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Cultural Central India Program
Day 01 : ARRIVE DELHI :
Welcome and garlanding on arrival and Transfer to Hotel.
DELHI India's capital
and a major gateway to the country, contemporary Delhi is a bustling
metropolis which successfully combines in its fold the ancient and the
modern. Its strategic location was one of the prime reasons why
successive dynasties chose it as their seat of power. It is not
surprising then, that what constitutes Delhi today is a conglomerate of
seven cities. Overnight at Hotel
DAY
02 DELHI :
 Morning : Proceed for
tour to Old Delhi. Visiting, Red Fort The old walled
city f rom Mughal India, the chief attraction is the huge fort that
contains within it palaces and impressive public buildings. Chandni
Chowk The main street of Old Delhi is the colourful shopping
bazaar known as Chandni Chowk. Jama Masjid The great
mosque of Old Delhi is both the largest in India and the final
architectural extravagance of Shah Jahan. Raj Ghat On
the banks of the Yamuna river, a simple square platform of black marble
marks the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated following his
assassination in 1948.
Afternoon : Continue to
visit New Delhi, Rajpath The Kingsway is another focus of New Delhi. It
is immensely broad and is flanked on either side by Ornamental ponds.
India Gate This 42 mtr high stone arch of triumph stands at the eastern
end of the Rajpath. It bears the names of 85,000 Indian Army soldiers who
died in the campaigns of WWI and Afghan fiasco in 1919 Rashtrapati Bhawan
The official residence of the President of India stands at the opposite
end of the Rajpath from India Gate. Humayun's Tomb Built in the mid
16th century by Haji Begum, senior wife of Humayun, the second
Mughal emperor, this is an early example of Mughal architecture. Qutab
Minar This is a soaring tower of victory which was started in 1193,
immediately after the defeat of the last Hindu kingdom in Delhi. It is
nearly 73 mtr high and tapers from a 15 mtr diameter base to just 2.5 mtr
at the top, and in the evening in Shopping complex Connaught Palace for
the shopping. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Day 03 : DELHI AGRA:
 Morning : Drive to Agra
(205 kms. /approx05hrs.), In early morning after taking breakfast depart
to Agra, enroute visiting SIKANDRA. The noteworthy
monuments here is the tomb of Akbar which show an interesting fusion of
Hindu and Muslim art and architectural reflecting the spirit of the
emperor himself. Fatehpur Sikri - the deserted city of
sandstone built by the emperor AKBAR. Built by Akbar, it is the most
perfectly preserved and complete Mughal palace city of all. Although only
ruined walls remain of the town, the magnificent palace complex still
stands, the elaborately carved red sandstone almost as it was 400 years
ago.
Upon arrival at Agra, check-in at Hotel.
AGRA The world's
most opulent court of the 17 th century was once located in Agra, the
capital city of the Mughal emperors under whose reign the city flowered.
The city's piece de resistance Taj Mahal is an enduring symbol of an
emperor's love for his favourite queen. Agra's Fort gives one a feeling
of space and here are pleasure-palaces and mansions, halls of public
and private audience, chambers of business and cloisters of privacy. The
celebration of life at Agra Fort stopped however when the emperor Shah
Jahan was imprisoned in it by his son Aurangzeb.
Afternoon : S ightseeing tour
of Agra, visiting TAJ MAHAL [ built by Shah Jehan for
his queen Mumtaj Mahal ], perhaps the most perfect architectural monument
in the World & the construction of Taj Mahal believed to have taken
22 Years to complete with over 20,000 craftsmen working round the clock. AG
RA FORT , built by famous mughal emperor Akbar in
1565 A.D., the construction is dominated by red sandstone construction.
It houses beautiful pearl mosque and money other noteworthy structure.
where you can ramble around the somewhat unkempt high walls and wide
moat, up and down staircases and through the palace rooms. From the fine
Musamman Burj (octagonal Tower) there is a wonderful view of the Taj
Mahal. Also visit a Marble Factory to see the intricate work of Gems,
precious stones in Marble, etc. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 04: AGRA GWALIOR:
Morning : Drive to Gwalior, 120 kms / approx 03
hrs.
