Day-by-Day Itinerary
January 9 ARRIVE CHENNAI
Wednesday
Welcome to India! Arrive Chennai by your international flight. Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to the hotel.
Chennai is the fourth largest city in India and the capital of Tamil Nadu. Retaining much of its traditional charm, this 350-year-old city is the gateway to the South, providing many fascinating vignette of southern heritage.
Overnight in Chennai at GRT GRAND
January 10 IN CHENNAI
Thursday
After a leisurely breakfast, visit the Kapaleeswarar Temple, with its massive and intricately carved gopurams reaching out to the skies. Continue the tour of Chennai visiting Fort St. George to see St. Mary’s Church. This is where most of Chennai’s early history was written. St. Mary’s Church was built between 1678–80, and Robert Clive was married in this church in 1753. Elihu Yale, who in his later years founded the famous Yale University in the U.S., was one of the early governors of Madras as it was then known. Today, the Fort houses the Secretariat and the Legislative Assembly. Drive along the Marina beach seeing the Presidency College, the statue of Triumph of Labour and the lighthouse enroute to the Cathedral of San Thome. It is the last resting place of St. Thomas the Apostle who brought Christianity to India in 52 A.D. After visiting the Cathedral return to the hotel for lunch.
In the afternoon visit the Pantheon Complex including the Government Museum to see the Bronze Gallery. The Chennai Museum is famous for its splendid collection of Chola bronzes. Dinner at the hotel. (B-L-D)
Overnight in Chennai at GRT GRAND
January 11 CHENNAI
Friday Dakshina Chitra
Kanchipuram
MAHABALIPURAM
PONDICHERRY
After an early breakfast, drive to Mahabalipuram visiting Dakshina Chitra and Kanchipuram enroute (approx. 3 hrs including visit). Dakshina Chitra is a center for the living traditions of art - folk, performing arts, craft and architecture of India with an emphasis on the traditions of South India. It is a project of the Madras Craft Foundation (MCF), a non-profit organization. The center occupies ten undulating acres overlooking the Bay of Bengal, fifteen and a half miles south of Chennai, on the East Coast Road to Mamallapuram. You can also see the deity of Murga who is the other son of Lord Shiva. The Murga deity stands in five different positions.
Visit the temples of Kanchipuram. Also see the weaving centers of silk sarees in Kanchipuram.
Continue to Mahabalipuram, a historical retreat set amidst natural beauty, which is 36 miles south of Chennai. This is the ancient seaport of the Pallavas who were great connoisseurs of art. Its monuments hewn out of solid rock, though ravaged by the sea and wind, still bear testimony to the magnificent heritage of Dravidian architecture.
Visit the Shore temple, with its Bas relief “Arjuna’s penance” and the five Rathas, the Mahishasura Mardhini, Krishna and the Varaha Mandapas. There is also a School of Sculpture, which merits a visit. The glorious Shore Temple, one of the oldest in South India, stands on the sea shore with its paved forecourts.
The village of Mahabalipuram was built during the reign of Veera Rajendra Chola and Kulothungan-III. With the settlement of the village Cheyyur, they built three temples among which the Kandaswamy Temple is the one. The other two temples are dedicated to Vanmikhanathar i.e. Lord Siva, and the other one to Perumal or (Kariya Manicka Perumal). The Kandaswamy temple is in between the Shiva and Vishnu temples. Lord Kandaswamy or Shiva is the principal shrine of this temple. There are also the shrines of Lord Someswara, Goddess Meenakshi and Muthukumaraswamy, which is also called as Samharamurthy. There are also many other deities like the Vinayaka, Dakshinamurthy and Chandikeswara.
