Swadeshi Holidays

DELHI
You will have a leisurely start today to recover from your flight. After breakfast you tour Old Delhi. Old Delhi came into prominence when Shah Jahan moved his capital from Agra to Delhi. The Red Fort is the landmark of this area, built in the mid 17 century by Shah Jahan. It was plundered by the marauding armies of Nadir Shah and later by British soldiers. After visiting the fort, we arrive at the 300 year old Chandni Chowk market. A maze of lanes crowded with shops selling an extraordinary variety of items and food, the noise and crowds are a quintessential part of any Indian market. From here we continue to the Jama Masjid or Friday Mosque. This is India's largest mosque designed by Shah Jahan, and was his last architectural legacy. Originally it was called Masjid-I-Jahan, which means “mosque commanding a view of the world”. In complete contrast to the noise and crowds of Old Delhi, is Raj Ghat, a simple and stunning memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, the main architect of India's independence.

In the afternoon you visit some of the sights of New Delhi. The Qutab Minar, the tapering monument begun in 1199 was built to symbolize the supremacy of Islam. This structure was eventually the prototype of all minars or towers in India ;Bahai's Temple Is a very recent architectural marvel of the Bahai Faith and is visible from several spots in south Delhi. Located in the south of Delhi, it is lotus shaped and has rightly been given the name. It is made of marble, cement, dolomite and sand; Humayun's tomb was built by his senior wife and mother emperor Akbar. This is the earliest example of Mughal architecture in India. It is believed that it was this mausoleum, which inspired Shah Jahan to build the Taj Mahal. Government buildings designed by Lutyen and Baker. The architecture is a blend of Indian and European styles and is the celebration of the British rule in India. The most outstanding of this collection is the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace. Our last stop will be the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, built in the memory of the 8th Sikh Guru Sri Harkishen Sahib; Gurdwara Bangla Sahib is one of the important historical Gurdwara in Delhi. Overnight at the hotel.

DELHI - MANDAWA
This morning we drive to region known as Shekhawati, a feudatory of Jaipur until 1491, built themselves palatial havelis, inns and temples and employed a bevy of craftspeople to decorate their domains. The region is also the home of the Marwari community, traders, who for more than a century have been the backbone of commercial entrepreneurship in India. Many of the Marwaris moved Calcutta when trade rivalry with British pushed them out of the area. They left behind a veritable open-air art museum. With the help of chiteras, the fresco painters, the Marwaris transformed their houses into a luxury of paintings. Thus, Shekhawati contains a veritable feast of wall paintings, town after town, village after village, an abundance of art unmatched in the world.

Amongst the sites, we stop at Sikar, the largest thikana or feudatory state under Jaipur to see the delightful Biyani Haveli. The blue and white designs are reminiscent of Chinese porcelain. Blue was the color of the wealthy and appears in much of the art in the area. Navalgarh, another stop, was the home of many famous Rajasthani merchant families. Walking the streets reveals some very quaint sights a frescoed telephone exchange and a Shiva Temple with a multi headed lingam. On arrival you will stay at Castle Mandawa.

MANDAWA - BIKANER
After breakfast you will drive about five hours to Bikaner enroute you will visit Fatehpur, the Devra and Singhania havelies are considered to be the finest artwork in the region. The Bhartia Havelis are decorated with mirrors, and quite unexpectedly, have entrances decorated with Japanese tiles patterned with Mt Fuji. On arrival we check-in at our hotel.

In the afternoon you will visit the Junagarh fort, was begun by Raja Rai Singh in the 16 century, but palaces were added to it over the next three centuries. The outer wall, built of light red sandstone is surrounded by a moat, and within are beautifully designed palaces with balconies, kiosks, fine jali or lattice work screens with richly decorated interiors. The Badal Mahal has walls covered with stories from the life Krishna, whilst the walls of the oldest palace, the Lal Niwas, are elaborately decorated in red and gold. Of not is the magnificent Coronation Hall in Maharaja Surat Singh's, 18 century palace, Anup Mahal, which is richly decorated with plasterwork, lacquer, mirror and glass.

BIKANER - JAISALMER
After breakfast we drive about six hours to Jaisalmer. On the road to Jaisalmer you may like to stop to admire the red sandstone Oswal Havelis at Kheechan, or spend sometime at the edge of the lake, which attracts a large number of migratory water birds.

On arrival in Jaisalmer you will check in to your hotel.

JAISALMER - MANVAAR
Today you head out to Manvaar. A short, comfortable 3 Hour drive will lead you to Manvaar - a charming camp set amidst the sand dunes of the Indian desert. Accommodation is fully furnished tents with attached bathrooms. An overnight stay here would give you the opportunity of seeing the unique lifestyle of the tribal people who inhabit the desert. The resort has all up to date amenities including a swimming pool. The camp is also very comfortable and would be an exceptional experience. At night entertainment at the camp is provided by local dancers and musicians.

Today you have the opportunity to experience the Great Indian Thar Desert that dominates so much of the state of Rajasthan. You may like to ride out into the desert on camel back in the evening, or relax at this charming resort. Overnight at Manvaar Camp.