Upon arrival in Gwalior, check-in at Hotel.
GWALIOR Around 120 kms from
Agra, Gwalior is famous for its old and very large fort. Within the fort
walls are several interesting temples and ruined palaces. The dramatic
and colourful history of the great fort goes back over 1000 years.
Afternoon : Sightseeing
tour of Gwalior city, visiting, Fort Rising 100m above the town, the
fort hill is about three km in length. Its width varies from nearly a km
to less than 200 m. The walls, which encircle almost the entire hilltop,
are 10m high and imposingly solid. Man Singh Palace The palace, a
delightfully whimsical building, is also known as the Chit Mandir or
Painted Palace because of the tiled and painted decorations of ducks,
elephants and peacocks. Painted blue, with hints of green and gold, it
still looks very good today. Teli Ka Mandir, Sasbahu Temples, Jain
Sculptures. Overnight stay in Hotel.
Day 05 :GWALIOR / ORCHHA:
Morning : Drive to Orccha 120 kms / approx. 04
hrs.
Upon arrival at Orccha, check-in at Hotel.
ORCCHA Once the
capital city of the Bundelas, Orchha is now just a village, set among a
complex of well-preserved palaces and temples. It's definitely worth a
visit. Orchha was founded in 1531 and remained the capital of a powerful
Rajput kingdom until 1783, when nearby Tikamgadh become the new capital.
Afternoon : Sightseeing
tour of the city, visiting, Jahangir Mahal Is of
impressive size and there are good views of the countryside from the
upper levels. The Raj Mahal nearby has superb murals.
Below the Jehangir Mahal is the smaller Raj Praveen Mahal ,
a palace built near a garden. The hammam (baths) and camel stables are
nearby. There's a small archaeological museum on the ground floor. Dinman
Hardol's Palace Is also interesting, as is his story. The son
of Bir Singh Deo, he committed suicide to prove his innocence' over an
affair with his brother's wife, and has achieved the status of a local
god through his martyrdom. Temples Orchha's impressive
temples date back to the 17 th century. They're still in use today and
are visited regularly by thousands of devotees. Ram Raja Temple with
its soaring spires. It was turned into a temple when an image of Rama,
temporarily installed, proved impossible to move but now it is in Chaturbhuj
Temple where it is hidden behind silver doors. Lakshmi
Narayan Temple is linked to Ram Raja by a 1km-long path.
Overnight at Hotel.
Day 06 :ORCHHA / BHOPAL:
Morning : Transfer to Jhansi railway station 18
kms from Orchha, to connect train 2003 - 2004, Shatabdi Express to Bhopal
:
Depart Jhansi 10h32
Arrival Bhopal 14h10
Meet upon arrival at Bhopal railway station and transfer to the Hotel.
BHOPAL The capital of
Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal was built on the site of the 11 th century city of
Bhojapal. It was founded by the legendary Raja Bhoj who is credited with
having constructed the lakes around which the city is built. The present
city was laid out by the Afghan chief Dost Mohammed Khan, who was in
charge of Bhopal during Aurangzeb's reign, but took advantage of the
confusion following Aurangzeb's death in 1707 to carve out his own small
kingdom. Rest of the day free for independent activities.