Lunch at a local restaurant in Mahabalipuram. Later leave for Pondicherry (approx. 63 miles/ 3 hrs). Arrive Pondicherry and check in at our hotel. Dinner at the hotel. (B-L-D)
Overnight in Pondicherry at
ANNAMALAI INTERNATIONAL
January 12 IN PONDICHERRY
Saturday
Pondicherry is a quaint enclave in Tamil Nadu that upholds the French tradition to this day. The town which rose phoenix-like after the British literally razed it to the ground in the 18th century, is home to the much acclaimed Aurobindo Ashram and is noted for its lovely French architecture and cuisine.
After breakfast at the hotel, our sightseeing tour visits Auroville and Matri Mandir.
Visit the Ashram which was founded by Sri Aurobindo a onetime Bengal revolutionary who later took to the spiritual path. Auroville, The City of Dawn was started in February 1968 as a unique experiment in international living, where people live and work in total harmony.
It was set up as the place of constant progress of an unending education. Auroville wants to be the bridge between the past and the future and belongs to humanity as a whole. The Matri Mandir (pavilion of the Mother) is the soul, the living symbol of Auroville’s aspiration for the Divine.
Lunch at a local restaurant then later this afternoon, Indian dresses will be presented to all participants (sarees for the ladies and kurta-pajamas for the men). Ladies will be instructed on how to wear a saree. Dinner at the hotel. (B-L-D)
Overnight in Pondicherry at
ANNAMALAI INTERNATIONAL
January 13 PONDICHERRY
Sunday THANJAVUR
KARAIKUDI
Breakfast at the hotel. Leave for Thanjavur (112 miles /4 hrs). Thanjavur was the capital of the powerful Chola dynasty. Today it is a little town set amidst the lush rice fields of the Cauvery Delta. Lunch is at a local restaurant. Visit the magnificent Brihadeeswara Temple completed in 1010 A.D. by Raja Raja Chola. It is a living testimony to the sculptural and architectural excellence of the Cholas, and must be seen to be admired and believed. Visit Thanjavur Palace was partly built by the Nayaks in 1550 A.D. and partly by the Marathas. Also visit Saraswathi Mahal Library which has an extensive collection of over 30,000 manuscripts, palm leaf inscriptions and books.
Drive to Karaikudi (65 miles/ 2 1⁄2 hrs) and check in at hotel for dinner. (B-L-D)
Overnight in Karaikudi at
VISALAM Or THE BANGALA
January 14 KARAIKUDI
Monday PONGAL FESTIVAL
MADURAI
After breakfast we attend festivities on the occasion of the Pongal Festival. Pongal is the harvest thanksgiving festival in praise of the sun, land, and the cattle. Festivities begin with cooking the first harvest rice in a special way, symbolizing a good fortune, and offering it to the Sun God.
On the second day, of the Pongal Festival, a special rice preparation is made in every house. It is a sweet rice pudding which is also the main offering. People rejoice over the new harvest and wear new clothes. Making fun and laughter is all around in the atmosphere.
The last day of the festival is devoted to honoring the valuable cattle. The bulls are decorated with garlands, bells and balloons. Their long horns are painted in bright colours before being taken out in procession around villages.
We also visit the Chettinad region, which is comprised of Karaikudi and 74 other villages. It is the homeland of the Nattukottai Chettiars. The Chettiars were a prosperous banking community who ventured overseas to do business in Southeast Asia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their legacies are the fascinating houses of Chettinad they built. These houses have to be seen to be believed and they justify a trip to Chettinad. Visit the Chettinad Palace, the home of the royal Alagappa Chettiar family, a landmark built in 1912. The palace has stained glass, tiles, teak and granite pillars (all imported), and is a grand vision of space and symmetry. It is an absolute showpiece. With lovely wrought iron grill work decorating the gates and gracious spiral staircases at each end of the forecourt, the palace is maintained at any given time for royal visits.
Lunch at the hotel features typical Chettinad cuisine. Later leave for Madurai (55 miles/ 2 hrs).