MANVAAR - JODHPUR
The Thar Desert has a life style which is distinctly its own. Today we visit some of the remote villages where the inhabitants eke out a living from the unfriendly environs. We will spend time with crafts people, who use age-old methods to make an extraordinary array of handicrafts. The Bishnois, whose settlement we visit, are a gentle people whose religion dictates protection of all animate beings. Their careful environmental management has resulted in wildlife, including the rare black buck, taking sanctuary near their villages. After an early lunch you drive approximately 2 hrs to Jodhpur. On arrival check-in at your hotel.

The best way to trace the history of Jodhpur is to visit the aptly named majestic Meherangarh Fort, which dominates the skyline. Entered through gates, which bear the evocative handprints of the “Sati” queens women of the royal harem, who took their own lives when their men were defeated in battle. The fort has a series of spectacular palaces, each decorated with exquisite engravings, lattice and mirror work. You will visit the fort late afternoon.

JODHPUR RAWLA NARLAI via Ranakpur Temples
Today you drive for 3 hours to the 15 - century Jain temples of Ranakpur, one of the most important of the Jain pilgrimage sites in India. The central temple, Chaumukha, is dedicated to the Jain Tirthankara (revealer of truth), Adinath, and contains 1,444 exquisitely carved marble pillars. Note that in India, feminine beauty is determined by the fullness of the figure, narrowness of the waist, and the roundness of the hips and breasts. We should meditate on our reverence for Michelangelo and his carvings, amidst this proliferation of extraordinary Indian marble sculpture by an unknown artist.

After exploring Ranakpur and having lunch at Maharani Bagh, or the “Queen's Garden”, we continue on a short distance to another Rajasthani gem, the royal hunting retreat of Rawla Narlai. Situated amidst dramatic boulders and ancient temples at the foot of a 350-foot single granite rock, the Rawla is an l5th-century home that has been carefully restored by Maharaj and Rani Swaroop Singh and their sons. Here we can either explore the village of Narlai, or climb the huge rock hills. Among the boulders are many small temples, including one where a miraculous flame has burned for centuries, giving off saffron instead of black soot. It is said that if you make a wish here in this temple, it cannot but come true. On the top of the boulder is a statue commemorating the favorite elephant of the Maharaja. There is also a Shiva temple at the top. Like Deogarh, each room is different and each is an architectural gem. Overnight at Rawla Narlai.

RAWLA NARLAI UDAIPUR via Kumbalgarh.
This morning, we head up to the huge fort in Kumbalgarh, the second most important citadel of Mewar. (Mewar, by the way, is another name for the Rajput dynasty that ruled Udaipur.) Surrounded by 13 mountain peaks, guarded by seven great gates and seven ramparts, strengthened by rounded bastions and immense watchtowers, this mountain fortress has witnessed many battles. Only once, however, have the occupants been defeated - by Akbar's forces. It is interesting to visit the palace and temple ruins. Lunch will be nearby at the Aodhi. Before or after dining, do take a look at the horses in the stable. They are very beautiful, Marwari horses. Note how the points of their ears come together at the tips, almost like a rabbit's. India had horses long before the Arab, and used them for battle. Later we drive for about 2 hours to Udaipur. We arrive Udaipur in the late afternoon and check-in at our hotel.

Evening at leisure for independent activities.

UDAIPUR
Udaipur with its lakes and palaces, cradled in the hills of the Aravalli range is a very romantic city. The name itself “The City of sunrise” evokes a sense of romance. Sightseeing will include the City Palace, the former home of the Maharanas of Udaipur. A feast of marble and vibrant mosaics, it is a marvelous example of the attention to detail and the exemplary workmanship of the Rajasthani artisans. Sahelion Ki Bari or the Gardens of the Maids of Honor, is a small ornamental pleasure garden decorated with elegant lotus pools, gushing fountains and black marble kiosks. We will also visit the excellent folk art museum, which has interesting collection of dolls, masks, musical instruments, paintings and puppets, the latter being a traditional form of village entertainment in Rajasthan.

Late afternoon in a private motorboat we Tour Lake Pichola fringed with temples and ghats (steps). In the center of Lake Pichola is Jag Mandir Island, which commands a magnificent view of the City Palace. The palace and pavilion is built of yellow sandstone inlaid with marble and dedicated to the Lord of the Universe. This served as a refuge for Prince Khurram, later emperor Shah Jahan. Overnight at the hotel.

UDAIPUR - PUSHKAR
This morning your drive about six hours to the site of one of the biggest camel fairs in Rajasthan. Pushkar is a major event in the Rajasthani calendar. From all over Rajasthan, the Rabari tribe who are traditionally camel herders walk for weeks across the desert to this spot to trade their animals. Here you will see the colors of Rajasthan sartorially vibrant people, dance and music. During the festival, animals are traded, there are milking competitions, camel races, puppet shows, among the many events. On arrival we check in to our hotel.
Evening we walk through the local bazaars and visit the Bhahma Temple the only temple of Lord Brambha in the world.

