Breakfast
  • It covers all internal travel- bus, train or air.
  • All road taxes, parking fee, fuel charges, interstate taxes.
  • Entrances at the monuments as mentioned in the program. (One Visit).
  • Services of STORYTELLERS, curators, experts,  accompanying English speaking guides and escort throughout the tour.
  • Goods and Services Tax.
Whats not included in this tour.Items that are not included in the cost of tour price.
  • Personal expenses like tipping, laundry, and telephone/fax calls, any alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages, camera/video camera fee at monuments, medical expenses, airport departure tax etc.
  • Anything ordered from the room/room service
  • Lunch and Dinner
  • International fares / Domestic fares/ Visa fees.
  •  Transportation during the day at leisure.
  • Any other services not mentioned above
  1. Day 1 Arrive Goa
    • Arrive Goa by train
    • Rest of the day at leisure.
    • Evening River Cruise.
    • Overnight in Goa.
  2. Day 2 In Goa
    • Breakfast at the hotel.
    • This morning proceed for the sightseeing of The Basilica of Bom Jesus, St Cathedral, Church of St. Cajetan, and other ancient churches
    • (On the local sightseeing tour of Goa you will be accompanied by the local historian)
    • Following visit, return to the hotel.
    • Rest of the day at leisure.
    • Overnight in Goa.
    • Meet our Storytellers
  3. Day 3 Goa/Chennai
    • Pack breakfast from the hotel.
    • Early morning
    • Arrive in Chennai and transfer to your hotel for check-in
    • Afternoon visit to San Thome, Mylapore relics of St Thomas–colonial history, other churches in Chennai.
    • Overnight in Chennai.
  4. Day 4 Chennai/ Velankanni
    • Breakfast at the hotel.
    • Early morning drive to Velankanni (a journey of about 7 hrs & 313 kms approx).
    • Upon arrival check-in at hotel.
    • Later visit to Velankanni church.

    Overnight in Velankanni.

  5. Day 5 Velankanni/ Pondicherry via Tharangambadi
    • Breakfast at the hotel.
    • Morning you will be driven to Pondicherry (a journey of about 140 kms/ approx). Get a glimpse of French colonial influence on town architecture.
    • En-route visit Tharangambadi (a journey of about 1hrs & 42 kms from Velanakanni)
    • At evening explore French Colony.
    • Overnight in
  6. Day 6 Pondicherry/ Chennai/ Cochin
    • Breakfast at the hotel.
    • Later drive to Chennai (a journey of about 4 hrs & 160 kms/ approx ).
    • Upon arrival in Chennai, take train to Cochin
    • Arrive in Cochin and hotel check-in.
  7. Day 7 Cochin -Kumarakkom via visiting Niranam
      • Early Breakfast at Cochin
      • morning Bus trip to see Niranam church. (First founded by St. Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, in AD 54, the church was rebuilt several times; the last reconstruction work in 1259)
      • Continue drive to Kumarakkom lake resort

      Evening- boat cruise – backwaters at sunset

  8. Day 8 Kumarakkom-Cochin
    • Breakfast at the hotel.
    • Kumarakom to Cochin (50 Kms/ 02 hrs drive approx).
    • Enroute Kokkamangalam Church visit. (built in 82 AD, mix of Persian and Kerala architecture)
  9. Day 9 In Cochin
    • Breakfast at the
    • Full day trip/excursion to the place St Thomas set foot in India, and the churches he built in the region. (Between North Paravur & Kodungalloor – the landing of St Thomas, See Kottakkavu Church & (Paravur) and Church founded by St Thomas at Kodungallur, Palayoor Church).
    • Return to your hotel.
    • Overnight in Cochin.
  10. Day 10 Cochin Departure
    • Breakfast at the hotel.
    • Visit St Thomas Christian Museum, Kakkanad, Cochin with Storyteller.
    • Exit

You are charged a bit more for the single occupancy. The rate is given on the tour page. It covers everything that is covered for the twin sharing plus you will have a single room, instead of a shared room.