Day 07:BHOPAL / BHIMBETKA / SANCHI /
BHOPAL:
Morning : In Early morning after
breakfast depart for sightseeing tour of the city. Taj -ul -Masjid is built
by Shah Jahan Begum, is one of the largest mosques in India. It's huge
pink mosque with two massive white domed minarets and three white domes
over the main building. Temples- Lakshmi Narayan Temple
& Birla Museum there are good views over the lakes to the
old town from the Lakshmi Narayan Temple, also known as Birla Mandir, Van
Vihar Safari Park- this 40 hectare park is more of a zoo than a
Safari park. Excursion to SANCHI 46 kms north of Bhopal, Sanchi is
topped by some of the oldest and most interesting Buddhist structures in
India. Although this site had no direct connection with the life of
Buddha, it was the great Emperor Ashoka, Buddhism's most famous convert,
who built the first stupas here in the 3 rd century BC. As Buddhism was
gradually absorbed back into Hinduism in its land of origin, the site
decayed and was eventually completely forgotten. In 1818 a British
officer rediscovered the site, but in the following years amateur
archaeologists and greedy treasure hunters did immense damage to Sanchi
before a proper restoration was commenced in 1881.
Afternoon : Excursion to BHIMBETKA
Like the Aboriginal rock paintings in the outback of
Australia, the Bhimbetka caves are a must. Among forests of teak and sal
in the craggy cliffs of an almost African setting 45 kms south of Bhopal,
some 1000 rock shelters have been discovered. Almost half contain ancient
paintings depicting the life and times of the different people who lived
here. Because of the natural red and white pigments which the painters
used, the colours have been remarkably well preserved and it's obvious in
certain caves that the same surface has been used by different people at
different times. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 08 : BHOPAL INDORE :
Morning : Drive to Indore 265 kms / approx 6
hrs. Upon arrival in Indore, check-in at Hotel.
INDORE Indore is
called the mini Mumbai' of India. A town that has seen rapid growth in
the last 10 years, it is an important business and industrial centre.
Apart from its industrial importance, Indore is the gateway to Ujjain and
Mandu both having ancient Hindu temples. The importance of Indore as a
growing city can be assured by the fact that all major domestic airlines
have started flying into the city. Afternoon : Free for
the own activities. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 09: INDORE UJJAIN MANDU
INDORE :
Morning : In early morning after breakfast move to
sightseeing of the city. Rajwada - In the old part of
town, multistory gateway of the Rajwada or Old Palace looks out a mixture
of French, Mughal and Maratha styles, the palace has been up in flames
three times in its 200-year history. Lal Bagh Palace -
In the south-west of the city, surrounding gardens, lies the grand Lal
Bagh Palace built 1886-1921. It has all the usual over-the-top touches
like entrance gates that are replicas of those at Buckingham Palace, a
wooden ballroom floor mounted on springs, marble columns, chandeliers,
stained-glass windows and stuffed tigers. Excursion to UJJAIN
56 kms from Indore, ancient Ujjain is one of India's holiest
cities for Hindus. It gets its sanctity from a mythological tale about
the churning of the oceans by the gods and demons in search of the nectar
of immortality. When the coveted vessel of nectar was finally found,
there followed a mad scramble across the skies with the demons pursuing
the gods in an attempt to take the nectar from them. Four drops were
split and they fell at Haridwar, Nasik, Ujjain and Prayag. As result,
Ujjain is one of the sites of the Kumbh Mela, which takes place here every
12 years. Despite its relative obscurity today, Ujjain ranks equal as a
great religious center with such places as Varanasi and Gaya. Ujjain
really comes alive during festival time, but the devotional vibe makes it
a pleasant town year-round.
Afternoon : Excursion to MANDU
The extensive and now mainly deserted hilltop fort of Mandu is
one of the most interesting sights in central India. It's on an isolated
outcrop separated from the tableland to the north by a deep and wide
valley, over which a natural causeway runs to the main city gate. To the
south of Mandu the land drops steeply away to the plain far below and the
view is superb. Deep ravines cut into the sides of the 20 sq kms plateau
occupied by the fort. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 10: INDORE / AURANGABAD :
Morning : Drive to Aurangabad, 380 kms / approx 08 hrs .
Upon arrival check-in at Hotel.
AURANGABAD Aurangabad
has a number of attractions and could easily stand on its own were it not
overshadowed by the famous Ellora and Ajanta caves nearby. The city is
named after Aurangzeb, but earlier in its history it was known as Khadke.
