Destination India
Explore
INDIA ,
We invite you to consider the destinations listed below,
then consult our Tours Section, to choose the tour that includes your
particular favored destinations. Or, email to discuss your own customized
itinerary with one of our highly experienced travel consultants.
India is the favored destination of many travelers to Asia. This vast nation
has enough to captivate travelers of any taste and travel style. From the
hypnotic desert palaces of Rajasthan, to the wildlife parks throughout the
country; from the pilgrimage sites of Varanasi, Sarnath and Madurai, to the
ethereal alpine majesty of the Himalayan Foothills, India is bound to
captivate any traveler. Compass India has developed a series of extensive
programs, which incorporate the following destinations.
Delhi - The Capital The
capital city of Delhi bears witness to generations of rule and cultural
cross-fertilization. Delhi's history stretches back over 3,000 years, with
monuments of this extended history throughout the city. The Red Fort is one
of the primary Moghul masterpieces, a self-contained city of palaces, dance
halls, and meeting places. Nearby, the Jama Masjid is India's largest
mosque, with 25,000 worshippers filling the courtyard each Friday. Visit Raj
Ghat, the site of Mahatma Gandhi's cremation: a highly informative and
captivating museum documents the Mahatma's life through photographs and
personal mementos, which provide a unique insight into India's history. A
walk down Rajpath towards India Gate or Parliament House displays the unique
imagination of Sir Edward Lutyens, the architect who combined British
Imperial style with archetypal Moghul style to create this unforgettable
testimony to India's modern democratic history. Connaught Circus and Janpath
are the heart of New Delhi's commercial sector, perfect for souvenir
shopping. Nearby, the Jantar Mantar is a huge 250-year-old observatory,
whose timekeeping is as impressive as its elegant abstract lines. Spend an
afternoon at the National Museum, with its extensive collection covering
over 5,000 years of India's history. Also worth visiting is the Crafts
Museum, covering building traditions and folk art from all of Indiaís
rural communities. Tibet House organizes seminars, lectures, and has a small
display of Tibetan art. Humayan's Tomb is a beautiful building in its own
right, and is also fascinating as it is the greatest Moghul monument built
before the Taj Mahal; you can see the stylistic similarities in the two
buildings. Safdarjung's Tomb was built after the Taj; its style is
associated with the twilight of Moghul style. Visit the Baha'i Temple, a
graceful structure with a distinctive air of tranquility and reflection.
Nearby is Tuqlaqabad, the ghostly remains of the third city of Delhi, built
during the short reign of Tughluq, in the 14th century. Also worth visiting
is the Qutb Minar complex, a marvelous example of Delhi's complex history:
the first mosque in the city was built with broken remnants of the Hindu
temple which ha previously been on this site.
The
Taj--memories of love No visit
to India is complete without a journey to Agra. The Taj Mahal is one
of those extremely rare creations: an image so often seen in photographs and
media, yet still imbued with a fresh, awesome power when one sees it in
reality. Shah Jahan's sublime testament to his departed wife, Mumtaz Mahal,
is a marvel of marble and precious inlay. Visit it at sunrise and sunset to
see the effects of differing lights. While in Agra, also visit some of the
other sights of the city: Itm-Ud-Daulah, designed by Nur Jahan, the most
powerful woman in Moghul history, and Agra Fort, where Shah Jahan was
imprisoned by his son, Aurangzeb. A few miles outside of Agra is the
abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri, built by the Emperor Akbar, but abandoned
due to water shortages. This enchanting, atmospheric site is often used as a
stage set for Hindi films.
The
Rajasthan- The land of Forts, Palaces and Cultural Traditions
For many visitors, the western desert state of Rajasthan is the archetypal
India: broad sweeping desert landscapes, punctuated by imposing forts and
castles. Men in turbans lead camels through markets, while women in heavy
silver bangles and bold printed skirts balance towering loads on their
heads. Jaipur is known as "The Pink City" for its use of soft pink
sandstone. The City Palace is a treasure trove of wildly painted reception
halls, and doors decorated with vividly painted peacocks and abstract
designs of pure bold color. Nearby, the Palace of Winds reminds visitors of
a wedding cake, its finely tooled stonework a marvel of masonry. Just
outside Jaipur is the town of Amber, known for its massive fortress. Its
walls are covered in Moghul style mosaics. Wander through the town, with its
wealth of temples and ruins.
