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Delhi, Agra & Rajasthan Tour A cultural and culinary experience with Neela Paniz
Nov 27 to Dec 13, 2018
Travel with acclaimed Chef Neela Paniz through Delhi (India’s Capital), Agra (home to one of the world’s seven wonders) and Rajasthan home to the largest palaces that spreads from the central state of Uttar Pradesh west in to India’s largest desert. Paniz will lead you through the myriad of historical sights, showcase the world of Indian vegetable and spice markets; take you shopping for clothing, household goods and of course jewelry! Finding the best places to eat is her passion and will share with you the dining experiences, most of them situated in the hotels themselves, that meet her expectations, whether it is high end dining or the smaller eateries.
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An overview:
DELHI -‐ 3 nights
Perhaps there is no other capital city in the world so steeped in history and legend as the Indian capital of Delhi. It was the magnet that drew the Mongols, Turks, Persians, Afghans, Mughals and the British, all of whom contributed to its glorious but turbulent past. The fascination with Delhi was such that even though it was abandoned many times its rulers returned to it again and again rebuilding it at least seven times. Today the twin cities of Old and New Delhi still intrigue Indians and tourists alike as the cultural and political capital of the largest democracy in the world. Historic sights : Qutub Minar, Humayuns Tomb, Chandini Chowk, Red Fort Farmers market : Sabzi Mandi Okhla Dining : Indian Accent, Haldirams, Ratna Sagar, Havemore Shopping : Khan Market, Cottage Industries, Santushti
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AGRA -‐ 2 nights
Tradition ascribes the foundation of the present city of Agra, situated on the banks of Yamuna river, to Raja Badal Singh around 1475 A.D. However the mention of Agraban in the Mahabharata suggests that it has been the sister of Mathura, an ancient city in the vicinity, from a very early period. Sikandar Lodi made this place his capital when the Lodis ruled North India. But according to an ancient legend, the name of Agra is derived from Agrabans of the twelve groves of Brijmandala, where teenager Lord Krishna is said to have sported with his companions. However, Agra came into limelight during the rule of Afghan King Sikandar Lodhi as the capital of his empire. Later in 1526 A.D., the Mughal Emperor Babar took it upon himself the task for rendering Agra a unique character and beauty of its own. The next few hundred years of Agra witnessed the rise of the pomp and pageantry of three great Mughal monarchs -‐ Emperors Akbar, Jehangir and Shahjahan. In modern times, the city of Agra is a thriving carpet industry where you can also find leather workers; sandstone and marble sculptors, some of whom claim to be direct descendants of the craftsmen who had helped build the Taj Mahal. Historic sights : Sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal, Red Fort Cultural : Mohabbat -‐the-‐ Taj drama Dining : Pinch of Spice
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Sawai Madhopur National Park -‐ 2 nights
The park is one of the finest tiger reserves in the country where most visitors spending a couple of nights are likely to spot one of these majestic animals. Once a private tiger reserve of the Maharaja of Jaipur, the sanctuary came under the Project Tiger scheme in 1972. It covers 410 square km and runs from the easternmost spur of the Aravalis to the Vindhya Range. The old fort, the wildlife sanctuary, also known as Sawai Madhopur, after the town, and some Jain temples with gilded paintings are located in this forest area. Apart from tigers you will come across many herds deer and antelopes such as the Chital, Sambar, Nilgai (Blue-‐bull) and Chinkara gazelles. The sanctuary is also home to sloth bears, leopards and crocodiles. Extensive bird life includes spur flown, jungle fowl, partridges, quails, crested serpent eagle, woodpeckers, flycatchers along with water birds like storks, ducks and geese at the lakes and waterholes.
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JAIPUR (Pink City) -‐ 2 nights
Jaipur, City of Victory, was founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in 1727. It is the only city in the world symbolizing the nine divisions of the Universe through nine rectangular sectors sub-‐dividing it. The architect who formalized the city’s plans on the Shilpa Shastra, the epic Hindu treatise on architecture, mixed it with the sublimity of the Mughal and Jain influences of those times. The city was painted pink in 1853 in honor of Prince Albert’s visit. Except for the busy traffic of bicycles, cars and buses, little seems to have changed. Highlights : Amber Fort, elephant ride, Hawa Mahal, City Palace museum Shopping : Jewelry, clothing, linen Dining : Suvarna Mahal at the Rambagh Palace, Okra
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SAMODE -‐ 1 night
One of my favorite small palace hotels, Samode is about an hour’s drive from Jaipur and stands on a former caravan route. Today the sleepy village, with its local artisans producing printed cloth and glass bangles, is nestled within its old walls. Samode Palace, which dominates the village, is fabulously decorated with 300-‐year old wall paintings, many of them depicting religious subjects. The highlight is a vast Durbar Hall with its original paintings and mirror.
