The release of Ryan Murphy’s film Eat Pray Love in the US
The release of Ryan Murphy’s film Eat Pray Love in the US has spawned a spate of tour packages for India enthusiasts
After Dannie Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire made slum tourism in Mumbai’s Dharavi hip, it’s now the Julia Roberts-Javier Bardem-starrer Eat Pray Love which is doing its bit for Indian tourism. The film, which is the cinematic adaptation of American author Elizabeth Gilbert’s best selling memoir by the same name, tells the story of a woman who seemingly has everything in life, yet willingly relinquishes it for spiritual salvation. The author’s 21-day journey of self-discovery takes her across the world — she regains the true pleasures of eating in Italy, unearths the power of spiritual healing in India, and finally ends her search of love in Bali.
Ever since the Ryan Murphy-directed movie released in the US on August 13 (it releases in India on October 8), international tour operators and travel websites have been modelling leisure packages to India, on the lines of the film, for foreigners. “Gilbert does not disclose the name of the guru or ashram where she stayed in India in her book, but it is widely believed she stayed at Gurudev Siddha Peeth at Ganeshpuri (Thane district) in Maharashtra,” says Rajesh Khanna, executive director, sales and marketting, Abercrombie and Kent, India. “Since there is a process of application and approval at the ashram and they do not welcome casual visitors, we have devised similar packages for the intrepid traveller,” he continues. This US-based travel agency has come up with a 14-day Treasures of Northern India: Journeys for Women itinerary for travellers to India, packing in visits to Khajuraho’s temples, witnessing the aarti on the Varanasi ghats, viewing the Taj Mahal both at sunrise and sunset among other activities. “Many guests want to make a personal connection with places, so we have put in meetings with the women behind an NGO operated by Seva Mandir that focuses on women’s empowerment, and a private visit to a bead-making workshop in Varanasi,” says Pam Lassers, the company’s US spokesperson. At $ 8,685 (approximately Rs 4,04,720) per person the package takes off from October 8 onwards for a group of 24 women, who are accompanied by a local female category_ide from Delhi.
Debesh Banerjee for Indian Express