Travel onwards to Udaipur: for many,
this is the prime jewel of Rajasthan. Situated on the banks of Lake Pichola,
the city has many sights itself, and is a luxurious base for exploring the
surrounding area. Visit the City Palace, with mirror-encrusted walls,
gaily-painted murals, and a labyrinth of courtyards and balconies. The
Jagdish Temple is one of the busiest in the city. Visit the Bharatiya Lok
Kala, Udaipurís excellent Folk Museum, covering the many aspects of
Rajasthanís folk traditions: block printing, puppetry, painting, and
music. Travel to nearby Nagda, a pro-Mughal city dating back to the 7th
century, and Eklingji, an important Siva temple complex: the Maharana of
Udaipur worships here on Mondays. Also visit Ranakpur, a massive Jain temple
complex in a delightfully peaceful setting. The abandoned fortress of
Chittorgarh is a classic Rajput fort: its bloody history saw dramatic cases
of ritual JOHAR, where the women threw themselves onto a funeral pyre to
avoid being taken captive by the Moghul conquerors.
Many visitors
are drawn to Pushkar for its annual Camel Fair in February, where the desert
comes alive with camel races, and music and dance festivals. Also visit
Jodhpur, and tour the Mehrangarh Fort: the museum houses a prize 250 year
old pure silk tent, seized from the Mughal Court in Delhi.
In the
Far West of Rajasthan, the Desert City of Jaisalmer has superb Haveli
architecture, and is the base for camel treks in the Thar Desert. Many
desert oases in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan have excellent frescoes,
and their palaces have been converted to some of the most romantic hotels in
the world. Visit such atmospheric towns as Bikaner and Mandawa.
Temples
and Sculpturs and Spirituality The spiritual heart of
India is undoubtedly Varanasi, also known as Benaras, Kashi, and the City of
Light. Situated on the banks of the Ganges, the most sacred Hindu City is a
center for studying classical Indian music and dance, yoga, and Hinduism.
The old city is a maze of small temples, shrines, and houses. An early
morning boat ride on the Ganges is unforgettable: float past the GHATS,
where men do early morning yoga, and women fetch holy water from the river
to anoint the many small shrines throughout the old city. Varanasi is also
world famous for its dazzling silks and saris. There are often music
festivals and performances. Travel to Sarnath, whose tranquil atmosphere is
highly appropriate for this site of the Buddha's first teachings. Several
monasteries and universities are active here; it is also a popular site for
families to escape the busy pace of Varanasi.
Khajuraho is
the site of some of the finest sculptures in India. Although the temples are
renowned for their erotic sculpture, all of the sculptures represent the
apex of Indian art. The nearby city of Lucknow is traditionally the center
of traditional Mughal arts and music, with a festival of Kathak dance each
February. The sacred city of Allahabad is the site of the Maha Kumbh Mela
every 12 years: the greatest Sivaite festival in India. The city was
Jawaharlal Nehru spent his childhood in Allahabad: his home is now a museum
documenting the Indian Independence movement.
Many people
are drawn to India to visit the fabulous wildlife parks. Travel to the lush
Ranthambore National Park where Project Tiger originated. Although few
tigers survive, the park has many chital, nilgai, panthers, storks, serpent
eagles, and glorious paradise flycatchers. Madhya Pradesh is home to two of
the best parks in India. Bandavgarh is said to have the highest density of
tigers in any park in India. There are also lovely rock-cut caves and a
magnificent fort on the grounds. The park is particularly fine for
bird-watchers. Rare hornbills and many kinds of rollers live here. Nearby,
Kanha is a vast range of savannah, forest, hills and rivers, covering over
two thousand square kilometers. Many aficionados consider Kanha to be the
finest park in India, with hundreds of species of animals and birds. Indeed,
it is sometimes known as the NíGorongoro of India. Southern India is
home to Nagarhole National Park, which borders Bandipur park: the two
consist of nearly 1500 square km. Nagarhole has dense jungle, and a great
abundance of wildlife. It is one of the best places to see Asian elephants,
as well as gaur, the shy sambar deer, spotted chital, and small, barking
muntjac. A coracle ride along the Kabini River offers sightings of
crocodiles, and the plethora of birds that live in the park. Your guide will
point out to you the many species that inhabit the park. Kumarakom Bird
Sanctuary is at its prime in winter, when it is home to migrating birds from
Siberia, including cormorants, night herons, pheasants, tree pies, and
others. Nearby, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is in the Cardamom Hills,
centered on a lake. With four types of forest, including open grasslands and
tropical evergreen, many species of bird and animal live in this diverse
landscape. It is possible to get up to 20 yards away from huge elephant
herds, and listen to their broad range of sounds. Eastern India has only
recently been opened up to tourism. One of the highlights of the region is
the Kaziranga National Park. This lush valley, on the banks of the
Brahmaputra River, is home to rhinos, buffalo, and wild boar. The grasslands
are prime territories for raptors; Kaziranga is home to crested serpent
eagles and fishing eagles, as well as partridges, teal, and pelicans.
