Indian Travel

A trip to South Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to visit some of the great Hindu temples of India

With Hilary Smith and Quo Vadis Travels Pvt Ltd
February 3rd to February 20th 2011

Thursday 3rd February
Depart London on British Airways Heathrow to Bangalore, stay Clarks Hotel

Friday 4th February
Morning at leisure.  In the afternoon we visit the great palace of Tipu Sultan.  stay Clarks Hotel (B)

Saturday 5th February
Leave early for Hassan via the Jain site of Sravanebelagola. You can climb the granite hill to see the gaint Gomateshwara statue, or be carried up.  We continue to Hassan, staying Hoysala Village Resort (I night) (BLD)

Sunday 6th February
Visit the Hoysala temples of Halebid and Belur, famous for their extraordinary and sinuous carvings, before driving to Mysore.  We shall visit the royal palace in the evening, which should be floodlit.  Stay Southern Star Regaalis Hotel (3 nights BLD)

Monday 7th February
We drive via the silk weaving villages to the small and beautiful Hoysala temple at Somnathpur, widely regarded as a masterpiece, but rarely visited.
In the afternoon we climb Chamundi Hill, with its temple and giant statue of Nandi dated 1659. (BLD)

Tuesday 8th February
Early morning drive to Srirangapatanam to visit the fort, palace and tombs. In the afternoon visit the royal palace in Mysore (BLD)

Wednesday 9th February
Morning at leisure; in the early afternoon board the Shatabti train to Madras/Chennai [14.30/21.35]. Transfer to hotel. [Taj Connemara for 2 nights] B and meals on the train

Thursday 10th February
Full day of visits in Chennai to include the museum with particular emphasis on the sculpture from Amaravati and the Bronze gallery, housing some of the finest Cola bronzes in the world.  We shall also visit the Fort area, constructed by the East India Company in 1639. (B)

Friday 11th February
Full day excursion to Kanchipuram looking mainly at Hindu temples.  We shall also visit the sari weavers, whose silks are prized throughout India.

Continue to Fisherman’s Cove Hotel [2 nights] at Covelong on the beach between Chennai and Mamallapuram. (B, L)

Saturday 12th February
Today we visit the Shore Temple, the Five Rathas and the Mandapas, rock cut reliefs in the Mamallapuram area. Return to Covelong after lunch. Stay at Fisherman’s Cove. (B, L)

Sunday 13th February
We stop in the early morning for a photo stop at the Bhagiratha’s Penance relief at Mamallapuram before continuing to Pondicherry [Hotel de l’Orient for two nights]. (B)

Monday 14th February
Optional excursion early in the morning to the Vijayanagara period Gingee Fort. It should be possible to ascend using auto rickshaws.

Balance of the day in and around Pondicherry. (B)

Tuesday 15th February
An early start brings us first to one of the most sacred Siva sites – that of the Linga of Ether at Cidambaram.

From here we continue to Gangaikondacholapuram whose name commemorates the Cola ruler who fetched water from the far distant Ganges. Finally, we arrive at another Cola temple whose porch [mandapa] takes the form of a temple car or ratha, Darasuram. We arrive in Thanjavur for a two night stay. [Parisutham Hotel BLD)

Wednesday 16th February
The greatest of the Cola temples dating to the early 11th century, known as Rajarajeshwara or Brihadishwara awaits us this morning. We shall try to get permission to visit the interior wall paintings. We follow the visit with one to the palace area to see the important gallery of temple bronzes from the Cola period and the library. (BLD)

Thursday 17th February
Drive to Tiruchirappalli [Trichy]. The town with its hill fort overlooks the sacred Kaveri river. On an island is Srirangam with one of the most important Visnu temples, Sri Ranganathasvami. We also visit the nearby important Siva temple, Jambukesvara. [Breeze Residency, one night, B,L,D)

Friday 18th February
We travel to Madurai, perhaps stopping en route to view local village shrines before arriving at the Taj Garden Retreat (one night) in Madurai. Afternoon at leisure.

In the evening we pay our first visit to the Meenakshi temple to witness the procession of the God who goes to spend the night in the sanctuary of his consort, Meenakshi. (BLD)

Saturday 19th February
In the morning, a second, more detailed, visit to the huge Meenakshi temple. In the evening fly to Bangalore. Overnight at  Clarks.  (B)

Sunday 20th February
Early morning transfer to Bangalore Airport for return flight to the UK

Hilary Smith
Hilary Smith, a cultural historian, studied in London at the Warburg Institute where she gained her MPhil. She first went to India in the early 80s as a tour manager with Swan Hellenic. A period of study at the School of Oriental & African Studies, University of London, led to her developing an interest in the ancient culture of Central and South Asia. She has been designing and leading off the beaten track tours in South Asia for many years. She has recently brought out a revised edition of Patricia Baker's acclaimed Bradt Guide to Iran. She lives in London.

 

 

 

 

Reading List:

South India by George Michell is an excellent guide book.  Out of print, but available on http://www.abebooks.co.uk
George Michell's The Hindu Temple: An Introduction to its Meaning and Forms. The 1988 edition from the University of Chicago press is still obtainable.

Penguin Guide to the Monuments of India, 2 vols, the first by George Michell, the second by Philip Davies.

Michael Wood, The Smile of Murugan: A South Indian Journey

RK Narayan,  The Guide and Malgudi Days. He also produced readable versions of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.

Cost: £2650 per person, based on sharing a double room.
Single room supplement: £495
To secure your place we ask for a non-refundable deposit of £350 per person, to be sent to Sarah Mahaffy at Quo Vadis’s London office, made payable to Quo Vadis Travels Pvt Ltd by October 15th  2010. We will supply details for payment by bank transfer. 

Includes:
All internal travel in an air conditioned bus, with soft drinks and bottled water
Entrance fees to monuments and camera fees
All tips and gratuities
Single economy fare: Madurai/Bangalore
Meals where specified B= breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Excludes:
Lunch and dinner in Bangalore, Chennai, Covelong and Pondicherry
Flights to and fro the UK
Visa fees
Alcoholic drinks and laundry

 

Quo Vadis Travels Pvt Ltd., 603 Shrikriti, CCGHS, Sector 55, Haryana 122002, India.  http://www.quovadis.in

Sarah Mahaffy, Quo Vadis Travels Pvt ltd., 26 Parsons Green Lane
London SW6 4HS 07770 385675 sarah.mahaffy@quovadis.in