By Rashmi Goyal

The old cliché that to see the ‘real’ India one has to hop onto the rails contains an element of truth. Since a sizeable portion of the population lives in villages and small towns, whatever tour you opt for once at a Delhi hotel of your choice, whether rural or mystic India or heritage or any other, the cliché is reinforced.

Railways in India a way of life . A staggering 18 million people travel by train every day. Religious pilgrimages alone account for hundreds of thousands of journeys every year. The Indian Railways has 9000 trains running on roughly 65,000 km of track along side 7,083 stations. And with hotels dotting the entire stretch, the daily flow of human traffic on and off its tracks is mind boggling.

India’s railway network is extensive, prices are reasonable with accommodations suiting every pocket, AC and non AC seating/sleepers of all classes. Apart from the normal trains connecting all parts of the country there are also special faster trains like the Rajdhani Express and Shatabdi Express; the fully AC Garib Rath Express , Duronto Express , Janshatabdi Express and Super fast Trains along with the Mail Express Trains & Local Trains for local travel. Like our Clark Hotels, most luxury budget hotels in Delhi are not far from the major railway stations .

IR has also introduced Bharat Darshan, a special pilgrimage train taking tourists through religious and pilgrim centers in North India (in 14 days) including  sacred Shirdi, Varanasi, Gaya, Allahabad, Haridwar, Mathura and Agra.

Then there are the Royal Trains of India, a favorite luxury travel option  - The Palace on Wheels, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, Deccan Odyssey, Maharaja Express all  have fabulous, beautifully adorned coaches, well stocked bar/ restaurants, lounge, library, gym, even spa on board.

India’s most expensive train, the Maharajas’ Express is one of the six luxury trains that offer the best in travel, traditional food and hospitality. Its Classical India tour (7 days/6 nights) starts from Delhi and passes through Agra , Gwalior , Khajuraho, Bandhavgarh, Varanasi , and Lucknow , before returning to Delhi . Its Princely India trip (8 days/7 nights) starts from Mumbai and passes through Vadodara, Udaipur , Jodhpur , Bikaner , Jaipur, Ranthambore, Agra and finally lands you back to your hotel in Delhi thrilled and fulfilled.

The train crisscrosses the beautiful locales offering panoramic views of India’s countryside, chugging along majestic ghats, deserts, lush green fields, scenic villages and rivers .
The Maharaja Express is akin to a five-star hotel on wheels . Every cabin has large panoramic windows, individual temperature controls, LCD/TV, DVD players, direct dial phones, electronic safe deposit and internet facilities. It has two fine dining restaurants, a bar with the choicest collection of wines, a lounge cum bar and high-end boutique.

When coming to India, its important to plan ahead and inquire before acting, especially when it comes to booking a hotel, tour and especially luxury train tours which are booked fully months in advance.

By Rashmi Goyal

The state of Madhya Pradesh is a prime cultural and religious hub of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Islam. With the world famous Khajuraho temples, exquisitely carved Jain temples, forts and palaces, the state is full of glorious reminders of the era of Rajas and Maharajas. Its medieval cities, amazing wildlife sanctuaries and pilgrimage centers offer memorable experiences.

The Khajuraho Group of monuments in Khajuraho town, 385 miles from Delhi, are one of the most popular destinations in the world. It has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain Temples, more famous for their erotic sculptures than anything else. The Khajuraho temple complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of India.

The temples are made of sandstone – the builders didn’t use mortar. The stones were put together with mortise and tenon joints and held in place by gravity. This kind of construction requires very precise joints. The columns and architraves were built with megaliths that weigh up to 20 tons!

The Khajuraho temples bear erotic artwork with sensual engravings and erotic sculptures, built by the Chandela rulers in the 10th century. Many carvings also depict everyday life of the common man at the time. Erotic fantasies sculpted in stone are a curious blend of religion with eroticism.

