Golden Triangle With Varanasi and Khajuraho Tour

Golden Triangle With Varanasi and Khajuraho Tour

Duration: 10N11D
Destination Covered: Varanasi, Khajuraho, Orchha, Agra , Jaipur
Tour Themes: Hindu Pilgrimage, Heritage tour
Price: On Request

 

Overview

Varanasi is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. The name Varanasi was officially so revived after 1947, but the city is still widely known as Banaras. Varanasi is one of the world's oldest continually inhabited cities. Kashi, its ancient name, was associated with a kingdom of the same name of 2,500 years ago. The Buddha is recorded in the Pali canon to have given his first sermon, "The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dharma", at nearby Sarnath in 528 BCE. In the 8th century, Adi Shankara established the worship of Shiva as an official sect of Varanasi. During the Muslim rule during the Middle Ages, the city became an important centre of Hindu devotion, pilgrimage, mysticism and poetry contributing to its cultural importance. Tulsidas wrote his Awadhi language epic, the Ramcharitmanas, a Bhakti movement reworking of the Sanskrit Ramayana, in Varanasi. Several other major figures of the Bhakti movement were born in Varanasi, including Kabir and Ravidas. In the 16th century, the Mughal emperor Akbar builttwo large temples dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu in the city. Under the Treaty of Faizabad,

The Khajuraho temples, situated in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, are now a UNESCO world heritage site. According to a report in Hindustan Times, members of Bajrang Sena under the leadership of its president of the Khajuraho unit, Jyoti Agarwal, approached Chhatarpur police on Tuesday, complaining against the alleged selling of Kamasutra books and figurines considered obscene inside the premises of the Western Group of Temples, including the tourist canteens. Agarwal is reported to have said, “Such things affect the image of Indian culture and traditions in the eyes of the foreigners… Whatever has been depicted can’t be allowed to happen here now. What sort of moral values are we passing on to our younger generation? These temples have religious significance. There is a Shiva temple here. How can you allow Kamasutra to be sold in the sacred premises?”

This is a bizarre attempt to sanctify the meaning of the Khajuraho temples, and speak of the Kamasutra as if it is defiling. In the erotic sculptures of Khajuraho, the distinction between the sacred and the profane are dissolved. Eroticism is not regarded profane but a sacred measure of the divine. Yet the sculptures aren’t only about divinity. Built between 950 and 1050 CE, legends have it that the Chandela king, Chandravarman, was persuaded by the goddess in his dream to build the shrines. They were mentioned both by the Persian historian Al-Biruni as well as the Moroccan traveller and scholar, Ibn Battuta. Among the 85 temples, only 25 survive today. The temples faced a long period of vandalisation after Qutb-ud-din Aibak of the Delhi Sultanate annexed the Chandela kingdom in the 13th century. After long years of obscurity, the shrines were rediscovered in the 1830s with the help of the British surveyor, T.S. Burt.



Itinerary

Day 1:  Arrive At Delhi

Arrive Delhi in the night and our representative will meet and greet you at the hotel and will be transferred to hotel.Delhi stands on seven successive cities and is one of the oldest cities in the world. This history helps one appreciate the scale of the sprawling metropolis. It's a quintessential Indian city, marrying the ancient with the cosmopolitan. Revel in marvellous shopping, a treasure trove of architectural monuments, some of the swankiest restaurants in India and heavenly street food.
Day 2:  Delhi - Varanasi

In the morning after breakfast leave for full day sightseeing tour of Delhi . Jama Masjid, Raj Ghat, Qutub Minar, Himayun Tomb and drive past India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan and other parts of Delhi. In the evening transfer to New Delhi railway station to board your train to Varanasi. Overnight in the train.
Day 3:  Reached Varanasi

Reach Varanasi you will be transferred to your hotel and relax. In the afternoon take a half day-guided tour of Varanasi including the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Gyanvapi Mosque, Benaras Hindu University and other important monuments. In the evening witness aarti at the Ghat. Stay overnight at Varanasi.
Varanasi is the world's most ancient living city. Sunrise on the riverfront, as seen from a boat, can be spiritually uplifting sight. Crowded with temples, and its labyrinth of streets, the city attracts the maximum number of tourists. The religious capital of Hinduism, Varanasi is the carpet manufacturing place of India. It was previously known as Kashi - the city that illuminates. The present name is derived from the fact that the city is at the confluence of the rivers varuna and asi.
Day 4:  Varanasi Explore