PUSKAR - JAIPUR
Breakfast in the morning . Time free to relax on your own with your favourite book or some local shopping in the nearby local bazaars. After lunch drive approximately 142 Kms about 3 hours to Jaipur. On arrival in Jaipur check-in to hotel.

JAIPUR
When prince, soldier and astronomer Sawai Jai Singh II built the pink harmonious city of Jaipur in 1727, he did it in accordance with a treatise on town planning and architecture, the Shilpa Shastra that is timely even today. With its walls and seven gates, pink and orange buildings, camel-drawn carts, and colorful Rajasthanis, the state capital sits on a flat, dry seabed surrounded by barren hills and ruined fortresses.

Hill forts were always important to the Rajput rulers. Belonging to the Hindu “Kshatriya” or warrior class, they believed in the line from the sacred holy book, the Purana, that “a fort is the strength of a king”. They built a number of such forts all over the state of Rajasthan, some made for purely defensive purposes, but most built at fort palaces. Amber, is one of the finest examples of a fort palace, built similar in style to the surrounding richly decorated Mughal courts. You will approach the fort by Jeep.

In the afternoon we stop at the city palace, a series of open courtyards, simple stables and buildings leading to the richly decorated royal rooms of the Chandra Mahal. The museum within the palace house a fabulous collection of textiles, carpets, manuscripts and costumes from the personal collection of the royal family; the Jantar Mantar, the ancient observatory, is the creation of the scholar king Sawai Jai Singh. The name literally means “Instruments for measuring the harmony of the heavens”. An attractive and fascinating place; there are extraordinary shaped stone monoliths faced with marble, which are accurate even today. We end our day at the colorful market dominated by the elegant tapering Hawa Mahal or Palace of the Winds. Nine storeys high, decorated with delicately carved niches and balconies, this pink sandstone façade served as a concrete “purdah” or screen for ladies of the royal harem, who would watch the activities of the city from a position of privacy.

JAIPUR - AGRA
After breakfast, you depart by road for Agra, on the highway between Jaipur and Agra is the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri. This one of the world's most perfect ghost cities and a marvel of design and construction. It was conceived and built by Emperor Akbar, one of the most enlightened rulers of his time. Built in 1571, it is a synthesis of the flourishing styles of the Persian courts and the prevailing Hindu Islamic trends. Today its pristine red sandstone buildings are as perfect as when they were first chiseled. The masterpiece of this remarkable monument is the Jewel House of the Diwan I Khas. Architecturally extraordinary, the four doorways lead into a single storey room where a huge central pillar carved to baroque richness, supports a seat reached by mid air walkways.

The Taj Mahal is best seen at different times of the day when the white marble reflects the nuances of the changing light from the sun. During your stay you have the opportunity to see the mausoleum at different times of the day, starting with a visit at sunset. Overnight at the hotel.

AGRA
You return to the Taj Mahal for sunrise.

Agra at one time served as the capital city for the great Mughal Empire, and it is the repository of some of their finest architectural creations. The Agra Fort reveals the Mughal talent for combining defensive architecture with beauty and design. This fort palace was begun by Akbar as a purely defensive citadel and was subsequently completed by two successive generations that added the delicate mosaic and magnificent marble palaces. The fort is the history of Mughal life in Agra and offers a magical view of the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal is described as “A tear on the face of eternity” by the poet laureate Tagore and is an enduring monument to love. Built by a grieving Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal built of glistening marble, fabulously decorated in a mosaic of semi precious stones, is a stunning mausoleum.

We also visit one of the lesser known of Agra' monuments and the first all marble mausoleum, the tomb of Itmad ud Daulah which predates the Taj Mahal. Itmad ud Daulah was the father of Nur Jahan, the wife of the Mughal emperor Jehangir, and the tomb unlike other mausoleums does not have a dome. Inside the chamber, which is lavishly decorated with panels of flowers, fruits and trees and pietra dura decorations on the floor, are the tombs of Itmad ud Daulah and his extraordinary family. We again return to the Taj Mahal for sunset. Overnight at the hotel.

AGRA - DELHI
After breakfast you drive approximately for four hours to Delhi stopping en route at the tomb of Sikandra. Gavin Hambly said, “The cultural synthesis achieved in the architecture of Fatehpur Sikri reached its culmination in Akbar's tomb at Sikandra”. In the tradition of all Mughal emperors, the tomb was begun by Akbar but completed by his son Jehangir. Woven into the Mughal garden tomb format, are Akbar's ideas of Din-I-Ilahi, a universal religion combining beliefs from Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. The stone was quarried from near Fatehpur Sikri and the great gateway has magnificently bold polychrome inlay in geometric and floral patterns. The four minarets crowning its corners are an innovation in tombs, later seen at the Taj Mahal. The calligraphy on the monument is exceptional.

On your arrival in Delhi you are met and check-in at the Radisson Hotel near the airport where rooms have been pre reserved until your departure.

Late evening you are transferred to Delhi International airport in time for your onward flight.