In our Classical India Tour, you shall feel and experience the true essence of India. India, known for its rich history, heritage and culture, you shall get to witness and experience the hold River Ganga, various temples and palaces of India, and off, course the Taj Mahal. India is a land of my religions and culture, and in our Classical India Tour, you can witness various Hindu temples and Islamic monuments, Buddhist sites in Sarnath. The holy River Ganga is not merely a river but considered as a mother, a goddess and the soul of many Indians.
The depiction of the Kama Sutra on the temples of Khajuraho always shows how advance ancient India was in its knowledge of sex and the architecture of temples and palaces in Orchha is bound to leave you speechless. Our Classical India Tour, runs travels through the lifeline of Indian transportation, the railways shall assure you in providing an unforgettable journey and experience.
We arrive in Delhi, and our representatives shall receive you and assist your transfer to your hotel.
We arrange a day-long excursion tour is visiting various sites and monuments in the national capital. We commence our excursion with the Qutub Minar, which is the tallest brick minaret in the world. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is 73-metres high, and this 5-storey structure has a tapering design, with the circumference of the minaret reducing in circumference as we ascend higher. The structure’s construction was started by the founder of the Delhi Sultanate, Qutub-Ud-Din-Aibak and Firoz Shah Tughlaq and Sher Shah Suri contributed to additions to this monument.
After the Qutub Minar, we visit Humayun’s Tomb, which serves as a mausoleum for the Mughal Emperor, Humayun. The site reflects Central Asian and Persian styles of Islamic architecture. The tomb is surrounded by four gardens famously known as ‘Char Bagh’.
Later, we visit the India Gate, President’s House or Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Parliament House. India Gate is a war memorial dedicated to the 70000 soldiers of the British Indian Army who lost their lives during the First World War with names of over 13000 soldiers inscribed in the monument. After the 1972 War, a small structure was added known as the “Amar Jawan Jyoti” which consist of a black marble plinth, an inverted rifle, a soldier’s helmet, bounded by four eternal flame, This structure serves as a memorial for the unknown soldiers who have lost their lives in service of the country.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan, also known as the President’s House and previously known as the Viceroy House, serves as the official Residence for the President of India and is spread across a 320-acre area surrounded by the Mughal Gardens. Only certain portions of the Rashtrapati Bhavan are accessible to the general public such as the museum, clock tower, the stables, the Mughal Garden etc. are open to the general public and visitors can witness the change of guard ceremony on weekends.
The Parliament House serves as the building from where the parliament of India functions from. The building has a circular shape inspired by the Ashoka Charka and is surrounded by beautiful gardens with its perimeter fenced for security reasons.
Then we head to the Red Fort, also known as the Laal Qila, which is also the site for Independence Day and Republic Day parades. This palace served as the official residence of many Mughal Emperors. It derives its name from the red-coloured sandstone which is used for its construction. This UNESCO World Heritage Site showcases the grandeur of Mughal architecture and has several structures such as the Lahori Gate, Delhi Gate, Chatta Chowk, Naubat Khana, Nahr-i-Bihist, Mumtaz Mahal, Diwan-e-Khas, Hira Mahal, Moti Masjid and many more structures.
From the Red Fort, we head to Jama Masjid, the biggest mosque in India, which was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Its courtyard can accommodate almost 25000 people, and the Jama Masjid has three domes on its terrace and is surrounded by two minarets with a height of 40-meters. The structure is made of red sandstone and white marble and is filled with Islamic calligraphy adorning its walls.
After visiting the Jama Masjid, we head to Chandni Chowk Market, one of the oldest, busiest and most famous marketplaces in Delhi. The market is renowned for garments, designer clothing, consumer electronics, accessories and jewellery, books and many other goods. Chandni Chowk is also very famous for authentic, delicious food and sweets and has many restaurant and sweet shop making and selling a wide variety of authentic North Indian cuisine.
After some shopping and indulging in local delicacies, we head to Raj Ghat, which is a monument constructed in the dedication of Mahatma Gandhi, who is also warmly referred by many Indians as the father of the nation. It contains a black marble platform and an eternal flame.
We fly to Varanasi and transfer to our hotels. Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world has holds immense importance to Hindus and Buddhist who consider the city sacred. In the evening, we shall visit the famous ghats on the holy river Ganga, and witness and experience, the Ganga Aarti, with a spectacular sight of oil lamps floating in the river as a backdrop and hearing harmonious hymns, this sight and sound is an ultimate spiritual experience soothing the soul.
We commence our day with a morning boat ride on the holy river Ganga. It is said bathing and taking a dip in this sacred river cleanses the soul and washes away past sins. Throughout the day we shall explore the city of Varanasi exploring many temples such as the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, Parshvanath Jain Temple and many more.
After breakfast, we head to Sarnath and visit Buddhist ruins. It is said that Gautam Buddha gave his first sermon in Sarnath and it is from here, Buddhism spread all around the world. Although invaders destroyed most of Sarnath, it still has ruins of Dhamek Stupa, Dharamrajika Stupa, the Chaukhand Stupa and many more. Sanarth is a famous pilgrimage destination for Buddhist from Indian and all over the world.
