FESTIVAL TOUR SUGGESTION # 9

Best during Period : October

Duration : 14 nights / 15 days

Cities covered : Chennai, Mysore, Bangalore, Mumbai, Jodhpur, Ranakpur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Delhi, Kullu, Delhi

Colorful festivals covered :
- Mysore Dussehra Celebrations at Mysore (12th - 21st Oct.'08)
- Marwar Festival at Jodhpur (13th - 14th Oct.'08)
- Kullu Dussehra at Kullu (22nd Oct.'08)

Highlights : Celebrate the victory of good over evil with magnificent processions, music, dance and drama while viewing the best of South India. Continue to Rajasthan to recreate the haunting melody of the desert before returning to Delhi for the trip to Kullu to re-celebrate Dussehra in the Valley of Gods. 
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[These Festival Tour Programs are best run with minimum 6 travelers to a group & more]

Day 1 – ARRIVE MADRAS
The romance and colour of India greets you as you disembark from your jet in Chennai.
Gateway to South - Founded by the nascent British Empire in the mid seventeenth century. A Major port on India’s Eastern Coast, Chennai is the hub of industry and commerce in South India. Old Forts, Churches and Temples are an interesting contrast to the city’s grand commercial avenues, opulent cinemas and modern housing. Our representative escorts you to the hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 2 - MADRAS
This morning you visit the National Art Gallery and Museum which houses, among many priceless treasures, the famous 10th century bronze. Siva Natraja, typical of medieval South Indian art you will also visit the Cathedral of San Thome and St. Mary’s Church, the oldest Anglican church in India. Several notable people were married here including Elihu Yale, later to found Yale University. Note the pretty stained glass windows and elegant cane seating. Overnight at hotel.

Day 3 – MADRAS / MYSORE
This morning transfer to Railway Station to board Intercity Shatabdi express train for Mysore.

Mysore - 770 m above sea level and 140 kms from Bangalore, the city of Measure was once the capital of the Wodeyars. It still retains a quaint charm that never fails to enchant. Our representative escorts you to the hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 4 - MYSORE
This morning you visit Mysore Palace, once the residence of Wodeyars, is one of the largest of its kind in India and one of the most splendid. This Indo-Sarcenic building has among other things - a carved silver door, a solid gold throne and a gallery of exquisite paintings.
Afternoon time free for shopping Mysore is famous for Sandalwood and Silk.

This evening visit MYSORE DUSSEHRA FESTIVAL.
One of the Major festivals in India, Dussehra finds expression in different ways in various regions, with festivities extending up to as many as ten days.

At Mysore, in Karnataka, Dussehra is a 10-day long affair when the city of magnificent palace and exquisite temples reverberates with music, dance and drama. The festival celebrates the victory of good over evil - the destruction of demon Mahishasura by the Goddess Chammundeswari. The highlight is an impressive procession of caparisoned elephants with the former ruler taking part in the celebrations. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 5 - MYSORE
The procession on this day marks the culmination of Dussehra festival in Mysore. One can witness a magnificent procession with caparisoned elephants and horses, as the erstwhile Maharaja went from palace to the Temple. One can witness the festival from the Royal enclosure, which is in the palace and from where the procession starts.
Overnight at hotel.

Day 6 – MYSORE / BANGALORE / BOMBAY
This morning depart for Bangalore - founded in 1573 by Kempegowda, a far sighted local chieftain, Bangalore has blossomed into one of Asia’s fastest growing cities. Bangalore combines the vibrant pace of a modern metropolis with a quaint old-world charm. Perched at a height of 3250 feet above sea level, its salbubrious climate plays host to innumerable parks, gardens, lakes and verdant tree-lined avenues that give it the sobriquet “Garden City”.

On arrival transfer to airport to board flight for Bombay - a metropolis of energy and vitality. Our representative escorts you to the hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 7 – BOMBAY / JODHPUR
This Morning city tour will take you to all of Bombay’s best known landmarks; the impressive Gateway of India built in 1911, the handsome Prince of Wales Museum famous for it’s collection of miniature paintings, Marine Drive - Bombay’s sweeping shoreline, the unique Hanging Gardens and Mani Bhawan, a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.

Evening take a two hours flight for Jodhpur - a city founded in the 15th century by a chieftain of Rajputs, natives of Rajasthan, this city stands at the edge of the Thar Desert. Our representative escorts you to hotel. Overnight at hotel.

Day 8 - JODHPUR
Morning visit MARWAR FESTIVAL.

Originally known as the Maand Festival Maand is a classical style of folk music centered on the romantic life style of Rajasthan’s rulers. Held for two days during the full moon of Sharad Purnima, the folk artists begin to life the myth, legend and folklore of the area..