Today, the temples serve as fine examples of Indian architectural styles that have gained popularity due to their explicit depiction of erotic life during medieval times. The Khajuraho temples are now set in a parkland landscape. The archaeological park now has something of the character of a public park, with mowed grass, rose beds and ornamental trees. This however has no relationship with the historic landscape at the time the temples were built. The temples of Khajuraho were built between 950 to 1050 A.D. Of the original 85 temples, only 20 have survived the weather over the millennia .

The Khajuraho temple complex offers a well-made light and sound show every evening. The show is about an hour long and covers the history, philosophy and the art of sculpting of these temples. These 10th -11th century temples have an interesting legend behind them that connects them to the origin of the Chandela dynasty. It is said that in a fit of passion and lust, the Moon God seduced and ravaged a beautiful Brahmin girl known as Hemvati, resulting in the birth of Chandravarman -the founder of the Chandela dynasty. Later, Chandravarman had a dream where his mother requested him to make a temple which would reveal all aspects of passion and erotic fantasy to the world.

The fact is the Khajuraho temples do not contain erotic art inside the temples or near the deities ; however some external carvings bear erotic art. Also, some of the temples that have two layers of walls have small erotic carvings on the outside of the inner wall. There are many interpretations of the erotic carvings. They portray that for seeing the deity, one must leave his or her sexual desires outside the temple. They also convey that Divinity, such as the deities of the temples, is pure like the atman (soul), which is not affected by sexual desires and other characteristics of the physical body.

Meanwhile, the external curvature and carvings of the temples depict humans, human bodies and the changes that occur in human bodies as well as the facts of life. Just about 10% of the carvings contain sexual themes, the rest depict the everyday life of the common man at the time when the carvings were made.

The Khajuraho Dance Festival, held every year in February/March, is an opportunity for visitors to experience various classical Indian dances set against the backdrop of the Temples.

The nearest railway station is at Jhansi, 18 km from town. The nearest airport is Khajuraho Airport. Premium hotels in Khajuraho offer all modern amenities and the Budget hotels too offer decent a stay at reasonable prices. Most hotels here have good restaurants where you can try a variety of cuisines.

By Rashmi Goyal

The rich cultural past of India is reflected in the innumerable forts and palaces across the country. Most were built as defenses to keep enemy at bay and hence are mind boggling massive, with stunning temples and palaces inside, exquisite architecture, sculpture and carvings that have stood the ravages of time.

Though standard heritage tours are evergreen, customized tours are gaining popularity. The last decade saw a boom in hospitality ; the next revolution was in Historical India Tour options. India has immense historical heritage as countless valiant rulers of ancient and medieval India left traces of their empires which tourists feast on. Once a visitor to India has settled in a Delhi Hotel of his choice, the first instinct is to explore this amazing capital.

If you’re a forts and palaces buff and are wondering where to quickly find the majestic and magnificent, then don’t lose hope. There are many fortresses not far from your hotel in Delhi. India’s colorful, vibrant past is reflected in the myriad citadels dotting the country’s landscape. There is one right outside your doorstep in Delhi. The magnificent Red Fort, which is visited by nearly every tourist to India, is a masterpiece of architecture.

The next nearest is the Agra Fort; combine it with gazing awe struck at the glorious Taj Mahal, an unforgettable experience. Just an hour journey from your Delhi hotel, you can go by train or car or luxury bus. The 16th century Agra Fort of red sandstone, encompasses within its 2.5 km long enclosure walls, the imperial city of the Mughals. It comprises many fairy-tale palaces, audience halls, and beautiful mosques.

Next you can head for Gwalior and its famous fortress. You can also head for Jaipur first, then Agra or vice versa, followed by Gwalior. The Amber Fort in Jaipur is a classic example of fusion of Mughal and Hindu architecture. It has a profusion of palaces including the ‘palace of mirrors’, Sheesh Mahal, with walls inlaid with exquisite mirrors that still take every first time visitor’s breath away.