Arrive Madurai, which is situated on the banks of the Vaigai River. It is the ancient capital of the Pandyan Kings and is a sacred place. Legend has it that the divine nectar falling from the Lord Shiva’s locks gave the town its name.
Check in to the hotel in time for dinner. After dinner, attend the Night ceremony at the Meenakshi Temple. We leave for the temple by tuk-tuks. This is a ceremony that takes place every evening at 9 PM, when the temple bronze of Lord Shiva is carried to the bed chamber of Parvati. The procession is accompanied by religious prayer and temple music. (B-L-D)
Overnight in Madurai at
THE TAJ GATEWAY
January 15 MADURAI
Tuesday PERIYAR
Breakfast at the hotel. Our sightseeing tour of Madurai is highlighted by the Meenakshi Temple and Tirumal Nayak Palace. Constructed in the Indo-Saracenic style in 1639 A.D., the curved dome of the palace stands without the support of a girder or rafter, and it is an architectural feat. Pass by the Mariamman Teppakulam, the tank with a mandapam in the center. Also visit the Thirupparankundram Temple dedicated to Lord Muruga and the Sanskrit school where young priests are trained.
Last night we saw the Meenakshi Temple and we visit it again today. It is a superb example of Dravidian architecture and sculpture, the focal point around which the city has developed. The temple has two sanctoras, one dedicated to Shiva and the other to Meenakshi. The splendidly carved temple complex, with its immense gopurams towering over the city has colourful stucco images of gods, goddesses and animals and tales from Hindu mythology. See the beautifully carved “Hall of Thousand Pillars” which houses the Madurai museum.
The stories continue to flow as we visit Thirupparankundram, 6 miles south of Madurai. It is one of six famous temples dedicated to Lord Muruga. At the entrance to the cave temple there are 48 pillars with artistic carvings.
It is said here Lord Muruga was wedded to Devayanai, daughter of Indra, after annihilating Surapadman. There are separate shrines dedicated to Siva, Ganapati, Durgai, Vishnu and other deities.
Return to the hotel for lunch and then drive to Periyar (approx. 87 miles/ 3 hrs). Arrive Periyar and settle in to our rooms at the resort. (B-L-D)
Overnight in Periyar at
CARDAMOM COUNTY
January 16 PERIYAR
Wednesday KUMARAKOM
After a leisurely breakfast, spend the morning at a spice plantation. Return to the resort for lunch. The afternoon is spent on a pleasant drive to Kumarakom (79 miles/ 4 hrs). Arrive in time to enjoy this lovely resort. Our accommodations are heritage bungalows. Dinner is served at the Coconut Lagoon. (B-L-D)
Overnight in Kumarakom at
COCONUT LAGOON
January 17 KUMARAKOM
Thursday ALLEPPEY
HOUSEBOAT
COCHIN
After a leisurely breakfast, we have a late morning drive to Alleppey where we board a houseboat for a day cruise on the backwaters. Lunch on board the houseboat. Nearing sunset disembark the houseboat and drive to Cochin (1 1⁄2 hrs). Arrive Cochin and check in at the hotel in the heart of the city. Cochin, the palm green commercial town of Kerala, has one of the finest natural harbors in the world and is the gateway to Kerala. The Chinese fishing nets can be seen at the entrance of the harbor. This technique of catching fish was taught by the Chinese through trade contact. These nets along the backwaters are a fascinating sight. Dinner at the hotel. (B-L-D)
Overnight in Cochin at THE GATEWAY
January 18 IN COCHIN
Friday
Breakfast at the hotel. Our sightseeing tour of Cochin takes us to St. Francis Church, Santa Cruz Basilica, Matancherry Palace (Dutch Palace), Jew Street and the Synagogue.