We shall also visit a centre for silk weaving as Varanasi’s silk is famous all over the world. You shall be given a live demonstration of silk weaving and can also purchase and shop for silk and silk products.
We take a flight from Varanasi and travel to Khajuraho which is often referred to as the Land of Kama Sutra. In Khajuraho, we shall visit the Western and Easter Group of temples which are a group of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist temples. These temples are famous for their nagara-style of architecture and are more famously known for its erotic sculptures displaying various sexual positions from the Kama Sutra.
After exploring Khajuraho, we travel to and visit famous sites like the Ram Raja Temple, Jahangir Mahal, Chaturbhuj Temple and many cenotaphs dotting the Betwa River. The Ram Raja temple is constructed on a square base and has a plain and simple exterior and is decorated by a series of windows and domes along its summit. The Jahangir Mahal is a beautiful specimen of the Mughal architecture and is built on a square base and is relieved by a circular tower at each corner mounted with a dome.
In the Evening, we embark on the Shatabdi express to continue our onward journey to Agra, where we check-in to our hotels upon arrival.
Agra is home to one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal and any trip to Agra is incomplete without visiting the Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a mausoleum for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is constructed of ivory-white marble and stands on the banks of the river Yamuna.
The Taj Mahal showcases the Persian and Mughal style of architecture. The tomb of Mumtaz Mahal serves as a centre-piece of the 42-acre complex, which also houses a mosque and a guest house. The Taj Mahal is bordered with red-sandstone walls on three sides. The structure of the tomb has a central marble dome surrounded by smaller domes and four white-marble minarets. The walls of the Taj Mahal are adorned with Arabic and Islamic calligraphy, plant motifs, calligraphy of Persian poems, marble lattice and reflective tiles.
After witnessing one of the seven wonders of the world, we head to Agra Fort, which has served as the based for many Mughal Emperors. Built on a 94-acre semi-circular plan, it runs parallel with the Yamuna River and has 70-foot tall walls.
We depart from Agra for Jaipur and on-route visit the deserted cities of Fatehpur Sikri and Abhaneri, which once served as the capital of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. In Fatehpur Sikri, we shall visit sites such as the Bulund Darwaza, Jama Masjid, Tomb of Salim Chisti, Diwan-e-Aam, Diwan-e-Khas and more sites. The Bulund Darwaza is 55-meter high and is set in the south wall of the mosque. The Jama Masjid has a distinguishing feature the row of chhatri over the sanctuary. There are three mihrabs in each of the seven bays, while a dome covers the large central mihrab, it is decorated with white marble inlay, in geometric patterns.
Abhaneri, a small village 95-km from Jaipur, is famous for its ‘baori’ or step walls which the natives used to harvest rainwater. The most famous of the ‘baoris’, known as the Chand Baori, is one of the deepest largest step-wells in India
Upon arrival in Jaipur, we shall transfer to our hotels
In the Pink City, Jaipur, we embark on a day-long excursion, we visit the Amer Fort, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and the Royal City Palace exploring the Rajputana culture, heritage and royalty. Amer Fort, situated in Amer, about 11-km from Jaipur, is famous for its Hindu artistic style of architecture. The Amer Fort is constructed out of red sandstone and marble and contains massive ramparts and series of gates and cobbled paths; the fort overlooks Maota Lake. It includes the Diwan-e-Aam, Diwan-e-Khaas, the Sheesh Mahal or the Palace of Mirrors and the Sukh Niwas, where a cool natural eco-system is constructed with the air flowing over the waters of the lake.
From the Amer Palace, we head to Hawa Mahal, which is popularly also referred to as the Palace of the Breeze, is constructed using red and pink sandstone. This five storey monument is almost 50 feet high, and windows are designed in a honeycomb fashion, cooling the palace interior using the venturi effect even during the harshest summer months.
The Jantar Mantar is an equinoctial sundial, consisting a gigantic triangular gnomon with the hypotenuse parallel to the Earth’s axis. On either side of the gnomon is a quadrant of a circle, parallel to the plane of the equator. The instrument is intended to measure the time of day, correct to half a second and declination of the Sun and the other heavenly bodies.
From the Jantar Mantar, we head to the City Palace, which served as the seat of power of the Maharaja of Jaipur and a large portion still serves as a Royal Residence. The Chandra Mahal portion of the City Palace has been converted into a museum and has other structures within the City Palace which include the Mubarak Mahal, Pritam Niwas Chowk, Diwan-i-Aam, Diwan-i-Khaas, Maharani Palace, Bagghi Khana, Govind Dev Ji Temple.
We catch a flight from Jaipur Airport to Delhi, where we conclude our Classical India Tour.
We have proposed the train journey through a prestigious train and your compartment will be air-conditioned and comfortable. It is a full service train and you will be served refreshments as well.
Boat ride over River Ganges is very enjoyable and comfortable. However, you can bring mosquito repellant cream incase you need it while taking the ride and also during the evening prayer time near the river.
Indians are very welcoming and sweet people and they will be happy if you click their pictures. But please avoid taking the pictures of funeral and sick person.