Very early morning drive to Daswamedh Ghat and take a boat ride on the sacred river Ganges to see the cremation Ghats and witness the living traditions of one of the world's oldest and most important religions. (To start at 0500 hrs. for the best lifetime experience) For you to appreciate this remarkable city, we'll transfer you to the banks of the River Ganges before the sun rises. Board a boat with your guide and proceed to the middle of the river, where at sunrise the sight unfolds before you. Thousands of faithful come daily to the banks to bathe and pray while in the background, temples and palaces rise in tears from the water's edge. Return for a walk through the cobblestone streets along the banks of "Ganga". As shops are opening, the place now becomes a beehive of activity as the faithful are coming and going. Return to hotel for a sumptuous breakfast and rest of the day free. Later in the day visit Sarnath - 5 miles out of Varanasi for a day excursion: One of the holiest Buddhist sites in the world, where Buddha preached his first Sermon in 590 BC. Witness the ruins of a once flourishing Buddhist monastery and then visit a fine Museum which houses an excellent collection of Buddhist art and sculptures found at the site. Stay overnight at Varanasi hotel.
Day 5:  Varanasi - Khajuraho

Today checkout from hotel and proceed to airport to board a flight to Khajuraho. Reach Khajuraho and you will be transferred to your hotel. Afternoon is free to relax and in the evening attend Sound & Light Show (optional). Stay overnight at Khajuraho hotel.
Day 6:  Khajuraho

Today after breakfast explores the Western and Eastern temples of Khajuraho while your guide explains the intricate meaning and legends behind each describable sculpture. Stay overnight at Khajuraho hotel.
The legendary temples of Khajuraho are an incomparable experience. It's a world heritage site. Acknowledged as one of the world's artistic wonders, these temples dedicated to the Hindu pantheon of Gods are covered in carvings that are a paean to life and love. Built within a short span of a hundred years by the Chandela Rajputs, the 10th century temples lay forgotten until they were discovered in the present century. Khajuraho has achieved fame for the sensual appeal of its erotic sculptures. Arrive Khajuraho & transfer to hotel.
Day 7:  Khajuraho - Orchha - Agra

In the morning after breakfast check out from hotel and drive to Orchha. In Orchha see the historical site with magnificent temples and monuments. Some of the palaces were decorated with painted murals which represent the finest flowering of the Bundela school of painting. Later proceed further to board a train to Agra. Reach Agra and check into your hotel. Stay overnight at Agra hotel.
Agra is famous as being home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World-the Taj Mahal. The architectural splendour of the mausoleums, the fort and the palaces is a vivid remainder of the capital in the 16th and early 17th centuries.
Day 8:  Agra - Jaipur

In the morning visit the world famous Taj Mahal built by the Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan in 1630 for his Queen Mumtaz Mahal to enshrine her mortal remains. Also visit Agra Fort containing the Pearl Mosque, the Halls of Public and Private Audience.
Later in the day drive to Jaipur en-route visiting Fatehpur Sikri (old deserted town of Mughal Dynasty). See the beautiful Jama Masjid / The Buland Darwaza, palace of Queen Jodha Bai, Birbal's (a Minister) Palace. Drive further and reach Jaipur in the evening. Check into your hotel and relax. Stay overnight at Jaipur hotel.
Jaipur was founded Sawai Jaisingh in AD 1727. It's the capital of Rajasthan and popularly known as the Pink City with broad avenues and spacious gardens. The capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur is steeped in history and culture. Here the past comes alive in magnificent forts and palaces, blushed pink, where once lived the maharajas. The bustling bazaars of Jaipur, famous for Rajasthani jewellery, fabric and shoes, possess a timeless quality and are surely a treasure-trove for the shoppers. This fascinating city with its romantic charm takes you to an epoch of royalty and tradition.
Day 9:  Jaipur

Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the hotel and leave for a half-day sightseeing tour to the hilltop fortress at Amer. Ascend the imposing fort on a painted elephant. The Fort, originally built in the 16th century by Maharaja Man Singh encloses superb palaces and a beautiful temple in marble dedicated to the fearsome goddess Kali. In the afternoon, tour the old walled city of Jaipur. Founded by Maharaja Jai Singh II, this ‘pink city' is meticulously constructed on the lines of the Shilpa-Shastra, an ancient Hindu treatise on architecture. Visit the unique Jantar Mantar Observatory situated in the heart of the city. Built in the 1700's (A.D), it still looks futuristic. Nearby is the ornate Hawa Mahal (the palace of winds). The old City Palace & its museum display a rare fusion of Mughal and Hindu architecture, and house a rare collection of paintings, Rajasthani armory and costumes. Stay overnight at Jaipur hotel.
Day 10:  Jaipur - Delhi Departure

In the morning after breakfast drive down to Delhi to board a flight for final destination. Your tour comes to an end but its sweet memories and vivid colors of India will remain forever

More Details

Inclusions

Hotel , Meals, Sightseeing, Transportation

Payment Terms & Methods :
* Some Advance Percentage of total booking amount
* Airfare/Transport fare to be paid full at one time in advance.

Cancellation & Refund Policy :
* Upon cancellation, refund will be made after deducting the Retention Amount.
* Retention Amount varies as per the number of days left before your package start date.