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JAISALMER -‐ 2 nights
The captivating city of Jaisalmer, founded by Prince Jaisal in 1156 AD, has been dubbed Golden City because of the honey color imparted to its yellow sandstone walls by the setting sun. With the crenellated walls and narrow streets lined with exquisitely carved buildings, it has an extraordinary medieval feel. It was a major post in the desert trade route between India and Central Asia. Throbbing in the heart of the Thar Desert, Jaisalmer is an intricately molded wonderland. Take a half-‐day sightseeing tour of this city of gilded magic. See the fort built by Rawal Jaisal atop the 80 m high Trikuta hill, where a fourth of the population still lives. Within the fort are also beautifully carved Jain temples of the 12th to the 15th centuries. See Badal Vilas Palace, the former ruler’s 20th century palace. Also visit some impressive merchant mansions (havelis) including Patwon ki Haveli (1805), a five-‐story building with carved pillars and murals, Salim Singh and Nathmalji ki Haveli. Highlights : Badal Vilas Palace, Patwon ki Haveli, Nathmalji ki Haveli Cultural : Folk dances and Camel rides
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LUNI -‐ 2 nights
The tiny bustling village of Luni, about 40 Kms south of Jodhpur sits in the shadow of the 19th century red sandstone Fort Chanwa, a Haveli or manor, owned by one of my close school friend, has been converted to a hotel. With its complex of courtyards, water sheets and intricately carved facades, the fort and its village is an attractive and peaceful place. Highlights: An early morning visit to the Bishnois Village, where they still follow the 29 principles of a non-‐violent Vaishanavas sect that was founded in the 15th century by Jambeswarji. They are known for their reverence for wildlife and their careful environmental management, protecting especially green vegetation and preserving blackbuck antelope from extinction. They are a gentle community of potters, weavers, leather embroiderers and camel herders. We will take a day trip to Jodhpur, the blue city, home to the famed art deco palace, Umaid Bhavan.
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RANAKPUR, by far the most impressive structure I have seen in Rajasthan, day visit
Ranakpur is the largest Jain temple complex in India and dates to the 15th century. The main temple is dedicated to Adinath, the first Tirthankar. Intricate carvings detail mythological figures, patterns and motifs on the walls, pillars and domes. There are 1444 ornately carved marble pillars in the complex and none of them are similar. The beautiful lace-‐like interiors of the domes are a superb example of western Indian temple style. Surya temple and other Jain temples are side attractions. (Temples open only at 1200 Hrs. Leather belts, footwear, bare legs and black clothing not allowed)
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UDAIPUR, City of the lakes -‐ 2 nights Set amidst the Aravalli hills of south Rajasthan, Udaipur (City of Sunrise) is a beautiful city regarded as one of the most romantic in India. Presenting an enchanting image of marble palaces, placid lakes, attractive gardens and green hills, it has been called “the Venice of the East”. It was founded by Maharana Udai Singh II in 1568 as a traditionally planned, fortified city full of palaces, temples and havelis. The city also became a center for the performing arts, painting and crafts. Highlights: City Palace museum, boat ride around the Lake Pichola, Jag Mandir Island, Folk Art Museum -‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐ Cost: $7900.00 per person, Tour limited to 6-‐8 participants Tour includes all upscale hotel accommodations, all road (air-‐conditioned luxury bus/van) and air transportation within India; all meals, all gratuities, entry fees to monuments and museums. Excluded is airfare to India and back, travel insurance (recommended), visa fees, alcohol, laundry and of course shopping! Detailed itineraries and other important travel information will be provided upon enrollment. A deposit of $1000.00 required to sign up. The deposit is fully refundable up to 60 days prior to the tour. Schedule of refund will be provided upon enrollment. Optional Extension: Mumbai 2 nights at the famed luxury Taj Mahal hotel near the Gateway of India. City tour, shopping, meals including a home cooked dinner prior to departure! Cost: $850.00 per person
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