Southern India offers the visitor with a distinctly different experience
than the north. The inhabitants of Tamil Nadu pride themselves on being "true
Hindus", their culture and religion relatively unaffected by the
Mughals of the North. Madras is Indiaís fourth largest city, with
many examples of British influence, including St Mary's Church, and Fort St
George. The Government Museum houses an excellent collection of South Indian
arts, such as an unsurpassable series of Chola bronzes. Also visit
Kapaleeshwara Temple, with its archetypal Dravidian gopuram. A highly
recommended day trip takes in Kanchipuram, one of the seven sacred cities of
India, and Mahabalipuram, with its collection of temples along the seafront
including the Five Rathas, and the Shore Temples. Drive to Pondicherry, an
unusual bastion of French flavor. Once the capital of French India,
Pondicherry is now known for Auroville, an ashram inspired by a French
woman, known as "The Mother", who was a disciple of Sri Aurobindo.
Travel inland towards Madurai, one of the most dynamic pilgrimage sites in
India: each day, over 10,000 pilgrims visit the main temple. Also visit
Tanjore, with one of the loveliest Siva temples in the country. The Ganesh
temple in Trichy is perched on the Rock Fort: an 80 metre high vast stone
outcrop, offering panoramic views of the city. Outside the city, the
Srirangam temple is a frenzied, bustling Vishnu temple, surrounded by small
shops selling coconuts and other offerings for the temple. Rest and relax in
the cool climate of Kodaikanal, one of India's finest hill stations. Travel
onwards to Kerala, and visit Cochin. The city has an extraordinary history,
with a synagogue decorated with Belgian chandeliers and Chinese tile-work.
The harbor is still fished with Chinese fishing nets - the elegant, timeless
design brought to Cochin by traders from the court of Kubla Khan. Travel
along the sleepy backwaters to Alleppey, floating past palm trees and coffee
plantations.
Bombay is the starting point for many great journeys
in Central India. Visit Elephanta Island with its remarkable Trimurti
sculpture. Visit Malabar Hill with its commanding views over the bay. Travel
to Aurangabad, your base for exploring some of the greatest wonders of
India: Ajanta and Ellora. These cave temples house some of the finest art
treasures of the world. Ajanta is a series of rock cut temples along a
river; the cave walls are decorated with some of India's earliest Buddhist
paintings. Ellora has Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain temples, including the
Kailasa, the largest rock cut temple in the world. These two sites are
breathtaking on both an aesthetic, and engineering level, with meditation
halls hewn out of cliff walls, and thousands of tons of rock shifted away to
create free standing temples. Also visit Daulatabad, with its vast fort
rising out of the barren surrounding plains.
The residents of the
Bengal City of Calcutta consider themselves the intellegensia of India, and
have good reason for this self-image. Some of India's greatest thinkers,
writers, and artists have come from the vicinity of Calcutta: Rabindranath
Tagore, Satyajit Ray, Ramakrishna, and Sri Aurobindo. This paradoxical city
has a superb museum, the Victoria Memorial, one of the world's largest
planetariums, and fantastic markets. Travel to Darjeeling, the famed hill
station with an unusually diverse history. Stroll through tea plantations,
Tibetan markets, and the lovely Botanical Gardens. Set out early to Tiger
Hill for a sublime sunrise: Kanchenjunga, Everest and a full 360-degree
panorama are illuminated by the early morning light. Visit Ghoom Monastery
and other active Tibetan Buddhist monasteries.
The northeast
state of Orissa offers visitors unique temples, ethnic diversity, dramatic
dances, and unique local arts. Begin your visit in Bhubaneswar, with its two
thousand years of history. Orissa is home to a wide array of indigenous
peoples; their diverse arts are displayed in the city's museum. The city is
an excellent place to see the distinctive Orissan temple style, with one of
the most distinctive styles in Asia. After Bhubaneswar, visit Konarak, with
its massive temple of the sun. The temple was abandoned for centuries, and
only unearthed earlier this century. The temple depicts a massive chariot,
pulled by a team of horses. Visit Puri, with the Jaganath temple. Chilka
Lake is Asia's largest Lagoon, and a bird-watcher's Mecca.
The
Western Himalayan region of India is one of the wildest, most beautiful
parts of the country, accessible to people of all levels of fitness. From
Delhi, travel north to Chandigarh, the unusual city designed by Le
Corbusier. Continue north to one of the most beautiful areas of India, the
Kangra valley, famous for its school of paintings. Visit McLeod Ganj, the
site of the Tibetan government in exile. The Dalai Lama's presence in this
mountain town continues to draw a steady stream of refugees escaping Chinese
oppression and torture. The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives offers
daily classes in Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy. The library also has a museum
of thangkas, statues, and other sacred objects.