This city is northern Marharashtra's largest city though it is remarkably
uncrowded and quiet except for the occasional political rally. Rest
of the day free for the own activities. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 11: AURANGABAD - ELLORA -
AURANGABAD:
Morning :In early morning after taking
breakfast begin sightseeing tour of the city. Bibi-ka- Maqbara the
so-called 'poor-man's Taj Mahal' was built in 1679 as a mausoleum for Aurangzeb's
wife, Rabia-ud- Daurani. It's a cheap imitation of the Taj in both design
and execution- it simply looks awkward compared with the elegance and
symmetry of the Taj; Panchakki - Panchakki (water wheel)
takes its name from the mill that, in its day, was considered a marvel of
engineering. Aurangabad Caves- Although they're easily overlooked in
favour or the Ajanta and Ellora caves 2 km north of the Bibi-ka-Maqbara.
They were carved out of the hillside around the 6th or 7th century AD.
The 10 Caves are all Buddhist; caves 1 to 5 are in the western group and
caves 6 to 10 are 1 km away in the eastern group. Excursion to the ELLORA
CAVES The world-heritage listed cave temples of Ellora, about
30 km from Aurangabad, are the culmination of Deccan rock-cut
architecture. In all there are 34 caves at Ellora 12 Buddhist (600-800
AD), 17 Hindu (600-900 AD) and five Jain (800-1000 AD). The southernmost
12 caves are all Buddhist viharas, except cave 10 which is a chaitya.
While the earliest caves are quite simple.
Afternoon : Drive back to
Aurangabad. Enroute visiting DAULATABAD FORT The fort
is surrounded by five km of sturdy walls, while the central bastion tops
a 200m high hill, which was originally known as Devagiri, the Hill of the
Gods. In the 14 th century it was renamed Daulatabad the City of Fortune,
by Mohammed Tughlaq. This some what unbalanced Sultan of Delhi conceived
the crazy plan of not only building himself a new capital here, but
marching the entire population of Delhi 1100 km south of populate it and
17 years later he turned round and marched them all back to Delhi. The
fort remained. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 12 : AURANGABAD AJANTA AURANGABAD:
Morning : Excursion to AJANTA CAVES The
Buddhist caves of Ajanta 166 km north-east of Aurangabad, date from
around 200 BC to 650 AD. As Ellora developed and Buddhism gradually
declined, the Ajanta Caves were abandoned and gradually forgotten. But in
1819 a British hunting party stumbled upon them, and their remote beauty
was soon unveiled. Their isolation contributed to the fine state of
preservation in which some of their remarkable paintings remain to this
day. Ajanta is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Afternoon
: Drive back to Aurangabad. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 13 : AURANGABAD MUMBAI :
Morning : Transfer to the Airport to connect flight
to Mumbai. Upon arrival in Mumbai, transfer to the Hotel.
MUMBAI The country's
technological and commercial hub. It's an imposing skyling. Perhaps, the
contours are hazy due to pollution. But the residents don't seem to mind.
They love the place and this love is infectious. A walk on Marine Drive,
the Gateway of India, Warden Road, the races, Haji Ali. Afternoon
: Free for the own activities. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 14: MUMBAI :
 Morning : Excursion to ELEPHANTA
ISLAND The rock-cut temples on Elephanta Island are Mumbai's
major attraction. They are thought to have been created between 450 and
750, when the island was known as Gharapuri, the Fortress City. The
Portuguese renamed it Elephanta because of a large stone elephant near
the shore.
Afternoon : C ity tour to
Mumbai Mumbai is an island connected by bridges to the mainland. The
southernmost peninsula is known as Colaba and this is where most
travelers gravitate since it has a city's best known landmark, THE
GATEWAY OF INDIA. Further west is Marine Drive, which sweeps around Back
Bay, connecting the high-rise modern business center of Nariman Point
with Chowpatty Beach. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 15
DEPART BOMBAY
Morning : Transfer to Airport to connect flight for onward destination..
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