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DAY
01 : ARRIVE KOLKATA
On arrival in Calcutta, meet and assist
at the airport & transfer to prebooked hotel.
DAY
02 : KOLKATA - BHUBANESHWAR (BY FLIGHT)
After
breakfast, city tour of Kolkata, the "City of Joy".Visit
the High Court Building, built in 1872 and the oldest Catholic
Church in Calcutta, St. Marys. The Howrah Bridge,
built in 1943 – the bridge is crossed by approximately two million
people everyday; the Botanical Gaderns, the oldest and largest
of their kinds in India; Victoria Memorial : The majestic
Victorial memorial, symbol of Calcutta was built between 1906 and
1921 at a cost of Rs. 7.5 million and is a reminder of the might
of British India. It has been compared to Taj Mahal, with its four
rudimentary minarets, gleaming white dome and exterior of solid
Marcrana marble. It was conceived by Lord Curzon as both tribute
to Queen Victoria and a triumphant depiction of her reign in India.
Afternoon, transfer to the airport to board
flight for Bhubaneshwar. On arrival transfer to prebooked hotel.
DAY
03 : BHUBANESHWAR
After breakfast, full day city tour
Bhubaneshwar, known as Kalinga in ancient times is the capital of
Orissa. At one time, some 7000 sandstone temples are supposed to
have stood on the site of sacred Bundusagar lake alone. Today almost
500 remain. Most of them were built between 7th and 15th centuries
and most of them were destroyed during the Mughal conquest of 16th
century. Visit the Brahmeshwar temple, built in 11th
century; Rajarani temple; Mukteshwar temple :
one of the most refined temples in Orissa. Small and compact it
is famous for both its ornate entrance and rich interior carvings;
Parumeshwar temple : built in 12th century and the Lingaraj
Temple : built in 11th century, this temple is dedicated to
Lord Shiva as Lord Lingaraj (Lord of Universa), is one of the most
notable temples.
DAY
04 : BHUBANESHWAR - KONARK - PURI
After breakfast, visit leave for Puri.
Enroute visit the Sun Temple at Konark. Built by King Narasimhadev
in mid 13th century to celebrate his victory over the Muslims. It
is a masterpiece of design and construction; built in the shape
of huge chariot, pulled along by seven racing horses on 24 intricately
carved stone wheels. Continue drive to Puri. Arrive Puri and check
in at prebooked hotel.
DAY
05 : PURI
After breakfast, visit Puri - one of the four Dhams
(holiest Hindu pilgrimage places in India). Visit the Jaganath
Temple, which was built during the 12th century by the Kalinga ruler
Chodaganga Deva, is the tallest and most magnificent monuments in
Orissa. It’s pinnacle rises to a formidable height of 65 m (212
ft). It is divided into four parts : the main central hall, the
hall of audience, the dancing hall and the hall of offerings, and
has four gates. Each of these has an animal theme : horse (south
gate), elephant (north gate), tiger (west gate) and the lion (east
gate). It is by the Lions gate that the pilgrims make their entrance
and in front of this main gate stands a 16 sided monolithic pillar
called Aruna Stambha.
Afternoon, relax at Puri, a beautiful
beach resort along with the Bay of Bengal.
DAY
06 : PURI - BHUBANESHWAR - HYDERABAD
After
lunch, leave for Bhubaneshwar to board flight Hyderabad at 1925
hrs. Arrive Hyderabad at 2100 hrs & transfer to prebooked hotel.
Hyderabad, is the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh,
Hyderabad is an important center of Islamic culture and central
India’s counterpart to Mughal splendours of the northern cities
of Delhi, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri. Most of the impressive
monuments date from the 16th and 17th centuries and the city retains
much of its 19th century atmosphere. The city was founded in 1590
by Muhammad Quli, the founder of Qutab Shahi kings who ruled this
part of the Deccan from 1512 to 1687, when the last king was defeated
by Aurangzeb.
DAY
07 : HYDERABAD
After breakfast, visit the Charminar,
built by Mohammad Quli Qutab Shah in 1591 to commemorate
the end of plague in Hyderabad; Mecca Masjid ,
is one of the largest mosques in the world and is said to accommodate
upto 10,000 worshippers ; Salar Jung Museum, which
contains 35,000 exhibits from
all corners of the world and includes sculptures, woodcarvings,
religious objects, Persian miniature painting, illuminated manuscripts,
armour and weaponry. Also on display are the swords, daggers of
Mughal emperors and of Tipu Sultan; Golconda Fort,
which dates from the time of Qutab Shahi kings (16th to 17th centuries)
and is one of the most magnificent fortress complexes in India.