The Maand raga recreates the haunting melody of the desert; the local dance in a riot of colours are equally fascinating. Explore the colourful activities of the festival.
Late afternoon visiting the imposing Mehrangarh Fort and explore its many palaces where royal apartments had such evocative names as the Pearl Palace and the Pleasure Palace. Royal trappings adorn painted and carved in intricate patterns.
Overnight at hotel.

Day 9 – JODHPUR / RANAKPUR / UDAIPUR
Morning depart for Ranakpur, famous for the Jain temples dates back to the 15th Century. It has 29 halls supported by more than 1444 pillars, each different. Intricate carvings adorn the interiors of the vast temple complex. Nearby are two more Jain temples and a temple to the Sun God.

Continue your journey to Udaipur - a beautiful city of lakes, palaces and fountains still evoking the rich sensibilities of a royal lineage long gone by, leaving only this dreamy city to continue forever. On arrival check in at hotel.

Late afternoon enjoy a boat cruise on the GANGAUR Boat - the royal barge of the house of Mewar. The barge is regally decorated and takes you for a cruise around the mystical Lake Palace. Overnight at hotel.

Day 10 - UDAIPUR
Your day starts with a visit to City Palace now a museum, completely white & majestic, the royal palace stands on a hill. Surrounded by crenallated walls. It is a labyrinth of courtyards richly decorated with inland mirror work, galleries covered with frescoes, temples and kiosks.

In the old town the Jagdish temple built in mid 17th century has remarkable bronze statue. Visit the exquisitely fashioned Sahelion - Ki Bari or garden of maids of honour with fountains, a lotus pond chhatris & Kiosks of black marble. Afternoon free. Overnight at hotel.

Day 11 – UDAIPUR / DELHI
This morning transfer to airport to board flight for Delhi - India’s splendid capital. Founded on the sight of several cities it has been the seat of power for centuries. Today Old and New city combine to present a harmonious whole offering the traveller elegant shops, broad laburnum lines avenues, sunwarmed elegant forts and mosques that wee once stronghold of Mughal powers and colourful bazaars.

Our representative escorts you to the hotel. This afternoon you will start combined sightseeing tour of Old and New Delhi. An aura of history is everywhere in Old Delhi. Red Fort with its majestic ramparts and Jama Masjid one of the Asia’s largest mosques from the hub. You will also make a stop at Rajghat - Mahatma Gandhi’s final resting place. Emperor Humayun’s Tomb and Qutub Minar complex, dating back to the 12th century.

New Delhi is well planned with wide tree lined avenues, fountains and parks. Colonial architecture dominates this part of the city, you will drive along the ceremonial avenues of Rajpath and view the splendid Presidential Palace, the circular Parliament House and impressive diplomatic enclave. Overnight at hotel.

Day 12 – DELHI / KULLU
This morning transfer to airport to board flight for Kullu - the town, which sprawls on the western bank of Beas, is dominated by the grassy maidens on the Southern side of town. They’re the site for Kullu’s fairs and festivals, in particular the colourful Dussehra Festival from which the Kullu Valley gained the name “Valley of Gods”.
Our representative escorts you to the hotel. Rest of the day relax amidst the picturesque surroundings of Kullu. Overnight at hotel.

Day 13 - KULLU
Full day visit at KULLU DUSSEHRA FESTIVAL.

A few days after the country celebrates Dussehra, Kullu the valley of Gods comes alive with an assembly of deities congregating to pay homage to Raghunathji. The colourful celebration attracts thousands of people from India and abroad.

The Dussehra at Kullu is not only a celebration of the victory of good over evil. It is also an occasion to pay homage to Rama, who has long been the presiding deity of the valley. Strangely, the festival begins on Vijaya Dashmi, the last day of Dussehra celebrations elsewhere in the country. Overnight at hotel.

Day 14 - KULLU
Explore the colourful activities of the festival.

Trade is naturally one of the main attractions at the Dussehra fair. In the days gone by, merchants would trudge down from as far a field as Tibet, Kabul, Peshawar and the remote hill areas with the best of their wares.

On sale are wool, Pashmina shawls and pattus, also embroidered Kullu caps, readymade garments and foot wear, beads trinkets, carpets and utensils. But basically the Kullu Dussehra is one vast social gathering where people meet old friends and relatives. Romances are born and marriages are arranged, in between bouts of buying and selling. Overnight at hotel.

Day 15 – KULLU / DELHI
This morning transfer to airport to board flight for Delhi.
Our representative escorts you to hotel. Rest of the day free. Overnight at hotel.

Day 16 - DEPART DELHI
Your India experience come to an end as you are transferred to the airport to board homeward bound flight.