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As we all know, the mission is growing very rapidly and in order to ensure that everyone who wishes to visit Maharaj Ji in India is able to have a blissful and fulfilling experience, the policy with regards to visitors to the Ashram in India is as follows:
Requesting Permission to Visit Maharaj Ji in India
All visitors to the Ashram in India must obtain prior permission and receive a confirmation number or they will not be allowed to stay in the Ashram Guest House.
The following policy will be strictly enforced beginning January 1st, 2009.
1. SPONSORSHIP - You must apply for sponsorship and permission from the local Satsang Coordinator. Fill out the Sponsorship Request Form (available on SOS/SKRM web sites) which will be sent to your Satsang Coordinator for approval.
Eligibility for Sponsorship depends on, but is not limited to, the following criteria:
• Visitor is in reasonably good physical and mental health.
• Visitor has sufficient finances to cover the cost of your visit. This may include costs associated with tours, ticket changes, medical needs, incidentals and transportation costs.
• Children must be over the age of one year to stay at the Ashram.
2. VISITOR REGISTRATION
All those wishing to attend a program in India, whether they are staying in the Ashram or not, need to complete a Visitor Registration Form for each visit.
These forms can be found online at
http://sangat.sos.org
or http://skrm.sos.org
If you are making a request to stay at the ashram, basic approval for your visit will be granted by the Program Coordinators based on room availability and compliance with the rules listed below.
After receiving basic approval, you may now make your travel arrangements and update your Visitor Registration Form with your final travel details.
Upon successfully submitting your details, you will receive a confirmation number. Each visitor staying at the Ashram is required to have this confirmation number with them at the time of arrival.
If you do not have a confirmation number, you will not be allowed to stay in the ashram.
Visitors may, of course, make their own arrangements for accommodation outside the ashram and take part in all functions.
Rules for Staying at the Ashram
• You must have an Indian Visa valid for the dates covering your entire stay.
• In general, no one will be allowed to stay in the Ashram when Maharaj Ji is not in India.
• You may arrive at the Ashram no earlier than seven days in advance of the program date. For example, if the September program is announced for September 14th, you may arrive at the Ashram no earlier than the 7th of September.
• You must leave the Ashram no later than one week after Maharaj Ji’s departure from India.
• Only shared accommodations are available in the Ashram. The welfare coordinators or their designated welfare officers will assign rooms based on availability in either Kirpal Ashram or Sawan Ashram.
• Visits are limited to three continuous weeks or two visits of two weeks each per calendar year.
• Under no circumstances may you stay in the Ashram exceeding the above guidelines or beyond your approved departure date.
• You may request pick-up service from the airport. Note: should you request airport pickup and, for any reason, you do not show up without cancelling, you will be responsible for the cost of the transportation that was arranged for you. Approximate cost of transportation is Rs. 650/-. This may change with time.
• All final travel information must arrive at the Ashram no later than two weeks after your request to visit India has been approved.
• Welfare Coordinators will process and assign all requests for room reservations at the Ashram on a first come - first serve basis. When the maximum number of visitors has been reached, you will not be able to stay at the Ashram for that period of time. Therefore you are advised to register as soon as possible after the announcement of the programs.
• Ashram Room reservation will be maintained for 24 hours after the arrival date information and will be canceled automatically if no information is received.
• Providing accurate arrival and departure information is crucial for making suitable arrangements for everyone. Any major changes in your schedule require that you submit a new registration form. If you need to cancel your visit, please remember to cancel your registration.
Agreement to Adhere to Ashram Visitor Guidelines
All visitors to the Ashram are required to thoroughly read, understand and agree to all published guidelines and waivers. These documents have been created to insure that everyone visiting the Ashram has a spiritually fulfilling and safe stay. Upon approval of your request to visit the Ashram, you will receive the guidelines in your confirmation email. The guidelines are also available on the website(s).
Please share this information with others in your Region. Event registration for the upcoming February function will be announced soon and registration will open in first week of January.
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