You will have a dedicated tour manager travelling with you. Besides that, you can call us anytime on the toll-free or office number.  And in case of an emergency, there is an emergency number you can call any time of day or night.

 

It covers accommodation on twin/double sharing at hotels. Breakfast (but not other meals unless expressly stated). It covers all internal travel- bus, train or air. Overnight train (As of now we are not holding any rooms. Same will be processed after. All road taxes, parking fee, fuel charges, interstate taxes. Entrances at the monuments as mentioned in the program. (One Visit).

Services of STORYTELLERS, curators, experts, accompanying English speaking guides and escort throughout the tour.

Goods and Services Tax

There is a form under the page for each tour. Fill it in and send it to us. We will get back to you. Or you can call us.

English is the language we will use.

If you want a translator to travel with you please speak with us. We can organize translators in more languages than you may think. You will, of course, have to pay the extra charge: the tour costs and the fee for the translator.

Sure you can pick your own dates. Although rates will differ according to the tourist seasons. In December rates will often double. The Storytellers may be different from the ones we have mentioned-  we will have to check their availability- but we will arrange.

Yes and yes. The rates will depend on the time of year (during holiday seasons everything cost a bit more). Since we have to fix a time with our storytellers in advance, there may be some variations in the tour design, but not much.

Yes. We can design tours for you specific to your area of work or interest.

 

We love the challenge of planning new tours. So get in touch and we create something new and beautiful. We do have tours specially designed for professional bodies – eg architects, artists, sports etc.

Yes. Do let us know what you would like to do, and we will either organize it ourselves or put you in touch with someone who can help with your specific needs.

Our tour starts at the hotel we indicate in the city we indicate as the start point of the tour. However, if you want your ticket booked and help with your visa, we or our tour partners will help you. Let us know and we will put you in touch with them

Yes. But do make sure they are interested in a thematic tour. There are long bus journeys involved in some of the more inaccessible places. Do make sure they can handle that. Babies are welcome. We can make sure you are well taken care of if you are accompanied by a baby or toddler. If you wish to hire a nanny we can help, although it will cost you the price of the tour as well as the nanny’s fees.

Yes. We will take care of you so that you are safe while you can also enjoy your tour. We will, of course, expect you to maintain the discipline of the tour in terms of timings and other basic rules.

On every tour there will be shopping days. But do understand that the focus of the tours are thematic, and shopping may not be a priority activity.

The package entitles you to free breakfast. You can pick what you want to eat for your other meals, and you will have to pay for it yourself.   We will take you to restaurants during meals.

If you would like to be picked up from the airport in the city where the tour will begin, to be taken to the hotel from where the tour will begin, we can do that. Let us know the details of your arrival.

There is a start point mentioned in the tour itinerary. If you arrive a day or several days before, we can neither guarantee you the availability of a room nor can we take care of the cost. This cost you will have to bear yourself. Our travel partners, Cox and Kings can help you to find accommodation at your cost.

Unfortunately, we cannot say a blanket yes. India can be unsafe if you look different, behave differently, if you are a woman, if you are traveling alone, especially if you go into the more interior towns and villages. On the other hand there are many people who have had no bad experience. So lets just ay it is difficult to predict. However, on the tour, you are well taken care of. Provided you stick to the norms and discipline of the tour, we can assure you are absolutely safe.

No there will no problem.

In general, in the big cities, service providers will speak English. Especially in the South of India. But on the street, there will be any number of local languages. In the North, most people speak Hindi besides their regional language. On the tour you will have a tour guide with you who can speak English and the local languages so you are in good hands

You can change money at the international airport you arrive in- the money change counters are open day and night. Or you can go to banks after you arrive, which will be during banking hours. There are many private companies/shops for changing money in the major Indian cities.

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