Gwalior is 122 km south of the Taj Mahal . Due to massive tourist in flow, Gwalior is called the tourist capital of the state. The formidable Gwalior Fort is reputed to be one of the most invincible forts of India. It occupies an isolated rock outcrop with the hill steepened to make it virtually non scalable. Called the ‘Gibraltar of India’, it has unique architecture with Chinese influence on Indian architecture. Its intricately designed beauty is encased in 35 feet high walls enclosing stunning temples and palaces.

Do your homework at the travel desk of your Delhi hotel to work out your list of fortresses to gawk at.

 

 

 

 

 

Orchha, founded in 1501 AD, is just 120 km from Gwalior . A medieval city with an amazing fort along the Betwa river which is full of palaces and temples that still retain their original grandeur. Hotels here are known for their splendid décor and comfort .

 

 

By Rashmi Goyal

A Delhi City Excursion Tour is a must for any India first timer. The capital of this vast, ancient, incredible land is very aptly called a mini India. Delhi city can truly be dubbed as a Heritage City of the world – it is actually seven cities successively built over more than a thousand years, all inter-meshed within each other, with British built New Delhi making an eighth! This has resulted in a fascinating heritage collection of mostly Mughal monuments and relics juxtaposed with modern architectural wonders.

A brief historical timeline of Delhi –

1. Lal Kot (or Qila Rai Pithora) : area around Qutab Minar founded in 1060 A.D.

2. Siri Fort :  a fortress rather than city, commissioned in 1303 .

3. Tughluqabad : fortified city built in 1321 but deserted soon after.

4. Jahanpanah :  Founded 1326 as an extension of Lal Kot

5. Firozabad  : remains are a fortified palace, Firoz Shah Kotla, founded 1354

6. Purana Qila : 1533 A.D. fortress , said to be the site of ancient Indraprastha

7. Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad) : Founded in 1638 as capital of Mughal India

8. New Delhi : Inaugurated by the British in 1931 as their brand new capital

Today’s buzzing international metropolis is both daunting and alluring. Form the tourists point of view, Delhi is divided into two main parts. Old Delhi is the city of the Mughals, dating the 17th century, with ancient monuments in marble and sandstone and teeming bazaars. Spacious New Delhi is full of tree-lined boulevards, museums, classy markets.  Our unique two day Delhi City Excursion Tour makes the mammoth task of an inner excursion easy, comfortable and thoroughly enjoyable!
Highlights of Delhi City Excursion Tour

Day one 

* Red Fort  – Morning, you start your excursion with a visit to the magnificent Red Fort, the most famous and largest of heritage monuments. The massive fort is built in red sandstone and its ramparts stretch for about 2 km. The fort contains halls of public and private audience, domed and arched marble palaces, private apartments, a mosque and elaborate gardens.

* Jama Masjid – Next on the agenda is India’s largest mosque, the Jama Masjid. It has huge minarets and offers bird’s eye views over the old city. The mosque accommodates 25,000 worshippers and was built by a workforce of 5000 men. It looks east to sprawling Red Fort and down onto the seething streets of Old Delhi. In its northeast section, a shrine protects a collection of Muhammad’s relics shrouded in rose petals and watched over by keepers who reveal the contents: two sections of the Koran written on deerskin by relatives of the prophet, a red beard hair of Muhammad, his sandals and his footprint ‘miraculously’ embedded in a marble slab.

* Chandni Chowk  – At this point, you can have a fascinating foray into Chandni Chowk on cycle rickshaw or foot – Asia’s biggest wholesale market said to be 400 years old and running since! It is Old Delhi’s main thoroughfare that was once a tree lined canal with  opulent bazaars. There are heritage buildings signposted at intervals. Starting east to west, just across Red Fort is Lal Mandir, a Jain temple with carvings and gilded paintwork. The 18^th century Hindu Gauri Shankar Temple is next door with shrines, a statue of Lord Shiva and an 800 year old lingam.