Golconda remained the capital until 1590, when the court was moved
to the new city of Hyderabad; tomb of Adil Shahi Kings, which
are surrounded by landscaped gardens and number of them have beautifully
carved stonework.of Nawabs.
DAY
08 : HYDERABAD - BIDAR - GULBARGA
After breakfast , leave for Gulbarga
enroute visiting Bidar which was once the capital of Bahmani kingdom
from 1428. The town has a splendid 15th century fort having Ranjeen
Mahal, Chini Mahal & Turkish Mahal palaces. Continue drive to
Gulbarga. Arrive Gulbarga and check in at prebooked hotel. Later,
visit Gulbarga, which was the capital of Bahmani Kingdom from 1347
until its transfer in 1428. Gulbarga's
old fort has number of interesting buildings. The town also has
a number of imposing tombs of Bahmani kings, a shrine to a Muslim
saints and the Sharana Basaveshwara temple.
DAY
09 : GULBARGA - BIJAPUR
After breakfast, leave for Bijapur.
On arrival in Bijapur checkin at your prebooked hotel. In the afternoon,
visit Bijapur, known as the Agra of the South. Visit the Gol
Gumbaz, it is the mausoleum of Mohammed Adil Shah and was built
in 1659; Ibrahim Roza, which was construted at the height
of Bijapur's properity by Ibrahim Adih Shah; Jama Masjid,
also constructed by Adil Shah and the Citadel.
DAY
10 : BIJAPUR - BADAMI
After breakfast, leave for Badami –
the town best know for cave temples. On arrival in Badami, checkin
at your prebooked hotel. Afternoon, visit Badami which was
once the capital city of the Chalukyan empire which ruled much of
the Central Deccan between the 4th and 8th centuries A.D. Badami
is best known for its cave temples, cut into the cliff face of the
red sandstone hill and connected by flights of steps. They display
the full range of religious sects which have grown up on Indian
soil. Two of them are dedicated to Vishnu, one to Siva and the fourth
is a Jain temple. There's also one natural cave which is a Buddhist
temple.
DAY
11 : BADAMI - HOSPET
After breakfast, leave for Hospet.
Enroute stop at Pattadakal, the second capital of Badami
Chalukyans, Pattadakal reached the height of its glory during the
7th and 8th centuries. The most important monument here is teh Lokeshwara
or Virupaksha temple that narrates episodes from the Hindu epics,
the Ramayana and Mahabharata. After the visit, continue drive to
Hospet. We again stop to visit Aihole
which was the Chalukyan regional capital between the 4th &
6th centuries. There are over 70 structures in and around and the
more important structures include the Ladkhan temple , Kulinguidi
& Durgigude Temples. Continue drive towards Hospet. After
the visit continue drive to Badami.
DAY
12 : HOSPET
After
breakfast, excursion to Hampi. Hampi the once beautiful capital
city of Vijaynagar Empire was greater than Rome and had palaces;
temple and sculptures spread all over. The Sultanates of South razed
the city to the ground in the year 1565 AD. Some of the interesting
ruins remaining are the Virupaksha, Vittala and Hazara Rama Temples,
huge Ganesha & Narasimha images, the elephant stables, the queen's
bath, and carvings on the Ramachandra Temple & Lotus Mahal.
DAY
13 : HOSPET - GOA
After breakfast, leave for Goa – the
land of white churches, golden sands & green fields. Goa is
a fascinating beach resort on the Arabian sea & is very popular
with Europeans since 1510, when Alhuquerque overwhelmed Goa &
it became the capital of Portugese empire in the east.
DAY
14 : GOA
Full day city tour of North
& South Goa.
DAY
15 : GOA
At leisure by the beach or
action in various water sports.
DAY 16
: GOA - MUMBAI (FLIGHT)
In the afternoon,
transfer to the airport to board flight for Mumbai. Arrive Mumbai
and transfer to prebooked hotel.
DAY 17 :
MUMBAI
After
breakfast, city tour of Mumbai - the capital
city of the state Maharashtra and is the economic powerhouse of
India. Visit the Gateway of India, which was conceived following
the visit of King George V in 1911 and officially opened in 1924;
Price of Wales Museum, designed in Indo Saracenic style and
has sections for arts and paintings, archeology, natural history
and an interesting collection of miniature paintings, bas reliefs
from the Elephanta caves and Budha images; Marine Drive,
which runs along the shoreline, starting at Nariman Point and upto
Malabar Hill; Hanging Gardens, laid out in 1881 these formally
laid out gardens have a notable collection of hedges shaped like
animals free. In the afternoon, transfer to the railway station
to board train for Mumbai.
DAY 18 :
DEPART MUMBAI
Transfer to airport
to board flight back home/onward destination
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