The Synagogue was built in 1568 A.D. and contains Grand Scrolls of the Old Testament and the copper plates containing the privileges granted to the Jews by the Cochin rulers. The floor of the synagogue is paved with exquisite Chinese hand-painted tiles. Continue to the Dutch Palace, which was built by the Portuguese and presented to the Cochin Raja in 1555 A.D. 17th century murals depicting scenes from the Indian epic, Ramayana, can be seen here. St Francis Church, built originally by the Portuguese in 1510 A.D., is believed to be the first church built by Europeans in India. Vasco da Gama was originally buried here.
Lunch is at a local restaurant. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure. This evening attend a Kathikali dance performance. Kathikali is the dance form of Kerala, and it is recognized as one of the four major classical Indian styles. Virtually nothing about Kathikali is naturalistic because it depicts the world of Gods and Demons. Although it bears the unmistakable influences of Kutiyattam and indigenous folk rituals, Kathikali literally meaning “story-play”, which is thought to have crystallized into a distinct theater form during the seventeenth century. The plays are based on three major Hindu epics - the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Bhagavata Purana. Men play both the male and female roles. Dinner is at the hotel. (B-L-D)
Overnight in Cochin at THE GATEWAY
January 19 COCHIN-BANGALORE
Saturday SHRAVANABELAGOLA
HASSAN
Early breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport to board the flight to Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka, by IT 4430 (07:45/08:55 hrs) or 9W 2732 (08:30/09:45 hrs). Meeting and assistance on arrival in Bangalore and drive to Hassan visiting Shravanabelagola enroute (99 miles/ 6 to 7 hrs including visit and stop for lunch at a restaurant enroute).
Shravanabelagola is sacred to the believers of Jainism and is a popular Jain pilgrim center. The serene 56 foot monolith granite statue of Bahubali, a prince and son of the first Jain Thirthankara (saint and teacher) stands majestically atop the granite hill. The prince, though not one of the Thirthankaras was a realized soul. He attained enlightenment at an early age. This statue was erected between 980 - 983 A.D. A climb of around 500 gentle steps up the granite hill takes one to the statue. Those who find it difficult to climb have the option of using a ‘Doli’ a chair, which will be carried by four persons and is very comfortable and safe.
Arrive in Hassan, a picturesque town in the heart of the Malnad region, having a pleasant climate. The Hoysalas brought world-wide acclaim to the district through their unique style of temple architecture. It is surrounded by 6 districts namely Chikmagalur, Mangalore, Madikeri, Mysore, Mandya and Tumkur.
Check in at the resort for dinner and a good rest. Overnight in Hassan. (B-L-D)
HOYSALA VILLAGE RESORT
January 20 HASSAN-BELUR
Sunday HALEBID-MYSORE
After breakfast, today we make an excursion to Halebid and Belur. The Hoysala rulers were not only great conquerors but patrons of art and architecture. Around 80 temples were built during their 250 years of rule, of which the temples at Belur and Halebid are considered the best. The plinth of the temples are star shaped (Vesara style) and the stone used was the soft Steatite, excellent for carving in detail and it hardens when it oxidizes.
Belur was one of the capital cities of the Hoysala Empire 800 years ago. The temple is dedicated to Krishna, an attribute of Vishnu the preserver of the Universe. The outer wall of the temple is decorated with freezes of elephants, mythical animals, geese, lotuses and floral and geometrical scrolls. The outer and inner brackets are decorated with female figures, 38 in all and are carved in great detail. The stories from the Hindu mythology are carved in the outer walls and the inner ceilings and are excellently polished.
Halebid was also a capital of the Hoysalas. The temple, dedicated to Siva, the attribute of destruction for creation, as per Hindu mythology, though similar to the one in Belur is different in its carvings. There are two shrines one for Siva and the other for his vehicle - Nandi, the bull. Started in 1121 A.D., the superstructure was never completed (reasons unknown). The most magnificent part of the temple is its outer wall, every inch of which is covered with friezes of amazing variety.
