Images of India

Stupa No. 1, Sanchi

It has been said that India is less a

country and more a continent. It holds as
many variations in religion, language,
customs, art and cuisine as it does in
topography. For the traveller, this
cultural feast is India's great strength.

Our ‘Images of India’ tour starts at Delhi

and passing through Agra moves on to
the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is not
difficult to understand why Madhya
Pradesh is known as "the heart of India".
Apart from its geographical location in
central India, the State bears the marks
of virtually all phases of Indian history -
Gwalior Fort it is dotted with innumerable exquisite
Hindu and Jain temples, Buddhist stupas,
and imperial Mughal and British forts
and palaces.

DELHI

In Delhi, the capital of India, history

brushes shoulders with modernity quite
casually, and this endows it with an
ancient soul with a unique appeal. The
city, or rather the seven cities of Delhi
prior to Lutyens Delhi has also witnessed
the rise and fall of many empires. The
majestic monuments in Delhi reflect its
rich, glorious and troubled past in stones
Jami Masjid, Mandu for you to see…and also hear.
 GWALIOR

Gwalior's history is traced back to a legend in 8th

century AD when a chief tain known as Suraj Sen was
struck by a deadly disease and cured by a hermit-saint
Gwalipa. As a gratitude for that incidence, he founded
this city by his name. At the heart of Gwalior is its
fortress (Gwalior Fort), built by Raja Man Singh
Tomar, of the Tomar dynasty. This formidable
structure had the reputation of being one of the most
invincible forts of India. It occupies an isolated rock
outcrop.
Taj Mahal, Agra

AGRA
Agra is famous as being home to one of the Seven
Wonders of the World - the “TAJ MAHAL”. The
architectural splendor of the mausoleums, the fort
and the palaces is a vivid reminder of the opulence of
the legendary Mughal Empire, of which Agra was the
capital in the 16th and early 17th century. A pleasant
town with a comparatively slow pace, Agra is know
for its superb inlay work on marble and soapstone by
craftsmen who are descendants of those who worked
under the Mughals. The city is also famous for its Tele Ka Mandir (Temple), Gwalior
carpets, gold thread embroidery and leather shoes.
ORCHHA

Orchha, meaning a "hidden place", certainly lives up

to its name. Languishing amid a tangle of scrubby
dhak forest, the former capital of the Bundela dynasty
abounds in architectural gems. Clustered around the
foot of the exotic ruins lies a sleepy village of neatly
painted houses and market stalls. A walk around the
market place of this quaint little one can experience
the fascinating public walkways with a backdrop of
imposing monuments of the past.

Orchha
Fatehpur Sikri
SANCHI
FATEHPUR SIKRI
It was Emperor Asoka who laid the foundations of a
Fatehpur Sikri is regarded as Emperor Akbar's religious centre at Sanchi. He erected the Great Stupa
crowning architectural legacy. Its numerous palaces, (Stupa 1) here after redistribution of mortal remains
halls, and masjids (mosques) display his creative and of Lord Buddha for erecting several stupas all over the
aesthetic impulses, typical of Mughals. Eventually, it is country in order to spread Buddhism. Sanchi’s
believed that water sources dried up and the fort had monuments consists of stupas, monolithic pillars,
to be abandoned. temples and monasteries and are about 50 in number.
BHOPAL MANDU

The capital of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh Mandu, the fortress town on a rocky outcrop, is
Bhopal is known as the City of Lakes as its landscape is famous for its fine architecture. Mandu celebrates in
dotted with a number of natural as well as man made stone the life and love of the poet-prince Baz Bahadur
lakes. Bhopal is said to have been founded by the for his consort, Rani Roopmati.
Parmara King Bhoj (1000–1055), who had his capital
at Dhar. The fortunes of the city rose and fell with that
of its reigning dynasty.

Mandu

BASIC ITINERARY
DAY 1 - Arrive Delhi. Overnight in Delhi.
DAY 2 - City tour of Old and New Delhi. Overnight in
Delhi.
DAY 3 - Drive to Agra en route visiting Sikandra. Arrive
Agra. Overnight in Agra.
DAY 4 - Morning visit the Agra Red Fort. Afternoon visit
to Itmad-ud-daulah. Evening visit the inimitable
Udaygiri Caves
Taj Mahal. Overnight in Agra.
DAY 5 - Morning drive to Gwalior. Afternoon visit the
UJJAIN historic Gwalior Fort along with the
Archaeological Museum. Overnight in Gwalior.
Ujjain is situated on the banks of the river Shipra, DAY 6 - Morning drive to Orchha en route visiting Datia
regarded since times immemorial as sacred. The and Jhansi. Arrive in Orchha. Afternoon excursion
belief in the sacredness of Shipra, has its origins in the to view the archaeological marvels of Orchha.
Overnight in Orchha.
ancient Hindu mythological tale of churning of the
DAY 7 - Morning drive to Sanchi en route visiting Deogarh
Ocean by the Gods and the Demons. and Chanderi. Arrive at Sanchi. Overnight at
Sanchi.
In ancient times the city was called Ujjayini. It has DAY 8 - Morning visit the famous Great Stupa No 1 at
been the first meridian of longitude for Hindu Sanchi. Later vist to Vidisha. Evening drive back to
geographers since the 4th century BC. It is one of the Sanchi. Overnight at Sanchi.
seven sacred cities of the Hindus. It is also home to DAY 9 - Morning drive to Bhopal en route visiting the
Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, one of the twelve Udaigiri Caves. Arrive in Bhopal. Overnight at
Bhopal.
Jyotirlinga shrines to the god Shiva.
DAY 10 - Morning half day excursion to the Bhimbekta
rock shelters. Afternoon city tour of Bhopal.
Overnight at Bhopal.
DAY 11 - Morning drive to Ujjain. Arrive in Ujjain.
Afternoon at leisure. Overnight at Ujjain.
DAY 12 - Morning, drive to Omkareshwar en route visiting
Indore. On arrival at Omkareshwar visit the
famous temples. Overnight at Omkareshwar.
DAY 13 - Morning drive to Mandu en route visiting
Maheshwar. Overnight at Mandu.
DAY 14 - Day trip of Mandu. Overnight at Mandu.
DAY 15 - Morning drive to Indore en route visiting Dhar.
Overnight at Indore.
DAY 16 - After breakfast transfer to the airport for a flight
to Delhi or Mumbai. Evening transfer to the International
airport for flight back home.
Ritual bathing, Ujjain
TAILOR MADE TRAVEL
OMKARESHWAR Our private tailor made journeys offer complete freedom of
choice. The itineraries shown are designed to give you a
Omkareshwar is a Hindu temple in Khandwa district flavour of what is possible and can be tailored to suit your
of Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the 12 revered preferences. Prices vary according to selection of
Jyotirlinga shrines of Shiva. accommodation and season.