Day 01 : Delhi Arrival
Arrive Delhi International Airport at ________ HRS. On arrival will be received by our representative. Later transfer to the Hotel. Morning at leisure. PM proceed for half day City Tour of New Delhi visiting Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb, India Gate, President House, Parliament House and Connaught Place Shopping Centre of New Delhi. Overnight at Hotel.
Day O2 : Delhi - Varanasi(By Air)
After breakfast transfer to the Airport for your flight to Varanasi. On arrival in Varanasi transfer to the Hotel. Evening at leisure. Overnight at the Hotel.
Day 03 : Varanasi
At sunrise boat ride on river Ganer. Returns to the Hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, city tour of Varanasi visiting Temples and Bazaars. Afternoon visit to the Sarnath Temple. Overnight at the Hotel.
Day 04 : Varanasi - Khajuraho(By Air)
Morning is free to explore the bazars of Varanasi. In the afternoon transfer to the Airport for your flight to Khajuraho. On arrival transfer to the Hotel. Evening is free. Overnight at the Hotel.
Day 05 : Khajuraho
After breakfast we take you for day tour of Eastern and Western group of Temples built by Chandela Kings between 950 AD and 1050 AD. Khajuraho temples represent some of most exquisite specimen of Hindu architecture and sculpture. Today only 82 original temples remain. The most important are Chaunset Yogini temple dedicated to Goddess Kali. The Mahadev Temple, Chitragupta Temple, Lakshamana Temple and Parsvanath Temple etc. Overnight at the Hotel.
Day 06 : Khajuraho - Agra(By Air)
Morning is free. In the afternoon transfer to the Airport for your flight to Agra. On arrival transfer to the Hotel. Overnight at the Hotel.
Day 07 : Agra
Early morning at sunrise we take youu for a vist to the famous Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world surely the most extravagant expression of love ever created. 20,000 men laboured for over 17 years tobuild this memorial to Shah Jahan's beloved wife. Then return to the Hotel for breakfast. After breakfast visit to Red Fort & Bazaars. Overnight at the Hotel.
Day 08 : Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Jaipur(Approx. 245 Kms/05 Hrs)
After breakfast proceed by surface to Jaipur, enroute visit to Fatehpur Sikri - Now known as the Ghost city but once the capital of Mughal Sikri - Now known as the Ghost city but once the capital of Mughal Emperor Akbar. Continue drive to Jaipur. Upon arrival check-in to the Hotel. Rest of hte day at leisure. Overnight at the Hotel.
Day O9 : Jaipur
After breakfast proceed to visit Hawa Mahal, City Palace, Jantar-Mantar, Jal Mahal, Birla Mandir, Jaigarh Fort, Amber Fort. Experience the "Elephant Ride" while ascending the fort perched on top of an Aravali Hill. Overnight at the Hotel.
Day 10 : Jaipur - Udaipur(By Air)
After breakfast transfer to the Airport for your flight to Udaipur. On arrival transfer to the Hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at the Hotel.
Day 11 : Udaipur
After breakfast sightseeing of Udaipur visiting City Palace, Jagdish Mandir, Sahelion Ki Bari, Pratap Memorial, Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandir & City Tour etc. Overnight at the Hotel.
Day 12 : Udaipur - Aurangabad(By Air)
After breakfast transfer to the Airport for your fight to Aurangabad. On arrival tranfer to the Hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at the Hotel.
Day 13 : Aurangabad
After an early breakfast we go for a full day excursion of Ellora and Ajanta Caves. At Ellora Caves we see Temples that date from 4 to 9 century Ad.The temples here honour Hindu , Jain and Buddhist faiths. Ajanta Oaves date back to 2nd century BC and recount the life of Lord Buddha. Return to the Hotel for overnight.
Day 14 : Aurangabad - Delhi(By Air)
After breakfast city tour of Aurangabad. In the afternoon transfer to the Airport for your flight to Delhi. On arrival transfer to the Hotel.
Day 15 : Delhi - Departure
After breakfast we take you for a tour of Old Delhi visiting Raj Ghat, Jama Masjid, Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, the shopping centre of Old Delhi. Late evening transfer to the International Airport for your flight to next destination.
KHAJURAHO
Location : 385 Miles Southeast Of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh.
Name Derived From : 'Khajur', The Date Palm.
Built By : Chandela Rajputs.
Built During : 950 AD - 1050 AD.
Sensuality Sublimated
Khajuraho, derived from the word 'khajur' meaning the date palm, was a quiet, unknown town till a chance discovery made it a popular tourist destination. Forgotten and unvisited until the mid-1960s, the place is now, after the Taj, India's biggest single tourist attraction. Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval temples; each studded with countless sculptures of extraordinary grace and delicacy. The temples of Khajuraho, are indeed, celebrations of the stylized and refined courtly accomplishments of beauty, love and creative arts.
Khajuraho lies about 385 miles (616 kilometers) southeast of Delhi. It was once the religious capital of the Chandela Rajputs, a tribal dynasty who ruled this part of India from the tenth to the twelfth centuries. The Khajuraho temples were built in the short span of a hundred years, from 950-1050 AD in a truly inspired burst of creativity. The whole area was enclosed by a wall with eight gates, each flanked by two golden palm trees. There were originally over 80 temples, of which only 22 now stand in a reasonable state of preservation, scattered over an area of about eight square miles.
The set of temples at Khajuraho celebrating Hindu religious thought in its bewildering variety of scope and inclusion stands distinguished from rest of the Hindu temples. The temples highlight the existential ethos in religion that venerates 'Yoga' and 'Bhoga'. 'Yoga' is union of the self with the Almighty, while 'Bhoga' is the path to God through physical pleasure. The temples at Khajuraho, dedicated to physical love and pleasure are a testimony to this philosophy.
Declared a World Heritage Site in 1986 in order to preserve its splendour for posterity, Khajuraho is a prominent, must-see destination on most tourist itineraries. The temples of Khajuraho are India's unique gift to the world, representing, an ode to life, to love, to joy; perfect in execution and sublime in expression. Life, in every form and mood, has been captured in stone, testifying not only to the craftsman's artistry but also to the extraordinary breadth of vision of the Chandela Rajputs under whose rule the temples were conceived and constructed.
The Legend
The creators of Khajuraho claimed descent from the moon as is testified by the fascinating legend behind the creation of this great dynasty and the temples. Hemwati, the lovely young widowed daughter of a Brahmin priest, was seduced by the moon-god while she was bathing in a forest pool. As the moon-god prepared to leave, Hemvati threatened to curse him for having molested her chastity, at which the moon-god blessed her with an invincible son, who would grow up to become a reputed world ruler and from whom will would spring a thousand royal branches. The child born of this union was Chandravarman, founder of the Chandela dynasty. It is believed that Brihsapati; the preceptor of gods' descended on the earth to write his horoscope.
Brought up in the forests by his mother who sought refuge from a censorious society, at an age of sixteen, the young Chandravarman was so strong that he killed a tiger with a piece of stone and a full grown lion with a small stick. When he was established as a ruler, he had a dream-visitation from his mother. It is said that she implored him to build temples that would reveal human passions, and in doing so bring about a realization of the emptiness of human desire.
It is also believed that Chandelas were followers of the Tantric cult, which believes that gratification of earthly desires is a step towards attaining the infinite liberation or 'nirvana'.
With their decline, the temples lay forgotten for many centuries, covered by the encroaching forests, victim to the ravages of the elements. Re-discovered only in this century, restored and cleaned, the temples of Khajuraho once again testify to a past glory.