Return to the hotel for lunch. Later drive to Mysore (71 miles/ 3 hrs). Dinner is at the hotel. (B-L-D)
Overnight in Mysore at
HOTEL REGAALIS
January 21 MYSORE
Monday SRIRANGAPATNAM
Mysore is the former capital of Karnataka. A city of palaces, people and smells, the princely city of Mysore is worth a visit whatever the month or season. Mysore is a dream city that never lets down the visitors with its clean, light and easygoing environment. Even with the growth of the city in response to modernization, Mysore has acquired only a mild change of pace.
Visit the Chamundi Hill and the Mysore Palace. Chamundi Hill is a well-known 1,110 foot high landmark. Chamundi Hill can be reached by an 8 mile road or by climbing up the 1,000 steps laid out by the Mysore Maharaja in the 17th century. Half-way up along the stone steps is Nandi, Lord Shiva’s Bull, a majestic 16-foot monolith. At the top is the 12th century temple of Chamundeshwari, the patron goddess of the Wodeyars. Close to the temple is the gigantic statue of the demon Mahishasura. The summit offers a panoramic view of Mysore’s lakes, parks and palaces. Mysore Palace - The Maharaja’s Palace - is one of the important sights in Mysore. Built in Indo-Saracenic style with domes, turrets, arches and colonnades, the Palace is a treasure house of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world. Intricately carved doors open on to luxuriously furnished rooms. The majestic Durbar Hall has an ornate ceiling and many sculpted pillars.
Also visit a local market. Lunch at the hotel. Then visit Srirangapatnam. Srirangapatnam was once the capital of Hyderali and his son Tippu Sultan, “The Tiger of Mysore”. In the 18th century, Marathas attacked Srirangapatnam and forced heavy payments. Hyderali drew back the Marathas and saved the Kingdom. In 1799 Tippu fought a fierce Battle (Battle of Mysore) against the British and fell bravely defending his capital. Srirangapatnam remains in a ruined state recalling the battles fought and glories past. Dinner at the hotel. (B-L-D)
Overnight in Mysore at
HOTEL REGAALIS
January 22 MYSORE
Tuesday BANGALORE
DEPART
The morning is at leisure. Perhaps you’ll want to do some shopping. After lunch at the hotel, leave for Bangalore airport (approx 5 hrs). Dinner at an airport hotel. After dinner, transfer to the airport to board international flight departing late night/early morning. Leave Bangalore by your international flight. (B-L-D)
B=Breakfast L=Lunch D=Dinner
Or, better yet continue on our Mumbai Extension.
January 22 BANGALORE
Tuesday MUMBAI
After breakfast, depart for the Bangalore airport (100 miles/5 hours). Leave Bangalore for Mumbai by 9W418 (16:30/18:05 hrs). Meeting and assistance on arrival in Mumbai and transfer to the hotel. Mumbai has been the capital of the state of Maharashtra since 1960, and former capital of the old Mumbai state and has long been referred to as the Gateway of India. In fact, a large ceremonial gateway was erected in 1911 to commemorate the first visit ever made to India by a British king and queen. Through this gateway the last British viceroy departed in 1947, marking the termination of almost 350 years of official British presence in India.
Mumbai is the leading financial center of India and a major national commercial, transportation, and manufacturing hub. Mumbai Harbor, a broad, sheltered bay located between the city and the mainland, is one of the world’s greatest natural harbors. The port receives a large portion of the nation’s total imports and is a shipping point for goods produced in western India. Two major railroads terminate in Mumbai, providing service to all parts of India, and the city is served by a major international airport. (B)
Overnight in Mumbai at GORDON HOUSE
Boutique Hotel in the Colaba Neighborhood
January 23 IN MUMBAI
Wednesday
Breakfast at the hotel. Sightseeing tour of Mumbai. Drive past Victoria Terminus, visit Crawford Market, Dhobi ghats (a place where a large number of washer men wash clothes) and Mani Bhawan.