Go further west to Gurudwara Sisganj, a 1784 Sikh temple marking the spot where Emperor Aurangzeb beheaded the ninth Sikh guru, Tegh Bahadur in 1675. The guru was forced to see three of his followers executed – one was sawn in half from head to foot, another wrapped in cotton and slowly burned to death, a third boiled alive in a cauldron of water. This happened across the street in what is now Fountain Chowk.

* Finally you reach Connaught Place or ‘CP’ – the popular, modern commercial and shopping hub full of restaurants, shops, cinemas, banks and airline offices. Its central park is beautifully landscaped and offers a quiet retreat from the hurly-burly. Neon advertisements adorn the roofs and verandas of buildings that circle central park.

You can break here for a sumptuous lunch at any one of numerous fine dining spots or munch yummy snacks at a food joint out here.

We continue our Delhi City Excursion Tour :-  

* Jantar Mantar – located just south of CP, built in 1725 A.D.– one of five open-air observatories designed by Maharaja Jai Singh II – huge red and white slanting stone structures used to calculate time, solar and lunar calendars and astrological movements with an admirable degree of accuracy.

* Bangla Sahib Gurudwara – Delhi’s largest Sikh temple with a vast white marble structure topped by a huge, golden dome .

* Lakshmi Narayan Mandir – an extravagant modern Hindu temple commissioned by a wealthy merchant family, the Birlas and inaugurated in 1939 by Mahatma Gandhi.

The Delhi City Excursion Tour will now take you on a drive down the grand avenue Rajpath viewing hotspots :

* Rajpath  – South of CP , the grand avenue Rajpath stretches from India Gate to the Presidential Palace, flanked by gardens and fountains floodlit at night. It’s wide grassy margins are a popular spot for families, picnickers, courting couples.  It is the location of the annual National Republic Day Parade.

* India Gate  – a must see war memorial raised in honor of  Indian soldiers, designed by Edward Lutyens in 1921. The 42 meter high arch commemorates Indian soldiers and bears names of more than three thousand soldiers. India Gate has a carnival atmosphere with sellers of balloons, ice cream and candy-floss, families enjoying a day out .

* Rashtrapati Bhavan (Presidential Palace) –  one of  the largest and most grandiose of the Raj constructions, with classical columns, Mughal style domes, Indian filigree work and use of the red sandstone.

* Sansad Bhawan (Parliament Building) – its well known circular structure is located just  north of Rajpath.

You round up the first day of your Delhi City Excursion Tour with the must visit must see Akshardham Temple Complex.

* Akshardham Temple is a sprawling, modern construction that has stupendous stone cutting in stunning sculptors and carvings and is set amidst beautiful flood lit fountains in the evening. It’s back to your hotel to tuck in a sumptuous dinner before bed.

Day two

* Raj Ghat or Gandhi Smriti – Morning you start off with a visit to the Memorial site of  the peace apostle, Mahatma Gandhi. An open air, black marble platform with an eternal flame burning at one end, set amidst lush greens and a tangible, pervading atmosphere of peace.

* Humayun’s Tomb -  Next on the agenda is the Mughal garden tomb in red sandstone and white marble set amidst lovely gardens – considered to be the elegant forerunner of the Taj Mahal.

* Purana Quila – remains of the fortress citadel built in 1533 A.D., Delhi’s sixth incarnation . Surrounded by a lake on which boating is very popular. The Delhi zoo is adjacent to it.

* The Lotus (or Baha’i)  Temple -  A stupendous piece of iconic modern architecture in the form of  27 free standing petals comprising a gigantic lotus structure. Said to receive  the maximum number of annual visitors in the world after the Eiffel Tower in France!

* Qutab Minar Complex – The impressive ruins of 13^th century Delhi comprise the Victory Tower, the tallest single tower in the world and famous 4^th century Iron Pillar that has not rusted in 1500 years!  The red sandstone tower tapers up to a height of 72 meters and has beautiful carvings on its floor landings. The area to the south is rich with relics from many historical periods and is now an Archeological Park.