Modeled on the lines of the St. Pancras Station in London, Victoria Terminus is undoubtedly the Raj’s piece de resistance, Complete with carved stone friezes, stained glass windows and flying buttresses. It is Gothic architecture at its best, an awesome edifice that most citizens view with deep pride. At the top of the central dome stands the triumphant figure of Progress. The station was christened to commemorate Victoria Jubilee Day in 1887 when India’s first steam engine puffed out to neighboring Thane, about 28 miles away. Today it has been rechristened Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus after the Maratha warrior. The old steam engines have been replaced by electric ones, but to the 2.5 million commuters who push past its massive portals everyday, this is still VT, the pulse of a throbbing city.
Poised between what was once the British Fort and the local town, Crawford Market has elements of both. It’s a blend of Flemish and Norman architecture with a bas relief depicting Indian peasants in wheat fields just above the main entrance. The freize, incidentally, was designed by Lockyard Kipling, father of the famous Rudyard Kipling, and the Kiplings’ cottage still stands next to the JJ School of Art across the road. Now named after a local patriot called Jyotiba Phule, Crawford Market looks like something out of Victorian London, with its sweet smell of hay and 50 ft. high skylit awning that bathes the entire place in natural sunlight. Mountains of fruit and fresh vegetables are sold here at wholesale rates. Next door there’s also a meat and poultry section along with stalls selling smuggled cheese and chocolate!
Dhobi Ghats: A unique feature of Mumbai, the dhobi is a traditional laundryman, who will collect your dirty linen, wash it, and return it neatly pressed to your doorstep - all for a pittance. The “laundries” are called “ghats”: row upon row of concrete wash pens, each fitted with its own flogging stone. The clothes are soaked in sudsy water, thrashed on the flogging stones, then tossed into huge vats of boiling starch and hung out to dry. Next they are ironed and piled into neat bundles. The most famous of these Dhobi Ghats is at Saat Rasta near Mahalaxmi Station where almost two hundred dhobis and their families work together in what has always been a hereditary occupation.
Located on leafy Laburnum Road, a quiet lane named after its shady trees, Mani Bhavan is the old Mumbai residence of Mahatma Gandhi. It’s a pretty, two-storied structure that now houses a reference library with over 2,000 books, a photo exhibition of the Mahatma’s life, and well preserved memorabilia, including an old charkha or spinning wheel that Gandhiji used to use. Today, it’s only a symbolic exhibit that lies unused, but many old Gandhians still visit the place to pay homage to their hero and demonstrate the noble art of spinning your own yarn! Return to the hotel.
Later proceed for a walking tour of the Fort area of Mumbai commencing from the Gateway of India and concluding at the steps of Asiatic Library’s Town Hall. (approx. 2 hrs). The walk covers the heritage district of Horniman Circle, Flora Fountain, Mumbai University, Kala Ghoda, Regal Circle and Gateway of India. The Fort area, with its Victorian and Indo-Saracenic, neo-Gothic architecture is the heart of the old city called ‘Fort’ after the old fort walls that bound the area. (B)
Overnight in Mumbai at GORDON HOUSE
Boutique Hotel in the Colaba Neighborhood
January 24 MUMBAI
Thursday ELEPHANTA CAVES
DEPART INDIA
Breakfast at the hotel. Excursion to the Elephanta Caves which are 5.5 miles off the coast of Mumbai and an hour ride by motor launch from the Gateway of India. The cave temples of Elephanta date back to the 7th century. Four rows of massive columns cut into solid rock from three magnificent avenues, lead to the outstanding three-headed sculpture representing Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva the Destroyer. Dedicated to Shiva, the beauty and power of these phenomenal sculptures depicting the various manifestations of Shiva is overpowering.
Return to the hotel. The afternoon is at leisure. The room at the hotel is protected for use until departure. Late evening, transfer to airport to board your home bound flight. Leave for the U.S.A. or other destination by your international flight. (B)
B=Breakfast
Flight schedules always subject to change.
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